As an early childhood education graduate, you can create a career-specific resume which highlights your relevant work experience from child/family-centered assignments and required fieldwork. (Use the Early Childhood Education Resume Template and the instructions below to create your resume.)
Instructions for creating an early childhood education resume:
A. Heading
List your contact information at the top center like this:
PEYTON LEE
Street Address, City, MI 00000
(000) 000-0000 peytonleeemail@gmail.com
LinkedIn (Hyperlink this word to your own LI profile.)
B. Key Qualifications
Begin your resume with a summary of your key qualifications. To write the bulleted statements in this section, be sure to begin each statement with an action verb or strong adjective and use keywords, requirements, and preferences mentioned in the job posting. (For more information see Begin Your Resume with Professional Qualifications and 185 Action Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome.) 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 if you are a new graduate. 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:
EDUCATION
Baker College City, MI Expected graduation 05/0000
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
Name of Business/Organization City, MI Spring 0000/Hours: 000
Infant/Toddler Student Worker
• Excel in using positive classroom management techniques with children who seem anxious or resistant
• Created and implemented hands-on activities based on observations of infants’/toddlers’ interests and skills
Name of Business/Organization City, MI Spring 0000/Hours: 000
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 00/0000
Bloodborne Pathogens Certification, American Red Cross Expires 00/000
Child Development Associate Credential, Council for Professional Recognition Expires 00/0000
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.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Name of Business/Organization City, MI 00/0000–00/0000
Job Title
Do not simply list job duties; state an accomplishment or a skill you have shown in this job, beginning with an action verb.
H. Optional Section
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Early Childhood Education Club 0000-0000
Kids’ Food Basket Volunteer, Kids' Food Basket 0000-0000
Community Church Volunteer Staff, Children’s Ministry
• Be sure to list volunteer hours in the community, such as clean-up crews and non-profit service.
Revised 12 December 2024