Paraprofessional Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Paraprofessional resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Paraprofessionals are an integral part of many organizations, providing support for frontline professionals in areas such as education, healthcare, and human services. As a paraprofessional, you might work with students with special needs or teach exercise classes to seniors. You might help patients navigate insurance claims or assist families with service planning for their loved ones.
The work is often hands-on and highly rewarding. But before you can start doing it, you need a resume that will help you stand out from the crowd. Follow these tips and resume example to write a fantastic paraprofessional resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Paraprofessional Resume
Here’s how to write a paraprofessional resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But they can be tricky to write if you’re not sure how to describe your work.
The key is to focus on the results of your work rather than the tasks you performed. So rather than saying you “provided support for special education students,” you could say you “provided one-on-one support for 10 students with autism, helping them improve their social skills and academic performance.”
The second bullet point paints a much clearer picture of the project and its impact on the students and school as a whole.
Related: What Is a Paraprofessional? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a paraprofessional role, your resume is likely to go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This system will scan your resume for specific keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
One way to make sure your resume makes it past the ATS is to include relevant keywords throughout all sections of your document. You can find a list of common paraprofessional keywords below:
- Curriculum Development
- Classroom Management
- Lesson Planning
- Educational Leadership
- Educational Technology
- Differentiated Instruction
- Staff Development
- Classroom Instruction
- Teaching
- Public Speaking
- Educational Consulting
- Editing
- Special Education
- Instructional Design
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Reading
- K-12 Education
- Literacy
- Community Outreach
- Social Media
- Microsoft Access
- Customer Service
- Organization Skills
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Time Management
- Teacher Training
- Research
- Event Planning
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a paraprofessional, you rely on specific programs, systems, and methods to complete your work. That’s why it’s essential to list your technical skills prominently on your resume. By doing so, you’ll show that you’re a valuable candidate who is familiar with the essential tools and systems used in your field.
Recruiters are looking for paraprofessionals who are proficient in specific programs, such as Microsoft Office Suite, and who have experience with specific systems and methodologies, such as the Montessori Method. So be sure to list all of your relevant technical skills prominently on your resume.
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