Writing a resume for teaching oversees is much like writing a resume for teaching in one's home country. The trick is to know what the school or company is looking for in an applicant. Then, tailor the resume to showcase the talents that meet those specific needs.

To start, one must understand the needs of the school to which he or she is applying. What languages will they expect an applicant to know? What subjects will the instructor be teaching? What age level and special needs will they want an applicant to work with? Research the company or school to make sure that you know what they are looking for in a teacher.

Next you need to showcase your skills. The resume should include your full education and any experiences that would directly connect to the open position. In the skills section of your resume, make sure to play up any language skills and any experience you have had with the age group with which you will be working. Adaptability is a key skill when working abroad so focus on any experiences where you had to adapt to a situation. This will look good to employers.

Since you will be living abroad during your teaching assignment, it would also be a good idea to highlight any experience you have with the host country. If you have no experience in that country, highlight traveling or study-abroad experiences that occurred in other countries. Remember, focus on your adaptability and educational curiosity about the world.

Of course, teaching is all about knowing the students and the subject matter. Make sure that your resume expresses a sincere interest in students and enriching those students through the teaching of your subject. Highlight any experiences you have had with special needs students, English as a second language students and high-level learners. Talk about tiering and modifying lessons to meet different learning levels. Also make sure to include any extra-curricular work that you have done.

Beyond the resume, it may also be helpful to submit a portfolio. A portfolio built around the 10 INTASC (Interstate New Teacher Assessment Support and Consortium) principles is highly effective for applicants. Make sure to provide evidence in the form of photographs, lesson plans or student work to show how you demonstrated the principles. A link to the INTASC website is provided below in the tips section of this article.

To finish, make sure that your resume is one page in length, uses short descriptive words and showcases the skills that make you most desirable for the position. Include links to a portfolio or examples of work if necessary. Make sure that you have a precise understanding of what the school or company wants and make sure they know that you have what it takes. Good luck on the job search and bon voyage!