Substitute Teacher resume skills and keywords
In 72 Substitute Teacher job postings from 26 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Teaching license (57 %), Communication (51 %), Curriculum (36 %), Coaching (33 %) and Leadership (21 %). Of the top 32 skills, 16 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 16 are soft skills.
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Top 32 skills in Substitute Teacher job postings
| Skill | Share of postings | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching license | 57 % | Certification |
| Communication | 51 % | Soft skill |
| Curriculum | 36 % | Hard skill |
| Coaching | 33 % | Soft skill |
| Leadership | 21 % | Soft skill |
| Early childhood education | 19 % | Hard skill |
| Professionalism | 18 % | Soft skill |
| Classroom routines | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Progress Monitoring | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Critical thinking | 15 % | Soft skill |
| Compassion | 14 % | Soft skill |
| Child development | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Infant | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Toddler | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Patience | 12 % | Soft skill |
| Bilingual | 12 % | Soft skill |
| Lesson planning | 11 % | Hard skill |
| Accountability | 11 % | Soft skill |
| Flexibility | 10 % | Soft skill |
| Classroom management | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Interpersonal skills | 8 % | Soft skill |
| Social-emotional learning | 8 % | Hard skill |
| Adaptability | 7 % | Soft skill |
| Orientation | 7 % | Hard skill |
| Creativity | 6 % | Soft skill |
| Inclusive classrooms | 6 % | Hard skill |
| Collaboration | 6 % | Soft skill |
| Empathy | 6 % | Soft skill |
| MS Office Suite | 4 % | Tool |
| Special education | 4 % | Hard skill |
| Organizational skills | 4 % | Soft skill |
| Student Engagement | 4 % | Hard skill |
Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications
Hard skills (14)
- Curriculum 36 %
- Early childhood education 19 %
- Classroom routines 17 %
- Progress Monitoring 17 %
- Child development 12 %
- Infant 12 %
- Toddler 12 %
- Lesson planning 11 %
- Classroom management 10 %
- Social-emotional learning 8 %
- Orientation 7 %
- Inclusive classrooms 6 %
- Special education 4 %
- Student Engagement 4 %
Soft skills (16)
- Communication 51 %
- Coaching 33 %
- Leadership 21 %
- Professionalism 18 %
- Critical thinking 15 %
- Compassion 14 %
- Patience 12 %
- Bilingual 12 %
- Accountability 11 %
- Flexibility 10 %
- Interpersonal skills 8 %
- Adaptability 7 %
- Creativity 6 %
- Collaboration 6 %
- Empathy 6 %
- Organizational skills 4 %
Tools and software (1)
- MS Office Suite 4 %
Certifications and licenses (1)
- Teaching license 57 %
Keyword phrases recruiters use
Multi-word phrases that recur across these substitute teacher postings, with the share of postings that use each one.
How to use this on your resume
Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.
Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.
Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Substitute Teacher resume example. Then prepare for the Substitute Teacher interview questions that test them.
Build a substitute teacher resume with these skills
Start in the editor, tailor your bullets to the job you want and download an ATS-friendly resume.