If you’ve ever Googled “how to write a CV,” you probably found advice tailored to office jobs or corporate roles—not much help when you're applying to teach English in Vietnam or tutor online from a beach in Portugal. A TEFL CV is its own thing. Schools want to know who you are, where you're from, and if you're ready to step into a classroom—sometimes with just a few hours’ notice.
You don’t need to be flashy. You just need to be clear, relevant, and professional. Whether you’re applying for your first job or refreshing your résumé after a few years abroad, this guide will help you create a TEFL CV that actually works.
Let’s start with how TEFL resumes are different—and why it matters.
How TEFL CVs Are Different (and Why It Matters)
Most people come to TEFL from other fields—corporate jobs, hospitality, recent university life—and assume their standard résumé will do the trick. But schools hiring English teachers aren’t scanning for your career progression or impressive buzzwords. They’re looking for clarity, practical teaching readiness, and cultural fit.
TEFL CVs need to be instantly readable. Hiring managers might spend less than 10 seconds on an initial scan. That means clear formatting, no clutter, and the right information in the right places. They’re also often read by non-native English speakers, so plain language wins over fancy phrasing.
Another key difference? International jobs come with different expectations. In many countries, things like including a photo, your nationality, or even your date of birth are totally normal (and sometimes required). A CV that omits this info might get skipped, even if everything else is perfect.
Here’s what sets a strong TEFL CV apart:
- It focuses on teaching-related experience—even if it’s limited or informal.
- It’s simple, clean, and free of corporate fluff.
- It helps the employer imagine you in front of a classroom—confident, clear, and ready to teach.
What to Include (And What to Leave Out)
A good TEFL CV balances clarity with relevance. You want schools to find what they need fast—without wading through extra fluff. Here’s what to focus on:
✅ Must-Have Sections
- Full Name & Contact Info: Include your email, phone (with country code), and current location.
- Nationality & Date of Birth: Especially important for visa eligibility—many schools filter candidates based on this.
- Education & Certifications: TEFL/TESOL certificates, degrees (if applicable), and any teaching-related training.
- Teaching Experience: Paid, volunteer, in-person, or online—anything relevant should be included, with details.
- Languages Spoken: Especially if you speak the local language or multiple languages.
👍 Optional but Helpful
- Professional Photo: In many countries, this is expected. Choose one where you look friendly, professional, and approachable.
- Relevant Hobbies: Anything that shows you’re a cultural fit (e.g., travel, languages, working with kids).
- Availability: When you can start and whether you’re open to relocation or online roles.
❌ What to Cut
- Irrelevant Work History: If it doesn’t connect to teaching or soft skills, skip it—or condense it into one line.
- Corporate Jargon: “Stakeholder engagement” and “synergizing deliverables” won’t mean much to a school in rural Thailand.
- Personal Statements That Say Nothing: Avoid generic summaries like “hardworking team player with a passion for excellence.”
- Excessive Formatting: Keep it simple. No bright colors, fancy borders, or multi-column designs that confuse ATS systems or non-native readers.
Structuring Your CV for Clarity and Impact
Think of your CV as a quick visual story: who you are, what you’ve done, and why you’re a great fit. Make it easy to read at a glance.
🧱 Suggested Layout
- Header: Name, contact, nationality, date of birth.
- Profile (optional): A 2–3 sentence summary focused on TEFL goals.
- Education & Certifications: Start with TEFL certs, then degrees.
- Teaching Experience: List from most recent. Include student age, country, setting (online, classroom), and brief responsibilities.
- Other Work Experience (optional): Only if it adds transferable skills.
- Languages, Hobbies, Other Info.
📏 Format Tips
- Stick to 1–2 pages max.
- Use 12 pt font, clean headings, and standard fonts like Arial or Calibri.
- Avoid sidebars, multiple columns, or text boxes that might break in email attachments.
📸 Photo Tips
- Place it in the top-right corner or beside your name.
- Use a light background, professional attire, and a friendly expression.
- No selfies, passport photos, or travel snaps. Think “friendly teacher” not “LinkedIn executive.”
The goal? Make it effortless for the employer to say “yes” to reading more.
TEFL Certification: How to Present It
Your TEFL certificate is one of the most important parts of your CV—don’t bury it at the bottom or just list it as a line item. Schools want to see it quickly, along with key details that show you’ve taken a serious course, not a $20 weekend crash course.
Make sure to include:
- The name of your course provider
- Total course hours (e.g. 120-hour TEFL)
- Special modules: teaching practice, grammar, young learners, business English
Bonus: If you’ve taken additional certifications (like a specialist course in IELTS prep or online teaching), list them under a “Further Training” or “Professional Development” section.
How to Frame Teaching Experience (Even If You’re New)
Not every new TEFL teacher has classroom experience—and that’s okay. What matters is how you frame what you do have. Schools want to see that you’ve worked with people, communicated clearly, and managed groups or learning tasks.
If you’re brand new, highlight things like:
- Volunteering at language exchanges or community centers
- Tutoring friends or students online (even informally)
- Coaching, mentoring, or leading youth groups
And when you write it out, don’t just list duties like “planned lessons.” Instead, use action-based bullet points that show results:
- Designed engaging grammar lessons for adult beginners
- Helped a student raise their IELTS score from 5.5 to 6.5 in two months
- Ran weekly conversation practice sessions for a group of five learners
It’s not about padding—it’s about showing initiative and impact, even if it was unpaid or informal. That’s what gives your CV life.
What If You Have No Teaching Experience?
No classroom hours? Don’t panic. Every great teacher starts somewhere—and schools know that. The key is to highlight transferable skills that show you’re ready to teach, even if you haven’t stood in front of a whiteboard yet.
Worked in hospitality? That’s people management, problem-solving, and communication. Done retail or customer service? You’ve already been managing expectations and explaining things clearly—skills you’ll use every day in the classroom.
You can also draw from:
- University projects or presentations
- Mentoring or peer tutoring
- Travel experiences that show cultural awareness or independence
If you’ve made any effort to prepare for teaching—like attending a language exchange, shadowing a teacher, or watching ESL classroom videos—mention it. It shows initiative, curiosity, and intent, which sometimes matter more than a polished résumé.
Boosting Your CV Before You Apply
If your CV still feels light, there are quick wins that make a big difference.
- Teach online, even casually through platforms like Preply or Cambly. Just 5–10 hours a week shows real-world experience and helps you build confidence.
- Volunteer to teach, whether in-person or virtually. Offer conversation lessons to local learners, join a tutoring platform, or help migrants learn English—it all counts.
- Add a specialization course. A short course in exam prep, teaching young learners, or business English can instantly elevate your CV and show that you're serious about professional development.
These steps don’t just fill space—they show that you're already thinking like a teacher. And that’s exactly what employers want to see.
For Non-Native English Speakers: Stand Out with Strategy
If you’re a non-native English speaker, your TEFL CV needs to do a little extra work—but it absolutely can stand out in the right way.
- Include proof of proficiency: If you’ve taken the IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge C2 exams, list your scores clearly near your TEFL certification or education section.
- Highlight academic credentials: A degree in English, linguistics, or education—especially taught in English—is valuable proof of your language skills.
- Emphasize multilingualism: Being fluent in more than one language is a huge asset in the ESL classroom. Show how this helps you relate to learners and explain grammar more clearly.
Lastly, don’t hide or apologize for being a non-native speaker. Instead, lead with confidence and back it up with credentials, teaching initiative, and clarity. Hiring managers are looking for capable teachers—not accents.
Soft Skills That Don’t Fit in a Box—but Still Matter
You’re friendly. You’re adaptable. You love connecting with students. But how do you show that on a résumé?
Rather than writing “I’m a people person” in your summary, give micro-examples:
- Volunteered to tutor refugee learners during university.
- Created custom flashcards for a child you tutored online.
- Helped organize a language exchange in your city.
Small moments like these hint at empathy, creativity, and reliability without needing to spell them out. Let your CV reflect your values through your actions, not just your adjectives.
Final Checks: Formatting, Proofreading, and File Naming
Before you hit send, take 10 minutes to polish. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Format for clarity: Use standard fonts, consistent spacing, and clear section headers. Avoid excessive bold or italics.
- Proofread like an English teacher—because you are one now. Typos are a big no.
- Name your file professionally, like
Firstname_Lastname_TEFLCV.pdf. Never just “CV.docx”.
Ask yourself: Would I hire me based on this document alone? If the answer isn’t a clear yes, tweak it until it is.
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