Principal Resume Examples, Skills, and Keywords
No career-changing decision should be made before crafting a great resume. Jobscan's curated principal resume samples, keywords, and writing suggestions will help you seal the deal.
Build Your ResumePrincipal Resume Sample
If you’re an experienced teacher known for having a tremendous impact on your students, it might be time for you to take your career to new heights, and the next logical step on the ladder is to become a school principal. What better way to use your expertise and interpersonal skills for the greater good? This leadership role will allow you to improve the school from within and touch the lives of students, parents, and other teachers.
Your routine responsibilities as a school principal may vary depending on the school, its size, and several other factors. You’ll be asked to set the academic goals, develop the curriculum, and evaluate the teachers, and you’ll be the public representative of the school. You may also need to, on any given day:
- Manage the budget and day-to-day operations.
- Coordinate security and safety.
- Address parental concerns.
- Organize district-level policy.
- Assess student needs.
- Handle disciplinary actions.
If all this sounds like something you’d love to do, it’s time to update your resume to impress the board. Depending on the school you’re applying to, your potential employer might use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to eliminate weak candidates. Make sure you’re using enough principal resume keywords and that you’re following our principal resume examples to beat the system and land the interview.
Romeo, MI 48446 • (555) 555-1234 • tedjstevens@email.com • linkedin.com/in/ted-j-stevens
PRINCIPAL • DEAN OF STUDENTS • ADMINISTRATOR
High-achieving leader with a focus on academic excellence and demonstrated results in student achievement. Extremely well-versed in establishing objectives aligned with district strategies, administering multimillion-dollar budgets, and overseeing high-impact educational programs. Seasoned administrator with notable success leading a cadre of educators in oversight of academic programs and delivery of instructional services.
Strategic Planning & Implementation | Budget & Fiscal Administration | Leadership & Management | Curriculum & Instruction Program Design & Implementation | Evaluation & Assessment | Policy Development & Implementation | Operations Oversight Staff Training & Development | Team Leadership | Relationship Management | Public Outreach | Community Relations Educational Leadership | Staff Evaluation | Data-Driven Decision-Making | Performance Metrics & Measures
Demonstrate strong leadership acumen while serving 650 students in grades 6 to 12 and 40 staff from the Warren School District and surrounding Macomb County area schools. Encourage faculty and staff to focus on students’ academic achievement and excellence in instruction. Act as senior administrator in the principal’s absence.
- Navigated issues related to COVID-19 pandemic, including revising curriculum and providing internet access to ensure students received the support necessary to remain engaged academically while sheltering-in-place.
- Devised and implemented key strategies that resulted in increasing graduation rates.
- Counseled, advised, and assisted students in advancing post-secondary plans; provided robust resources and deep insights to fully prepare students.
- Addressed current educational issues and applied best practices while directing professional development and instructional leadership; increased instructional focus with staff through comprehensive feedback and evaluation.
- Established a therapy dog program and engaged in comprehensive training; brought in Garth the chocolate lab to serve as the district’s first-ever emotional support dog for staff and students.
Led faculty and staff in creating a culture focused on student learning and academic achievement. Employed deep knowledge of educational issues and best practices to achieve optimal student outcomes. Standardized and oversaw the enrollment process. Encouraged advancement by working with students in developing post-secondary plans.
- Recognized by the Macomb ISD for engaging in Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) implementation through the secondary level.
- Assembled a team, applied strategies, and designed positive behavior and outcomes for students and faculty members; innovated an inclusive program that enabled at-risk youth to shine through positive leadership opportunities.
- Worked in collaboration with a team of stakeholders, including teachers, parents, community members, and board members in redesigning the high school handbook and improving the discipline structure across the school.
- Directed the school’s Early College program through Macomb Community College, Michigan Greater Construction Academy; advanced Early College programs that enabled students to complete/graduate with up to 62 college credits toward an Associate’s degree and/or vocational certification.
Created a culture that encouraged student achievement and growth. Encouraged faculty and staff to focus on academic achievement and excellence in instruction. Served on the School Improvement Plan Committee. Reviewed and made procedures for testing throughout the school year. Directed all summer school enrollments, students, teachers, payment, and required classes.
- Handpicked to participate in the Leadership in Action Series as a Macomb County ISD Administrator; honed exceptional administrative skills in this yearlong leadership training.
- Designated to lead Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA) Point Team from 2011 to 2015. Worked with teachers and administrators in designing professional development that ensured staff understood all aspects of initiative, including application in classrooms, exercising best practices, and interpreting data for individual students.
- Devised an employment round table that enabled students to learn from actual employers; demonstrated the skills necessary for successful job searches and interviews as the alternative high school Program Supervisor of the Employment Round Table from 2009 to 2014. Partnered with Michigan Works to educate students on employment etiquette and best practices.
Education Specialist (EdS) Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Masters in the Art of Teaching in Secondary Education-Specialization in Educational Studies
(2015)
Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education
MME/ACT Test Administrator, 10 Years
Certified in The Center of Educational Leadership 5D+ Rubric for Instructional Growth & Teacher Evaluation
Certified in Training of the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching
Pivot Software Trainer & Administrator
Certified in Strength Training for Youth & Families for Strength-Based Strategies
Certified in Conflict Management/Negotiations & Others
Coaches Advanced Program, CAP Certified
Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Training
Center for Educational Leadership, University of Michigan-Flint College of Education, 5D+ Rubric for Instructional Growth and Teacher Evaluation Certified – Secondary Learning Programs
Resume written by Erin Kennedy, CPRW
Why this resume works
Principal Resume Skills and Keywords
Recruiters in all industries use ATS to find better matches. To ensure your application will bypass this automated filtering tool and reach the people in charge, you have to include the right principal resume skills. Examine the job ad thoroughly and look for some of the following terms.
Top Principal Resume Skills
- Differentiated instruction
- E-Learning
- Curriculum development
- Lesson planning
- Education
- Teacher training
- Elementary education
- Empathy
- Leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Teaching
- Communication
- Educational leadership
- Administration
- Middle school teaching
- Educational technology
- Community outreach
- Reliability
- Higher education
- Public speaking
- Classroom management
- Staff management
- Teamwork
- Instructional design
- K-12 education
- Staff development
- Literacy
- Coaching
- Research
- Special education
- Leadership development
- Event organization
- Patience
- Accountability
- Emotional intelligence
- Stress management
- Interpersonal relationships
- Dependability
- Conflict resolution
- Pedagogical techniques
- Direct instructions
Using the keywords above will ensure your resume gets through the filters. However, you’ll still have to convince the board you’re cut out for the job. The following resume-writing suggestions will help you avoid the most common mistake job-seekers make.
1. Showcase your impeccable writing skills and attention to detail.
As a teacher, you know your grammar and your spelling’s impeccable. Writing a flawless resume should come naturally to you. Practice what you teach. Double and triple-check your work before submitting an application. If you’re really worried, have someone else go over it to see if you’re missing anything.
A typo-packed resume is bad for any job seeker, it means absolute doom for a teacher trying to become a school principal. It will immediately disqualify you from the process. Aside from making you look neglectful and unprofessional, the hiring manager will assume you’re not interested enough in the position to spare a few minutes proofreading your document.
2. Present your accomplishments in a digestible way.
Hiring managers have to sift through dozens of resumes every day. They can’t afford to spend more than a few seconds deciding if a resume is worth their time. You have to make your resume scannable. Use bullet points — three to six maximum — to make your work history legible on a quick read-through.
Additionally, avoid lackluster language and make your statements shine by incorporating some action verbs into your resume. Using solid terms that clearly state your accomplishments will make a lasting impression. Avoid resume cliches like:
- Result-oriented
- Hardworking
- Go-getter
Recruiters have seen these terms time and time again. You always want to stand out. Use action verbs like:
- United
- Transformed
- Pioneered
- Expedited
3. Impress the board with a stellar resume introduction.
If you want to become a school principal, you already have a few years of experience in the classroom. Give the hiring manager a snapshot of your most relevant achievements with a brief and compelling paragraph at the top of your resume.
A resume introduction will give you the opportunity to summarize who you are as a professional. It will also allow your potential employer to quickly delve into your:
- Relevant credentials
- Career goals
- Biggest accomplishments
- Education
- Interests
4. Avoid exaggerating your skills — use metrics
If you’ve ever looked for a job before, you’ve been tempted to embellish your resume. In the highly competitive job-seeking world, it’s not uncommon for candidates to tell a few white lies in their resumes. They think it increases their chances of getting hired. However, “common” doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
Getting caught in a lie by your employer or interviewer isn’t just embarrassing — it can jeopardize your career. To avoid making awkward explanations, stay true to yourself and only include skills you actually have. Use numbers to back up your experience and give yourself something to talk about in the interview. Opt for bullet points that look like this:
- Managed operations of a school of 700+ students.
- Supervised faculty staff of 50+ members.
- Improved test scores by 18% over eight consecutive years.
5. Don’t use all your skills in one section.
Including a skills section in your resume can be an excellent idea to tailor your resume to the job. However, don’t make it too extensive. Instead, add only position-relevant keywords and scatter the rest of your skills that you’ll use as a principal throughout the rest of your sections.
