An assistant principal resume that shines can take you from the classroom to the administrative offices by smoothing your path to an interview. A rehashing of your syllabus may get you a C, but you need an A+ to get to the top of the applicant class.
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How can your assistant principal resume speed your path to success? By delivering a clear lesson in your leadership abilities.
Educators sell to their classes every day by developing engaging lessons for their students. Your assistant principal resume is your first chance to engage the principal and hiring committee with your unique talents. A dull resume, like a boring lesson, will have their attention wandering before you get started. Take a step toward your next great position with a resume that sparks enthusiasm.
Resume guide for an assistant principal resume
Quickly get on track for interviews with Resume.io. We provide guides and resume examples for more than 500 professions, and our intuitive resume builder will help you polish your resume in no time!
In this resume guide and the assistant principal resume example found within, you’ll discover:
- How to write an assistant principal resume
- Which is the right resume format for your resume
- Creating eye-catching contact information
- Maximizing your summaries
- Adding your assistant principal experience
- Listing education and relevant professional development
- Picking a resume design/layout that sends the right message
- What the assistant principal market looks like and what salary you can expect
How to write an assistant principal resume
Before you begin compiling your assistant principal resume, take a step back to review the sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:
- The resume header
- The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The resume skills section
- The education section
What makes you a great assistant principal? What skills and knowledge do you have that elevate your candidacy? A resume displays your unique qualifications for the position. It is a sales document that answers these questions, but more importantly, tells the principal what you will add to the school culture and environment. To do that, you have to know as much as possible about the philosophy, demographics, and needs of the district.
You’ll be graded on how well you follow the framework below:
- State your experience as accomplishments, not responsibilities. You are a teacher responsible for grading? So what? How did you improve student outcomes through your method of grading? That’s what hiring committees want to know.
- Each district has different needs. Customize each application to address the needs and culture of the school by altering your summary, matching skills to the job listing, and choosing achievements in your work history that highlight what the school needs.
- Choose a resume design that projects a professional image without seeming too stiff.
- Understand the ATS you will be applying through any time you submit your application online to avoid getting caught in its filters.
Optimize for the ATS
Applicant Tracking Systems, or ATS, search for keywords and phrases important for the job and rank resumes using algorithms accounting for those words. To boost your chances of passing through their filters and into the hands of a hiring manager, sprinkle important words from the job listing throughout your resume.
For example, the assistant principal job listing requires:
- “Master's Degree in Educational Administration or a related field”
- “Three years of teaching experience”
- “Strong relationships with students, staff, parents, and the community”
- “Expertise in standards-based instruction and assessment”
Your ATS-optimized summary could say:
“Assistant principal with a master’s degree in educational administration and three years of teaching experience at the high school level. Expert in using standards-based instruction and assessment to drive student achievement. Excellent communication skills facilitate strong relationships with students, staff, parents, and the community.”
Choosing the right resume format for an assistant principal
Assistant principal positions combine administrative tasks with community interaction. Blend neatness, clarity, and a touch of spark in the image you project with your resume. Start with formatting that enhances the ability of the hiring committe to find all the information they seek.
The reverse chronological order format serves most assistant principal resumes best. In this format, you curate your work history in reverse chronological order from your student teaching to the present, relating the story of your career growth. Below is an example of this format.
If teaching is not your first career, a format that highlights your skills and knowledge over your professional educational experience may be a better choice. These alternative formats, such as the functional format, give you the flexibility to expand your skills section and minimize your job history section.
Our resume builder offers versions of all three formats and resume examples to show them in action. Choose the one that works best for your circumstances.
We suggest a modern layout for an assistant principal resume. Why? It shows you stay up-to-date with the trends, but remains clean and easy to read.
Include your contact information
Prominently features all the data the district needs to reach out to schedule your interview. The header of your assistant principal resume is the place to do so.
While you want it to be eye-catching, your main goal is a professional, legible presentation.
- Full name and title. Display your first and last name in the largest type on the page. Include the title “assistant principal.”
- Professional email address. Use a clean format like [email protected]. Don’t use the email address of your current school unless you are applying for a promotion from within.
- Phone number. List a number where you can be readily contacted, with a professional voicemail greeting.
- Location. List only your city and state. Don’t list street address or zip code. It’s both outdated and unsafe.
- LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is active, relevant, and shows your educational publications and committee work, include it here.
Don’t include:
- Date of birth: Not necessary and could potentially lead to age discrimination.
- Personal details: Marital status, social security number, passport number, etc.
Marina Palapas
Assistant Principal
(704) 395-1038
Gastonia, NC
www.linkedin.com/marina.palapas
Maximize a summary
As an assistant principal, you address student and community groups, faculty, staff, and individuals regularly. How do you introduce yourself for the first time? “Hello! I’m so excited to be a part of this vibrant learning environment!” or something to that effect?
In the summary of your assistant principal resume, you are addressing the principal for the first time. For maximum impact in this 2-3 sentences, jump right in by telling the principal why you will make a great right-hand person.
An educator’s day is full of activity. Show off your energy with action verbs followed by the results your actions achieved.
Your summary is your thesis paragraph. It is not a review of the rest of your resume, but an expression of your career. Let your passion, talents, and competencies shine with an opening sentence such as “Passionate believer in raising all students up with the educational experience and expertise to make it happen.”
A new job opens the door to becoming the professional you want to be. How do you want the hiring committee to view you? Are you excellent at rallying community support? A lover of experiential learning? A data geek who uses test results to inform instruction? Make those traits known in your summary.
Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our related resumes:
You can find adaptable assistant principal resume examples summary below:
Passionate high school teacher with 10 years of experience in diverse classrooms seeks to leverage instructional expertise and administrative skill in assistant principal role. Dedicated to collaboration and innovation in curriculum development and instructional strategies. Eager to apply knowledge from my master’s in educational administration program to create a positive school culture conducive to student success and teacher professional development.
Skilled assistant principal with track record of implementing strategic initiatives to enhance student learning outcomes and foster positive school culture. Focus on behavioral models for classroom management and individual responsibility led to 20% reduction in disruptions in first year of program.
Senior assistant principal with educational career of 10+ years and proven ability to promote culture of academic success. Strategic leadership in curriculum development enhanced student engagement and led to 15% jump in national math and English test results. Passionate about using leadership capabilities to empower students and educators alike.
Outline your assistant principal work experience: promote your talents
The first information a hiring committee will seek is what you are doing now. Begin your employment history section with that information and work your way back about 10 years unless you had a particularly relevant position earlier in your career.
Begin each bullet item an action verb: taught, assessed, administered, initiated, developed, launched. Follow it with your contribution to the school.
The keyword above is contribution. The principal wants to know what you will bring to the school. Tell her by listing the successes you’ve had in your career so far. An assistant principal employment entry like the one below names tasks only:
- “Oversaw dean’s department.”
- “Analyzed and reported on standardized testing data.”
- “Met with department heads monthly.”
- “Responded to parent and guardian communication.”
This dull recitation does not offer any evidence of what the candidate accomplished. Take advantage of every line of your resume to enhance your candidacy in the eyes of the principal. Answer the question: “Why should I hire you?” by illustrating exactly what you have already done throughout your education career.
Education has embraced statistics, so employ data and details to demonstrate your results whenever possible. Consider whether you reduced late or missing assignments, improved student attendance, or spearheaded a curriculum committee that developed a popular elective. Don’t neglect relationships with parents and guardians, colleagues and administration, and students throughout the school community.
These bullet points make a much stronger impression:
- “Led dean’s department in attendance initiative that produced 10% fewer tardies and 5% less absenteeism.”
- “Analyzed standardized test data to faculty and presented recommendations for improving student outcomes.”
- “Collaborated with department heads to address faculty concerns, leading to increased teacher buy-in of curriculum direction by 55%, according to district survey.”
- “Scheduled monthly community meetings to address parents' and guardians’ concerns about individual students and school environment.”
Take a look at the assistant principal employment history resume sample below:
Dean of Students at Garrison School for the Arts, Baltimore
August 2016 - Present
- Manage student discipline, attendance, and support services for a diverse student body of 800+ in grades 6-12
- Develop and implement restorative justice practices and positive behavior interventions to promote a safe and nurturing school climate
- Collaborate with faculty, staff, and parents to address individual student needs and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities
Visual Arts Teacher at New World School of the Arts, Miami
July 2011 - June 2016
- Taught a wide range of visual arts courses, including drawing, painting, and digital media, to high school students in a nationally recognized arts program
- Designed and implemented a culturally responsive curriculum that encouraged student creativity, critical thinking, and artistic growth
- Mentored and advised students in the college application and portfolio development process, helping them secure admission and scholarships to top arts institutions
How to write an assistant principal resume with no experience
There’s only one path to assistant principal, and that’s through the classroom. Most public schools also require a master’s degree in administration. Although you are creating an assistant principal resume with no experience, you do have a lot of experience.
Much of your teaching career up to now contains skills that transfer directly to a role as an assistant principal.
A first-time assistant principal resume should focus on the leadership skills you developed while teaching. Did you lead a committee? Oversee a new initiative? Teach a professional development seminar? Supervise an afterschool club or team? All of these signal your ability to lead.
Demonstrate your knowledge of special education and other regulations. Assistant principals are often charged with ensuring the school adheres to all state and federal requirements. Add any scheduling, emergency preparation, or experience monitoring student attendance that you have as well.
Include the relevant key skills that make you a great assistant principal
A skills list combines high-level and desired hard and soft skills to provide a picture of your well-rounded educational expertise. Hard skills such as data analysis, knowledge of assessment methods and educational pedagogy, and scheduling methodology and applications all enhance your candidacy.
However, all educators also need a host of soft skills like communication, problem-solving, calm under pressure, innovation, and collaboration.
Within the resume builder, you will find suggested skills to choose from; however, you may also write in other skills and include your proficiency level.
Here’s what the skills box looks like in our assistant principal resume template.
Key Skills and Proficiencies
A skills list provides the principal with a quick overview, but to convince the principal, plug your assistant principal resume skills throughout and include specific achievements and examples of their use.
For example, in your work experience and summary sections, showcase your
- Data analysis skills by detailing a new math program you championed after reviewing statistics on its success
- Knowledge of special education best practices with a description of how you worked with faculty to improve student outcomes
- Communication with students by demonstrating how you created a process for addressing their concerns.
The job description will tell you which skills are most important to the hiring committee.
Detail your education & relevant assistant principal certifications
While an education section can be the most straightforward part of any resume, that of an assistant principal should shine. List your doctorate (if you have one) master’s in educational administration or related field, and your undergraduate teaching degree in reverse chronological order.
As an assistant principal, you have other educational experiences you can also highlight. They include:
- Trainings and certifications. Certificates in specific curricula or areas of expertise and trainings such as SEED diversity seminars elevate your candidacy.
- Internships. If an internship or student administration experience was part of your degree program, add that here as well.
- Professional development and publications. Any relevant professional development, especially if you have designed and presented at a conference, and any education publications show your expertise.
Because educators value education, you may consider moving this section up to highlight your training and the expertise you share.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
August 2014 - May 2016
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Baltimore
August 2003 - May 2007
Pick the right resume layout & design for an assistant principal resume
Assistant principals are example-setters in the school community and, as such, they must consider the visual image they project. Authoritative yet friendly, organized and efficient yet creative and innovative.
This is the same image to reveal in your resume layout and design. The hiring committee should sit up and take notice because of your clean yet attractive design. While you want to look a bit creative, your main goal is ease of reading, so don’t go overboard with fancy fonts or design elements. If you choose to use color, do so sparingly and choose a muted tone.
Aim for organized, distinct sections with section headers that stand out. Keep your margins ample and your font at least 11 points to avoid the feeling of a cramped, disorganized space. Your header is a great place to add a litte oomph, but make sure your email and phone number are easy to read.
Crafting a job-winning assistant principal resume takes time. Check your work is a staple of teaching wisdom. Cut down on the rote tasks with our field-tested resume templates so you can get the content right and get your resume out there in plenty of time for hiring season.
Assistant principal text-only resume example
Profile
Dedicated and innovative educator with 12+ years of experience seeking an Assistant Principal position at Savannah Arts Academy to foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment, drive student achievement, and contribute to the school's commitment to excellence in arts education.
Employment history
Dean of Students at Garrison School for the Arts, Baltimore
August 2016 - Present
- Manage student discipline, attendance, and support services for a diverse student body of 800+ in grades 6-12
- Develop and implement restorative justice practices and positive behavior interventions to promote a safe and nurturing school climate
- Collaborate with faculty, staff, and parents to address individual student needs and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities
Visual Arts Teacher at New World School of the Arts, Miami
July 2011 - June 2016
- Taught a wide range of visual arts courses, including drawing, painting, and digital media, to high school students in a nationally recognized arts program
- Designed and implemented a culturally responsive curriculum that encouraged student creativity, critical thinking, and artistic growth
- Mentored and advised students in the college application and portfolio development process, helping them secure admission and scholarships to top arts institutions
Skills
- Instructional leadership and coaching
- Student support and intervention
- Curriculum development and assessment
- Arts education and integration
- Community outreach and partnership building
Education
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
August 2014 - May 2016
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Baltimore
August 2003 - May 2007
Assistant principal job market and outlook
The assistant principal market is highly dependent on governmental budgets and student population. This varies dramatically from community to community. The grade-level you want are targeting also affects the number of available jobs.
- A mere 3,300 new jobs are expected in the next decade, a 1% increase.
- The number of assistant principals has leapt from about 40,000 to 80,000 in the past 25 years.
- The majority of school districts determine staffing needs by early April for the following school year. Most educators are hired from June-September.
What type of salary you can expect as an assistant principal
The median salary for an assistant principal is $97,036. The typical salary range is between $84,592 and $113,403.
Salary assistant principal
Key takeaways for building an assistant principal resume
The best assistant principal resumes shine a light on all the ways they improve a school community from boosting teacher morale to ensuring the best outcomes for all students.
Assistant principal resumes should demonstrate fluency in all educational regulations, state curriculum standards and current teaching pedagogy as well as the ability to connect with students, parents and guardians, teachers and support staff.
Taking advantage of our online resume builder can smooth the path toward getting your applications out there, and winning an interview for the job you desire.
