Substitute Teacher cover letter example: a sample to adapt, and why it works.

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Substitute Teacher cover letter

When to use: Applications for Substitute Teacher roles.

Dear [Hiring manager's name],

I'm applying for the Substitute Teacher position at [Employer], which I found on [where you saw the posting]. I bring [number] years of experience as a Substitute Teacher, most recently [the scope you are responsible for].

At [Current or most recent employer], I enforced school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom for [how many / how often], and I answered students' questions, which [result you can prove: time saved, errors cut, people served]. I also followed lesson plans designed by absent teachers, using [a tool the posting names, for example Microsoft Excel, only if you have used it].

Your posting mentions [a priority from the job description]. That is where my reading comprehension and active listening matter most: [one short, true example of you doing it].

I'd welcome a conversation about how I could help [Employer] with [that priority]. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

1. Opening. Names the role, Substitute Teacher, and where you saw it, then states your experience in the role.
2. Proof. “Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom” and “Answer students' questions”, in the past tense, plus your scale and result.
3. Skills. Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, the top-rated skills, get a real example.
4. Tools. Microsoft Excel stays in brackets: O*NET data, not your experience.

Career change into Substitute Teacher work

When to use: You are moving in from a related job. O*NET lists Preschool Teacher, ESL Teacher and Tutor among the occupations related to this one.

After [number] years as [your current job title], I'm applying for the Substitute Teacher role at [Employer]. In my current job I already took class attendance [or the closest thing you do], and I recently [completed training, a course or a project] in [a skill the posting names].

Moving up to a senior Substitute Teacher role

When to use: Experienced candidates: O*NET places this job in Job Zone 4, considerable preparation.

I'm applying for the Substitute Teacher role at [Employer]. Over [number] years I have supervised students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips, and more recently [the larger scope or responsibility you took on].

Referral opening

When to use: Someone at the substitute teacher employer suggested you apply.

[Referrer's name], who [works on your team / knows my work from Previous employer], suggested I apply for the Substitute Teacher role. At [Employer] I taught social skills to students, such as communication, conflict resolution, and etiquette for [scale], which [result you can prove].

Data Related occupations in O*NET: Self-Enrichment Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors, Tutors and Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education.

Data Also posted as: Building Sub (Building Substitute), Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher), Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher), ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute), HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher), Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher).

Data Knowledge areas: English Language, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security and Customer and Personal Service. Tools reported: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software and Microsoft Outlook.

• Listing tools you haven't used: the tools above describe the job, not you.
• Describing duties instead of results: “Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom” is the job, not an achievement.
• Leaving out a license, certification or degree the posting asks for, when you hold it.
• Ignoring English Language, a knowledge area O*NET rates important here.
• Writing only about tasks when the job involves constant contact with people (O*NET work context).

Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.