3 High School Teacher Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

You’ve developed the diverse skill set and subject-specific knowledge that make you a great high school teacher. You’re a pro at everything from classroom management to student achievement.

But how do you balance all your skills and abilities on your high school teacher resume?

Quantifying achievements in education can be tricky. High school teachers need to effectively illustrate their impact on student learning and engagement, possibly through standardized test scores, graduation rates, or student project successes.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to format your high school teacher resume in a way that strikes the right balance between creative and professional to show principals your organization and presentation skills.
• How to incorporate achievements into your work history so that potential employers will see how you will impact success at their school.
• How to focus on relevant experiences and transferable skills to make a strong high school teacher resume, even with no experience.
• What to include in your education and certification sections so that school principals will see right away that you have the qualifications necessary to fill the role.

For examples of resumes in similar roles, check out our guides on other jobs in the industry:

• Teacher resume
• Computer science teacher resume
• Math teacher resume
• History teacher resume
• Science teacher resume
• Art teacher resume
• Social studies teacher resume
• Middle school teacher resume
• English teacher resume 

High school teacher resume example

Here’s what this applicant does well on their resume:

• Quantifiable achievements: Cites specific improvements in student performance, such as an 80% improvement in regional history knowledge, indicating effectiveness in teaching.
• Diverse experience: Highlights teaching experiences in both domestic and international settings, emphasizing adaptability and cultural competence.
• Award recognition: Mentions receiving "Teacher of the Year 2019," which adds credibility and recognition to their professional achievements.
• Relevant certifications: Holds a Master in Global and Regional History, aligning closely with the high school teaching role's requirements.

How to format a high school teacher resume

Teachers are organized, professional, and have great presentation skills. Your high school teacher resume format needs to communicate this.

Format is the first thing principals will notice about your resume. Send a clear message with a clear and organized format.

When principals view your resume for an entry-level teacher position, your formatting should show the following:

• Reverse chronological layout - A reverse chronological layout focuses on work experience in reverse chronological order. Show your journey as a high school teacher with a work history timeline that highlights a strong career path.

• Professional header - With a ton of resumes to sort through, principals need to be able to reach you quickly and efficiently. Include a header at the top of your high school teacher resume that clearly states your title, phone number, professional email address, and URL to your LinkedIn profile or other online portfolio.

• Single page - Principals and school administrators are busy. Don’t give them pages of information to sort through, even if you have years of experience. Keep every section of your resume short, concise, and relevant. Format it as a PDF instead of a DOC to ensure readability and preservation of formatting.

• ATS optimized - Be sure to use fonts that are optimized for ATS readability. Some of the best ATS-optimized fonts like Rubik, Lato, Montserrat, Raleway, Exo 2, and Volkhov are available in Enhancv’s resume builder. Show off your creativity skills with a mix of fonts, but keep it professional.

Create your high school teacher resume in our resume builder for ATS optimization and easy formatting.

How to write your high school teacher resume experience

The experience section of your resume lists your work history along with a few bullets highlighting your top accomplishments in the role. This section shows potential employers what you will bring to their organization.

Show school principals that you’ve had strong career growth by telling a story with your experience section. List your work history along with key achievements from each role.

Highlight accomplishments and skills from previous roles will show potential employers what you will bring to their school.

Let’s look at an example of a high school history teacher.

What doesn’t work in this example:

• Lists duties instead of accomplishments - this candidate lists general daily tasks instead of what they achieved in the role. Don’t just show hiring managers that you’re capable of the general requirements, show how you will achieve success.
• No action verbs - high school teacher roles are dynamic and require diverse skill sets. Don’t bore readers with passive statements. Use action verbs on your resume to show your vibrant and relevant skills.
• No evidence of outcomes - high school teachers are expected to achieve positive student outcomes, so your resume should show how you’ve impacted academic achievement. Show school principals how you will impact student success at their school.

Let’s make a few changes and look at that example again.

What works in this example:

• Uses industry keywords - using industry keywords on your resume like “Common Core” and “scaffolding” show that you have up-to-date knowledge in your field and improve ATS optimization.
• Quantifies impact with real numbers - showing success with real numbers and data tells principles exactly how you have achieved positive outcomes. Including “180 high school students” and “improved student scores for state history test by 20%” provide clear evidence of claims.
• Includes specialized knowledge - including specific classes like AP World History or training in specialized areas like special education to show your unique skills as a candidate and increase employability.

How to quantify the impact on your resume

To show school principals how you have achieved high student outcomes, you must quantify the impact on your high school teacher resume.

Use real numbers and data on your resume to show exactly what results you achieved. This will show potential employers how you will impact success in your role.

As you write your resume, consider the following areas that emphasize your impact as a high school teacher:

• Include the number of years teaching, showing depth of experience and stability in the role.
• Mention class sizes managed, demonstrating the ability to handle various group dynamics.
• State the number of subjects taught, reflecting versatility and breadth of knowledge.
• Quantify improvements in student test scores, showcasing effectiveness in boosting academic performance.
• Detail the percentage of students passing key exams, highlighting success in achieving educational goals.
• List the number of educational projects or initiatives led, indicating leadership and innovative capabilities.
• Specify the amount of training or professional development hours completed, showing commitment to self-improvement.
• Include the number of extracurricular activities supervised, exhibiting engagement beyond traditional teaching duties.

How do I write a high school teacher resume with no experience

Writing a high school teacher resume with no experience can be intimidating, but it is possible. Everyone has to start somewhere!

As a new teacher or someone making a career change, the first thing you want to do is format your resume to focus on transferable skills.

A functional resume focuses on transferable skills rather than work history, making it the ideal choice for a new teacher at the start of their career.

Show principals how you’ve developed relevant skills like communication, time management, and creativity.

It may be tempting to fill space with every job you’ve ever had but don’t pad your experience section with irrelevant jobs.

Include only prior roles where you developed skills that are relevant to your target position.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

Skills are an important part of your high school teacher's resume. Show principals your teaching-related abilities that are important for education environments.

Your skill section has two major categories. Hard skills are the technical knowledge and abilities needed to perform job duties, whereas soft skills are the interpersonal and communication skills needed to interact with others.

Hard skills tend to be straightforward and can be listed without explanation. Here is an example of a hard skills section on a high school English teacher's resume.

Soft skills can be left up to interpretation, so it’s best to support them with context. Highlight your best soft skills by including an achievement with each example.

Here is an example of a soft skills section on a high school science teacher resume.

Below are additional hard skills and soft skills to consider adding to your high school teacher resume.

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

Certifications and education are crucial on a high school teacher's resume. Most traditional schools have strict qualification policies and will require that their teachers hold, at minimum, an active state teaching certificate.

Many will also require a bachelor’s degree in education or the teaching subject area.

Some educational institutions, like Montessori or alternative schools, may have different education requirements.

Due to the high importance of certifications and education on your high school teacher resume, you want to be sure they are listed clearly and prominently.

Here is an example of an education section on a high school teacher's resume.

Your education section should include:

• Name of institution
• Name of degree
• Location
• Years attended

There is no need to include details like coursework or GPA unless specifically requested, especially for teachers with a long work history.

Similarly, your certification section will be short and straight to the point. Your high school teacher certification section only needs to include the name of the certificate and the issuing institution.

Here is an example of a certification section on a high school teacher's resume.

A great way to enhance your high school teacher resume and increase your employability is by earning additional certificates in specialized areas.

Here are a few certifications to consider for your high school teacher resume.

How to write your high school teacher resume summary or objective

A summary or objective is your first introduction to school districts and hiring managers. It captures your career history and top accomplishments in 3-4 sentences.

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference between a summary and an objective.

A summary is a brief introduction that communicates your position and value in your industry. An objective looks to the future and captures what you are hoping to achieve in your new position.

A summary is more suitable for candidates with experience in the field, whereas an objective focuses on the future and is better for candidates who are just starting out.

A good strategy for your high school teacher resume is to combine them by summarizing your career, sharing a top accomplishment, and a goal shared between you and your target school.

Let’s take a look at an example of a high school teacher resume summary.

What doesn’t work in this example:

• Blanket statements - “Passionate about English literature and inspiring students” doesn’t say anything about the candidate or their accomplishments. Be specific and take the opportunity to share your best accomplishments.
• No numbers or metrics - the summary is a good opportunity to catch a hiring manager’s eye with a top accomplishment. Share measurable results of an impressive achievement to make a strong impression.
• Not tailored to the target job - blanket resumes sent out to countless job openings won’t do you any favors. Companies want to know that you’ve done your research and want to work for them specifically.

Let’s update this summary and take another look.

What works in this example:

• Supports claims - specific examples of “10 years of experience” and “Special Education Certification” highlights important qualifications right away.
• Industry achievement - “Improved student SAT scores in reading and writing sections by 35%” is an impressive example of academic achievement and students success that shows strong execution of teaching skills.
• Shared goal - this candidate shows how their experience will help their target school “improve academic achievement” in a shared goal.

Additional sections for a high school teacher resume

Additional sections on your resume can be a great way to show how you’ve developed important skills outside of the traditional career path.

Any project or experience where you developed teaching-relating abilities can be a good addition to your high school teacher resume.

Here are a few sections to consider adding to your high school teacher resume:

• Languages - speaking multiple languages can be a great skill for teachers, especially if you will be teaching students with diverse language backgrounds.

• Professional development - continuous learning is a critical aspect of teaching. Presenting professional development experiences like workshops and conferences shows a commitment to your career and skill development.

• Projects - projects you have done with previous students or extracurricular activities can be an opportunity to show additional skills and industry achievements

Key takeaways for writing a high school teacher resume

Now you have a high school teacher resume that impresses principals and gets callbacks! Let’s review a few key points before we wrap up.

• Format your experience sections in reverse chronological order to show your career path as a high school teacher and convey your creativity skills with a clear design.
• Quantify the impact on your high school teacher resume by using real numbers and data to show positive outcomes and academic achievements that principals want to see.
• Use a combination of hard skills and soft skills to show that you have teaching abilities as well as the interpersonal skills required to fill the role.
• Display your education and certification sections prominently on your high school teacher resume so that potential employers see your qualifications right away.