Research Summary. We analyzed 63,029 substitute teacher resumes to determine which ones land the most jobs. Below you'll find examples of resumes that can help you get an interview (and a job offer) from companies like Kelly Educational Staffing and Chicago Public Schools. Here are the key facts about substitute teacher resumes to help you get the job:

  • The average substitute teacher resume is 345 words long
  • The average substitute teacher resume is 0.8 pages long based on 450 words per page.
  • Kids is the most common skill found on a substitute teacher resume. It appears on 19.3% of resumes.
After learning about how to write a professional substitute teacher resume, you can make sure your resume checks all the boxes with our resume builder.

Resume

Substitute Teacher Resume Example

Choose From 10+ Customizable Substitute Teacher Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Substitute Teacher templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Substitute Teacher resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Substitute Teacher Resume Format And Sections

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1. Add Contact Information To Your Substitute Teacher Resume

Your name should be the biggest text on the page and be at or near the top of the document.

Your address doesn't need to include your street name or house number - listing your city and state works just fine.

Your email address should be professional, but not your current work email address. It's not a good look to use your work email for personal projects (job-searching).

Your social media can be included if you have a fully-fledged LinkedIn page or another social media page that showcases your relevant skill set.

Substitute Teacher Resume Contact Information Example #1

Hank Rutherford Hill

St. Arlen, Texas | 333-111-2222 | hank.hill@gmail.com

Do you want to know more?
How To Write The Perfect Resume Header
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2. Add Your Relevant Education To The Resume

Your resume's education section should include:

  • The name of your school
  • The date you graduated (Month, Year or Year are both appropriate)
  • The name of your degree
If you graduated more than 15 years ago, you should consider dropping your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.

Optional subsections for your education section include:

  • Academic awards (Dean's List, Latin honors, etc. )
  • GPA (if you're a recent graduate and your GPA was 3.5+)
  • Extra certifications
  • Academic projects (thesis, dissertation, etc.)

Other tips to consider when writing your education section include:

  • If you're a recent graduate, you might opt to place your education section above your experience section
  • The more work experience you get, the shorter your education section should be
  • List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and high-ranking degrees first
  • If you haven't graduated yet, you can include "Expected graduation date" to the entry for that school

Majors
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Substitute Teacher Resume Relevant Education Example #1

Bachelor's Degree In Early Childhood Education 2009 - 2012

Long Island University Brookville, NY

Substitute Teacher Resume Relevant Education Example #2

Bachelor's Degree In Linguistics 2004 - 2007

Ohio State University Columbus, OH

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3. Next, Create A Substitute Teacher Skills Section On Your Resume

Your resume's skills section should include the most important keywords from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills. If you haven't started your job search yet, you can look over resumes to get an idea of what skills are the most important.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume's skills section:

  • Include 6-12 skills, in bullet point form
  • List mostly hard skills; soft skills are hard to test
  • Emphasize the skills that are most important for the job
Hard skills are generally more important to hiring managers because they relate to on-the-job knowledge and specific experience with a certain technology or process.

Soft skills are also valuable, as they're highly transferable and make you a great person to work alongside, but they're impossible to prove on a resume.

Example Of Substitute Teacher Skills For Resume

  • Language Arts Skills

    Language art refers to the ability to master a language.

  • Social Studies Skills

    Social studies is a subject in school that teaches about society and its sciences. Sociology, political science, and economics are all examples of social studies.

  • Substitute Teaching Skills

    Substitute teaching is a teacher who serves in the place of a regular teacher who is unable to perform his or her duties due to an absence, illness, personal leave, or other reasons. A substitute teacher performs instructional and classroom management processes and may be called in to relieve any teacher.

  • Pre-K Skills

    Pre-K or pre-kindergarten is a classroom-based program for children below the age of five, and it is a voluntary preschool program. It helps the child develop social and emotional development before they are ready to start preschool.

  • Public Schools Skills

    Public schools are available for everyone. They are funded and controlled by the government. With state guidance, each school board determines the curricula, finances, and jobs for schools within its borders. The government also decides on academic standards and standardised tests.

  • Physical Education Skills

    Physical education includes the organization of games, exercises, challenges, or any activities related to a person's physical well-being. It aims to develop social and motor skills and physical attributes development among children, trainees, or clients.

Top Skills for a Substitute Teacher

Source: Zippia.com
  • Kids, 19.3%
  • Math, 15.0%
  • Help Support, 14.1%
  • Language Arts, 12.4%
  • Other Skills, 39.2%
Not sure which skills are really important?
3 Big Tips For Listing Skills On Your Resume
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4. List Your Substitute Teacher Experience

The most important part of any resume is the experience section. Recruiters and hiring managers expect to see your experience listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that you should begin with your most recent experience and then work backwards.

Don't just list your job duties below each job entry. Instead, make sure most of your bullet points discuss impressive achievements from your past positions. Whenever you can, use numbers to contextualize your accomplishments for the hiring manager reading your resume.

It's okay if you can't include exact percentages or dollar figures. There's a big difference even between saying "Managed a team of engineers" and "Managed a team of 6 engineers over a 9-month project."

Most importantly, make sure that the experience you include is relevant to the job you're applying for. Use the job description to ensure that each bullet point on your resume is appropriate and helpful.

Don't have any experience?
How To Show Your Experience On a Resume... Even When You Don't Have Any
Work History Example # 1
Substitute Teacher
Kelly Services
  • Worked in K-12, three school districts, charter schools and private schools.
  • Assumed responsibility for general and special education classrooms K-12.
  • Executed lesson plans for grades K-6.
  • Substituted for Art, Physical Education, ESL, Gifted, regular classrooms, and all ages
  • Experienced with K-12 students in Regular and Special Education.
Work History Example # 2
Substitute Teacher
Pasadena Unified School District
  • Supervised the safety and behavior of various classroom sizes ranging from 24-45, K-12th grade.
  • Demonstrated patience and understanding while managing multiple children with special needs.
  • Devised and delivered high school instruction in Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) and Physics.
  • Created the curriculum and taught two transitional level ESL courses.
  • Facilitated engagement among at-risk youth and ESL students.
Work History Example # 3
Kindergarten Teacher
Northampton Area Middle School
  • Provided literacy enrichment in Spanish to small group of native Spanish speaking students.
  • Assisted with student IEP development and the implementation of student accommodations.
  • Developed, reviewed, and planned Individualized Education Programs (IEP's).
  • Collaborated with mathematics department in construction of curriculum and course materials.
  • Conducted testing for ESL students for evaluation purposes.
Work History Example # 4
Head Teacher
Dysart High School
  • Conducted and collaborated with IEP Teams during meetings.
  • Maintained and updated data for students on RTI platforms.
  • Helped students one-on-one with mathematics and reading.
  • Coordinated Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and promoted cooperation and involvement by all parties.
  • Created and developed curriculum for specialized programs in Mathematics and English.
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5. Highlight Your Substitute Teacher Certifications On Resume

Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers that you know your stuff. If you have any of these certifications, make sure to put them on your substitute teacher resume:

  1. Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE)
  2. Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:)
  3. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
  4. Certified Secondary Culinary Educator (CSCE)
  5. Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM)
  6. Certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language (CTEFL)
  7. Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS)
  8. Project Management Professional (PMP)
  9. Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
  10. Certified Corrections Manager (CCM)

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6. Finally, Add a Substitute Teacher Resume Summary Or Objective Statement

A resume summary statement is a 1-3 sentence spiel at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. In this section, include your job title, years of experience (if it's 3+), and an impressive accomplishment, if you have space for it.

Remember to address skills and experiences that are emphasized in the job description.

Are you a recent grad?
Read our guide on how to write a resume summary statement

Common Substitute Teacher Resume Skills

  • Kids
  • Math
  • Help Support
  • Language Arts
  • ESL
  • Social Studies
  • Bilingual Education
  • Classroom Management
  • Mathematics
  • Substitute Teaching
  • Student Learning
  • Pre-K
  • Public Schools
  • Physical Education
  • K-8
  • Grades K-12
  • Learning Process
  • Instructional Materials
  • General Education
  • Learning Environment
  • Elementary Schools
  • IEP
  • Cultural Backgrounds
  • K-5
  • Administration Policies
  • K-6
  • Substitute Assignments
  • School Administration
  • Classroom Environment Conducive
  • Instructional Methods
  • Classroom Behavior
  • Classroom Control
  • Social Development
  • Classroom Discipline
  • County Schools
  • Lesson Objectives
  • Classroom Order
  • Homework Assignments
  • Discipline Procedures

Substitute Teacher Jobs

Substitute Teacher Resumes FAQs

Does Substitute Teaching Look Good On A Resume?

Yes, substitute teaching looks good on a resume. Substitute teaching is still an excellent job option for those just starting their career or those looking to transfer careers into teaching.

What Is The Objective Of A Substitute Teacher?

The objective of a substitute teacher is to provide a quick snapshot of your qualifications, skills, and passion for teaching. As a substitute teacher, you understand the importance of the first few minutes of class is to set the tone for the rest of the day. You should think about your resume objective the same way.

What Should A Substitute Teacher Put On A Resume?

A substitute teacher should put on resume skills and experiences that highlight your success at providing temporary instructional and classroom management. As a substitute teacher, you understand how important it is to provide clear, concise, and compelling instruction. Your resume should be no different.

What Skills Do Substitute Teachers Have?

Skills that substitute teachers have include the many attributes needed to successfully manage a classroom and instruct a class.

Many of the same skills needed to be a teacher are the very same ones that are highly valued in many other careers. Substitute teaching is an excellent way to build core soft skills and gain teaching experience.

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