How Maya’s resume is built
Section order
Maya Johnson, a fictional middle school science teacher moving into instructional design, puts Skills and Projects above Experience. A recruiter reading top down sees ADDIE, Storyline and a finished module before the word teacher, so her old title reads as background. Switcher sets the profile in a panel at the top, where she names the move plainly. The US format keeps it to one Letter page with no personal details.
The portfolio project does the heavy lifting
The project entry has a link, a length (a 20-minute Storyline course), a design choice (branching scenarios) and a measured result from a pilot with 60 students: quiz scores up 22%. That one bullet is closer to the new job than anything from the classroom.
Teaching bullets, translated
Each teaching bullet uses words an L&D team uses. Designing a curriculum taken up by 5 teachers is curriculum design. Training 30 colleagues on Google Classroom is facilitation. The assessment result, pass rates from 54% to 68%, shows she measures learning.
Instructional designer (career change) resume questions
Should I leave teaching off my instructional design resume?
No. Keep it, below your skills and projects, and choose bullets that show design, training and measurement. Years of designing lessons are relevant experience.
How many portfolio projects do I need?
One finished project with a link and a result is a start. Add a second if it shows a different tool or audience, such as adult learners.
Does a short certificate help?
It signals intent. The sample lists an ATD certificate with its date under Certifications, below the work that proves the skill.
When should I stop using the Switcher layout?
After about a year in the new role. Then your current title can lead and a template such as Ledger or Modern works better.