Resume Tip Sheet for Early Childhood Education-Associate
As an early childhood education graduate, you can create a CHRONOLOGICAL resume if you have relevant work experience through child/family-centered assignments and required fieldwork. (See the handout Easy Steps for a Chronological Resume)
Or you can create a COMBINATION resume if you would rather emphasize your categories of skills, along with your education and your required fieldwork. (See the handout Easy Steps for a Combination Resume)
Tips for creating key sections of an early childhood education graduate’s resume:
A. Heading
Recommended heading format:
Peyton Lee
Street Address, City, MI 00000
(000) 000-0000
peytonleemail@gmail.com LinkedIn Profile/Customized URL
B. Key Qualifications
Begin your resume with a summary of your key qualifications. To write the bulleted statements in this section, be sure to use keywords, requirements, and preferences mentioned in the job posting. (For more information see the following handouts: Developing Your Qualifications Summary and Beating the ATS.) Below is an example:
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
• Follow state and national standards of health, safety, and best practices consistently and effectively to optimize the early childhood learning environment
• Able to design and implement learner-centered curriculum that develops critical thinking skills and nurtures creativity
• Work well collaboratively with colleagues, supervisors, and community representatives
• Consistently cultivate reciprocal and respectful relationships with adult family members
Key words: age-appropriate, individually appropriate, culturally/socially appropriate, learner-centered curriculum, hands-on learning, best practices, state and national standards, appropriate guidance techniques, whole-child instruction, family-first approach, reciprocal and respectful relationships, current health and safety standards, develop critical thinking skills, nurturing creativity, administrative ability, collaboration, classroom management
C. Education
Place your education information directly after the KEY QUALIFICATIONS section. You may include any colleges at which you have completed courses or from which you have obtained a degree. See the example below which shows how to list your degree:
Baker College Muskegon, MI Expected graduation 05/2021
Associate of Applied Science Honors: Dean’s List
Early Childhood Education
* Other optional information can be listed: organizations, honors, and GPA if 3.5 +.
D. Relevant Coursework/Professional Projects
This section may be placed after your EDUCATION section and should only include specific coursework required for or desirable for the job you are targeting. Possible courses or projects:
RELEVANT COURSEWORK/PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS
COURSES
Healthy Environments for Early Childhood
Developing Anti-Bias Curriculum
Infant and Toddler Development and Curriculum
PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS
Adult Family Member Interview Project
Classroom Assessment Project
Child Portfolio Project
E. Fieldwork Experience
An early childhood education graduate’s fieldwork shows important examples of professional experience. List your required fieldwork using this format (associate degree examples):
FIELDWORK
The Tree House Child Care Center Centerville, MI Spring 2020/Hours: 30
Infant/Toddler Student Worker
• Excelled in using positive classroom management techniques
• Created and implemented hands-on activities based on observations of infants’/toddlers’ interests and skills
Horizons Childcare Haven, MI Spring 2021/Hours: 125
Student Teacher
• Consistently built rapport and respect with children, co-workers, and parents
• Generated developmentally appropriate curriculum in accordance with licensing and accreditation guidelines
F. Licenses/Certifications
List licenses or certifications granted by a governing body. If they are listed as requirements in the job posting, choose
the optimum place on the resume for this information. Below are examples of possible certifications:
LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED-BL, American Heart Association Expires 00/2023
Bloodborne Pathogens Certification, American Red Cross Expires 00/2023
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, Council for Professional Recognition Expires 00/2024
G. Work Experience
List other work experience with two to three bullets which highlight soft skills. Also, be sure to list related work experiences with children or families outside of your fieldwork which would be desirable to the employer (e.g., camp counselor, Sunday School teacher, nanny, childcare, sports coach) and highlight transferable skills.
H. Optional Section
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Early Childhood Education Club 2020-2021
Kids’ Food Basket Volunteer 2019-2021
Community Church Volunteer Staff, Children’s Ministry 2015-2020
• Be sure to list volunteer hours in the community, such as clean-up crews and non-profit service.
Revised 3 May 2021
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