| Without a doubt teaching jobs can be quite | | | | applicant should list their references. However, I |
| difficult to secure these days. Just go to any | | | | am shocked at how many people still simply write |
| popular teaching forum or teacher discussion | | | | "references available upon request". This is a huge |
| board and look at all the posts from teachers | | | | mistake. Why make it difficult for your potential |
| who are desperately trying to land a good | | | | employer to seek out your references? Are you |
| teaching position. | | | | trying to hide something? Because that is exactly |
| Due to the fact that teaching jobs are so difficult | | | | what "references available upon request" indicates. |
| to secure, teachers must do everything they can | | | | What you should do instead is make sure you list |
| to stand out form the crowd. | | | | your specific references at the bottom and make |
| One of the most important aspects of getting a | | | | sure to provide their title/position, telephone |
| teaching job is your teacher resume. What makes | | | | number, and email address. Again, you want to |
| the teacher resume so important is that it is the | | | | make it as easy as possible for the interview |
| first, and often times the only thing an | | | | committee to contact your references. |
| administrator or teacher interview committee will | | | | Another mistake people make is not listing enough |
| see or hear about you. As the old saying | | | | references. All too often people will list only three |
| goes...you only get one chance to make a first | | | | references. Any qualified teacher should be able to |
| impression... | | | | get many, many references. Now, while you will |
| Therefore, you need to use your resume to | | | | not need to list them all, by listing 5-10 of them |
| make that first impression. | | | | you are separating yourself from all the other |
| There are many features that make up a quality | | | | teachers who only listed three, or worse, stated |
| teacher resume, but this article is about one | | | | "references available upon request". |
| specific part of that resume...the references. | | | | The bottom line is that you want your resume to |
| Remember, just like anything else, a person is | | | | say loud and clear "Go ahead, check my |
| most likely going to remember the first and last | | | | references...I encourage you do so!" |
| thing they hear/see/read etc. The same holds | | | | Again, your references are the last thing the |
| true for your resume...to stand out you must | | | | reader will see when reading your resume. By |
| open with a bang and close with a bang. | | | | ending with several references that are easy to |
| Unfortunately, this is where many people miss the | | | | contact, you are ending with a bang that will |
| mark. | | | | make your teacher resume stand out amongst all |
| At the end of every resume is where the | | | | the others. |