Teach English Abroad
The Complete Guide
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Resumes for Teaching English Overseas
A resume or CV serves as an introduction to any potential employer. Its main purpose is to show you can do the job and do it well. The principal factors on any resume for teaching English overseas are education/qualifications/training and work experience. Any shortfall in these should be offset with other things that show you can do the job well. The other thing, essential to teaching, is of course, the ability to communicate. This is demonstrated in the interview but if you show that you are a great communicator you a far more likely to get interviewed.
The majority of language schools and other employers prefer a chronological, jobs-based resume to a skills-based one. Unfortunately there is no one universal format. In fact there are hundreds of resume variations. There will be regional differences as well. A resume in Korea, for example, isn't expected to be only a single page long but this may be perfectly acceptable in other countries.
Teaching English overseas employers will want to know some personal information that is not typically given on a resume or application you might send out back home. Most will expect background information, like interests and travel, as well as a recent photo that are relevant to the job in question. The reasons are more likely to be practical rather than discriminatory. They will want to see if you fit their “mould”, for example if you are comfortable in a new environment, or if you are married for accommodation purposes.
If you are looking to work in one specific country then it is a good idea to get your resume translated into that language and preferably a typical format used there. Apart from the obvious advantage of being more accessible, it shows you are professional and will help make your application stand out. In many countries it is the usual to include a (stapled) passport photo on your form. This provides a face to a name. Providing you are presenting the right image (smart, friendly, etc), this can only have a positive effect.
While a resume should stand out it should be for the right reasons. Avoid using fancy fonts, colorful paper and an unorthodox layout. Let the facts speak for themselves so don’t rely on superficial factors like these to get remembered.
You can use specific headings if you have lots of info to give e.g. “Teaching Experience” or “Relevant Education”. But avoid putting in too much information. Teaching English overseas resumes should be between 1 and 3 pages and no more.
Further information on creating a successful resume for teaching English overseas is given in the chapter: “Applying and Getting Work” in Teach English Abroad - The Complete Guide. ESL sample resumes are also provided.
The majority of language schools and other employers prefer a chronological, jobs-based resume to a skills-based one. Unfortunately there is no one universal format. In fact there are hundreds of resume variations. There will be regional differences as well. A resume in Korea, for example, isn't expected to be only a single page long but this may be perfectly acceptable in other countries.
Teaching English overseas employers will want to know some personal information that is not typically given on a resume or application you might send out back home. Most will expect background information, like interests and travel, as well as a recent photo that are relevant to the job in question. The reasons are more likely to be practical rather than discriminatory. They will want to see if you fit their “mould”, for example if you are comfortable in a new environment, or if you are married for accommodation purposes.
If you are looking to work in one specific country then it is a good idea to get your resume translated into that language and preferably a typical format used there. Apart from the obvious advantage of being more accessible, it shows you are professional and will help make your application stand out. In many countries it is the usual to include a (stapled) passport photo on your form. This provides a face to a name. Providing you are presenting the right image (smart, friendly, etc), this can only have a positive effect.
While a resume should stand out it should be for the right reasons. Avoid using fancy fonts, colorful paper and an unorthodox layout. Let the facts speak for themselves so don’t rely on superficial factors like these to get remembered.
You can use specific headings if you have lots of info to give e.g. “Teaching Experience” or “Relevant Education”. But avoid putting in too much information. Teaching English overseas resumes should be between 1 and 3 pages and no more.
Further information on creating a successful resume for teaching English overseas is given in the chapter: “Applying and Getting Work” in Teach English Abroad - The Complete Guide. ESL sample resumes are also provided.