By Mike Simpson
When you want to land a teaching job, a teacher resume objective can make a world of difference. Used right, it can help you stand out from the crowd and showcase why you’re a great candidate.
Teachers are some of the trusted, admired, and respected professionals in the country, and there’s a shortage of high-quality teaching talent. But just like every other professional, they have to convince the hiring manager to extend them an offer. You can’t just walk into a school and expect to get hired, even if your credentials are solid.
So, how can a teacher resume objective help? Let’s find out.
What Is a Resume Objective?
Before we dig in, yes, we know that many people think the resume objective is old-school, and not in a good way. You’ll see a ton of advice that says to ditch it. But, like many facets of a resume, if you use a teacher resume objective the right way, it can actually make you a more attractive candidate.
Alright, now that that is out of the way, let’s move on to the core question;
What is a resume objective?
Well, in the simplest terms, it’s a summary of your career and an overview of your professional goals.
Generally, a winning objective showcases how you acquired critical skills as well as outlines how you want to apply your capabilities going forward. We’ve discussed the topic in-depth before, but that’s the basics.
What Is Unique About a Teacher Resume Objective?
More often than not, teacher resumes have a ton in common. Most candidates are going to have similar educational backgrounds and skillsets. At times, even their amount of experience may only negligibly differ.
What does that mean for you? It means that you have to find a way to stand out. You can’t rely on your core credentials in many cases. If you try to, your resume may get lost in a sea of similar applications.
That’s why adding a teacher resume objective can be a great move. It’s your chance to share something that’s a little special. You just have to use one at the right time and take the right approach.
If you’ve recently become a teacher, an objective statement can be a great addition to your resume. It can also work if you have a very specific target in mind. In those situations, you can use the objective to ensure your relevant skills and achievements take center stage, as well as highlight why you decided that a teaching career is right for you.
Now, if you have a substantial amount of teaching experience, the teacher resume objective route may not be right for you. Instead, consider going the resume summary statement route, as that’s probably going to be a better match.
Common Mistakes When Writing a Teacher Resume Objective
Resume objective mistakes are actually pretty common. The main reason is that people don’t understand how to use one effectively.
For example, not long ago, everyone had a resume objective, and they all said essentially the same thing; “I want a job.” When a hiring manager reads a sentiment like that, the first thought that crosses their mind may be, “Thanks, captain obvious. If you didn’t want a job, you probably wouldn’t be applying.”
The simple presence of a resume means you want a job. By going that route, your statement isn’t providing any value. So, skip mentioning that you’re trying to land a position entirely.
A lack of tailoring is also a common misstep. If you don’t adjust your teacher resume objective to the position, you’re missing out on an opportunity. Alignment is the key to success, so avoid a generic statement that doesn’t speak to the exact job.
Top 3 Tips for Writing a Teacher Resume Objective
If you want to write a standout teacher resume objective, here are three tips that can help you make that happen:
1. It’s Not All About You
Your resume objective is the written equivalent of an elevator pitch. It needs to be short, sweet, and not all about you.
While you want to highlight relevant skills and accomplishments, don’t make that your entire focus. Instead, talk about what you can do to help that school excel. If you can demonstrate the value you bring to the table, you’re a more enticing candidate.
2. Don’t Overlook Soft Skills
When you do discuss your capabilities, sprinkle in some soft skills. Teachers need traits like patience, compassion, time management, problem-solving, adaptability, and more. While you won’t have the space to discuss them all, do mention any that show up in the teacher job description, if you can.
3. Incorporate the Right Action Verbs
The language you use can be transformative. By focusing on action verbs, you’re making your resume objective more powerful.
However, you also want to use the ideal ones. Make sure to choose action verbs that best describe what you did (or do). Even options that seem similar – like “evaluated” and “examined” – aren’t actually the same thing. So, really consider which one is the best fit, and go that route.
5 Teacher Resume Objective Examples
Alright, now you know what a teacher resume objective is and a little about how to create a great one. Do you want more? Of course, you do. Here are five examples that can help you see how to put these statements together, with each one focusing on a different kind of teaching role.
1. Preschool
“Recent college graduate looking with strong communication skills and a high degree of enthusiasm seeking to bring my knowledge into a preschool classroom. Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and remain calm, compassionate, and focused when working under pressure.”
2. Elementary School
“Dedicated elementary school teacher with two years of experience looking for an opportunity that allows me to promote creativity while enhancing higher-order thinking abilities in young students, increasing their odds of thriving academically and improving overall performance.”
3. High School
“Graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Mathematics with a minor in Education. Looking to use my technical knowledge and creative approach to make science courses engaging and informative, enhancing the overall performance of students while making the process enjoyable.”
4. Substitute
“Retired chemist looking to use my 30 years of professional experience to assist students during teacher absences, allowing me to pass on my knowledge while supporting local classrooms on an as-needed basis. Punctual, organized, and highly communicative.”
5. Special Education
“Passionate special education teacher looking to apply my skills to help special needs students enhance their capabilities and develop while maintaining a fun, engaging environment.”
Putting It All Together
Ultimately, a teacher resume objective can be a smart addition to your application, particularly if you are new to the field or transitioning in from another specialty.
When used properly, one of these statements, like the resume objective examples above, can help you stand out from the crowd, increasing the odds that you’ll be invited in for an interview.
Just remember that objectives aren’t the only available approach. Many professionals are better served by professional resume summaries, especially if they have prior experience working in that niche.
Your goals should always be to use the option that best meets your needs. That way, your resume will shine, making it more likely that you’ll land the target role.
Good luck!
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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.
His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.
Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.