Creating an effective professor resume presents you with the challenge of appealing to many audiences at once. You’ve got the gatekeepers like ATS (more on what that is later) and university hiring managers as well as other professors in the relevant department. 

If your resume is too technical or academic, the hiring managers may struggle with it, but if it’s too focused on them, your academic expertise might be questioned by the department.

Before you start worrying, read our guide. It’s got expert tips to help you craft a resume which balances all of these audiences to get you the professor position you want.

What you’ll learn in this guide:

• How to use professor resume examples to get inspired
• What you can do to prepare for ATS
• How to create a resume recruiters and hiring managers will love
• The proper formatting rules to follow
• How to make your achievements more impactful
• Which skills to include
• How to start with a great objective or summary
• Why targeting your resume makes such a difference
• How to use a resume builder to make the process easier

Professor resume examples to get you started

As an academic professional, a core part of your job is reading journals and generally keeping up with the latest industry scholarship. But when it comes to creating a resume, most professors simply update the old one they already have.

The problem is that this is a bit like publishing a paper without being familiar with the latest research on the topic. You risk looking out of touch and that you skipped a critical step. That’s why before you start writing, you should analyze some quality professor resume examples for ideas and inspiration.

Below, we’ve compiled a few examples for you. As you examine them, be sure to begin listing what stands out and which elements you’d like to incorporate into your own resume. Also try putting yourself in the shoes of a university recruiter and consider what works and doesn’t work about these examples from their perspective.

[Examples]

How to write a professor resume that will get you through the door

Too many academics simply send off a resume for a professor position and wait to hear back. But understanding the process and preparing for each step will give you a far better chance of getting called in for an interview.

Beyond your resume, also be sure to leverage your professional contacts to learn as much as you can about the position. For example, a university might be looking for someone with expertise in a specific research area or someone with more of a teaching focus. This information will allow you to better tailor your resume (more on that below).

The idea behind this technique is to understand the audiences for your resume and appeal to them. Ironically though, the first audience isn’t always a human HR professional but an algorithm.

Why you need to start by understanding ATS

While they’re more associated with big business, many colleges and universities use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for their hiring. These AI-driven tools are designed to read large numbers of resumes and quickly sort them into those worth reviewing further and those who will be rejected.

Unfortunately, applicants who don’t ensure their resumes are optimized to be read by ATS are highly likely to have their resumes automatically rejected, even if they’re otherwise qualified. The key to ensuring you’re in the former category is understanding how ATS work and following these three rules.

1. Only submit your resume as a .pdf, .doc, or .docx. These are the three file types that most ATS are designed to read so submitting anything else is likely to lead to an automatic rejection.
2. Use a resume builder. Not all of these files are created equal. The way the data is structured within the file has an enormous impact on how well an ATS can read it. The easiest way to ensure you don’t encounter this problem is to use a resume builder designed specifically to produce ATS-friendly files.
3. Use keywords strategically. ATS are given a set of criteria and will look for evidence that you match them on your resume. Knowing what those criteria are and specifically ensuring you include as many of them on your resume as possible is critical. The best way to do that is to simply read the description of the position and list the skills and experience it asks for. Now, try and ensure those keywords end up in your resume whenever possible.

How to give recruiters and hiring managers what they’re looking for

Once you’ve made it past ATS you’ve still got someone from HR to impress. Think about some of the assignments you’ve seen students turn in, occasionally it seems like they never considered that you, their professor, would ever read it. The assignment is all about the student and ignores its audience. That’s the exact mistake you want to avoid here.

At every step of your resume creation process, consider the recruiter who will be reading it and ask yourself how you can make their job easier. This comes down to structuring the information well (more on that in the next section), editing your writing so it’s concise, and considering what information to include. On that last point, the keyword technique you just used to optimize for ATS will also help ensure your resume is easy for recruiters to read.

How to format a professor resume

Formatting is about more than just what goes where, it’s about controlling the flow of information from your resume to the person reading it. Doing this allows you to get ahead of questions which might arise and emphasize key advantages of you as a candidate.

The primary rule to follow in formatting is to put more important information towards the top. This is why reverse chronological order is best for listing your academic experience, publications etc. However, if there’s a standard practice in your specific academic field, you can default to that.

How long should it be?

Because of the importance of the position you’re applying for, your resume can be a bit longer than average to include all the important information about your academic work. However, do not use this as an excuse to be verbose. Recruiters still have limited time and will not appreciate feeling it was wasted by reading information you could have left out.

So, try and make your resume as short as you can and consider the recruiter throughout. Ask yourself “does this information make my resume better or am I including it out of habit?” This question should guide you in deciding what to add and what to leave out.

Which sections should you consider including?

Again, don’t include all of these sections simply out of habit. Consider which ones will help your resume stand out to recruiters.

• Resume objective or summary
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Publications
• Education
• Hard skills
• Soft Skills

How to highlight your most important achievements

As much as academia focuses on research and knowledge generation for its own sake, the HR professionals from the college or university will have other considerations. They will be looking for candidates who can help further the institution’s goals, whether publishing more, gaining visibility, improving teaching, etc.

That’s one reason why making your achievements concrete and relating them to the goals the reader will have in mind is such an effective strategy. If you can have a recruit thinking “this candidate sounds like they could help us address X issue” you’ll make a better impression. You’ll still need to show off your academic bona fides, but including achievements which appeal to fellow professors and the administration will help you get hired. Let’s see two examples to illustrate how you should phrase these achievements.

Consistently receive high ratings from students.

This “achievement” is simply too vague to carry much weight. A recruiter is likely to read over this and have it barely register.

Obtained an average student rating of 8.7/10 on teaching, 9/10 on responsiveness, and 7.9/10 on difficulty during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Beyond simply giving a recruiter more information, including more details forces them to consider your teaching abilities, reinforcing the idea in their mind. Phrasing your achievements this way also makes you sound reliable, detail oriented, and competent.

What are ideal professor job qualifications and how to list them correctly

Most job listings for a professor will have very specific qualifications. These might be academic credentials like a PhD or work experience in the field. What you need to do is identify what the exact qualifications are for a specific position and ensure it’s easy to see that you meet them. For example, if a PhD is required, don’t forget it to put it next to your name so the recruiter is instantly aware you meet that requirement.

If the core requirements are met via your work experience, you can try putting your current or previous job title next to your name or in a resume objective or summary (more on how to write them below). If there’s a more detailed list of requirements, you can also create a separate section just to list your relevant job qualifications. In either case, your mission is to make checking that you meet them as easy as possible.

How to make your skills stand out

When listing your skills, you should follow the same rules we laid out for your achievements: be specific. Including specific examples of instances when you demonstrated key skills will make them far more impactful and noteworthy relative to simply listing them. This is particularly true for soft skills, as possessing such skills tends to be less obvious.

Applying for grants

Knowledge of grant application systems is a valuable skill for just about any professor, but simply stating that you have it doesn’t mean very much. Let’s see how this skill looks with a practical example included.

Applying for grants

-Completed 24 grant applications in the past 4 years, resulting in 5 projects being successfully funded.

With this example, you can see just what the candidate’s experience looks like and what the results have been. Instead of simply knowing you have some experience with grants, a recruiter or fellow professor reading this can already envision the successfully funded projects which might result from hiring this candidate. You can only unlock the power of that kind of imagination with specifics.

Of course you won’t always have an example to back up a skill, but it’s still best to focus on the skills where you do. It’s also still vitally important to mention as many of the skills listed in the job description as possible without being dishonest.

The best hard skills to include

The skills required will vary tremendously based on the specific field you’re in, but these are some of the hard and soft skills you’ll want to consider mentioning.

• Curriculum development
• Applying for grants
• Research skills
• IRB application experience (if applicable)
• Academic field specific hard skills

The best soft skills to include

• Teaching
• Mentorship
• Academic networking
• Collaboration
• Dependability
• Problem solving

The best way to begin a professor resume

As mentioned, it’s vital to begin your resume with the most important information you need to get across. The most flexible way to do this is with a resume objective or summary.

A resume objective is a single sentence designed to quickly explain who you are and what you hope to achieve with your resume. It should be concise and information dense while still being readable (the last thing you want is a recruiter re-reading your first sentence to understand what you meant to say). Professors often have a reputation for being wordy and overusing dense academic language, so be sure to avoid making those mistakes here.

A resume summary is longer and therefore allows more flexibility in how you use it. However, avoid making the mistake of using this as an excuse to be wordy. A resume summary should still be well-written and to-the-point. Whether you’re starting with an objective or summary, this is your best chance to make a first impression. It’s also a good place to get ahead of questions which might arise elsewhere in your resume. Now let’s see some examples of both to better understand how they can be used effectively.

How to write a resume objective

Your goal here is to be short, punchy, and get right to the point. The reader should come away with a clear idea of you as a candidate. Let’s compare two examples to see that in action.

I’m a History professor with 6 years experiencing teaching courses largely focused on colonial America looking for a new teaching position.

This example shows many of the things you should avoid in a resume objective. On the most basic level, it’s written in the first person and your resume should be entirely in the third person. But more importantly, while it avoids the common problem of vague wording, it focuses on the wrong details. The goal is to make a strong first impression, but this example only really tells the reader what the candidate’s academic focus is. In other words, it’s a missed opportunity. Now let’s compare that to an improved version.

Associate professor with 6 years teaching experience looking to bring an engaging teaching style and important research on race in colonial America to UNC Chapel Hill.

By rewording this objective, it now communicates several key reasons to hire this candidate. Specifically, it starts by making it clear this person meets the minimum requirements for the position before emphasizing how their teaching and research will enhance the university. Even phrasing an objective this way communicates that the candidate is thinking about the whole university community and not just themselves.

How to write a resume summary

The maxim to follow here is “just because it can be longer doesn’t mean it should be longer.” This is why it’s helpful to plan out the main points you want to make in your summary before you start writing it. This will help it stay focused. Anyone reading your summary should come away with a clear idea of the points you’re making. Let’s look at two examples to better understand this in practice.

Professor of communications at Fillmore College (2011-2015) and Auburn University (2015-2019) over the past 8 years, widely respected in the field and published in a number of prestigious journals. Looking for a position to allow a balance between research and teaching responsibilities along with the opportunity for eventual tenure.

This example alternates between providing too much detail (the years when the candidate taught at specific institutions aren’t needed in the summary) and not enough detail (on journal publications). Then, it shifts to focusing entirely on what this candidate wants from the institution which hires them instead of focusing on what they can provide that institution. Granted, the requirements listed are important, but they aren’t the best things to mention at this stage. Let’s compare that to a version with those problems addressed.

Professor of communications with 8 years teaching experience specializing in political communication techniques looking to bring research into how social media is affecting how politics is discussed to the classroom to help UNC Chapel Hill’s students better understand they affect and are affected by social media campaigning.

In this version, the resume summary largely focuses on how the particular research and teaching topic of this candidate will enhance the university’s student body. Details about their publications have been moved to its own section elsewhere on the resume so this argument can be more focused. As a result, the recruiter can come away with a single clear idea about who this candidate is and why they should be considered.

How to target your resume for each application

Considering how intensive the process of hiring a new professor is, you’re not doing your candidacy any favors by sending every college or university an identical resume. Different institutions will be looking for different qualities. One of the single best things you can do to improve your chances of getting hired is to customize your resume to emphasize the qualities each role requires.

Doing that simply means starting with the job description. Analyze it closely and list all the criteria it mentions (you should have already done this for ATS). Next, try researching the institution and using your networks to gather more information about the challenges it faces. Even if those challenges aren’t mentioned in the job description, demonstrating that you can help the institution face them will help your candidacy immensely.

How to make your resume stand out

The last component of an excellent professor resume is the design. You want to use clean and modern design which doesn’t make you look like someone who’ll bore their classes to death with Powerpoint. Even better, good design will make it easier and more pleasant for a recruiter to read through your resume. But if design isn’t your forte, you need to use a tool which does that for you.

Why using a resume builder is so critical

With so many elements to get right, you need all the help you can get when it comes to crafting the perfect professor resume. That’s why using a resume builder is a no-brainer. It gives you easy access to modern design templates, ensures your resume will be ATS-optimized, and gives you a user-friendly platform for crafting custom resumes for each position.

Together, these advantages add up to giving yourself a better chance of getting hired. It shows you’re proactive and ready to find better solutions instead of relying on the way things have always been done, an essential quality in a great professor. So instead of trying to cut corners and just update your old tired Word resume, see the difference Resumebuild.com’s powerful and intuitive features make.

The quote, “You know you’re a substitute teacher when you’re happy to hear the phone ring at 6 a.m.” perfectly encapsulates the life of a substitute teacher. It hints at both the joy that this role brings as well as the haphazardness that comes part and parcel with it.

While substitute teachers may not be recognized for their efforts in the same way that regular classroom teachers are, there’s no denying that they’re just as essential to every public and private school. After all, by stepping in for a regular classroom teacher when they’re unable to attend class, substitute teachers help ensure students’ learning opportunities aren’t disrupted.

There are a number of reasons why a substitute teacher may be called on to temporarily replace a regular classroom teacher for a single day or a longer period of time. These may include when a classroom teacher:

• Is sick
• Is involved in an accident
• Has a family emergency to deal with
• Needs to attend internal or external training
• Is required elsewhere for a specific school activity or program

Whatever the reason and for however long they’re needed, the best substitute teachers empower students to meet the high academic standards while ensuring their safety and wellbeing.

If you’re ready to step up to the challenge of becoming a substitute teacher or you simply want to receive more requests to substitute teach, keep in mind that you’ll need to provide schools with a strong resume.

The easiest way to learn how to create a resume that schools love is to read our substitute teacher resume example and complete writing guide below. You’ll learn:

• The key resume elements principals and school hiring managers are after
• Which achievements to emphasize and how
• How to work out which hard and soft skills to focus on 
• The most straightforward way to target your resume for each application
• Pro tips for differentiating your resume from the competition 

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write a Substitute Teacher Resume That Will Get Your Phone Ringing?

How do you format the resume?

As a substitute teacher, you’ll know better than most just how important it is to present yourself as a neat and organized professional. So why, then, should your resume appear to be any different? 

The fact of the matter is that a neat and well-organized resume will attract far more attention from a principal or school hiring manager than an untidy and disorganized one. This is why it’s crucial to select the right resume format to arrange the contents of your resume. 

In our opinion – as well as that of most human resources professionals – the reverse-chronological resume format does this most effectively. It’s considered to be the go-to format for experienced professionals as it organizes your resume in a way that emphasizes your career progression. It does this by presenting your most recent job first, followed by the ones that preceded it, in reverse-chronological order.

While you’re tinkering with your resume’s format, you should also bear in mind the particular layout guidelines principals and school managers prefer. For your convenience, we’ve shared the most critical ones for you to follow below:

• • Number of Pages: 1 page at most.
  • Fonts to Use: A conservative font that you would feel comfortable using to write to the school principal, such as Times New Roman and Cambria.
  • Fonts to Avoid: Any fonts that would look right in place on a student’s artwork, such as Austiebost Crazy Days and Cherry Rush.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

What makes a great substitute teacher resume?

A great substitute teacher resume should boast a number of key elements in order to catch the eye of a principal or school hiring manager. At its most fundamental level, a resume should be flawlessly formatted and written in a professional manner. 

It should additionally be set out in a way that addresses how the candidate meets the specific criteria stated in a given job ad. In cases where a candidate wishes to submit an application to substitute teach at a school that hasn’t directly advertised for a substitute teacher, the candidate’s resume should be in line with the given school’s general values and teaching goals. 

Ultimately, a great substitute teacher resume should convince whoever is reading it that the candidate is well worth hiring. A resume can do this by establishing how the candidate’s relevant professional experiences, skills, and attributes in turn make them an ideal substitute teacher to teach at a given school.

How to give principals and school hiring managers what they’re looking for by targeting your resume for each application

Now that you’ve learned about the key qualities every great substitute teacher resume should have, you may be raring to start piecing together your own. 

However, it’s vital to be mindful that there isn’t just one perfect resume that will be the right fit for every job. This is because each job comes with a distinct set of criteria attached to it. After all, as every school and principal is unique, expectations for substitute teachers will vary accordingly.

This is precisely why you won’t have much luck in your job search if you simply hand in the same resume each time. If you want to score your dream substitute teaching gig, you’ll need to start targeting your resume for each application. All this requires you to do is customize your resume each time so that it showcases the precise qualities a principal or school hiring manager is looking for. 

If you wish to apply for an advertised substitute teaching role, you can figure out what these qualities are by carefully analyzing the given job ad. The main thing you should be on the lookout for are ‘keywords.’ 

Keywords describe the words that a principal or school hiring manager has included in a job ad to convey what they’re seeking from an ideal candidate. Typically, these will be related to critical skills and competencies. Once you’ve identified these keywords, you’ll need to customize each section of your resume around them. 

Conversely, if you wish to hand your resume over to a school that hasn’t directly advertised for a substitute teacher, you’ll need to take a different approach to targeting your resume. The reason being that you won’t have a job ad to refer to. Instead, you can look at the given school’s website to discover which specific qualities are valued by the school’s principal.

By doing so, you’ll be able to gain a greater understanding of the school’s values and goals, including the type of teacher and teaching styles that are preferred. Once you’ve pinpointed what these are, customize your resume so that it reflects these qualities. 

Which soft and hard skills should you mention? How can you do so correctly?

If you had to add up all of the skills that you’ve drawn on throughout the days, weeks, or months that you’ve worked as a substitute teacher, it would prove to be a near impossible task. After all, there are countless skills you rely on to support the diverse range of students that you teach – and more often than not, you’ll be applying multiple skills at once!

So how do you choose which of your skills will be most worthwhile mentioning in your resume? The short answer is that for the most part, it isn’t up to you at all. The skills you feature should be a reflection of the skills that a principal or school hiring manager is seeking from a substitute teacher for their school. 

As we explored further above, in order to create a great resume, you must customize your resume around the keywords you find in each given job ad (or the qualities you find on a school’s website in cases where there is no job ad). The most common kind of keywords you’ll come across is skills-focused keywords. These keywords basically describe the skills a principal or school hiring manager is looking for from an ideal candidate.  

When you’re analyzing a job ad, keep your eyes peeled for two types of skills-focused keywords: soft skills and hard skills. 

Soft skills are positive personality traits that describe the manner in which you conduct yourself with others as well as the way in which you perform tasks. Hard skills are technical abilities that allow you to complete the tasks expected from you. They are measurable and teachable, and are more often than not specific to each profession.

To gain a clearer understanding of what we mean, take a look at the soft and hard skills we’ve highlighted below. We extracted them straight from real-life substitute teacher job ads so that you can see some of the most sought-after skills principals and school hiring managers are looking for from substitute teachers.

Soft skills

• Positive, respectful, and professional attitude 
• Remaining objective when dealing with student problems, grading, etc.
• Building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among students, faculty, and parents
• Highly-organized
• Punctuality
• Patience
• Leadership
• Ability to follow instructions
• Oral and written communication abilities
• Working well under pressure

Hard skills

• Establishing clear objectives for all lessons and projects 
• Adapting teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs, abilities, personalities, and interests
• Developing techniques to help students improve their learning potential
• Organizing the classroom efficiently to meet the educational and physical needs of students
• Observing and evaluating students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health
• Maintaining thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress
• Providing students positive feedback to encourage and help them develop an appreciation for academic achievement
• Reinforcing and rewarding appropriate social and academic behavior in the classroom
• Instructing students individually and in groups using a variety of teaching methods
• Providing a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use

So the big question still remains: How do you correctly mention the soft and hard skills you find in a job ad for a role that you wish to apply for? You should naturally add them to three main sections of your resume:

1. “Resume Objective” or “Resume Summary”: Mention a few relevant skills that you want the recruiter to know immediately about.
2. “Skills” section: Mention 6 to 8 relevant skills in list form.
3. “Employment History” section: Incorporate relevant skills throughout as many of your work achievements as possible (read the following section to learn more). 

Pro tip: Only add skills from a job ad that are relevant to your unique skills set. For example, if a job ad gives preference to teachers who are skilled at teaching students with learning disabilities but you’ve never taught such students, don’t include this skill in your resume. Remember, if you’re caught red-handed embellishing your skills, your application will come to a crashing halt to say the least. 

How to highlight your most important achievements

Your resume is your time to set aside any modesty you feel about your achievements as a teacher and let them shine. The main section you should do so is in your resume’s “Employment History” section. 

If you’re wondering how you can narrow down which achievements to highlight, the answer is simple: look at the given job ad for keywords or the school’s website for useful insights. Yes, once again, these sources of information are the key to making a resume that principals and school hiring managers love.

This is because the achievements you include in your resume shouldn’t be picked at random. You should strategically select achievements so that you have the opportunity to emphasize the very professional experiences, skills, and qualities principals and school hiring managers are seeking from an ideal candidate.

But before you set off, don’t just carelessly plonk the keywords or qualities you’re trying to target into your achievements, like this candidate did:

• Supported students’ varying needs by using various teaching methods known to meet students' varying needs.

This achievement overuses keywords in an unnatural way, which is a phenomenon known as ‘keyword stuffing’. Keyword stuffing not only makes the candidate’s achievement sound stilted and repetitive, but it also puts them at risk of being immediately rejected for engaging in this frowned upon behavior.

Instead, use keywords naturally so that they show off your most impressive attributes. For example:

• Supported a range of students’ needs, including students with physical disabilities and learning difficulties, by implementing 3 different versions of the same lesson. 

This achievement effectively incorporates keywords in a natural way to convey just how skilled the candidate is in supporting different students’ needs. The candidate not only explains how they did so, but also quantified their achievement with an eye-catching example to drive their point home.

What are ideal substitute teacher job qualifications to have? How do you list them correctly?

Unlike regular classroom teachers who must hold specific qualifications in order to work, the qualifications substitute teachers must hold are less clear-cut. 

For private school substitute teachers, mandatory and ideal qualifications will vary from school to school. This is because private schools have the prerogative to decide which qualifications a substitute teacher either must have or ideally have. To learn more, you’ll need to refer to each job ad or each school’s website. 

For public school substitute teachers, mandatory qualifications will vary significantly from state-to-state as well as district-to-district. As such, the ideal qualifications you should highlight in your resume will depend on which state and district you’re teaching in. To learn more, we suggest taking a read of helpful resources such as the National Education Association’s resource, Status of Substitute Teachers: A State-By-State Summary.

Below, we’ve provided some general guidelines for which ideal qualifications to include in your resume as well as how to correctly include them.

Education 

Generally speaking, most states require substitute teachers to have a high school diploma or equivalent at minimum. That being said, it’s ideal for substitute teachers to have a bachelor’s degree (with some states even requiring one). In your resume, make sure to list the highest level of education you attained, in accordance with relevant school, state, and/or district requirements.  

To list your educational background correctly, create an “Education” section. Be sure to include the following details about each degree or diploma:

• The name of the degree or diploma
• The concentration of your degree (if relevant)
• The name of the college or institution you obtained it from
• The state the college or institution is located in
• The years you studied the degree or diploma

For example:

EDUCATION

• Bachelor of Education, University of Connecticut, CT, 2016 - 2020

License or Permit

Some states may require substitute teachers to obtain a license or permit from the state in order to teach. It’s important to note that some states may require this in addition to a bachelor’s degree or as an alternative to one. If you’re required to hold one, you can list your license or permit in a section called “License” or “Permit” respectively. Be sure to include the following information about yours:

• The name of the license or permit
• The state it is valid in
• The year you obtained it

For example:

• Arkansas Teacher's License, 2019

Training and Certifications

As you can hazard a guess, whether you will be expected to have undertaken certain training and/or obtained a particular certification will depend on each school and/or state and district. It’s worth keeping in mind that some states will offer higher pay to teachers who hold a valid teaching certificate. 

Even if not required, it’s ideal to feature any relevant training and certifications you have to your name as a substitute teacher. Principals and school hiring managers are always on the lookout for highly-qualified substitute teachers – especially those who have taken the initiative to be the best teachers they can be.

To list any training and certifications, create a “Training and Certifications” section and provide the following information about each one:

• The name of the training or certification
• The name of the issuing institution
• The state it is valid in
• The year you obtained it

For example:

• First Aid Training, Red Cross, CA, 2020

Pro tip: If you’re currently working as a regular substitute teacher at a particular school, ask the principal if there are any opportunities for you to join in on teacher training the school provides to other teachers.

How to write a resume summary or objective and examples of both

If you’ve never heard of a “Resume Summary” or “Resume Objective,” you’re not the only one. There are many resume guides out there that don’t make mention of them, or if they do, they say that they’re optional or even unnecessary.

We wholeheartedly believe that including one or the other is a crucial component to making a fantastic substitute teacher resume. You only need to consider the fact that they have the potential to completely change how a principal or hiring manager views your application in order to realize the value they offer..

So what are these sections designed to do exactly? Both aim to provide the reader with a brief introduction of who you are as a professional. For example, your resume summary or objective should highlight your most notable skills, experiences, achievements, and attributes.

However, be mindful that you should only include one or the other. If you’re an experienced substitute teacher who has been teaching (whether as a regular teacher and/or a substitute teacher) for at least a few years, write a resume summary. If you’re just starting out your teaching career, write a resume objective.

We’ll provide you with some insider tips and tricks for how to write both to perfection below. 

Resume summary

If you want principals and school hiring managers to quickly recognize what an incredible substitute teacher you are, you must convincingly convey this fact in your resume summary. To do so, you’ll need to first understand what mistakes to steer clear of. Take a peek at the following candidate’s lacklustre resume summary, which illustrates a few of the biggest ones clearly:
 

• Substitute teacher who has experience working in a range of different schools. I have been told that I am a truly great substitute teacher because of the unique skills and numerous favorable qualities I offer. For these reasons, I am confident that your school would benefit from making me the school’s go-to substitute teacher.

The main gripe we have with this resume summary example is that the candidate fails to put a spotlight on any qualities that would help them to differentiate themselves from other candidates. The candidate only offers a hazy overview of who they are as a substitute teacher as they didn’t think to include any specific details about their teaching experiences, skills, and qualities. 

For example, they state that they’ve worked “in a range of different schools” but haven’t indicated which types of schools. They also waste space stating that they offer “unique skills and numerous favorable qualities” instead of just specifying what exactly they are. Finally, the candidate confidently states that the school would benefit from hiring them, but didn’t provide a single solid reason for the principal or school hiring manager to think this themselves.

The following example highlights the qualities that you should aim to include in your own resume summary:

• Licensed substitute teacher with 3+ years of teaching experience (including 1 year as a Grade 2 teacher) wishes to bring their enthusiasm for teaching and ability to meaningfully integrate technology into learning experiences to Greatsville Public School. Having taught in both small- to medium-sized schools with a range of students, including those with learning difficulties, I believe I would be able to provide the high level of support students seek from a substitute teacher.

This candidate’s resume summary is tenfold more attractive because it highlights:

• That they’re licensed
• The number of years they’ve been teaching
• The fact they have experience as a regular classroom teacher   
• Their relevant soft skills (e.g. enthusiasm for teaching)
• Their relevant  hard skills (e.g. integrating technology into learning experiences)
• The types of schools they’ve taught at
• The types of students they’ve taught
• Their belief about why they’re worth hiring

If you want to write as strong of a resume summary yourself, be sure to address the above points as they apply to you. Remember, specificity is always better than vagueness!

Resume objective

If you’re just starting out your teaching career and endeavor to get your foot in the door with a substitute teaching job, your resume objective needs to be as strong as steel. Don’t forget that before a principal or school hiring manager gets to see you in action, they’ll only have your resume to go off of. 

That means that including an uninspiring resume objective could close the door to countless job opportunities. After all, who wants to hire an entry-level substitute teacher who can’t even write a convincing resume objective? To see what type of resume objective you should steer clear of writing, take a look at the one below:

• Substitute teacher who has only taught for a couple of days in the same school wishes to find more regular work in one or many schools. I don’t care where I work, I just want to gain more experience so that I can keep strengthening my resume. I’m willing to teach in grades K-2 but prefer not to work grades 3-5. Please note: I would rather not teach physical education if possible.

The problem with this resume objective is that it doesn’t inspire confidence in the candidate’s abilities or motivation to teach. There are a number of signs that the candidate isn’t taking their resume objective, and in turn, their job application seriously. For example, they literally write “I don’t care where I work” and state that their main drive is to strengthen their resume.

What’s more, they come across as very picky. As a substitute teacher, you need to show a willingness to be flexible. As such, it’s not advisable to state which grades or subjects you wish to avoid teaching.

Moving swiftly on, let’s now take a look at a much more inspiring resume objective: 

• After honing my ability to differentiate learning experiences and juggle multiple tasks at once when completing my Bachelor’s in Education, I am now eager to apply for the opportunity to work as a substitute teacher at Hillside Private School. I am well-versed in teaching a range of subjects and offer particular expertise in music. I am willing to teach all grades and subjects. Certified in first aid and CPR. 

Any principal or school hiring manager would be delighted to read such a thoughtfully written resume objective. The candidate sets themselves up to be a rising star by highlighting a number of appealing qualities that every aspiring substitute teacher should offer. All in all, their resume objective is so well-written that it would be sure to convince many principals and school hiring managers to give them a chance. Specifically, they shared:

• Their useful hard skills (e.g.  differentiate learning experiences)
• Their useful soft skills (e.g. juggle multiple tasks at once)
• That they have completed a relevant degree
• Their enthusiasm to work at the specific school they’re applying for
• The subject they particularly excel at teaching
• Their willingness to be flexible with which grades and subjects they teach
• Relevant certifications they hold

As you can see, there isn’t too much to creating a resume objective that turns heads. All you need to do is ensure that you feature the right sort of information in it. Do so, and you’ll soon be packing your bags ready to go to your very first substitute teacher job.

How to make your resume stand out

If you thought that you’re a shoo-in for any substitute teaching job your heart desires, think again. According to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over half a million substitute teachers in the US alone. While you won’t need to compete with all of the substitute teachers in the country, you will need to with those in your state and/or district. 

In the interests of providing some sense of regularity and familiarity to students, schools tend to ‘hold onto’ substitute teachers they like. This means that it can be difficult to secure a more regular substitute teaching gig if a school already has one or a handful of go-to substitute teachers. The good news is that you can become one of these teachers if you create a resume that stands out. Here are our insider tips for doing so:    

• Mention any relevant professional organizations you’re part of: If you want to show your commitment to teaching, an easy way to do so is to mention any relevant professional organizations you’ve joined. Your membership shows your initiative to grow as a professional as well as form positive connections with fellow educators.
  
  Some well-known professional organizations you may wish to join include: the National Education Association (NEA), Association of American Educators (AAE), National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), and Computer-Using Educators (CUE).

• Emphasize your tech skills and experiences: As an increasing number of schools pivot towards a more tech-focused approach to teaching and learning, there will be a greater demand for teachers who can boast skills and experiences in tech. Make no mistake that this includes substitute teachers as well!
  
  Whether you’ve taught a memorable class that incorporated the use of technology or you’re skilled using relevant teaching and learning technologies, don’t be shy about shining a light on them in your resume. It’s particularly important to do so if you discover the school is a big proponent of using technology in the classroom. 

• Make sure your resume has perfect grammar and spelling: There are few resume faux pas that are worse than grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Unfortunately, there’s even more pressure for teachers to hand in a perfect resume. After all, if a principal spots that you’ve written ‘alot’ or confused the use of ‘their,’ ‘they’re’ and ‘there,’ they’ll wonder if you’ll make the same mistakes when teaching their students.
  
  For this reason, it’s crucial to reassure every principal and school hiring manager who reads your resume that you’re a spelling and grammar buff who sets the same high standards for students. Proofread your resume several times and don’t hand it in until you’re 100% confident that it would score an A+ for both grammar and spelling. 

3. How to Use Resumebuild.com’s Resume Maker to Craft an Eye-Catching Resume in Minutes Instead of Days

Substitute teaching is no doubt a highly rewarding job. You have the opportunity to teach and engage with all kinds of students in a variety of schools. You may teach at a particular school for just one day or become their first point of call whenever they need a substitute teacher. 

But for all of the amazing things about substitute teaching, there are some downsides too. It can be exhausting and frustrating to lack a set schedule and travel constantly between different schools. And then there’s the students themselves. You may get an angelic class one day and then have one or many troublemakers to deal with the next. 

So if you can’t muster up the energy to create your resume from scratch, we completely understand. This isn’t an unusual response at all to the prospect of creating a resume. Needless to say, very few job seekers actually look forward to the multi-day process of making a resume.

That’s why more and more of them have turned to Resumebuild.com’s simple but powerful resume maker. It’s designed for job seekers who are looking for a straightforward and quick way to compile a magnificent resume. Forget about trying to remember every tip we’ve shared above – our resume maker will assist you to make a resume that not only looks the part, but also puts your best foot forward as a substitute teacher. 

Principals and hiring managers will be impressed by just how sleek your new resume looks. After all, our resume maker will offer you the guidance you’re seeking (including helpful pre-written examples!) in order to correctly fill out each essential section of your resume. As an added bonus, you’ll even get the chance to select your favorite resume template from our extensive resume template library.

If you’re ready to book out substitute days months in advance, it’s time to create your resume with our easy-to-use resume maker.

Everyone who hires a nanny has their own idea of what a nanny should do. Roles and expectations vary widely so it can be tricky to craft a resume to show you’re right for a specific role. 

You need to show that you’ve got the skills the employer is asking for and ones they didn't even think to ask about. You’re not Mary Poppins, but your resume needs to show that you’ve got a bit of magic in you and are ready for whatever challenges come your way.

Whether you’ve already got your eye on the perfect nanny position or are looking to become a nanny for the first time, we’ve got all the expert advice you need to succeed.

This guide will show you:

• Nanny resume examples to inspire you
• What makes a great nanny resume
• Which audiences you should consider when writing a nanny resume
• How to appeal to specific employers
• What format your nanny resume should use
• How long your resume should be
• Which sections you should consider including
• Great qualifications to include and how to write them
• How to list your skills
• Which hard and soft skills are best to include
• How to include your education
• How to write an objective or summary
• How to target your resume
• What to do if you don’t have much experience
• How to use a resume builder to make the process easy

In other words, we’ll answer every question you might have about creating the perfect nanny resume. Now let’s get started.

Nanny resume template examples

The best way to begin creating your resume is with top-quality examples. Chances are - you haven’t seen many nanny resumes yourself, so it helps to begin by getting a feel for what one should look like. One thing to notice is that they aren’t dull black and white documents anymore. Modern nanny resumes should convey some personality and show that you do more than the bare minimum. Better resume design does just that.

As you look through these examples, start taking notes about what you like within them so you can begin your own resume with a set of ideas.

[Examples]

How to write a nanny resume that will land you the job

There is no one perfect nanny. The right person for one family might be totally wrong for another. That’s why there’s no single perfect nanny resume. The trick is to craft the perfect resume for a specific family. Creating a single resume and sending it out to a dozen families is simply not a recipe for success.

Who should your resume be written for?

Before you write a single word of your nanny resume, you need to consider who your audience is. Who will actually read your resume? Who will make the final decision to hire you? The answers to these questions should guide every choice you make about crafting your resume. But the answers to those questions aren’t always what you expect.

How to get your resume past ATS

If you’re applying to work directly with a family, your audience is obvious. However, if you’re applying to work through an agency, the first hurdle your resume may need to overcome is a computer algorithm.

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It’s an artificial intelligence driven computer program, which scans and sorts large numbers of resumes. The idea is to weed out the worst ones and save the human recruiters time. While families won’t be using ATS, most companies do. So there’s a chance a nanny agency will use one. That’s why, unless you’re only applying directly to families, you need to ensure your resume is ATS-friendly and optimized.

The fact that 75% of all submitted resumes are never read by a human tells you just how few resumes are ready for ATS. That means that if yours is, you’ve got a real leg up. But what does it take to get past ATS? Fortunately, it’s not too complex.

1. Use the right format. Your resume needs to be a .doc, .docx, or .pdf. It’s as simple as that. Anything else and the ATS is very unlikely to be able to read it. In that case, your resume is likely going straight into the digital trash can.
2. Make sure your resume is ATS-friendly. Submitting a resume in the right file format, sadly, isn’t enough. Not all pdfs have their data structured so it can be easily read by an ATS. But before you panic and wonder how on earth you can address that, the right resume builder will ensure this for you (more on that below).
3. Use your keywords carefully. ATS use what’s called natural language processing (NLP) to understand English. But NLP is far from perfect. So to give yourself a better chance, make sure you phase your skills and experience exactly the way the ATS wants. Doing that requires carefully studying the job ad and phrasing your skills and experience as closely to how they’re written there as possible.

How to write for parents

Obviously your main audience as a nanny will always be the families, who you’ll ultimately work for. While the kids' opinions of you are important, they’re unlikely to be reading your resume, so we’re going to focus entirely on the parents.

The first step is understanding what kind of pressures or concerns these parents have. Do they want a nanny who’s more independent or one who will work with them? Do they want you to have any specific certifications for safety and first aid? Above all, try and identify the main reason they need to hire a nanny and craft a resume that shows you will address that issue.

For example, if a job ad emphasizes that the parents are extremely busy professionals, it might make sense to focus on your reliability and organization. Put yourself in the shoes of those parents and imagine how they might react to what’s on your resume. Everything you include should be focused on making it easy for them to say “yes” to you and your resume.

How should a nanny resume be formatted?

Once you’ve gotten some inspiration from nanny resume examples and carefully studied the people who will be reading your resume, it’s time to figure out formatting.

The first thing to know is that your experience should be in reverse-chronological order. This means putting your most recent experience at the top. The logic behind this is that your resume format needs to be optimized to convey the most important information first. That’s why it should start with an objective or summary (more on how to write them below), followed by your recent work.

Using this formatting saves the person reading your resume time. By ordering the information, you also control the context. For example, if you haven’t worked for 2 years, because you were caring for a sick family member, the reader should know that before they notice a 2 year gap in your work history and form a negative opinion about it.

The correct length for a nanny resume

In most industries, the hiring manager reading through your resume wants an easy single page, that’s quick to go through. But for a nanny resume, that’s usually not the case. Parents deciding whether you’re going to be the right person to look after their kids are much more willing to look through a few pages of a resume, than that exhausted hiring manager.

Does that mean a 3 page resume is welcome? Not necessarily. Just because those parents might be willing to read through a longer resume, doesn’t mean they’ll enjoy it. It’s still your job to ensure all the information on your resume adds value. If you can get 1.5 pages of information into a 1 page resume and have it be easy to read, parents will appreciate that. It sends a signal that you value their time, which is essential for being a good nanny.

But what if you’re applying at an agency? The same rules should apply. Agencies will review your resume thoroughly, but that’s not an excuse to make it long and wordy. So focus on making sure your resume is well written and only contains relevant information, letting that determine the length. But that said, more than 2-3 pages will probably come off as excessive.

Sections to consider including

Including all of these would make your resume too long, so consider which ones will best highlight what makes you unique as a nanny.

• A resume summary or objective
• Professional qualifications
• Work experience
• Hard skills
• Soft skills
• Certifications or training
• Education
• Languages
• Volunteering
• References

The rule to follow for both the sections you include and the content in those sections is “if this doesn’t make my resume better, it’s making my resume worse.” This will keep your resume high quality and shorter.

The ideal nanny qualifications and how to list them correctly

While previous work experience is important, you want to get your basic qualifications out there as soon as possible. These basic facts will serve as a kind of summary of your resume.

The qualifications you should mention here include:

• Years of professional child care experience
• Certifications
• Languages
• Any specific teaching or child care methods you utilize
• Legal status to work in the relevant country
• Special skills like art, swimming, fitness, nutrition, etc.
• Availability (a 1 year minimum availability is common)

Be sure to check that your qualifications match the minimum requirements in the job ad. This section should quickly tell the reader that you meet these requirements and that your resume is worth considering.

Here is an example of how a basic qualifications section should look:

Qualifications

• 4 years of professional child care experience
• CPR, First Aid, and Water Safety certifications
• Speaks English and French fluently
• Background as a swim teacher
• Can cook healthy meals
• Valid driver’s license and accident-free record
• US citizen
• 2 year availability

The best nanny certifications and how to include them

Because of the enormous responsibility you have as a nanny, certifications are extremely important to include on your resume. Safety-related certifications are some of the most valuable.

Parents need to feel confident that you can handle the safety of their children. Professional certifications from trusted organizations like the Red Cross are best as they inspire confidence far beyond simply stating that you’re familiar with first aid or something similar.

Obtaining these certifications also demonstrates that you’ve gone above and beyond simply having experience. It shows the kind of proactive qualities parents look for in a great nanny.

Here’s how to list a certification or qualification:

Certified CPR, American Red Cross, 2014

Certifications to consider including

• CPR
• First Aid
• General Child Care
• Water Safety
• Nutrition
• Fitness
• Driving
• Special Needs
• Early Childhood Education
• INA Nanny Basic Skills Assessment
• INA Nanny Credential Exam

How to list your skills

While your certifications and qualifications section will cover some of your skills, if you have other relevant ones that don’t easily fit there, you should include them in a separate section. But before you start listing every skill you have, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

First, absolutely do not list any skills that you aren’t confident in. Exaggerating your abilities a bit might help you land a nanny position, but the consequences of failing to deliver on them are likely to make things difficult between you and your employer. Trust is key in any successful relationship between you and your employer, so don't compromise it here.

Next, the most effective skill is a skill that’s backed up with an example of certification. This is particularly true for soft skills like dependability. Listing those skills is easy, but leaving the person reading your resume with a feeling that you really possess them will give your resume a far greater impact.

These examples can be in your work history or even a separate achievements section, but they work best all together in one place. Compare these examples to see the difference:

Disciplined

Showed discipline by working 25 hours a week, while also being a full time university student for 2 years, maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA

The second example leaves the reader with a strong sense of just how disciplined you are. It helps show transparency and build confidence in you as a candidate.

The best hard skills to include

• Plays an instrument
• Artistic skills
• Languages spoken
• Knowledge of specific childcare practices
• Defensive driving
• Experience helping with homework
• Cooking
• Meal and nutrition planning
• First aid and CPR
• Laundry
• Changing diapers
• Home cleaning

The best soft skills to include

• Time management
• Working well under pressure
• Flexible schedule
• Problem solving
• Great with kids
• Passion for child care
• Great storyteller

How to list your education correctly

While education requirements for nannies aren’t usually very strict, showing that you’re educated can help boost confidence in you as a capable person. Some degrees like those in education or psychology can be directly relevant to your work as a nanny.

You can also list specific courses or experiences that are relevant as well. Look at the example below to see what that should look like:

The University of Bennington

BS in Psychology

• Took courses in early childhood development
• Captain of the university swim team
• 3.7 average GPA across all four years

Should you write a resume objective or summary?

Alongside your qualifications, a resume objective or summary is the best way to start off a nanny resume. The goal is to provide a short bit of text to introduce yourself and create a strong first impression. It can also serve to highlight specific strengths and communicate that you’ve taken the time to craft a resume for this specific nanny position.

But which one should you include? A resume objective is better if you are also including a cover letter. In this case, your goal is to provide just a short sentence about who you are and what your resume is aiming to achieve.

However, if you don’t have a cover letter and think your resume would benefit from a bit more context, a longer resume summary is the better choice. This short paragraph can serve to further explain some aspect of your resume, like a career change or gap in your work history.

Examples of how to write a resume objective

I would be honored to work as your nanny.

While this does capture the objective of your resume, it makes a few key mistakes. First, it’s written in the first person. Next, it’s too general. Finally, the tone is off. You’re not asking for an “honor” - you’re a competent professional, hoping to provide a valued service. Let’s see another example.

Nanny with 6 years of experience with young children and pre-teens looking to help share the love of music and healthy food with the Henderson family.

This example gives a much clearer idea of who you are and what skills you bring to the table. It also conveys that you’ve spent the time to customize your resume for a specific family, something that’s greatly appreciated.

Examples of how to write a resume summary

Experienced nanny with a love of children and childs care. I love playing with children and have babysat younger family members and neighbors for many years. I’m very reliable and will do a great job.

Notice that grammatical error? That’s just the first issue here. First, always be sure to have someone review your resume for errors like this. They’re a surefire way to make a bad impression. Furthermore, much of what’s included is vague and makes the writer sound a bit childish. Your resume summary should exude confidence and competence.

Child care professional with 5 years of babysitting and 3 years of nanny experience. Passionate about working with younger children and helping in their creative development through art and music. Also experienced working with autistic children both professionally and with own sibling.

This example does a great job balancing creating a feeling of professionalism with letting a bit of personal information through. Knowing that you have an autistic family member will create confidence that you know how to deal with children on the spectrum as well as humanize you as a candidate. This could be a great conversation starter when you interview.

How to target your resume for each application

As mentioned, this is key for a great nanny resume. Considering how personal and intimate being a nanny is, starting that potential relationship off with a cookie-cutter resume you sent out to dozens of families is not ideal.

In addition, each nanny position will have its own unique requirements. A child with special needs, a family which needs help preparing meals, or a family which needs a flexible schedule will also require resumes that emphasize different things. Crafting a custom resume for each family will vastly increase your chances of success and start the relationship off on the right foot.

How to make your nanny resume stand out

Aside from the many tips mentioned already, the key to really standing out is balancing the personal with the professional. Families aren’t hiring you as just a set of skills and certifications, they’re welcoming you in to be almost a part of the family. That’s why it’s crucial that you convey some of your personality without seeming unprofessional.

The precise balance that works best will depend on the family, which is why it’s so important to study what you know about them carefully. One family’s standout nanny resume is another family’s instant “no.”

How to write a nanny resume with little or no experience

While many nanny positions have firm requirements for professional experience, some families may be willing to hire someone with less experience. To be that person, you need to show that you have the personality and other soft skills that are key to being a great nanny.

Many families will be okay if you don’t know how to cook or teach their children piano if you can show that you’re great with kids and passionate about helping to raise them. That said, you should be upfront about your lack of experience. This transparency will be key in building trust as a less experienced nanny.

How Resumebuild.com resume builder tool could be utilized for an easy resume setup

With so many things to consider to create the perfect nanny resume, you need all the help you can get. That’s why a great resume builder is critical. It takes the guesswork out of ensuring your resume has excellent design that enhances the content. It’s also the best way to be confident your nanny resume will make it past ATS if needed.

This design also clearly shows that you went for something beyond a basic Word doc. Families want a nanny who will go above and beyond. After all, it’s hard to imagine the person handing in a dull generic resume, helping your kids create an amazing art project for school.

Lastly, a resume builder also makes it easy to create copies that you can then customize for individual applications. Considering how important this is for getting hired, you need a way to easily create and track many custom resumes. Fortunately, Resumebuild.com offers everything you need in a builder and more. Check it out today and see what a modern nanny resume looks like.

Long gone are the days when all a data analyst had to do was operate a few computer programs. The data analysts of today’s working world are versatile and dynamic workers, highly regarded by their companies for the sheer amount of value they bring to the table. 

If you’re interested in applying to a data analyst position, you’ll need the perfect resume. That can seem a little daunting, particularly for such a technical position, so we’ve decided to create the definitive guide to crafting a world-class data analyst’s resume.

We’ll be covering the hard & soft skills you’ll need (as well as how to reference them), the best formatting tips, how to write a perfect resume objective or summary, and even how to write a data analyst resume if you have no experience. Towards the end of the guide you’ll find advice on standing out from the crowd as a data analyst, in addition to a few tips on what goes into making a truly effective data analyst’s resume.

Template Examples

How to Format the Resume

The best format for a data analyst’s resume is the reverse-chronological style. What makes this format so impressive is that it highlights your skills and experience by putting them right at the top of the document. Since you can’t count on a recruiter spending more than a few seconds on each resume, it’s vital that you grab their attention sooner rather than later.

Stick to classic fonts, such as Times New Roman, and don’t overcomplicate the headings you use. Make sure you use plenty of white space, as a way to make life easy on whoever’s reading your resume. When it comes to contact information, keep it simple: your name, current phone number, and professional email address are all you need to consider.

What Recruiters Will Look For

It’s important to be able to look at the hiring process from the recruiter’s POV. Over and above the formatting and any relevant experience you may have, the person going through candidates for the position will be on the lookout for some particular traits, which they have identified as crucial to the success of the new employee. These tend to vary from company to company, as every enterprise has its own personal and business outlook, but there are some common factors that will apply to every data analyst’s resume owing to the nature of the job. Recruiters sorting through a pile of data analyst resumes will be looking for a few key traits:

1. Analytical Ability 

Your employer needs to know you can handle any technical challenges you'll encounter. This is the most important aspect of a candidate’s proposal; if your analytical skills aren’t up to par, a business might baulk at the idea of giving you such a crucial, technical role as a data analyst.

If you can succeed in making your analytical ability clear and obvious, you’ll be making the rest of what you offer even more impressive. If your technical skills are beyond all doubt, the recruiter will already be positively predisposed to the rest of what you offer as a candidate.

2. A Problem-Solving Attitude

You’ll need to show the recruiter that you’ve got the right attitude when it comes to solving problems. Being open-minded, creative, and proactive goes a long way. You’ll have to solve problems day in, day out. 

The best way to show the recruiter you’ll be able to handle such issues is by making it clear you’ve got the right attitude. With the right problem-solving mindset, you’ll be able to promise consistency, even though the problems you come up against will be varied and diverse.

3. Interpersonal Competence 

An analytical wizard with no communication ability isn’t all that useful to a business. You need to prove that you can work in a team and present your results to non-experts. This is especially important in today’s business environment, which is dynamic and multi-faceted.

As a data analyst, you can expect to spend some time working with individuals and groups from other departments. Being able to explain the work you’re doing in simple, jargon-free language will go a long way towards making you an attractive candidate.

Which Skills to Mention and How to Do It Correctly

For your resume to stand out, you'll need to highlight more than just your technical abilities. The key concept to get your head around is the division between hard and soft skills. Including each group of skills in the right way will go a long way.

Hard Skills

For a data analyst, hard skills include:

• Being able to use Tableau or similar software packages
• Being able to code in languages like SQL, R, and SAS
• Familiarity with Data Warehousing
• Being so familiar with the field of statistics that you can adapt to whatever the job at hand requires 

When you’re writing about your hard skills, it’s important to keep things short and to the point. You might want to wax lyrical about how well you know your trade, but writing too much could actually do more harm than good, and here's why:

Your potential employer wants a capable analyst who can handle their work efficiently. Being direct in your writing about the hard skills you have is a great way to communicate how precise you can be. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that less is more when it comes to the technical side of this position.

More specific hard skills that would be relevant to your work as a data analyst include:

Statistical Modelling

• Regression (linear and logistic)
• Forecasting 
• Principal components analysis & factor analysis
• The basics, such as sampling, bias, model validation, etc.

Machine Learning 

Experience with machine learning isn't expected for every data analyst job. If you can include in your resume, though, you'll really impress the recruiter.

• Artificial neural nets
• Decision trees
• Experience using machine learning programs 

Presentation

It's important that you can present your findings in a visual, engaging way to non-experts in the field. To this extent, PowerPoint skills will come in handy, as will being proficient with Excel.

Soft Skills

When you’re talking about your soft skills you’ll need to communicate in a way that inspires a connection. This stands in contrast to the crisp, concise way you should discuss your hard skills.

You need to make sure the recruiter gets a sense of you as a well-rounded, open individual. Leadership, interpersonal effectiveness, and having the mentality of a team player all go a long way. Here are some of the soft skills to consider including:

• Communication
• Interpersonal effectiveness
• Leadership
• Delegation
• Being a team player
• Time management 
• Cutting down on jargon

The Best Way to Include Digital Skills in a Data Analyst’s Resume

Data analysts need to draw on many different skills during the course of their day-to-day work, and most of them are technical and involve the use of various pieces of software. How to reference these digital skills on a regular resume isn’t always obvious, but this is how you should go about it.

The best way to include digital skills on a data analyst’s resume isn’t to list them all together, but rather to group them into two main headings — analytical skills and more standard technical skills. 

Under the first category you should include proficiency with statistics, as well as with any relevant software packages (such as Tableau or Excel). Each skill you list will also have a more impressive effect on your prospective employer if you tie it in to what you’ll be able to use it for on the job. For example, rather than simply mentioning that you’re used to using q, it’s a good idea to throw in the fact that you can use your Q experience to analyse customer behaviour.

As for the standard technical skills, you’ll want to talk about the different computer languages you’re comfortable coding in. Programming is becoming a more and more important quality for data analysts to have. The same rule applies here, too; rather than claiming you’re experienced in SQL, make sure you mention what kind of common problems your SQL knowledge can help you to solve, e.g. designing a custom query to prompt the database in question to return only very specific fields. 

How to Write a Resume Objective & Examples

A resume objective should make it clear to the employer that you have the requisite skills, experience, and personality traits to fit the specific position you’re applying for. Generalities should be avoided at all costs — this is your chance to show you thoroughly understand what they’re looking for. 

The first step of writing a resume objective is to figure out what traits, skills, and experience the ideal candidate would have. This can be done by carefully reading the listing and comparing it to other data analyst job listings to see what’s different. Once you know what they’re looking for, craft your objective statement in a way that makes it clear you’re the right candidate for the job. Be holistic: mention experience and your skills, but also talk about the personality traits you possess that would make you a good choice. 

Here are a couple examples of well-written resume objectives:

1. Organized, passionate data science professional seeking the role of Data Analyst at Example Inc. I have worked extensively with SQL, R, SAS, and data warehousing. I’m used to modelling data sets to improve business efficiency, and have a lot of experience functioning as the leader of a team in order to solve particularly complex problems.

2. Knowledgeable Data Analyst interested in filling that role within ABC Corp. Bringing 8 years of experience with designing database procedures and processes to the table. Keen on bringing programming acumen (R & SQL), creative thinking, and a no-nonsense approach to jargon to the table. Fascinated by data warehousing, always willing to learn new things about the field I love.

How to Write a Resume Summary & Examples

The best way to think of a resume summary is as an elegant way to highlight your technical aptitude for the job. In the case of data analyst positions the summary is even more important, given the highly technical nature of the work. 

Your resume summary should go right at the top of your resume. The first paragraph could well be the only chance you get to command the full attention of the recruiter, so your goal is to make such a solid pitch that you encourage them to read further, and to pay attention to everything that comes below. Here are some examples of great resume summaries. Note their brevity and no-nonsense writing style, designed to make a sizable impact in the shortest possible amount of time.

1. Driven, versatile data science expert interested in bringing 10+ years of experience to that position in XYZ Inc. Passionate about modelling business data to improve existing processes. Strong problem-solving & organizational skills, prior experience in successfully leading small teams. In my past work I’ve boosted operating efficiency by 7.5% as a result of creating in-depth models and identifying weak points in a strategic business model.

2. Professional data analyst with 5 years of working experience interested in filling that role at Sample Corp. I’ve saved my past employer over $1,500,000 by identifying and resolving inefficient processes. I like brainstorming creative solutions to problems and then backing my conclusions up with hard data and figures. 

How to Write a Data Analyst’s Resume with No Experience

If you have no direct experience with data analysis, you’ll be at a disadvantage compared to other applicants. However, this disadvantage is by no means a fatal flaw to have in the job application process. As a matter of fact, if you structure your resume properly and nail the way you write it, you could well leapfrog over competitors with more experience but less impressive resumes.

The important thing to understand is that if you can sell yourself as somebody who is a quick learner, you’ll likely be able to offset the damage a lack of experience could cause. Large companies typically won’t have a huge problem with training a promising candidate in their discipline of choice, particularly if they believe the candidate in question would be a significant asset for other reasons. 

Here are a few guidelines to follow in order to make the most of a no-experience resume:

1. Talk about the Experience You Do Have 

Whether you lack experience because you’re transferring to data analysis from another field or whether it’s because you’re fresh out of college, chances are you do have some experience you can talk about in your resume. 

When you mention it, make sure to highlight the ways your skills are transferable to a data analyst position. This will kill two birds with one stone, as not only will you be proving that you’re somebody who can adapt to the demands of the job, but you’ll also be displaying an in-depth knowledge of what the job itself demands day in, day out. 

2. Don’t Try to Hide Your Lack of Data Analyst Experience 

Papering over the cracks will do more harm than good in this case. Rather than trying to hide the fact that you’ve never worked as a data analyst before, you should be upfront about it. Not only will the recruiters appreciate your honesty (after all, it’ll be obvious to them if you don’t have experience), you’ll also be presenting yourself as a confident, self-assured individual. Since you can’t sell your work history, you need to sell yourself.

How to Match Your Skills to the Position You’re Applying For

Even the most well-written resume will likely go unanswered if it’s clear that you haven’t tried to tailor your skills to the job post in question. The most efficient way to do this is to watch out for certain key words in the listing, which will serve as clues as to which skills you should emphasise and which should be relegated to the background. 

There’s no end to how many of these words there are, but it’s not too difficult to group them under overarching categories and work from there. The two main job requirements you’ll be prospecting for are as follows (with some examples of the words in question you’ll want to be on the lookout for):

• Leadership. Data analysts are often required to take the lead on certain projects. If you come across words like manage, oversee, and direct, you’ll need to make sure you highlight your leadership skills. The best way to do this is by talking briefly about the project in question when you mention the skill, e.g. instead of simply mentioning that you have management experience, spending a sentence or two describing the project you took the lead on, and what you learned.
• Communication. These days, practically no department works in isolation. If there are words like present, communicate, discuss, and integrate, you’ll need to highlight your softer skills, such as interpersonal relationship management, critical discussion, and delegation.
• Analytic ability. Obviously you’re going to be doing some analysing at your prospective job, but the key takeaway here is to focus on using the same language used in the job listing to highlight your relevant skill set.

How to List Additional Details (e.g. Certifications, Online Courses, Volunteering, Hobbies)

Additional details can turn a good resume into a great one, even for a position as technical and granular as a data analyst. Not all additional details were created equal, though, with some playing a more important role than others. Here’s the hierarchy of extra information, ranked by importance to a data analyst’s resume:

1. Online Certifications 

There’s no end to the amount of online courses you can take these days, and recruiters know that as well. If you have any relevant certification you’ve completed online, mentioning it directly below your experience will prove that you’re an autodidact, capable of educating yourself but also motivated and dedicated enough to actually follow through on a project once you set your mind to it. Keep it short: by mentioning the course and the completion date in one sentence, you’ll be implying that the value of the qualification is self-evident, which will impress anybody reading your resume.

2. Awards 

Awards impress everybody, even if they’re not entirely related to the job at hand. If you’ve won anything significant, such as a prize in college or a high-placed finish in a Kaggle competition, mention it below your online certs and spend a sentence or two explaining what you won. Don’t be falsely modest here, but don’t be over-the-top either. Just provide enough information for the recruiter to get a sense of the magnitude of your achievement, and then leave it there. 

3. Volunteering

Volunteering demonstrates compassion, drive, and energy, particularly if you’ve kept it up for an extended period of time. When writing about any volunteering you’ve been up to, it’s worth spending a few brief sentences talking about how you chose that project in particular. 

4. Hobbies & Interests

The last bit of writing in your resume should be devoted to your hobbies and interests. One common mistake candidates applying to all kinds of jobs make is assuming their hobbies need to somehow relate to the position in question. In truth, that can wind up looking somewhat artificial, particularly if there’s no variety whatsoever (e.g., a data analyst who spends his free time reading statistics textbooks). Instead, be frank about it. Sports, creative activities, and musical instruments all add depth to the image of yourself as a candidate and help to bring your character to life in the eyes of the recruiter. 

Simple bullet points listing two or three of your main hobbies and interests are all that’s required here. Take care not to go overboard. 

How to Stand Out from the Crowd as a Data Analyst

For a position as a data analyst, candidates often assume they need to be dry, to the point, and plain, in keeping with what they see as the main requirements of the job. There’s also a tendency to over-focus on the hard skills while neglecting the value of high-level interpersonal ability. This attitude, which is surprisingly pervasive, gives you an excellent chance to stand out from the crowd by doing the opposite.

Your recruiter will probably have sifted through several other resumes by the time they get to yours, which means they’re probably tired of hearing about the technical side of the job. If you’re able to put more emphasis on the soft skills than the people you’re competing with for the position, you’ll be marking yourself out from the crowd in a powerful, immediate way. 

Being able to handle yourself in a collaborative environment is every bit as important as your statistical prowess. If you can demonstrate that you understand the importance of the softer skills, you’ll make an impression on the recruiter, which is the best thing you can hope for in a situation where it’s your resume against a pile of others.

What Makes a Data Analyst’s Resume Effective

An effective data analyst’s resume needs to pack a heavy informational punch in as few words as possible. The last thing you want is for your resume to seem bloated and verbose. Aim to fit it all into one page, and you won’t go too far wrong. 

Once you have a draft of your resume, take a break and come back to it later. Looking over what you’ve written with fresh eyes will reveal areas that could be improved upon. There’s no room for sentimentality when it comes to crafting an effective resume — you must be prepared to cut what you’ve already written over and over again.

Any information that seems superfluous needs to go. Your writing style must be as concise as possible, and paragraphs should be no longer than a few sentences. You’ll want it to be as short as possible without losing any important information; a 500-word resume with as much pertinent information as a 1000-word resume will always be more effective.

How Resumebuild Can Be Used to Craft the Perfect Data Analyst Resume

All that information might seem a little overwhelming, but there’s a fantastic tool out there you can use to make creating a strong data analyst resume a breeze. Resumebuild offers a resume building tool which allows its users to choose from a large number of slick, modern templates, each of which has been built on the foundations of best-practice industry guidelines and techniques. 

With thousands of pre-written samples built-in to the program to keep you on track, all you need to do is pick the perfect template for you, input your own personal touches, and download the finished product. Applying to your next dream job couldn’t be simpler.