Pick a clean, professional template that highlights teaching experience, certifications, and classroom outcomes. Use a reverse-chronological layout if your recent ESL roles show progression. If you taught many short-term contracts, use a hybrid layout to group related skills and projects.
Keep length tight. If you have under ten years of relevant ESL work, aim for one page. If you led programs, trained teachers, or managed curriculum for many years, two pages can fit, but cut unrelated work.
Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. Set body text at 10–12pt and headers at 14–16pt. Keep margins around 0.5–1 inch and keep line spacing readable. Good white space helps hiring managers scan lesson outcomes and certifications quickly.
Use clear section headings: Contact, Summary, Teaching Experience, Education & Certifications, Skills, Professional Development, and Selected Lessons or Materials. List certifications (TESOL, CELTA) near the top.
Avoid common mistakes. Don’t use multi-column layouts with lots of graphics; ATS and some recruiters will misread dates or job titles. Don’t add heavy color or unusual fonts. Don’t cram text into tiny margins, and don’t bury key achievements under long job descriptions.
For each teaching job, write short bullets that show impact. Use numbers when you can, like class size, pass rates, or curriculum adoption. Put classroom technology and curriculum design skills near the top if you use them often.