While it is true that you are not required to have teaching experience to teach ESL in most countries, schools are still on the lookout for the best candidates. Here are a few helpful tips to spice up your resume ‘ESL style’:

•Your education is of the utmost importance, as the school will want to see that you are an actual university graduate (many people apply for these positions with only high school or community college degrees), so put it at the top of your resume for them to see. If you have studied a major that has anything to do with teaching English, i.e., an English major, or Childhood Education, this will prove to be very impressive to the school

•Schools do not care that you worked for KFC or McDonalds, so leave it out of your resume altogether

•Anything-anything that has to do with kids or teaching is what you want to focus on. If you babysat for 4 years in your teens, this is something that you would want to include. Coaching, volunteering, or tutoring are also great indicators to the school that you are able to work well with children

•Simplify the language that you use. Keep in mind that your detailed explanation of your duties at a particular job on your resume will be virtually overlooked by the school director. While most directors have a strong grip on the English language, they will not necessarily know the ‘fancy’ words that you used to try to impress them; keep it simple so that you are certain they will understand easily

•Too much information will get you nowhere. Too many people try to include all of the work that they have done since their very first job in hopes that it will impress. It won’t. This will only confuse the schools, so keep it short (not too short!), concise and clean – it will prove to help your chances in getting that job that you are looking for

Best of luck in your search!