From Cairn’s golden beaches, to laid back rural towns, to the busy hubs of South-East Queensland, working for the Queensland Department of Education is a rewarding career path.

Read on to understand how to effectively write a résumé to apply for a teaching position in a Qld school.

1. Make sure you’re eligible to teach in Queensland

If you haven’t taught in Queensland before, you’ll need to register with the Queensland College of Teachers. Find out more about eligibility and registration on the DoE website.

You can then submit your general application into the DoE recruitment pool before you can apply for specific vacancies. This application does not include a résumé or any selection criteria.

2. Read the job listing & research the school

Before writing your résumé for a particular vacancy, you must carefully read the job listing you will be applying for and the attached Role Description (if included). Job listings for Queensland public schools can currently be found at teach.qld.gov.au.

The details in the job listing and researching more about the individual school will give you important information to include within your selection criteria and your résumé. As well as the position itself, you’ll learn about that school’s specific needs, targets and programs.

3. Tailor your résumé for the position

Your résumé needs to stand out above all the rest that have been submitted for that vacancy. Many applicants write a generic résumé and submit it with every application, and it shows!

Instead, tailor your résumé for the position. Highlight your skills and experience that will especially suit the school’s needs, targets and programs.

Describe your achievements and experiences from the perspective of “stepping up” into your new role, not as a simple description of your current job.

4. Craft your cover letter

This is a key part of your application and usually the first thing the panel will see before reading your selection criteria. Think of your cover letter and résumé as an upcoming movie preview. The most common mistake is to oversimplify the cover letter with statements like “I wish to apply for the position”. Like a movie preview, the cover letter should sell your résumé and make the panel eager to read on.

To maximise the quality of your cover letter, include the reason or statement as to why you are the right candidate for the job, as well as the name of the principal or SED.

5. Focus on the selection criteria

Many teaching positions in Queensland require responses to Key Capabilities. This is where you project yourself into the position and help the selection panel see your full potential. Be sure to include a paragraph (the Potential or Projecting Statement) at the end of each criterion which talks about your future role.

Make sure you respond to every criteria separately and completely, in the format they provide.

When writing to criteria, many applicants fail to include specific information as to what they may like to initiate or become involved in, once in the new school. Instead, this is your opportunity to show the selection panel what it would be like to have you in that role and what they’ll miss out on if they don’t choose to interview you. 

6. Apply as soon as you’re ready

To teach in Queensland, you’ll submit two applications: one into the Department of Education recruitment pool to be kept on file during your career; the other in direct response to a specific vacancy.

It’s valuable to submit each of these as soon as you’re ready. Being in the recruitment pool opens you to pro-active recruitment opportunities, even if you don’t apply for those positions.

Advertised vacancies may also be closed early as soon as a suitable applicant is found.

However, don’t rush your application. It’s better to take your time to prepare something outstanding for the next position, than submit an unpolished application that doesn’t win you over to the selection panel.

If you need help preparing your application for a Queensland school, Teachers’ Professional Résumés can work with you to obtain the teaching position you desire.