Let's face it, there's no one size fits all when it comes to a resume.
CVs differ depending on the industry, sector and seniority of the role you're applying for. They should be personalised to spotlight what you have to offer and provide a window into your professional personality. Tidal's resume builder provides a starting point to help professional staff create a winning CV for the education sector.
Whether you're writing your first one, adapting your CV for the education sector, or giving yours a long-overdue update, our resume builder is your strategic companion. Let us guide you in shaping a resume that not only ticks all the boxes but also resonates with the very ethos of education.
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Download our easy-to-use Canva template and follow our guide below for tips below on how to structure your CV, what recruiters and hirers are looking for, and how to craft a narrative that effectively captures your journey, expertise, and passion for education. After all, a well-crafted CV does more than just list achievements; it tells a story of dedication, growth, and potential. Make yours count.
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Our team is always happy to advise and help if you get stuck while putting together an application for Tidal's roles. Simply get in touch.
First page, first impression
The front page of your resume will be the hirer's first impression of you – get it right and it invites them to read further. With such precious little real estate to capture your reader's attention, your priority is to give an elevator pitch with the key points they should know about you and your value to their organisation.
01
Headline (optional)
Underneath your name and contact information, you may choose to include a headline. It is an opportunity to define your profession and seniority to let the hirer know your area of expertise. If the job ad is for a role that requires specific experience, it may be advantageous to draw this out in this headline. E.g. "Education sector recruitment specialist" or "Award-winning EdTech Product Lead". However, if you're transitioning career spaces or otherwise cannot define yourself uniquely, it should be left out.
02
About you
Provide a short summary that highlights the most relevant and impressive parts of your skills, experience and passions – e.g. "I am a uniquely recognised recruitment leader in the education sector with 5 years of experience". Focus on highlighting your key strengths - e.g. "I've built career-long relationships across...". End with a sentence that connects your prior experience with your aspirations at the company you're applying to – e.g. "I'm seeking new opportunities to connect organisations with the right talent".
03
Education
Provide all relevant qualifications you've achieved. These may include tertiary study, short courses, training certifications and online qualifications you've received.
04
Skills and proficiencies
Provide a list of relevant expertise to the role you're applying for, ensuring you order them based on what would be most important for the hirer – e.g. "Job advertising". If the job requires technical expertise within specific software and systems, you may find it useful to group these hard skills separately from your professional skills – e.g. "HTML/CSS".
Experience pages
So you've piqued the hirer's interest – it's now crucial to maintain that momentum. It's time to show them who you worked for, what you did and how you made an impact. Provide no more than 3 pages worth of job experience.
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Tips:
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Have a large gap in your experience? Be candid and truthful and address gaps with a simple line. E.g. "I took a 6-month sabbatical after receiving a retrenchment."
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Less is often more. Avoid jargon and lengthy explanations. Opt for precise and clear wording that conveys your role and responsibilities effectively
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Present your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent role to give a clear view of your career trajectory and your current professional standing
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Structure your experience into bullet points to make it easier to scan and absorb for busy hiring managers
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Tailor your experience to the prospective role's demands by highlighting only the responsibilities and accomplishments that are aligned with the needs and values of the position you’re applying for
05
Company
After naming your employer, you may include a paragraph explaining what the company does, especially if they aren't widely recognised. This is an opportunity to show how your previous workplace held advantageous traits to the business to which you're applying. E.g. If you're applying to a recruiter role who hires for C-suite level positions, you may emphasise, "from student services officers to CEOs" to recognise this.
06
Role and responsibilities
Provide 4-5 responsibilities for each role. The aim is not just to list what you've done but to convey how your unique blend of responsibilities has shaped your career and readied you for the position you seek. Begin each point with a dynamic action verb – e.g. "Analyse", "implement". Specify the who, what, when, where, why and how where possible to demonstrate capability and relevance - "Partner with HR teams for comprehensive onboarding programs for seamless new hire integration".
07
Achievements
Achievements offer tangible evidence of your impact, especially where you've gone above and beyond in your role. List 3 relevant milestones, beginning each again with action words. You should quantify your success to contextualise and prove your results – e.g. "Implemented a new digital interview and screen platform, reducing the average hiring cycle by 15 days and increasing candidate satisfaction scores by 20%."
Final page
Close on a positive and personal note, mentioning your interests outside of your extensive work achievements to give the recruiter an idea of who you are beyond your profession, and reminding the hirer of the referees you have ready to support your application.
08
Hobbies and interests
When thoughtfully written, your interests will humanise your CV and showcase qualities that aren't always evident in work experiences - often values the education sector seeks in recruits. Provide only specific hobbies that align with the position you're applying for or highlight transferable skills – e.g. "volunteering as a soccer coach for my local primary school team". Avoid mentioning interests that may polarise the employer (unless they are advantageous for the position).
09
References
Conclude your CV by mentioning you have referees to back up your accomplishments. Do not list the names or contact details of these people – rather, these should be provided once you've progressed to the reference check part of your interviews, and have given your referees a heads up!
