As a history teacher, conveying your extensive subject knowledge without overwhelming your resume can be a significant challenge. Our guide offers clear strategies to help you prioritize and articulate your expertise succinctly, making your application stand out to employers.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your history teacher resume.
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Tips and tricks for your history teacher resume format
Before you start writing your resume, you must first consider its look-and-feel - or resume format . Your professional presentation hence should:
- Follow the reverse-chronological resume format , which incroporates the simple logic of listing your latest experience items first. The reverse-chronological format is the perfect choice for candidates who have plenty of relevant (and recent) experience.
- State your intention from the get-go with a clear and concise headline - making it easy for recruiters to allocate your contact details, check out your portfolio, or discover your latest job title.
- Be precise and simple - your resume should be no more than two pages long, representing your experience and skills that are applicable to the history teacher job.
- Ensure your layout is intact by submitting it as a PDF. Thus, your resume sections would stay in place, even when assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (ATS).
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The more trusted the organization you've attained your certificate (or degree) from, the more credible your skill set would be.
The key to your history teacher job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven ability to develop and implement curricula that adhere to educational standards and engage students in learning history.
- Experience with various teaching methodologies and educational technologies relevant to history instruction.
- Demonstrable track record of fostering historical thinking skills, such as critical analysis, source evaluation, and chronological reasoning.
- Commitment to promoting multicultural awareness and integrating diverse perspectives into the study of history.
- Active participation in professional development related to history education, including workshops, seminars, and conferences.
Creating your history teacher resume experience to catch recruiters' attention
Remember that for the history teacher role, hiring managers are looking to see how your expertise aligns with their requirements. Here's where your resume experience section can help out. Make sure you:
- Include mainly roles that are relevant to the history teacher job you're applying for;
- Don't go too far back in your experience - recruiters will only care what you did a decade ago if it's really important for the history teacher role;
- Each bullet you include should say what you did, followed by the skills you used and the actual end result of your efforts;
- Quantify each of your achievements with numbers and possibly the overall effect it had on the organization;
- Highlight transferrable skills - or personal skills you've attained thanks to past jobs - that could be applicable within your potential workplace. This would showcase your unique value as a professional.
Formatting the experience section of your resume doesn't have to be an over-the-top deep dive into your whole career. Follow the history teacher resume examples below to see how industry-leading professionals are presenting their experience:
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive curriculum for 11th-grade U.S. History that resulted in a 20% increase in student pass rates on state exams.
- Led a successful initiative to integrate technology in the classroom by utilizing historical databases and digital archives, enhancing student engagement and research skills.
- Collaborated with colleagues to coordinate an annual History Fair, showcasing student projects to the community and fostering a deeper connection with local history.
- Orchestrated a cross-curricular project between the History and English departments, culminating in a student publication on local history narratives.
- Spearheaded a professional development workshop for history teachers on effective assessment strategies, which was later adopted by the school district.
- Cultivated community partnerships that led to the creation of an internship program for students at the local museum, providing hands-on historical research experience.
- Pioneered the use of virtual reality in history education at the school, creating immersive experiences for students studying Ancient Civilizations.
- Authored a district-wide adopted curriculum focused on World History that emphasizes critical thinking and global perspectives.
- Secured a grant for the history department to bring in guest speakers and historians, which diversified the learning experience and connected students with real-world experts.
- Initiated a service-learning project that involved students in preserving local historical sites, teaching preservation skills and the importance of community heritage.
- Implemented a flipped classroom model that improved student learning outcomes by 25% as measured by pre- and post-assessment comparisons.
- Coordinated the history club's annual trip to Washington D.C., which included meetings with legislators and hands-on learning at national museums.
- Enhanced student understanding of historical events by integrating performance-based assessments like debates and mock trials into the curriculum.
- Fostered a student mentorship program with history majors from the nearby university, improving academic performance and post-secondary aspirations among students.
- Organized an annual week-long history immersion camp that provided intensive study opportunities for students, resulting in heightened engagement and knowledge retention.
- Curated a multimedia history exhibition with student projects on 'The Evolution of Democracy', attracting over 1,000 visitors and raising awareness on civic education.
- Implemented learner-centered teaching practices that increased critical analysis skills in students, as evidenced by a 15% improvement in argumentative essay scores.
- Conceived and directed a student documentary project on the civil rights movement, receiving regional recognition and heightening student civic engagement.
- Lectured on global historical events and their impacts, encouraging students to examine the interconnectedness of cultures and the global community.
- Initiated a multi-disciplinary project on historical pandemics, leveraging primary source analysis to enhance student understanding of current world events.
- Involved students in a collaborative mapping project using GIS technology to better understand geopolitical changes throughout history.
- Redesigned the European History curriculum to align with new state standards, resulting in a 10% increase in student performance on assessments.
- Initiated a 'History Through Film' club, educating students on historical accuracy in media and fostering critical viewing skills.
- Partnered with the local library to create a public lecture series on historical topics, engaging students in community outreach and public speaking.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- State the number of students you have taught over a specific period of time to demonstrate the scale of your teaching experience.
- Include the percentage of students who passed or achieved above a certain grade threshold under your instruction to show effectiveness.
- List any quantifiable improvements in student test scores or grades compared to previous years to highlight your positive impact.
- Mention the specific number of lesson plans you have developed to emphasize your ability to create educational content.
- Quantify the amount of teaching material you have digitized or updated, showing your contribution to the school's resources.
- Detail the number of educational workshops or conferences you have conducted or participated in to exhibit professional development.
- Provide the size of the budget you managed for classroom resources or extracurricular activities to demonstrate financial responsibility.
- Enumerate any awards or recognitions you have received in numbers of occasions to underscore your achievements as an educator.
Action verbs for your history teacher resume
Guide for history teacher professionals kicking off their career
Who says you can't get that history teacher job, even though you may not have that much or any experience? Hiring managers have a tendency to hire the out-of-the-blue candidate if they see role alignment. You can show them why you're the best candidate out there by:
- Selecting the functional skill-based or hybrid formats to spotlight your unique value as a professional
- Tailoring your history teacher resume to always include the most important requirements, found towards the top of the job ad
- Substituting the lack of experience with other relevant sections like achievements, projects, and research
- Pinpoint both achievements and how you see yourself within this specific role in the history teacher resume objective.
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Shining a light on your history teacher hard skills and soft skills
To win recruiters over, you must really have a breadth of skill set presented and supported within your history teacher resume.
On hiring managers' checklists, you'd initially discover hard or technical skills. Those are the technology (and software) that help you perform on the job. Hard skills are easy to quantify via your education, certificates, and on-the-job success.
Another main criterion recruiters are always assessing your history teacher resume on is soft skills. That is your ability to communicate, adapt, and grow in new environments. Soft skills are a bit harder to measure, as they are gained both thanks to your personal and professional experience.
Showcase you have the ideal skill set for the role by:
- Dedicating both a skills box (for your technical capabilities) and an achievements or strengths section (to detail your personal skills).
- When listing your skills, be specific about your hard skills (name the precise technology you're able to use) and soft skills (aim to always demonstrate what the outcomes were).
- Avoid listing overused cliches in the skills section (e.g. Microsoft Office and Communication), unless they're otherwise specified as prominent for the role.
- Select up to ten skills which should be defined via various sections in your resume skills sidebar (e.g. a technical skills box, industry expertise box with sliders, strengths section with bullets).
Spice up your resume with leading technical and people skills, that'd help you get noticed by recruiters.
Top skills for your history teacher resume:
Knowledge of Historical Events
Lesson Planning
Classroom Management
Research Skills
Curriculum Development
Educational Technology Proficiency
Assessment and Evaluation
Primary and Secondary Source Analysis
Archival Research
Pedagogical Strategies
Communication
Storytelling
Critical Thinking
Empathy
Adaptability
Active Listening
Motivation and Inspiration
Organization
Time Management
Cultural Sensitivity
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If you failed to obtain one of the certificates, as listed in the requirements, but decide to include it on your resume, make sure to include a note somewhere that you have the "relevant training, but are planning to re-take the exams". Support this statement with the actual date you're planning to be re-examined. Always be honest on your resume.
Qualifying your relevant certifications and education on your history teacher resume
In recent times, employers have started to favor more and more candidates who have the "right" skill alignment, instead of the "right" education.
But this doesn't mean that recruiters don't care about your certifications .
Dedicate some space on your resume to list degrees and certificates by:
- Including start and end dates to show your time dedication to the industry
- Adding credibility with the institutions' names
- Prioritizing your latest certificates towards the top, hinting at the fact that you're always staying on top of innovations
- If you decide on providing further information, focus on the actual outcomes of your education: the skills you've obtained
If you happen to have a degree or certificate that is irrelevant to the job, you may leave it out.
Some of the most popular certificates for your resume include:
The top 5 certifications for your history teacher resume:
- National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) - National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
- State Teaching Certification (STC) - Varies by State Department of Education
- Teacher Certification in History/Social Studies (TCHSS) - Varies by State Department of Education
- Secondary Education Certificate in History (SECH) - Varies by State Department of Education or Accredited Colleges
- Master of Arts in Teaching – History (MAT-History) - Accredited Colleges and Universities with Teacher Education Programs
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Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
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Which one to use: a resume summary or a resume objective?
The history teacher resume summary or objective serves as a good introduction to your experience for recruiters.
Have you ever wondered which one (the summary or objective) will be more appropriate for your history teacher resume?
- If you are a less experienced professional, write a resume objective statement. The objective is about three sentences long and provides recruiters with information about your career goals, strengths, and achievements . It should basically denote how you see yourself in this particular role, and what is your relevant experience and/or know-how;
- If you happen to have plenty of relevant experience, select your most impressive achievements for your resume summary. The summary is no longer than five sentences and serves as a storytelling instrument - highlighting your greatest career wins . Don't forget to align your summary with the job requirements to ensure your resume stays relevant to the role.
Read on for more information and examples of resume summaries and objectives from real world professionals.
Resume summaries for a history teacher job
- Dedicated history educator of 10 years, with a Master's degree in History, a track record of improving student engagement, and an award for excellence in curriculum development. Expertise in integrating technology into lessons and fostering a dynamic classroom environment that stimulates students' passion for history.
- Former journalist with 5 years of experience, seeking to leverage extensive background in storytelling and research into a second career as a history teacher. Skilled in critical analysis and fact-checking with a proven ability to convey complex information in a compelling and accessible manner.
- Seeking to channel my decade-long experience as a museum curator into the educational sector by becoming a history teacher. I bring a wealth of practical knowledge in historical artifacts, exhibit presentations, and educational program management, complemented by strong communication and organizational skills.
- Transitioning from a 7-year career in law to history education, capitalizing on well-honed skills in research, analysis, and public speaking. I aim to inspire the next generation by bringing historical events to life, drawing parallels between the past and current legal and political landscapes.
- As a recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in History and a minor in Education, I'm eager to start my journey as a history teacher. My objective is to apply my academic background, fresh energy, and innovative lesson planning strategies to ignite students' interest in understanding the past's impact on the present.
- Enthusiastic about launching a history teaching career, I possess a wealth of knowledge from my extensive volunteer work at historical sites, combined with a Bachelor's degree in History. Committed to applying engaging teaching methodologies and a sincere passion for historical education to foster a nurturing learning environment.
Recruiters' favorite additional history teacher resume sections
When writing your history teacher resume, you may be thinking to yourself, " Is there anything more I can add on to stand out? ".
Include any of the below four sections you deem relevant, to ensure your history teacher resume further builds up your professional and personal profile:
Key takeaways
- Impactful history teacher resumes have an easy-to-read format that tells your career narrative with highlights;
- Select a resume summary or objective, depending on what sort of impression you'd like to leave and if your accomplishments are relevant to the job;
- If you don't happen to have much industry expertise, curate additional gigs you've had, like contracts and internships, to answer how your experience aligns with the history teacher job;
- Be specific about the hard and soft skills you list on your resume to define your niche expertise and outcomes of using those particular skills;
- Always tailor your resume for each history teacher application to ensure you meet all job requirements.
