A strong preschool teacher resume can make the difference between landing an interview and being passed over. Here is what to include, along with twenty interview questions to help you prepare.

I have a lot of experience recruiting and working with preschool teachers, and below are my top tips for building a resume that stands out. I hope they help you take the next step in your career!

Broad areas to cover in your preschool teacher resume

• Your individual goals: both for now and where you would like to be in five years
• Your personal teaching philosophy (you can view mine here)
• Documentation on the whole cycle of planning: how you go about planning for both your group and individual children
• Your approach to lesson planning
• Background information: what would employers like to know about you?
• Situational examples: in each scenario, think about what happened and what you did
• Professional qualifications and training: even if you think it is not that relevant, it might be of interest to a potential employer
• Professional development you have undertaken: this demonstrates an ongoing commitment to improving your craft, and employers love it
• Relevant experience with the process of preschool accreditation (only 10% of US preschools are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, so experience in this area is highly desirable)

Example interview questions for preschool teachers

Below are twenty interview questions I have asked and been asked over the years. If you prepare a solid response to each of these, you will be in a great position to perform well and nail the interview. For detailed guidance on how to answer each one, visit the full interview question guide.

1. Could you briefly describe the relevant experience you have that equips you as a preschool teacher?
2. How does your programming reflect contemporary approaches to curriculum and programming?
3. What strategies do you use to guide children’s behavior?
4. A colleague comes to you to share a problem she has with another team member. What do you do?
5. Describe how you interact with children in the playroom.
6. How do you ensure that children’s health needs are met and promoted within the center?
7. What is your understanding of equal employment opportunity and how does it relate to children’s education?
8. What is meant by “duty of care”?
9. What does workplace health and safety (OSHA) mean to you in a preschool context?
10. What records does the authorized supervisor need to keep on a daily and weekly basis?
11. Describe what you would do in an emergency evacuation (for example, a bomb scare or fire).
12. How do you deal with an irate parent, step by step?
13. How do you deal with staff conflict, step by step?
14. What is your experience with special needs?
15. How do you approach behavioral management?
16. How would you handle a parent’s departure when leaving an upset child?
17. What is meant by “cultural diversity”?
18. What does confidentiality mean to you and why is it important?
19. What special talents or passions can you bring to the job?
20. How do you involve parents in your day-to-day programming?

Have you been asked a question at an interview that isn’t on this list? I would love to hear it and add it to the guide!

Thanks for reading. I hope this gives you some solid ideas for making your resume shine and wowing your interviewers with your preparation and experience. Once your resume is polished, don’t forget to pair it with a strong preschool teacher cover letter to complete your application.