Art Teacher Resume Example
Starting a career as an art teacher gives you the chance to gain experience in planning lesson plans and assessing student progress. A professional resume for art teacher applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll explain how to write a winning resume for art teacher applications that best showcases your skills and experience.
This complete guide to an art teacher resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your art teacher resume.
What to include in an art teacher resume
A successful art teacher resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
If you're applying for an entry-level art teacher role and have limited relevant experience, consider using a skills-based, or functional resume format. The layout emphasizes your skills and education above your work experience. Likewise, an entry-level resume might focus more on soft and transferable skills, as well as details about internships, voluntary work or relevant training you've completed.
If you have some experience as an art teacher, use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format and focus on showing how you've used the skills required for the job in your career to date. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
For senior art teacher roles, you're likely to be competing against highly experienced candidates. Use a reverse-chronological resume format and focus on adding additional information that shows your credentials beyond your work experience. Expect your senior resume to be slightly longer than resumes for more junior roles. This is because you 'll want to add details of professional memberships, awards, publications, presentations and other achievements expected of senior professionals.
The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:
Resume Header
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.
Eva Robinson
eva.robinson@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
1985 Hill Valley, CA
linkedin․com/in/eva–robinson123
Resume Summary
In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for art teacher roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. However, make sure you keep your resume summary short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for art teacher roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. See below for some great examples of what to include in your art teacher resume summary.
Dynamic and passionate Art Teacher with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art Education and extensive experience as a Visual Arts Educator. Skilled in developing engaging and inclusive curricula, fostering creativity, and nurturing artistic talents in students of all ages. Proven ability to integrate various art techniques and mediums, manage classroom environments effectively, and inspire a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Adept at organizing exhibitions, collaborating with colleagues, and utilizing technology to enhance learning experiences. Dedicated to creating a positive and stimulating educational atmosphere that encourages student growth and self-expression
Art teacher with a background in art education and experience in teaching art. Developed lessons and worked with students of different ages. Used various art materials and managed classrooms. Organized art shows and worked with others. Used technology in teaching. Focused on creating a positive learning environment
On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.
Work Experience
Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for an art teacher position. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See the examples below for some ideas of what a great resume work experience looks like.
Visual Arts Educator, January 2022 - Present
Creative Horizons Art Studio, El Paso
- Developed and implemented innovative arts curriculum, increasing student engagement and performance by 30% over two academic years
- Organized and curated annual school art exhibition, showcasing over 200 student works and attracting 500+ community attendees
- Secured $10,000 grant for art supplies and technology, enhancing classroom resources and student learning experiences
Visual Arts Educator, January 2022 - Present
Creative Horizons Art Studio, El Paso
- Improved student interest in arts through new teaching methods
- Managed school art events with student participation
- Enhanced classroom resources through successful funding efforts
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Education
Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to art teacher roles.
To work as an art teacher, employers tend to require candidates to have a specialist degree, such as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education. If you have this degree, focus on it in your education section, while also mentioning any educational achievements that show your art history knowledge or classroom management skills.
Include any qualifications relevant to the role. For each, add the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.
If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art Education, 2017 - 2020
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Skills
The skills section of an art teacher resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include digital art software, effective communication skills or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as an art teacher.
How to include hard skills on your art teacher resume
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for art teacher positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, these skills are essential for an art teacher resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective art teacher resume hard skills list looks like.
- Drawing and sketching
- Painting techniques
- Digital art software
Soft skills on your art teacher resume
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for an art teacher position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.
Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for an art teacher resume.
- Creativity and innovation
- Effective communication skills
- Classroom management techniques
Certifications
Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for art teacher roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for an art teacher resume:
- Certified Art Educator, 2022
- Visual Arts License, 2022
- Arts Integration Specialist, 2022
Optional Sections
To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to an art teacher resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.
Personal Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.
Volunteer Experience
Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for art teacher roles beyond your main employment history. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.
References
References aren't a standard art teacher resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References will be available upon request.
Best action words for your art teacher resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Create
- Instruct
- Inspire
- Guide
- Develop
- Evaluate
- Mentor
- Facilitate
- Design
- Implement
Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.
Example of an art teacher resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your art teacher resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
1985 Hill Valley, CA
•
eva.robinson@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/eva–robinson123
Passionate and dedicated Art Teacher with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education and extensive experience as a Visual Arts Educator. Proven ability to create engaging lesson plans, foster creative expression, and develop students' artistic skills in various mediums. Committed to cultivating a supportive and inspiring learning environment that encourages artistic growth and appreciation for the arts.
Visual Arts Educator
2020
-2022
Artemisia Academy (Phoenix)
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive K-12 visual arts curriculum, increasing student engagement and creativity by 30%
- Curated and organized annual student art exhibitions, showcasing over 200 pieces and increasing community involvement by 40%
- Secured $15,000 in grants for art supplies and technology, enhancing classroom resources and student learning experiences
Drawing and sketching
Painting techniques
Digital art software
Creativity and innovation
Effective communication skills
Classroom management techniques
Certified Art Educator
Visual Arts License
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Quick tips for an art teacher resume
- Quantify your accomplishments by providing evidence that shows the impact you've made in your career.
- Add each relevant job in reverse-chronological order, beginning with your current or most recent position and working back from there.
- Create a positive impression with a well-written resume summary or objective that highlights your key strengths for art teacher roles.
- Mention your key educational achievements, such as degrees and professional qualifications, along with grades such as your GPA, if they're high.
- Keep your art teacher resume concise, with a target length of one page for less experienced candidates, and two pages for senior positions.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't use passive language because it can switch off the reader. Adapt phrases like 'the work was completed' to 'I completed the work'.
- Don't use an email address that creates an unprofessional impression. Instead, create an email address for job applications based on your name.
- Don't clutter your document by trying to add too many details. Focus on core art teacher skills and achievements that are relevant to the role.
- Don't include hobbies unless they help you prove a skill or experience that's necessary for the job.
Making an ATS-friendly resume
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When drafting your art teacher resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.
Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions about an art teacher resume
After writing your art teacher resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
A traditional cover letter should follow formal letter-writing conventions and structure, including a header, the recipient's address and professional greetings and sign-offs. For the main body of the letter, open with a short paragraph introducing yourself and explaining your reasons for applying for the art teacher role. Follow that with an explanation of your skills and experience and how they're relevant to the position. Close by expressing your gratitude and enthusiasm, and leaving a call to action that encourages the employer to open a dialogue with you.
If you want to impress employers with a professional cover letter, use Jobseeker's simple and beautiful cover letter templates.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional art teacher resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers.
Choose a resume structure that best showcases your key skills for the role, such as a functional format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. Use the additional information sections at the end of your resume as a showcase for relevant skills and achievements. These can be a particularly useful way of proving you have the skills necessary for the job.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for art teacher positions at first glance. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
You can use this example resume headline as a template for creating your own:
- Aspiring Art Education Professional
- Innovative Art Education Specialist
- Experienced Senior Art Education Specialist
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Key takeaways for your art teacher resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Pick a resume format that matches your experience levels, and tailor the content of your resume to reflect the details of the job description.
Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
