Standing Out in a Sea of Applications: Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Teaching CV After CELTA

Why Your CV is Important

Like most job markets, the English teaching market can be competitive, and your CV is often your only chance to introduce yourself to a company. Of course, some cities and some schools are more highly sought after than others and sometimes you might find schools that aren't as popular and don't have as many applicants as they'd like, but this isn't a risk worth taking so it's definitely worth making sure you set out your stall with a strong CV.

Know Your Audience

If you can, tailor your CV to the audience. Google what features are standard in a CV in the country where the job you're applying for is. Some countries will expect to know more personal details like marital status and date of birth, but others won't want this information. You should also think about whether you're applying for a job teaching children or adults or an online teaching role - can you make it clear how your experience matches the requirements of the job?

Highlight the CELTA (but don’t stop there)

CELTA is a well-known qualification in the world of English teaching and it can open doors, so don't hide it! A header on your CV that says "CELTA-qualified teacher" can really make it clear to potential employers that you have the essential qualification for the job. If you've never had teaching experience and if this is your first ever job or if you're transferring from another profession, don't be afraid to expand on the CELTA - list the levels you taught on the course and the skills you practised, so an employer can see that even though you're new to teaching, you did get practical real-life experience on the course.

Show, Don’t Just Tell

Don't just say that you've got varied experience - list the levels you've taught, the ages of your previous students and the exams you have prepared leaners for. Instead of saying something generic like 'good communicator', you can describe specific classroom management skills you've demonstrated. If you're applying for your first teaching job and something you've previously done is relevant, then explain why it's relevant, don't assume that the employer reading your CV will know.

Clear, Concise, and Easy to Skim

If you're applying for a teaching job, one page is usually plenty. Make sure to highlight any relevant experience or qualifications clearly because the first step in any recruitment process will be for someone (or an AI system) to filter out any unqualified applicants, so do make sure that's clear. It should also be easy to skim a CV. It's tempting to include as many details as possible, but if this means you end up with dense paragraphs, it's almost certain that they won't be read. Bullet points and clear, well-spaced headings are much more likely to get your CV read. Make sure that you name your CV clearly - if the file name doesn't include your name, then it's possible it could end up in a digital bin with twenty other CVs also labelled 'CV'!

What to Include, and What to Leave Out

It's essential to include your contact details, your teaching qualifications and your experience. It can also be helpful to include the languages you speak, the passport/work permits you hold (if you're applying for a job in another country) and any digital tools you're familiar with that can be used for teaching. You don't need to include any lengthy personal statements, or unrelated work experience (or at least not in detail).

Does a Cover Email Matter?

The answer to this is 'it depends'. If you're applying to a relatively small school, it's more likely to matter, as the academic manager or director of studies is likely to read each email and application themselves. If you're applying to a larger company and CVs are being filtered by a HR team, then it's less likely to matter. Of course, it's important to make sure to include it just in case, so write a short, professional email, simply outlining the job you're applying for with one sentence about yourself (e.g. I'm a CELTA-qualified, advanced level English teacher with an EU passport and I'm currently looking for work in Portugal) and stating that you've attached your CV and are available for an interview or to answer any questions. Make sure you have a professional sounding email address to apply from, and not ilovebeer1997@yahoo.com.

Final Tips

Always remember to proofread your CV! It's amazing how many errors can slip in! If you've done your CELTA with DC Teacher Training, we'll be happy to give you feedback on your CV, and do make sure to show it to at least one other person before you send it to employers because you never know what you haven't noticed! It's also important to keep your CV updated as you gain more experience.

Good luck with your job hunt!

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About the author:

Dr Connor O'Donoghue hails from Ireland and he started teaching English as a foreign language in Poland in 2003 and he became a CELTA trainer in 2008. He has taught and trained in Ireland, the UK, France, Italy, Slovenia, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. Connor also holds a Masters and a PhD in Education from Trinity College in Dublin. He has previously managed large teacher training centres in Vietnam and in London before founding DC Teacher Training.