I've seen a lot of resumes from people looking for work in Taiwan, and there's a big problem with most of them. They're well-written, but they fail to show how excellent a teacher the writer really is. Many are from people I know, so I'm certain they are fantastic candidates; exactly what the market here is looking for. The problem is that their resume just doesn't show it. I suspect that in the competitive market that Taiwan is becoming, their excellence isn't showing through nearly as well as it will need to land the job they want. So rather than give up and settle for something less than you deserve, here are a few guidelines I've come up with to help you tell your prospective employer what a difference you can make for them

First, there are a couple of different kinds of candidates that have an advantage in this market. The most competitive kind is the person with significant teaching experience in another, higher status, place. If you have taught in Japan, Saudi Arabia, your home nation, or even Korea, make this clear. Particularly if the teaching was at a high school, college, or university; this is a serious plus.

The next most competitive candidate is the person who has lived and taught in Taiwan for a long time, then gone back home to do a master's degree before returning to Taiwan. A person with this sort of background can launch a very competitive application.

All of this leaves unmentioned candidates who have already been living and teaching in Taiwan with a master's degree. If you have a master's degree, and have been teaching for years at a bushiban, it's better not to say this. Unless you were teaching at a very high level or doing some other significant work, this is a very bad position to be in. If this is you, try your best to describe yourself some other way. I know; when I was looking for a job, I was repeatedly asked questions about why I did not already have a position like the one I was applying for, what had I had been doing all these years, and why I had been teaching illegally.

In addition to this fact, make your resume portray a positive picture of yourself. Some of the candidates whose resumes I have seen have written a lot of material. This is great stuff. Even if it's kid's books for a chain school, having been involved in this kind of work sets you apart from teachers who have never done this sort of thing. If you know the name of the material you wrote, put it on your resume. It may seem trivial to you, but it makes your resume look more complete. It makes you seem like a more serious educator. Besides, you never know who has been reading it. The person reviewing your resume may have seen your stuff or have children who have used it. Chances are that it's good material. You want these people to know it's yours. Anything that you have worked on that has a name that you can remember, put it down on your resume.

Mention the name of public or private primary, secondary, or tertiary schools that you have taught at legally or under the table. You don't have to get into your visa situation, but it's a positive thing to know that your candidate has taught at a place you can identify. It creates a better picture of their capability. If you have taught at major companies or have taught high-ranking officers in these companies or in the government make sure you mention this.

Finally, make sure that everything is spelled correctly. I know that there's no universally accepted Romanization system for Mandarin or Taiwanese, but there are standard spellings for schools and places. If you don't know it, look on a map or on the Web page. I'm the worst proofreader in the world, but I notice right away when someone's spelling of a name isn't standard. Another point is dates. Make sure that all the dates are standardized. For example, do you put the earliest date first (1999-2000), or the most recent first (2000-1999)? Which ever you use, do it the same every time. And which method do you use to order dates in a category? Is the top of the category the most recent, or the oldest? Pick one of these procedures and stick to it.

I know there are an enormous number of outstanding educators filling the classrooms of dead-end schools just because they lack the marketing to land a great job. Life's not fair, and not all of them will end up in the best possible job. On the other hand, every individual reader can make sure that at least one more of them is able to work in the kind of environment that they truly deserve.