Substitute Teacher Resume Examples & Tips

Substitute teachers play a vital role in many schools and there is always a demand for substitutes as primary teachers and schools can face inconveniences or mishaps during the semester.

With a lot of employers looking for a substitute teacher, or simply referred to as sub teacher, your resume shall distinguish you from other candidates.

Unlike the usual teachers who hold a permanent teaching position, substitute teachers take the place of regular teachers for a short period of time (e.g. a week or a month), or for an entire academic year.

They ensure that the lesson plan is followed and that everything in the classroom works properly in the absence of the regular teacher.

Since your resume for a sub-teacher position is important for job hunting, this helpful guide will show you how to deliver a well-crafted substitute teacher resume.

Here are five useful tips for making your substitute teacher resume:

A resume objective or a career objective is the purpose or mission of your career. An ideal career goal for a resume of a substitute teacher is typically a brief but concise section.

Here are three crucial aspects to consider when you write an objective for a sub-teacher resume:

1. Describe yourself with positive attributes.
List two or three positive attributes in your sub-teacher resume that you find best as an educator looking for a job.

 2. Talk about past experience roles.
Employers find the experience very important for educators, so do include some experience highlights in your resume objective for a sub-teacher.

3. Mention the school’s name.
Having the school’s name shows the effort that the resume has been tailored to the substitute teaching job description. Align your purpose with the school’s name in your substitute teacher resume objective.

A resume summary, also known as a summary statement, is a description of your credentials and teaching experience. This section gets the attention at the start as it puts your most relevant experience details on top.

4 vital elements for elaborating your resume summary as a substitute teacher:

• Mention your experience.
  While elaborating your summary statement, mention the number of years and field regarding your teaching experience in your sub-teacher resume summary.
• Showcase your teaching expertise.
  Describe what skills and abilities you successfully performed in previous instances.
• List your qualifications.
  List relevant educational background, training, or certification that you think are valuable to employers.
• Mention the grade levels you've taught.
  Being specific about what age or level can make or break your sub-teacher resume. If the vacancy involves a level you have previously instructed, then it is wise to mention this detail.

Skills are essential in your sub-teacher resume.

For a substitute teacher, your resume may opt for a simple bullet list or a list with expanded bullets.

📝 Simple bullet list

• This is the most reader-friendly way to showcase your skills in your substitute teacher resume.
• Examples:
  - ESL/ESOL Instruction
  - Team Leadership
  - Classroom Management
• However, this format lacks depth, so it may be a disadvantage as you may need to explain certain skills employers would like to hear more about. Be sure to include the explanations in your substitute teacher cover letter.

📝 Expanded bullet list

• This is a similar format to the previous one but it provides more details about your skills.
• Examples:
  - Technology Integration
  Familiar in using innovative resources, such as SMARTboard and other elements, for enhancing the teaching experience
  - Lesson Plan Follow-up
  Familiar with and capable of carrying on with the lesson plan and outline established by the school and instructor
• This format gives more details than the previous format, but it can take up more space in your substitute teacher resume.

Here is a list of hard skills and soft skills for a sub-teacher resume.

Here are five pieces of advice for you if you have no experience or you are a non-certified substitute teacher building a resume:

1. List your educational background.
Even for sub teachers, an educator’s resume shall have a solid academic background.

2. Choose the right sub-teacher resume format.
There are 3 types of professional resume formats you can use for your substitute teacher resume, including chronological, functional format, hybrid/combination, and targeted resumes. A targeted or functional format is suitable for a junior position. 

3. Adopt a sub-teacher resume objective.
A resume objective is appropriate for a substitute teacher resume with no teaching experience, as an objective shows you are aligned with the institution with your intentions and characteristics.

4. Include your personal website or portfolio.
Anything on the web that shows more about you can show a side of you that your substitute teacher resume cannot due to lack of visual content, so if you have one, do include a link.

5. Write a substitute teacher cover letter.
Making a substitute teacher cover letter with no experience is your opportunity to show yourself as a good candidate with a personal touch towards employers. 

--- Originally written by José J. Rosales ---