6 Mistakes To Avoid On Your Tutoring CV
At Tutors International we often receive hundreds of applications for each tutoring position we advertise. That’s a lot of CVs to sift through and it is our job to be brutal to find the best match for each of our individual clients and their needs. Even the smallest mistakes can result in a tutor’s CV being cast aside.
Recently, we’ve observed an increase in poor spelling and grammar, shoddy presentation, a lack of specific examples and – seemingly minor, (but for those applying to become a private tutor to the children of influential, intelligent families, critical) mistakes.
There are some truly talented teachers out there, but it can be more challenging for us to recruit primary school teachers than secondary teachers because of the quality of CVs. The move to private tutoring is a bigger leap for primary teachers than for secondary school teachers, as full-time private tutoring involves an increased level of personal and professional scrutiny than is present in the earlier years.
Primary school teachers are not required to have a university degree and, while not having a degree does not necessarily make someone a less competent teacher, some of the skills many educators learn in their University years, such as critical thinking and constructing a cohesive argument, are very desirable in private tutoring, even with younger children.
If applicants can’t construct a consistent and engaging CV, then they’re not going to progress, and when the position you are applying for is in education, even the tiny details are important.
Below is a shortlist of the most common red flags that could result in your CV being rejected:
1. “Proficient in Microsoft Office” – If you’re sending in a beautifully typed and formatted CV (as you should be) then this is completely redundant. I can see you’re proficient in MS Office. If your CV is all over the place, don’t say you’re proficient in it. Don’t even bother sending it to us.
2. “Planning” to do something – Even if it’s a doctorate, leave it out. The focus of your CV should always be showcasing work already done and skills already gained. This is what we’re interested in, not about some wooly aspirations that may never come to fruition.
3. Be specific – “Helped with a charity” isn’t sufficient. We want to know what your charity work entailed, and how the experience or skills you acquired support and enhance your application.
4. Socialising – This isn’t something we need to see on a list of things you like to do. It’s also useful to note that many tutoring positions, particularly with Tutors International, are often full-time, residential placements, with limited time for such activities, so this won’t put you at an advantage.
5. Time spent abroad – Only include this if you are able to demonstrate specific skills learned from the experience, especially languages. Someone who lived in France for five years, but cannot speak or understand French, is unlikely to be a good fit in private tutoring. If you can’t show us that you can learn, how can you teach?
6. Spelling and grammar – This should go without saying, but we’re seeing more and more glaring mistakes in the applications we receive. Check and double check for typing errors, and make good use of the spellchecker on your computer. If you’re not sure, look it up!
Many teachers thrive as private tutors. At Tutors International we are always delighted to hear from passionate educators who want to take the next step in their career and try their hand at private tutoring. Full-time, one to one tutoring and mentorship is highly rewarding, and we genuinely want you to succeed. Any teachers, primary or secondary, or tutors who are looking for help and advice on how to take the next step into private tutoring, anywhere in the world, are welcome to contact us.
Helpful piece on how to ensure in the future my CV shows I am ready to take the step into private tutoring. Time to up my game.