RESUME MISTAKES

Stop Resume Mistakes From Holding Back Your Teaching Career

Identify and correct the top errors that keep hiring committees from seeing your potential.

How This Page Helps
Help high school teachers create a polished, ATS‑compatible resume that showcases their classroom expertise and leadership.
Spot hidden formatting issues
Learn how to quantify classroom achievements
Align your resume with school district ATS
Use teacher‑specific keywords
Present certifications and professional development correctly
Craft compelling summary statements

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances

Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples

Generic objective instead of a teacher‑focused summaryHIGH
Why it hurts
  • Hiring managers skim resumes and discard vague objectives
  • ATS looks for role‑specific keywords that objectives often lack
How to fix
  • Replace the objective with a 2‑sentence professional summary
  • Highlight years of experience, subject expertise, and measurable outcomes
❌ Before

Objective: Seeking a position where I can utilize my skills.

✓ After

Summary: Passionate high school English teacher with 5+ years of experience improving student literacy scores by 15% through differentiated instruction and project‑based learning.

ATS Tip
Include keywords like "curriculum development", "differentiated instruction", and "student assessment"
Detection Rules
Contains the word "Objective"
Length less than 30 words
Resumly Tip
Swap objective for a concise summary that showcases impact and relevant teaching keywords.
Listing duties instead of achievementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
  • Bullet points read like a job description, not a performance record
  • ATS rewards quantifiable results
How to fix
  • Start each bullet with an action verb
  • Add numbers, percentages, or concrete results
❌ Before

- Taught Algebra I to 9th‑grade students. - Prepared lesson plans. - Graded assignments.

✓ After

- Increased Algebra I pass rate from 78% to 92% by implementing flipped‑classroom techniques. - Designed weekly lesson plans aligned with state standards, reducing preparation time by 20%. - Streamlined grading workflow, providing feedback within 48 hours for 120+ assignments per semester.

ATS Tip
Use metrics such as "% increase", "# of students", "hours saved"
Detection Rules
Bullets begin with "Taught" or "Prepared" without metrics
Resumly Tip
Convert duty statements into achievement‑focused bullets with numbers.
Omitting certifications and licensureHIGH
Why it hurts
  • School districts require valid teaching credentials; missing them may lead to automatic disqualification
  • ATS filters often search for specific license codes
How to fix
  • Create a dedicated "Certifications" section
  • List state license number, endorsement areas, and expiration dates
❌ Before

Education: B.A. in English, XYZ University, 2015

✓ After

Certifications: - State Teaching License – English (Endorsement: Secondary), License #123456, Expires 06/2027 - Endorsement: Special Education, License #123456‑SE, Expires 06/2027

ATS Tip
Use exact license titles and numbers as they appear on district job postings
Detection Rules
No "Certifications" heading
Missing "License" keyword
Resumly Tip
Add a clear certifications block with license details to satisfy ATS and recruiters.
Inconsistent date formatsLOW
Why it hurts
  • ATS may fail to parse employment dates, causing timeline gaps
  • Hiring managers view inconsistent dates as sloppy
How to fix
  • Standardize all dates to MM/YYYY
  • Place dates on the right side of each entry for readability
❌ Before

Teaching Experience: - 2018 – 2020: XYZ High School - 2020‑2022: ABC Academy

✓ After

Teaching Experience: - XYZ High School, 08/2018 – 06/2020 - ABC Academy, 08/2020 – 06/2022

ATS Tip
Use numeric month/year; avoid words like "Jan" or "2020‑Present" without month
Detection Rules
Mixed use of hyphens and en‑dashes
Dates without month
Resumly Tip
Apply a uniform MM/YYYY format to all date entries.
Including irrelevant part‑time jobsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
  • Non‑teaching roles can dilute focus and waste ATS keyword space
  • Hiring committees look for relevant classroom experience
How to fix
  • Remove unrelated positions or condense them under a brief "Additional Experience" section
  • Highlight transferable skills only if directly applicable
❌ Before

- Barista, Coffee Shop, 2016‑2017 - Retail Associate, Store, 2015‑2016

✓ After

Additional Experience: - Barista (Customer Service, Cash Handling) – Developed strong communication skills applicable to parent‑teacher interactions.

ATS Tip
Keep the resume under 3 pages; prioritize teaching‑related content
Detection Rules
Entries with titles unrelated to education
Resumly Tip
Trim unrelated jobs to keep the focus on teaching qualifications.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Teaching Experience, Education, Certifications, Professional Development, Skills
Naming: FirstName_LastName_TeacherResume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career teachers; up to 3 pages for administrators
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
  • Use a teacher‑focused summary instead of an objective
  • Quantify classroom achievements with numbers
  • List state license and endorsements clearly
  • Standardize all dates to MM/YYYY
  • Include education‑related keywords from the job posting
  • Proofread for spelling and grammar
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, Workday, iCIMS, SmartRecruiters
Keyword Strategy: Include terms like "classroom management", "state standards", "student assessment", "extracurricular coordination"
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as "Teaching Experience" and "Education" to ensure ATS parsing
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text below
  • Replace generic objective with summary
  • Add quantifiable results
  • Standardize dates
  • Insert relevant certifications
  • Optimize keywords for ATS
Download Checklist PDF
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