Quantify Your Impact for Your Resume
I review a LOT of instructional design resumes as a TPLD mentor. And I’m going to share with you the number one piece of advice I tell every transitioning teacher and save us all some time:
Rather than list responsibilities under each job title in your work experience section, include measurable data to highlight your impact. A list of generic duties that everyone in your role performs does not tell a story of your positive contributions to your organization.
You need numbers. Things like percentage increases in student performance, survey results from professional development sessions you led, grants you were awarded or budgets you managed, etc.
I often send transitioning teachers to this post by Laura Hoyer with a ton more ideas in not only the post but the comments as well.
Think of the ways that you uniquely left a lasting mark. Initiatives you led, or things you were specifically praised for in performance reviews. Then find a way to quantify those achievements.
Here are some example of the before and after of bullet points I’ve recently converted alongside transitioning teachers:
| Original Resume Bullet Point | Converted Resume Bullet Point |
|---|---|
| Create and implement a School Improvement Plan for each academic school year | Coordinated the change management process to improve outcomes based on a continuous improvement model, overseeing 30+ academic leaders |
| Negotiate client disputes and/or settlements in a mutually beneficial way | Negotiate settlements to client disputes to retain 37% more clients |
| Helped students make learning gains | Evaluated academic achievement levels to craft learning solutions that resulted in gains 4% higher than the organization’s average |
| Analyze data to monitor progress and illustrate trends within the classroom | Visualized LMS data using PowerBI to achieve administrative approval to launch intervention for at-risk youth |
| Design and delivery of instruction, including adult professional learning | Designed and delivered technical training for employees, receiving 96% positive feedback in surveys; invited back to facilitate repeat sessions 3 more times |
| Led grade-level team in redesign and vertical alignment of curriculum and assessments | Led 8 member team in a curriculum audit/overhaul using Six Sigma method; finished a full month ahead of the deadline and achieved re-accreditation |
| Produced virtual learning experiences for other instructors’ use | Produced virtual learning experiences using Canvas LMS adopted by 10 other employees |
| Mentored new department colleagues and student teachers | Mentored 3-4 colleagues and student teachers each semester, fostering positive relationships and supporting fellow employees’ growth plans |
| Implemented streamlined process workflows resulting in increased operation efficiency | Implemented streamlined process workflows using Trello to save employees an average of 30 minutes a day. |
| SharePoint site owner for an employee resource group community page | Owns a SharePoint site for an employee resource group with >150 members |
| Coordinate and facilitate a series of peer group sessions for managers and senior managers to learn how to hold DE&I discussions with their teams | Facilitated DEI sessions for senior management leading to a 23% increase in participation in company mentorship programs |
I recently sat down with a childhood friend to help her zhuzh up her resume after leaving the classroom, and we included numbers in the majority of her bullet points. She just landed her first post-classroom gig as an Engagement Director at a nursing home with a $20,000 raise from her teacher’s salary. In the first interview they mentioned her “impressive” resume, which shows this really works!
