Are you looking for a teaching assistant role? The most crucial step to landing your next job is perfecting your CV.
In order to do this, you need to create an effective structure for your CV and pack it with your relevant skills, experiences and attributes.
The guide below will break down the CV writing process into six simple steps, to help you create a standout teaching assistant CV which is sure to land you an interview:
1. Include your contact details
Your CV is all about impressing the recruiter and encouraging them to call you in for an interview. For this reason, you need your contact details to be at the top of the page, so it’s easy for them to get in touch.
You should include your name, phone number, email address and location. However, you don’t need to include your full address, date of birth, marital status or a photo of yourself – that’d simply be a waste of space!
2. Impress with your personal profile
Underneath your contact details, you should write up an enthusiastic personal profile. This is your chance to introduce yourself, sell your skills and grab the reader’s attention.
You should aim for this section to be short, sweet and snappy – certainly no more than 200 words. A few punchy sentences which outline your qualifications, experience and key skills is best.
This section could include relevant qualifications, schools you’ve worked in before, the ages you have taught and the key skills you possess. Remember to tailor it to the job description, too – the goal is to match up with the candidate requirements as closely as you can.
3. List your key skills
Next, you should add a section which outlines your key skills. This makes it very easy for the recruiter to see if you meet their requirements in terms of your skill set.
Ideally, you’ll format this section in easy-to-read bullet points split across 2 or 3 columns. Include plenty of key teaching assistant skills, such as lesson planning, organisation, communication, support work and administration – it could be useful to do a little bit of industry research beforehand.
Helpful tip: In both this section and your personal profile above, use relevant keywords from the job description to make it easier for the recruiter to see that you’re a great fit for the role.
4. Add your experience
The next section is your chance to outline any previous experience you have and to really demonstrate the value you could bring to future employers.
If you’ve previously worked in education, then you should give details of the school or educational setting you were part of and include your dates of employment. Follow this up with a bullet-pointed list of your key responsibilities and achievements.
If you have no relevant experience, don’t worry. List any other previous employment you might have had, focusing on drawing out any transferable skills you gained which are relevant to a teaching assistant role.
5. Outline your education
In the next section, create a list of all your qualifications, starting chronologically with your most recent. This will likely be a degree or equivalent if you have one, moving down to A-Levels and then GSCEs.
The best way to format this section is by listing the name of the schools, followed by your attendance dates, subjects and the grades you received.
If you took any other relevant qualifications or courses, such as first aid or SEN courses, then add these in – they can all give you a competitive advantage. You might also want to give additional details of some of the most relevant modules or assignments you took at college or university.
6. Decide whether to include your hobbies
The hobbies section on your CV is optional, so it’s up to you to decide whether you want to include it or not.
It’s best to only include this section if your hobbies and interests are relevant to the role or industry. You want this section to show your value, so your hobbies need to illustrate your passion and/or skill set.
In terms of teaching, this could be something like coaching a children’s sports team at the weekend, volunteering at a youth organization or reading educational books.
Creating the perfect teaching assistant CV
If you’re currently looking for a teaching assistant role, it’s time to get your CV up to scratch!
Following the six simple steps above, you can highlight your skill set, grab the recruiter’s attention and secure that all-important interview.
Just be sure to keep your teaching assistant CV short and sweet, including only the most relevant information – and remember to use keywords throughout to help the recruiter quickly realise why you’re the perfect fit for the role.
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