Secondary School Teacher Resume: Your Complete Guide
Stand out in today's competitive secondary education job market with a professionally crafted resume. Our comprehensive guide covers everything from ATS optimization to subject-specific requirements, helping you land your dream high school teaching position.
Secondary Teaching Job Market Snapshot
Understanding the current high school education landscape is crucial for crafting an effective resume
Salaries by Location
New York, NY
$62,400
-4% below national avg
Los Angeles, CA
—
Data not available
Chicago, IL
—
Data not available
Houston, TX
—
Data not available
General Resume Tips for Secondary Teachers
Industry-specific best practices to make your secondary teaching resume stand out
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When writing your resume, avoid the following common mistakes
- Generic objective statements
- Missing certifications
- Lack of quantified achievements
- Poor grammar and spelling
- Outdated contact information
- Using unprofessional email addresses
ATS Optimization
Use industry-specific keywords like
Essential Components of a Secondary Teacher Resume
Key sections every secondary teaching resume must include to get noticed by principals and hiring committees
Must Include
- Full name (large, clear font)
- Professional phone number
- Professional email address
- City, State
Optional
- LinkedIn profile
- Professional website
3-4 sentences highlighting
- Years of experience
- Specialty areas
- Key achievements
- Relevant certifications
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
For each position include
- Job title, facility, dates
- 3-5 bullet points with achievements
- Quantified results when possible
- Action verbs (administered, assessed, improved)
Required
- Degree type (ADN, BSN, MSN)
- School name and location
- Graduation year
- GPA (if 3.5+)
For New Grads
- Relevant coursework
- Clinical rotations
- Academic honors
Required
Valuable
Always include expiration dates
Customization for Specific Secondary Teaching Roles
Tailor your resume for different secondary education positions and subject areas
- Laboratory management
- Scientific method instruction
- Technology integration
- Engineering design process
- Data analysis skills
- Safety protocols
- Literature analysis
- Writing instruction
- Public speaking coaching
- Media literacy
- Creative writing
- Research methodology
- Historical analysis
- Current events integration
- Civic engagement
- Research projects
- Critical thinking development
- Cultural awareness
- IEP implementation
- Transition planning
- Behavioral interventions
- Inclusive practices
- Assistive technology
- Life skills instruction
Secondary Teaching Career Path & Progression
Understanding the typical career progression helps you position your resume for your next step
- • Student teaching placement
- • Lesson observation
- • Curriculum familiarization
- • Mentor collaboration
- • Subject area instruction
- • Student assessment
- • Parent communication
- • Professional development
- • Mentoring new teachers
- • Curriculum development
- • AP course instruction
- • Committee leadership
- • Department leadership
- • Budget management
- • Teacher evaluation
- • Curriculum oversight
- • Administrative duties
- • Student discipline
- • Teacher supervision
- • School operations
- • School leadership
- • Strategic planning
- • Community relations
- • Budget oversight
Tips for Career Advancement
Build Your Skills
- Pursue master's degree in education or subject area
- Obtain National Board Certification
- Lead extracurricular activities and clubs
- Seek department chair or team leader roles
- Develop expertise in educational technology
Position Your Resume
- Highlight student achievement and test score improvements
- Showcase innovative teaching methods and curriculum development
- Include leadership roles in professional organizations
- Demonstrate impact on school culture and student engagement
- Quantify improvements in graduation and college acceptance rates
Advanced Optimization Strategies
Take your secondary teaching resume to the next level with these proven ATS techniques
ATS Success Tactics
Include relevant keywords naturally throughout your resume:
- Save as PDF to preserve formatting
- Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
- Avoid headers, footers, and text boxes
Quantifying Impact
"Increased AP exam pass rates by 35% through targeted test preparation strategies"
"Improved student engagement by 50% using interactive technology and project-based learning"
"Led department to 20% increase in standardized test scores over two years"
"Mentored 12 student teachers with 100% job placement rate upon graduation"
- Teacher of the Year
- Excellence in Subject Teaching Award
- Outstanding Secondary Educator
- Innovation in Education Award
- Coach of the Year
- National Board Certification
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common secondary teaching resume questions
Ready to Build Your Professional Secondary Teaching Resume?
Join thousands of secondary teachers who have successfully landed their dream high school positions with our professional resume builder