Please can I have some general CV advice? I'm a teacher leaving teaching. Thank you!

[PlanningOnLeavingTeaching]

I've been teaching for over 20 years and have finally decided to leave.

I'm an excellent teacher. I'm leaving due to the current state of the education system. I'm not going to miss the holidays. Nor am I afraid of hard work 😉

However, because it's been so long since I applied for a job outside of teaching, I'm not really sure how to go about structuring a CV!

Currently, I have to account for every period of employment and unemployment (eg, periods of caring responsibilities) since the day I left school. Which is no mean feat when you're in your early 50s! So I have to include every workplace I've ever had.

I also have to detail every single qualification (and provide certificates).

I'm currently looking on the Reed website for ideas of how to structure CVs so I'm not completely clueless but still not entirely sure either! My plan is to have a basic one that I can then tailor to specific jobs.

Are there any recruiters/ex teachers who could give some advice please?

Thanks!

Hi. I was in your position two years ago. I got some great advice on this from 'missmoorenomore' on insta. I created a CV based on the many transferable skills we have as teachers. Best move for me - good luck, there is life beyond the classroom.

Thank you!

I'm not on Instagram so I'll see if I can find her elsewhere. Thank you!

Put your CV through chatgpt or grok and ask it for advice. Tell it what you are aiming to be and ask it to summarise and re-write your CV as necessary. You don't need to provide certificates until you get the job (then they may ask). I'll miss off qualifications that weren't relevant.You'll then have to make mods yourself, but it really can help.

Check out the Facebook group “Life after teaching - exit the classroom”. It has lots of tips on transferable skills and how to include them in your CV.

Thank you.

Thank you. I've done that now and can really see how it will help!

It's just a bit daunting, I think!

I know schools and how they work (good and bad).

Going into something different makes it feel very daunting!!

For your workplace, put the council instead of individual schools.
e.g Essex County Council
2003-2026
Teacher of….

The specific school is only important if it’s your most recent employer and then you’d have them also as one of your references.

If it’s multiple councils then I’d still try to find a way to merge them. The most important bit is not which schools you were at but the transferable skills you have so try to save the space for that.

I’d only split them if you had a different role and will be able to add some key things into each role that make it look very different eg
2021-2026 Deputy Head Teacher
Line manager of x people
Strategic leadership of…
2017- 2021 Assistant Head Teacher
2009-2017 Primary Teacher

Use as little ‘school’ language as you can. Eg wherever possible use words like ‘leader’ instead of teacher, parents evenings are you leading stakeholder meetings, resource management instead of classroom management, running staff meetings are training events. Just keep looking at cvs to get ideas of the types of language and use whatever is on the job specs.

Focus on transferable skills. There’s a great wheel to use for this on the Life After Teaching FB page.

Make sure everything is tailored to the job spec - so if it asks for leadership of something, use exactly that wording on your cv as it’s often just a keyword search for the first sift.

And try not to be put off applying because you don’t have all of the things on the job spec. Focus on the ones you do have and what you bring to the table. Good luck.

If you’re looking for a public sector job you’re unlikely to need a CV - they use on line applications.

I left 4 years ago, also mid 50s - never looked back! Good luck ❤️

Thank you!

I feel like I've spent all morning reading, watching videos and consulting the oracle that is AI and now I feel a combination of positive and a bit overwhelmed! 😅

The chatgpt version of me sounds very highly skilled and competent. The real life version of me can't decide whether I want to drink tea or coffee right now!

I just have to remind myself that no one is perfect. And no one goes into a new role knowing exactly how to do absolutely everything without any input from anyone else.

My LA is uploaded CVs only now! You can't even request an application pack like you could in the olden days. And, if you can, that information is very well hidden!

I have no advice re. the CV, OP, but congratulations on getting out, and welcome back to a world where you find that there is more to life than the school that you've been working at!