The Resume

The Professional Resume

How to Write a Professional Resume: Getting Started

Adapted to the superintendent’s position by Jack McKay from an article by the Indeed Editorial Team

A good resume can help you stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of getting an interview. When drafting a resume, follow these suggestions to ensure you include key information:

  1. Start with your name and contact information. Place your first and last name along with your email address and phone number at the top.
  2. Add your education. Include the name of the institution along with your degree type and any honors or specializations.
  3. List your professional experience. Include your job titles, dates of tenure, and names of the districts in reverse-chronological order.
  4. Include skills gained and impact made. Beneath each job title, make a bulleted list of the skills you used and acquired in your role as well as key achievements the school board or search consultants would find interesting.
  5. Include achievements or personal attributes that you are proud of. Be as specific as possible. Use “we” instead of “I”.
  6. List your skills and personal attributes. Include special abilities or qualities that will aid you in the superintendency in the particular district.
  7. Strengthening your resume draft. It is important to consider things from the school board’s perspective.
  8. Optimize your resume layout. Some visual standards should always be met. Choose a clean, professional font. Most sans-serif fonts such as Ariel, Times New Roman, or Georgia. The size should be between 10-12.
  9. Use power words. Beginning sentences with strong verbs make your previous experience more vivid and engaging. Use “we” instead of “I”. Use “facilitated” or “influenced” rather than “directed” or “lead.”
  10. Finalize your resume. Spelling, Grammar, Contact information, Dates of employment, Punctuation, and Consistent font formatting across all sections.
  11. Tailoring your resume to specific jobs. Focus on specific required and desired qualifications to show that you have researched the district’s expectations.
  12. Mirror job posting language. Review the qualifications adjust your resume to fit them.
  13. Reflect on the board’s desired skills or certifications. Emphasizes the skills or experiences that you possess. Make sure that you highlight this qualification in your tailored resume.
  14. Update your objective to reflect the superintendent vacancy. Includes an objective section and make sure that you describe this particular superintendency in your objective summary.