RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your PE Teacher Resume Into a Winning Playbook
Identify the biggest resume pitfalls and apply expert fixes that get you noticed by school hiring teams.
How This Page Helps
This page helps Physical Education Teachers spot and correct resume mistakes that keep them from getting interview calls, while providing actionable fixes and ATS‑friendly tips.
Spot high‑impact errors quickly
Learn step‑by‑step fixes
See before‑and‑after examples
Optimize for ATS used by school districts
Download a printable checklist
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Vague Objective StatementMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Provides no value to hiring managers
- Consumes precious resume space
- Often filtered out by ATS keywords
How to fix
- Replace objective with a concise professional summary
- Highlight years of teaching experience and key achievements
- Include relevant certifications and grade levels taught
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a teaching position where I can utilize my skills.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Certified Physical Education Teacher with 5+ years of experience designing engaging K‑12 fitness programs, increasing student participation by 30%, and holding CPR and First Aid certifications.
ATS Tip
Include keywords like 'Physical Education', 'Curriculum Development', 'Student Fitness'.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'Objective'
Length under 30 words
Lacks specific teaching terms
Resumly Tip
Swap the objective for a summary that showcases measurable results and relevant credentials.
Listing Duties Instead of AchievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Fails to demonstrate impact
- Makes resume blend with others
- Hard for ATS to match performance keywords
How to fix
- Convert duties into bullet points with quantifiable results
- Show improvements in student fitness scores
- Mention program initiatives you led
❌ Before
• Taught physical education classes to grades 6‑8.
✓ After
• Designed and delivered a 6‑week cardiovascular program that raised average fitness test scores by 15% across grades 6‑8.
ATS Tip
Use action verbs and metrics such as 'increased', 'implemented', 'led'.
Detection Rules
Bullets start with verbs like 'taught', 'responsible for'
No numbers or percentages present
Resumly Tip
Turn each duty into a result‑focused bullet with numbers.
Missing Required CertificationsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Many districts require state teaching license
- Absence may lead to automatic rejection
- ATS often scans for certification keywords
How to fix
- Create a dedicated 'Certifications' section
- List state teaching license, CPR, First Aid, and any sport‑specific credentials
- Include expiration dates if applicable
❌ Before
Skills: Team building, Sports coaching
✓ After
Certifications: State Physical Education Teaching License (Valid through 2027), CPR & First Aid Certified (2025), Certified Youth Sports Coach – Soccer
ATS Tip
Add keywords: 'Teaching License', 'CPR', 'First Aid', 'Coaching Certification'.
Detection Rules
No 'Certifications' heading
No mention of license numbers or expiration
Resumly Tip
Add a clear certifications block near the top of your resume.
Poor Formatting & Inconsistent DatesMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Makes resume hard to read
- ATS may misinterpret sections
- Hiring managers may view you as unprofessional
How to fix
- Use a clean, single‑column layout
- Align dates to the right in MM/YYYY format
- Maintain consistent font and bullet style throughout
❌ Before
Physical Education Teacher Springfield Middle School 2018-2021 - ...
✓ After
Physical Education Teacher | Springfield Middle School | 08/2018 – 06/2021
ATS Tip
Keep section headings standard (e.g., Experience, Education, Certifications)
Detection Rules
Dates not in MM/YYYY
Multiple columns or tables
Inconsistent bullet symbols
Resumly Tip
Apply Resumly’s one‑click formatting to standardize layout and dates.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Certifications, Teaching Experience, Education, Professional Development, Skills
Naming: FirstName_LastName_PhysicalEducation_Teacher.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages (max 2 pages for early‑career teachers)
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary instead of an objective
- Show measurable achievements for each role
- List state teaching license and CPR certification
- Format dates as MM/YYYY and align them right
- Include keywords from the job posting
- Keep resume to 1‑2 pages
- Use a clean, single‑column layout
- Proofread for spelling and grammar
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, SmartRecruiters
Keyword Strategy: Physical Education, Curriculum Development, Student Fitness, Coaching, CPR Certified, State Teaching License
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Summary', 'Certifications', 'Teaching Experience', 'Education'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste the Experience section of your current PE teacher resume
- Convert duty statements to achievement bullets with metrics
- Add missing certification lines
- Standardize date format to MM/YYYY
- Replace generic objective with a results‑focused summary
Ready to transform your PE teacher resume? Get our free fix guide now!
Download the Fix Guide
