Curriculum Labels Can Hurt
Know When and Where to Add Your IB, AP, IGCSE, ETC.
Since 2005 I have worked within the following curriculum frameworks: IB, AP, IGCSE, Common Core, State of Massachusetts, Shanghai Provincial, and some varieties of American education that cannot easily be classified.
Among these I have taught and written curriculum for four of them. I have created academic schedules and IT support for all of them.
After having my resume gain no traction for months, I had a few people review it, and they recommended I leader with leadership and the work I accomplished instead of focusing on the structure I was working within.
Here is the top section of my resume from 2017, it’s the first thing people see:
2017-Present FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND HIGH SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPAL | St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, South Korea
2013-2017 DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND SPECIAL PROJECTS | YK Pao Primary School and YK Pao Secondary School, Shanghai, China
2009-2013 DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & LIVE EVENTS COOR. | Dubai American Academy, Dubai, UAE
2005-2009 TECH INTEGRATION, IB TEACHER, & LIVE EVENTS COOR. | Dubai American Academy, Dubai, UAE
The focus is on the job title, the date range, and the location. In 2005-2009 my title had IB included, so I included it. However, I believe it would be better to change "IB Teacher” to “Computer Science Teacher”.
Why be vague? Because labels create friction.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote in Blink, “The adaptive unconscious does an excellent job of sizing up the world, warning people of danger, setting goals, and initiating action in a sophisticated and efficient manner.”
When people initial look at a document they rapidly, and subconsciously, make a judgement. Any friction could create a situation where the goal of the resume is lost.
What is the goal? The goal is to get someone to read the entire document.
Consider this scenario. The employer is an IB school, and the first thing they see on the resume is AP or IGCSE, they are likely to stop reading an move on.
That is friction I am talking about. They never make it beyond the first few lines.
Reading all of a resume would then likely lead someone to read a cover letter. From there, they can decide if a person would be able to do the job even if their experience is not an exact match.
Most people realize that teaching in different curriculum frameworks is more similar than different. For example, I know how to work with high school students. I can study any curriculum within my specialty and deliver it. I might need some training, but I can work with teenagers. Making it clear that I can work with teenagers and teach computer science to teenagers is significantly more important than emphasizing the path I can/could follow.
Sure, a school might say, “Tony the AP requires you to complete this curriculum in one year instead of two. Can you handle that?”
I want that conversation, because it means I have gotten beyond materials and into an interview. Removing the friction gets me there.
Ideally, resumes should be customized for each job, and the amount of information and the type of information needs to allow for efficient scanning by the employer. Scanning is not reading. They are looking for red flags and then green check marks.
Many recruitment agencies want a general resume to share with everyone. This means the details need to be relevant and generic. The document should appeal to any and all types of schools you are trying to attract.
I suppose if you absolutely would not work for an AP school you could add, “AP Sucks” at the very top :) . That is up to personal style and expression.
Don’t over label yourself, and keep friction to a minimum.
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Why is this SubStack called, Pancake on a Stick?
Pancake on a Stick is the single funniest story I have ever heard in my life. In about a year from now, the event will be reenacted and recorded. I named the SubStack after the story, because every time I think of the name, I smile and laugh. This helps with my writing and tone, and makes me always remember the most important things in life.
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Most social media is dead to me, but you can find me on LinkedIn and Youtube.
LinkedIn (A bastion of boredom but mostly on mission)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdeprato/
Email
info@tonydeprato.com
My video series on Expat Recruitment is BORING but useful Listen or Watch and you can master this process.