Substitute Teacher
Resume Example

Remember looking forward to having a substitute teacher in class as a kid?

Now, actually being the sub also comes with its own perks: scheduling flexibility, teaching experience without the long-term commitment, and having time to pursue your other interests.

But first, before you get caught up in the benefits of substitute teaching, you’ve got to land the job.

Since substitute teachers work across whole school districts, it’s crucial that your resume is top of the line. Find out how to make your substitute teacher resume superb with our three tips below.

1. Choose the right resume format

Get started on writing the best substitute teacher resume by choosing the most appropriate format for you.

That’s right—resumes aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. There are multiple resume formats that suit different job applicants:

• Reverse chronological – The most common type of resume, this straightforward style of formatting is best for showcasing a steady career trajectory.
• Functional – Maybe you’ve changed industries or were unemployed for a time, in which case functional resumes are better. These resumes shift emphasis to applicants’ relevant skills and abilities rather than job inconsistencies.
• Combination – Combination resumes marry the two aforementioned formats by including a summary of qualifications as well as past work experience in reverse chronological order.

Our candidate chose a functional resume that highlights three broad categories of skills relevant to substitute teaching: lesson planning, student development, and teaching.

Why did this applicant opt for a functional resume? Perhaps they briefly took some time off to pursue other professional goals (e.g., acting) or were incapacitated due to life circumstances (e.g., taking care of a sick family member).

In any case, it’s not revealed—but the picture presented by the applicant using this format still speaks of competence in the classroom. In fact, this candidate lists previous substitute teaching experience as well as a degree in primary education.

Of course, if you have extensive teaching experience, it’d be more fitting to use a reverse-chronological resume. If you’re somewhere in between, a combination resume would be a better match. The bottom line is: you need to identify and use the resume format that’s right for you.

2. Prove you can get things done by quantifying

Full-time teachers aren’t always the biggest fans of substitutes. Though they’re grateful to have someone take their place when they’re sick or out of town, they often lament how the day was wasted.

Thus, as a sub, you want to impress school administrators by including precise stats and figures for what you’ve been able to achieve in the classroom.

Our candidate does this when describing previous teaching experiences in their resume:

• Regularly engaged students in “open talk” times, developing team-building activities that enhanced student motivation and teamwork by 30%
• Effectively helped three struggling students improve literacy targets by 20%
• Designed and implemented lessons plans that increased student engagement by 20%

See how including these exact percentages adds a more impressive punch of detail?

Quantifying your accomplishments as a substitute teacher shows that you’re laser-focused and know how to get the job done, even when students just want to slack off.

3. Show off your interpersonal skills

As a substitute teacher, you work with students on a short-term basis. That might be for one day or a few consecutive ones; either way, you don’t have the opportunity to connect with students over a long period like homeroom teachers do.

Consequently, it’s important that you’re able to quickly build rapport with students.

If it takes a while for students to warm up to you, you’ll be in trouble when it comes to classroom management—and administrators know that.

Thus, your resume should convey that you’re able to engage with students, even on a short-term basis.

Check out how our candidate draws attention to these skills with phrases like “regularly engaged students” and “enhanced student motivation and teamwork.” This kind of language says that you’re not the kind of sub who’ll passively hang at the back of the classroom; on the contrary, you positively impact and interact with students.

Some other phrases that similarly demonstrate interpersonal prowess include:

• Accommodated special needs students
• Adept at building student rapport
• Encouraged quiet students to participate
• Fostered a warm and constructive learning atmosphere

Got an idea of how to put together your resume now? Following the tips above will be sure to bring your hiring grade up to an A+.

If you’re still not feeling confident about resume writing, have no fear—our easy-to-use resume builder will walk you through the process in no time.