How To Write an Eye-Catching Teaching Assistant CV
A CV is typically your first line of communication with a potential employer. Nothing is more important than a first impression, so the quality of your CV can make the difference between a rejection and a new job. As a teaching assistant looking for work, your CV needs to look professional and sell your skills to employers effectively.
While the UK’s Covid-19 lockdowns are thankfully fading from memory, school employers have still not forgotten the essential contribution that teaching assistants made to keeping their schools running. TAs are sure to be in high demand for the next academic year.
Whether you’re just starting out in your teaching career or come with years of experience, perfecting your CV is the most important aspect of the job search process.
To put you in the best possible position to secure a great job for September, familiarise yourself with the most important steps to take when writing a teaching assistant CV that stands out.
1. Nail your personal profile
Your personal profile is your chance to catch an employer’s eye. This is the section of your CV where you can really sell yourself, particularly if you don’t yet have any prior teaching experience.
This section of your CV acts as your introduction, so let your personality shine through as much as possible. Include every detail that will persuade recruiters to continue reading your CV, such as original content about your unique skills and qualities.
Try to avoid CV clichés such as having fantastic ‘communication skills’ or being ‘a team player’. Stand out from the competition by writing something creative and appealing to grab the employer’s attention.
2. Tailor your CV to the job
Although it takes more time to tweak your CV for each application, it's more than worth doing. Each school will require different qualities from their teaching assistants, so you must accentuate what skills you can offer to meet their varying criteria.
When writing your teaching assistant CV, try to think like the employer and keep in mind at all times what they would ideally expect to read. They are looking for someone to succeed in a particular role, and it is your job to tailor your CV to the job. It’s crucial that you are crystal clear about what type of teacher you are.
For example, the recent push for inclusive education has resulted in a rise in the employment of teaching assistants who can provide tailored support to children with special learning and behaviour needs. If a school is looking for a teaching assistant with experience working with students that require special education needs support, make sure that your CV reflects the skills that you have to succeed in that role.
3. Showcase your achievements
When writing about your previous experience as a teaching assistant, you should take care to always foreground your tangible achievements.
Include a description of the school you worked for, the number of pupils you were responsible for and any other features that give the employer a clearer picture of your working environment.
Next, it’s vital that you tell the reader about your most notable achievements. These might include any innovative teaching methods you put into practice, tangible improvements in attainment seen amongst your pupils or classes and any extra-curricular responsibilities you took on. Schools will value concrete examples of your involvement in many different aspects of school life.
4. Keep it short and sweet
Schools will scan through many CVs when hiring for a new teaching role, and they won't have the time to look at yours in any particular detail. Long CVs with an overload of information will almost certainly result in an immediate rejection. Recent data shows that the ideal CV length is 475 – 600 words, yet 77% of CVs were either longer or shorter.
Remember, employers will take a quick scan of your CV and make a quick judgement about whether they want to learn more about you. That’s why it’s so important to keep it short and to be succinct. Write your CV in an effective and concise manner with bullet points to break information up into readable chunks.
Start your teaching assistant career with Teaching Personnel
Now you know what it takes to write an eye-catching teaching assistant CV, all that's left to do is put these tips into action and find your next job as a TA.
As the UK's leading education recruitment agency, we place thousands of teaching assistants each year into rewarding roles up and down the country.
To start working in classrooms as soon as September, browse our primary teaching assistant jobs, secondary teaching assistant jobs and special needs teaching assistant jobs. You can also take advantage of a one-stop service for storing, updating and submitting your CVs through our CPD Academy. All you have to do is register with us.
Sign up to posts
Related jobs
Salary
£83.85 - 95.00 per day
Location free text
Doncaster
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
Less than £100 per day
Less than £500 per week
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Doncaster
Description
Teaching Personnel are looking for a committed and proactive Teaching Assistant to work in a Primary School in Doncaster to start in May 2024. Ideally, we are looking for someone who has experience wo
Reference
AH2643
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£419.25 - 500.00 per week
Location free text
Stockport
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Stockport
Description
Exciting Opportunity: English Graduate Teaching AssistantsAre you a recent English graduate with a passion for literature, language, and education? Are you eager to support students in their English l
Reference
675876846984
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester East SecondaryAuthor
Manchester East SecondarySalary
£419.25 - 500.00 per week
Location free text
Stockport
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Stockport
Description
Exciting Opportunity: Maths Graduate Teaching AssistantsAre you a recent Maths graduate with a passion for education and a desire to inspire the next generation of mathematicians? Do you have a strong
Reference
54685819864
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester East SecondaryAuthor
Manchester East SecondarySalary
£83.85 - 92.00 per day
Location free text
Bolton
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
Less than £100 per day
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Greater Manchester
Description
At Teaching Personnel, we are collaborating closely with a school in Bolton who are actively seeking for a passionate and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant who can support Key Stage 2 students. This is
Reference
BL4 KS2 TA
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester South PrimaryAuthor
Manchester South PrimarySalary
£12.90 - 15.00 per hour
Location free text
Lancashire
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Lancashire
Description
Position: Level 3 Teaching Assistant (SEMH).Location: Lancashire (BB4).Working Pattern: Monday – Friday.Start Date: Ideally as soon as possible.Contract Type: Temporary, initially until July 2024.We h
Reference
2604TABB4
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Lancashire SecondaryAuthor
Lancashire SecondarySalary
£84 - 100 per day
Location free text
Oldham
Job Type
Flexible Working
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Oldham
Description
Teaching Assistant An exciting opportunity for a Teaching Assistant position has become available in the Oldham area. An ideal candidate for this role will be an approachable and confident individual
Reference
9014308
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester North SecondaryAuthor
Manchester North SecondarySalary
£84 - 100 per day
Location free text
Rochdale
Job Type
Flexible Working
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Rochdale
Description
Teaching Assistant An exciting opportunity for a Teaching Assistant position has become available in the Rochdale area. An ideal candidate for this role will be an approachable and confident individua
Reference
35673567
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester North SecondaryAuthor
Manchester North SecondarySalary
£12.90 - 12.90 per hour
Location free text
Swanmore
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Hampshire
Description
Join Our Team as a Teaching Assistant and Make a Difference!Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to contribute to the education and development of young minds? Our vibrant secondary school in t
Reference
TeachingAssistSwan26
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Hampshire SecondaryAuthor
Hampshire SecondarySalary
£85 - 90 per day
Location free text
Plymouth
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Plymouth
Description
Are you a dedicated Nursery Assistant looking for rewarding opportunities in Plymouth? Join Teaching Personnel and unlock a world of benefits while making a positive impact on young lives. We're recru
Reference
TPP/LB/2530
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Plymouth BranchAuthor
Plymouth BranchSalary
£83.85 - 92.00 per day
Location free text
Bolton
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
Less than £100 per day
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Greater Manchester
Description
At Teaching Personnel, we are collaborating closely with a school in Bolton who are actively seeking for a passionate and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant who can support Key Stage 1 students. This is
Reference
BL4 KS1 TA
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Manchester South PrimaryAuthor
Manchester South PrimaryRelated posts
Teaser
Tips and AdviceContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD04YY
Summary
The teacher recruitment crisis is a priority for school leaders across the country. In the 2021–22 academic year, 4000 teachers retired, and 9% of the teaching workforce resigned, marking the highes
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD03YY
Summary
Planning for the Easter break? The Teaching Personnel payroll team wants to make sure you get paid on time. This table outlines the Easter 2024 payroll date, along with the corresponding deadline
by
Adam Davies
Teaser
Supply TeachingContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD01YY
Summary
Table of Contents 1. Why do people become supply teachers? 2. What does it take to become a supply teacher? 3. How can I find work as a supply teacher? <!-- b--> 4. How shou
by
Alex Schulte
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD01YY
Summary
Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision in schools is a critical aspect of education that demands attention in 2024. According to the Department for Education, over 1.5 million pupils in England
Teaser
Multi-Academy TrustsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
Laura Williams is an education leadership coach with fifteen years of leadership experience in education across business, operations, HR, finance and governance. She is a former Business Manager, CO
by
Scott Owen
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
Creating a safe and nurturing environment for pupils is paramount in the age of evolving social dynamics. One issue that has gained significant attention in recent years is the distinction between
by
Adam Davies
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson addressed the Labour Party conference in October, where she announced plans to reform primary maths. Currently, one in four children leave primary school
Teaser
Tips and AdviceContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD10YY
Summary
Mock exams are a crucial milestone in a pupil's academic journey, serving as a practice run for the real deal. As educators, you play a pivotal role in helping pupils navigate through these trial ex
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD09YY
Summary
In the fast-moving world of education, headteachers and schools face the challenge of ensuring a continuous and reliable supply of qualified teachers. Unforeseen teacher absences due to staff sickness
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD09YY
Summary
Embarking on the journey to become an educator is both exhilarating and demanding. The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is crucial to achieving your teaching ambitions. The road ahead
Register with us
for a choice of classroom roles
Register today
Recent job