Your Resume: What Recruiters Wish You Knew

There’s no need to dread drafting or updating your resume.  Advice from an expert at Search Associates (SEARCH) and Recruiter Robin Reshwan will empower you in your process. Reshwan’s article on usnews.com emphasizes that the purpose of the resume is to get you to Step 1: land you that interview!  Recruiters will take about three seconds to scan your resume for items that sound their bells and whistles. What will make them call you?

Just like in Hollywood, recruiters scan your resume and think, So, what have you done lately? According to Reshwan, key words to remember while updating your resume are “current, relevant.”  SEARCH Senior Associate Julie Ryan weighs in:

“Think about what sets you apart as an educator. Focus on your most recent experiences and think about demonstrating that you have implemented innovative programs, designed new projects, collaborated with colleagues, and contributed significantly to your school community.”

A successful resume aligns with the position(s) you are seeking. Recruiters want to hire someone who is currently enjoying the same type of work and doing well. Julie adds,

“International school recruiters have told us that resumes organized in reverse chronological order, starting with your current role and moving backward, are most effective. Include your degrees and certification/license—State or Governmental issued; QTS in the UK, etc. —if you have it, with the month and year for which it is valid. Most reputable international schools either strongly prefer or require certification that will be valid for the duration of a two-year contract. Your demonstration of ongoing recent professional development is a highly desirable feature for your resume.”

What will not attract recruiters are bloated statements about you or mundane details, such as “Plans lessons according to school curriculum.” Every teacher does this.  What they want is evidence of interesting and notable experience in a school, your fine reputation, and any unique qualifications or special interests—especially those that reflect a longstanding interest in international travel, coaching, global issues, or volunteering.

It bears repeating: the resume must be flawless. Revise; have a friend revise; edit, and look again.  And again. Resumes with typos, poor grammar, and an awkward or dated layout will be tossed quickly.A last reminder from Julie

“Even experienced educators should be able to design an effective resume that is no longer than two pages…Think about what makes you the ideal candidate, and prepare a resume that causes a recruiter to take note of you, even with just a few seconds’ glance.

We at SEARCH are confident that once you perfect your resume, uploading it to our website as part of your application and staying in close contact with your Associate will yield results more exciting than you had imagined. We wish you the best of luck!