Transferable Teacher Skills You’ve Developed
What if I told you that you have transferable teacher skills, right now, that could help you land almost any job- inside or outside the field of education you want?
Would you believe me if I told you the transferable teacher skills you’ve picked up over the years- no matter if it’s been 2 or 15 years- make you an excellent candidate for almost any position?
It’s true! In fact, your teaching experience has allowed you to develop unique transferable skills that you can use to do just about anything. This applies to introverted teachers as well.
No matter if you are interested in starting a teacher side hustle, starting your own small school, or would like to transition out of education altogether, you have the skill set to do it.
I have compiled a list of over 20 transferable skills teachers have that could help you land your next job.
However, to get that job, it’s more than just listing a set of skills on your resume. Your first step would be to make an inventory of your transferable skills.
Your next step, however, is to know how to utilize those transferable teacher skills in a resume so that you can sell yourself into the profession of your choice.
Think of this article as being two parts.
Below you will find a list of transferable teacher skills followed by examples of how you demonstrate those skills and how to list them on your resume without sounding “teacherish.”
Skills Teachers Have Developed Over Time
- Leadership
- Multitasking
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Teaching/Training
- Data Analysis
- Enthusiasm
- Time Management
- Flexible
- Critical thinking
If you find these skills teachers have helpful, please continue reading for all 23 of them.
Transferable Teacher Skill #1: Leadership
I know what you are thinking, “I am not in leadership at my school.”
That may be true, but you have experience leading students, teachers’ assistants, other teachers, and maybe even admin. Think about how that looks.
As a special education teacher, I routinely lead students, parents, and other teachers through yearly IEP meetings. Sometimes admin is part of this meeting.
So many of us (sped and gen ed alike) hate those meetings. However, I learned to lead a group that was not always on the same page toward a shared consensus.
That is gold in ANY position and ANY career.
Let me blow your mind even more.
As a result of leading the IEP team, I demonstrated decisive and inclusive decision-making skills, active listening, and persuasive negotiation skills. Boom!
You have to reframe your thinking. Every teacher has leadership skills that they use in their teaching job, even introverted teachers.
Think about the time you planned the holiday party for your grade level or faculty and staff.
You demonstrated effective organization and delegation skills to ensure everyone contributed the food dish you needed to round out a balanced meal for the potluck.
Teachers Skills: Resume Example
Think about your story. This is where you sell yourself in the interview. Be specific about the time(s) you utilized your leadership skills as a teacher.
(Lead a group of (students/coworkers) through a (project/problem ) by (using/doing what).
Transferable Teacher Skill #2: Multitasking
Teachers are multitasking Queens and Kings. We are constantly doing more than one thing at a time.
We effortlessly manage multiple groups of learners. Often, our students are working on different assignments or doing them a different way.
However, no matter how it looks, it’s happening all at once and we are at the center managing those groups and keeping our students on task effortlessly.
We are also assessing- making mental notes of the kiddos who are breezing through and those who seem to need more help.
In addition, we are redirecting off-task behavior and praising the effort of others.
Teacher Skills: Resume Example
Think about how this looks for you. Use it to sell yourself in the interview. Be specific about the time(s) you utilized the skillset of multitasking.
Consistently managed student behaviors while efficiently delivering academic lessons.
Transferable Teacher Skill #3: Teamwork
Everybody knows teamwork makes the dream work. This is true in education and just about every other career too.
Teachers are exceptional at being a part of a team. We work daily with our teacher assistants, other teachers, service providers, and parents to achieve any number of goals and solve problems.
We work with our team of other teachers to plan teaching pacing, share responsibilities, and brainstormed ideas.
On a daily basis, you collaborate and delegate appropriate tasks to your teaching assistants. You work together with them to ensure the student’s needs are being met.
Teachers make great team members and the skills we pick up along the way are very much transferable to other jobs and careers.
Teacher Skills: Resume Example
Think about how this looks for you. Be specific about the time(s) you utilized the skillset needed to work effectively as a team.
Collaborated with coworkers team at admin parents to (create/maintain/solve) (goal).
Transferable Teacher Skill #4: Communication
Teachers are effective communicators, even introverted teachers.
From writing and sending out notes, teaching students, conducting parent-teacher conferences, and designing curriculum to presenting at conferences you are an effective communicator.
Teachers have strong communication and verbal skills. This makes you marketable as you target other jobs and careers, whether those jobs are educational in nature or a sales manager.
Be confident that all those well throughout lesson plans, class blogs, and school/class newsletters have given you experience with writing a range of content for different audiences.
Teachers Skills: Resume Example
Think about your day-to-day teacher life. How can you sell yourself in the interview about your communication skills?
Be specific about the time(s) you utilized your communication skills as a teacher.
Communicated (reminders/homework/achievements/notes) to (who) (how often).
Transferable Teacher Skill #5: Teaching/Training
We are so undervalued sometimes by society that we forget that the simple act of teaching is an art and science of its own.
We are adept at explaining ideas clearly and concisely. Even with boring info, we know how to make it interesting and easy to understand. We are teachers!!!!
We are so detailed in our teaching we understand the importance of reading our audience and adjusting on the fly to ensure we are effectively conveying what we are attempting to teach.
In a nutshell, teaching is a complex skill set that doesn’t happen overnight and is very beneficial in other jobs and careers.
Teacher Skills: Resume Example
Expert in breaking apart complex skills and guiding people through critical thinking until full understanding is achieved.
Transferable Teacher Skill #6: Data Analysis
Teachers are expected to compile data (anecdotal record/quantitative/qualitative data) and analyze that data.
It can be easy to see where sped teachers do all of this and more, but general education teachers do as well.
You may not feel like an expert and as teachers, we may not be true Analysts, but we have experience and have shown how to apply what we do know.
Sometimes that is all other jobs need to know to be confident that they can train you to effectively do what they need you to.
Teacher Skills: Resume Example
Think about how this looks for you. Use it to sell yourself in the interview. Be specific about the time(s) you utilized the skillset of multitasking.
Routinely collected and studied data on (#) students to compare progress to national norms/goals, find trends, and adjust strategies.
Transferable Teacher Skill #7: Enthusiasm
Okay! You may think I am reaching here, but I am not. I truly want you to reframe your thinking because you have so many transferable teacher skills.
It’s human nature that we will not always show up happy and wanting to be at work. Sometimes our wonderful little students are the reason we aren’t happy. LOL!
Even when we are not happy-go-lucky, we show up anyway finding something to be excited about because we know our kids feed off our energy.
Why not transfer your ability to inspire and motivate students to another workplace? Positive people are valued and needed in every workplace.
Teachers Skills: Resume Example
Be specific about the time(s) you utilized your enthusiasm as a teacher.
Upheld positivity through challenging situations in the workplace and nurtured school morale.
Transferable Teacher Skill #8: Time Management
Teachers have effectively mastered the skill of time management. Not only do we work through tough deadlines, but we also adhere to a daily time schedule.
Whether working through all the components of your lesson for the day to deciding how to pace teaching objectives for benchmark testing, time management is an important transferable skill teachers have.
I would go as far as to say that many positions require the skill of time management.
You know how to prioritize and have the ability to meet complex and changing needs.
Teachers Skills: Resume Example
Be specific about the long-term projects you were in charge of on your resume and what your success rate was.
Maintained professional responsibilities, consistently met expectations, and accomplish goals in a fast-paced environment with many deadlines per week.
Transferable Teacher Skill #9: Flexible
Being flexible or adaptable is another awesome skill teachers have. You know Murphy’s Law, right? It’s always at play in school or our classrooms.
Teachers demonstrate flexibility every time a lesson or activity isn’t working and we quickly modify the lesson/activity, change the pace or reteach and explain further when needed.
Great teachers have the ability to balance responsibilities and regroup at the drop of a dime.
Teacher Skills: Resume Example
Think about how this looks for you. Use this skill to sell yourself in the interview. Be specific about the time(s) you utilized the skillset of flexibility.
Adaptable to sudden changes in plans and able to quickly problem solve to remain effective with the task at hand.
Transferable Teacher Skill #10: Critical Thinking
Not only are teachers great critical thinkers, but we encourage critical thinking in others.
As a result of this superpower skillset, we can pinpoint where the misunderstanding is and lead the student to the correct course of action for mastery.
Teachers practice critical thinking daily by considering both day-to-day activities and long-term teaching and learning goals.
Finally, we evaluate what we have, determine what we will need, and decide how and when to assess student progress.
Teacher Resume Example
Think about how this looks for you. Use this skill to sell yourself in the interview. Be specific about the time(s) and how you utilized your critical thinking.
Ability to assess thinking patterns and pinpoint if and where the confusion is and then formulate an explanatory dialogue to encourage understanding.
More Transferable Skills Teachers Have
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Transferable Teacher Skills You Have To Land ANY Career will be UPDATED to include the following soon…
Skills Teachers Have #11: Reflective
Teachers are highly reflective. It’s one of the best skills we’ve developed and continue to improve on the practice.
Being reflective helps us to understand our students, their learning patterns, abilities, and needs. As a result of reflection, we are able to walk in our students’ shoes and see through their eyes.
This is one of the main reasons we are so successful at what we do and it helps us to stay relevant and innovative.
To learn more about how essential the skill is for teachers, read The Ultimate Guide To Reflective Practice In Teaching.
Teacher’s Skill for Resume
Habitually self-reflective and seeks critical feedback for both personal and professional growth.
Skills Teachers Have #12: Emotional Intelligence
Okay! So I can’t specifically say you have a high level of emotional intelligence; however, good teachers, over 50% of us, do. If you are reading this, I bet you do too.
To be sure you are a teacher with a high level of emotional intelligence, how do you stack up:
They embrace change. …
They have a strong sense of self-awareness. …
They show empathy toward others. …
They have balanced lives. …
They’re curious and eager to learn. …
They’re grateful for what they have.
You can see why this skill would be beneficial in any position and career.
Teacher’s Skill for Resume
Trained in mental, social, and emotional development to manage uncomfortable interactions and encourage healthy verbal and nonverbal behavior.
Skills Teachers Have #13: Patience
Teachers are some of the most patient people I know. Do you know how many things you tolerate on a daily basis without getting annoyed? I know, a lot!
It’s not just with your students, but your fellow teachers, and admin.
Listen! I worked in high school and every year without fell a month into the school year and kids’ schedules were still being changed. This meant my roaster changed every day.
I am just going to leave that there.
Teacher’s Skill for Resume
Excels at hearing others’ ideas, building upon thoughts, asking for clarification when needed, and making decisions collaborative.
Skills Teachers Have #14: Conflict Resolution
Teachers put out fires every single day with students and sometimes with fellow coworkers.
Teachers are really good at resolving problems and disagreements in a positive way, creating win/win for all parties involved.
Teacher’s Skill for Resume
Resolve students’ issues by finding immediate solutions and increasing student community satisfaction daily while maintaining neutrality.
Skills Teachers Have #15: Managing Inventory
Teachers are responsible for managing classroom supplies, books, and equipment. If you happen to be a coach or music teacher, you are responsible for even more.
It takes a lot of organization to successfully account for all the “things” and to ensure you get them back at the end of the school year.
Teacher’s Skill for Resume
Create reports to track books and equipment inventory and place orders for new supplies based on established needs.
Skills Teachers Have #16: Fundraising
This is one that I can really speak to from several angles. I am one of these teachers who needed/wanted out, but didn’t want to do anything but teach.
With fear and everything else, I started a micro-school and eventually obtain my 501c3.
I had fundraised as a classroom teacher and not just your traditional school fundraiser either.
But capitalizing on that in my nonprofit, I not only did fundraisers, but I wrote grants too.
I recently was asked to serve as the Executive Director of another small community nonprofit in my area. I applied and got the job! This was one of the skills that set me apart, as well as my ability to write grants.
So to bring this home, I used that skill first as a classroom teacher and then in my nonprofit and now it was something that helped me land this position as Executive Director in another organization.
Skill for Resume
Attain desired funds by promoting the mission of the organization and nurturing relationships with community members
Thank you this is so helpful!
You are so welcome.
This is amazing now I am not so overwhelmed revamping my resume for corporate world. Thank you
You are so welcome!! I am happy it has helped.