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Teacher to instructional designer resume example

A career changer’s resume for a teacher moving into instructional design. Learning and development managers worry that teachers will design for classrooms, not for busy adults at work, so this resume puts portfolio projects for adult learners first and translates eight years of teaching into the language of corporate learning.

Teacher to instructional designer resume example, page 1 of 1Leah BrandvoldInstructional DesignerSUMMARYInstructional designer and former middle school English teacher witheight years designing lessons, assessments and online courses. Sincefinishing an instructional design certificate in 2025, I have built e-learningand job aids for three corporate clients in Articulate 360. I bring whatclassrooms teach fast: clear objectives, honest assessment and respect forthe learner’s time.PORTFOLIO PROJECTSSafe Lifting for Warehouse Associates2025Storyline 360, scenario-based e-learning ·leahbrandvold.example.com/safe-lifting•A 20-minute branching module for a regional distributor’s 400associates; post-test scores averaged 91% against 64% for the old slidedeck.New Manager Essentials2026Rise 360 and Vyond, microlearning ·leahbrandvold.example.com/new-managers•Six 10-minute lessons built from interviews with 4 managers; 92% of 35pilot learners completed all six.EXPERIENCEInstructional Design ContractorJan 2026 – PresentQueen City Learning Partners · Charlotte, NC•Design e-learning and job aids for 3 corporate clients from SMEinterviews and storyboards; delivered 5 SCORM courses to client LMSson schedule.English Language Arts Teacher, Grade 7Aug 2017 – Jun 2025Catawba Ridge Middle School · Charlotte, NC•Designed and taught a full-year ELA course for about 140 students ayear; my classes met or exceeded expected growth on state readingtests in 5 of 6 years.•Built the school’s Canvas course template and trained 45 teachers touse it when classes moved online in 2020.•Wrote the grade 7 common assessments used by 6 teachers, with itemanalysis after every unit.•Led 12 after-school workshops for colleagues on rubrics and feedback.EDUCATIONB.A. in English2013 – 2017Appalachian State University · Boone, NCCONTACTleah.brandvold@example.com(704) 555-0158Charlotte, NClinkedin.com/in/leahbrandvoldleahbrandvold.example.comCERTIFICATIONSInstructional DesignCertificateAssociation for Talent Development(ATD) · 2025SKILLSArticulate Storyline 360Rise 360VyondCamtasiaADDIE and SAMBackward designNeeds analysisStoryboardingSME interviewsAssessment designSCORMCanvas and Cornerstone LMSKirkpatrick evaluationAccessible e-learning (WCAG)
Teacher to instructional designerUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • A portfolio with adult, workplace content: e-learning, job aids and microlearning built for employees, not 7th graders.
  • Authoring tools: Articulate Storyline and Rise most of all, plus video tools and an LMS.
  • Design process in their language: needs analysis, ADDIE or SAM, storyboards, SME interviews, evaluation.
  • Results: assessment scores, completion rates, time to proficiency, fewer errors or incidents.
  • Translated teaching experience: curriculum design, assessment writing, training colleagues, learning platforms.

Writing the summary

Name the role you want, your teaching background in one phrase, the training you have done and the projects you have built. End with what teaching gives you. Do not apologize for the change or lead with your years as a teacher.

The summary in this example

Instructional designer and former middle school English teacher with eight years designing lessons, assessments and online courses. Since finishing an instructional design certificate in 2025, I have built e-learning and job aids for three corporate clients in Articulate 360. I bring what classrooms teach fast: clear objectives, honest assessment and respect for the learner’s time.

Teacher moving into curriculum development

Curriculum writer and former 5th grade teacher with nine years designing math units used across a district of 30 schools. I write standards-aligned lessons, assessments and teacher guides that hold up in real classrooms, and I am looking for a curriculum developer role at an education publisher.

Teacher moving into corporate training (facilitation)

Corporate trainer and former high school teacher with ten years of leading groups of 30. I now facilitate onboarding for a 300-person company, with session ratings averaging 4.8 of 5, and want to grow into a learning and development role that blends facilitation and design.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Rebuilt a 90-minute compliance slide deck into a 25-minute scenario module, cutting seat time by 70% while pass rates held at 95%.
  • Interviewed 6 subject matter experts and turned their notes into a storyboard approved in one review round.
  • Built a software simulation in Storyline that cut new-hire support tickets in the first month by 30%.
  • Designed a job aid for a returns process that reduced processing errors in a pilot store by 40%.
  • Converted 12 instructor-led sessions into a blended program for 200 employees across 4 locations.
  • Wrote 150 assessment questions aligned to objectives, with item analysis to retire the 20 that did not discriminate.
  • Ran a Kirkpatrick level 1 and 2 evaluation on a pilot course and used the results to revise 3 lessons.
  • Captioned and checked 8 modules for WCAG 2.2 AA, including keyboard navigation and screen reader order.
  • Trained 45 colleagues to build online courses in an LMS during a two-week transition.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • Articulate Storyline 360 and Rise 360
  • Video and animation (Camtasia, Vyond)
  • Instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM, backward design)
  • Needs analysis and learning objectives
  • Storyboarding and scripting
  • Assessment design
  • LMS administration basics and SCORM or xAPI
  • Evaluation (Kirkpatrick levels 1 to 3)
  • Accessible e-learning

Soft skills

  • Working with subject matter experts
  • Writing clearly for adults
  • Taking feedback from stakeholders
  • Managing several projects at once

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • ATD Instructional Design Certificate or a university certificate in instructional design: shows deliberate training for the move.
  • ATD Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD): a recognized early-career credential in learning and development.
  • Articulate training or certificates: a small plus, but the portfolio proves the tool skills better.
  • Your teaching license: leave it off for corporate roles unless the job is in education technology or K-12 curriculum.

Length and format

One page. Order: summary, portfolio projects with links, any instructional design work (contract, freelance, volunteer), teaching experience rewritten in design language, education and certificates, skills. A two-column layout keeps the tools list in view.

Common mistakes

  • Leading with “teacher” in the headline. Use the title you are applying for.
  • Classroom jargon (“IEPs”, “bell work”, “anchor charts”) that corporate readers do not know. Translate it.
  • A portfolio of school lessons only. Build at least two projects for adult or workplace learners.
  • Listing every teaching duty. Keep the design, assessment, technology and training bullets.
  • No numbers from the portfolio projects. Even pilot data (scores, completion, feedback ratings) helps.

Questions and answers

Can teachers become instructional designers?

Yes, and many do. Teachers already design learning and assessment. The gap is usually tools (Storyline, Rise), adult learning and a portfolio of workplace projects, all of which you can build in a few months.

How do I get instructional design experience as a teacher?

Build two or three portfolio projects on workplace topics, offer to design training for a nonprofit or small business, and take contract work through agencies. Each one goes on the resume like a job.

Should I keep my teaching experience on the resume?

Yes, rewritten. Keep the bullets about designing courses, writing assessments, using learning platforms and training adults. Drop classroom routines and duties.

Do I need a master’s degree in instructional design?

Not usually. A certificate plus a strong portfolio is enough for many corporate roles. Universities and government jobs ask for a master’s more often.

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