Creating a winning CV is the first and most vital step towards securing your next career move, especially in education and student engagement roles. As a Schools Liaison Officer, your responsibility lies at the heart of building strong relationships between schools, colleges, universities, and local communities. You act as the crucial link that informs and inspires young people about opportunities in further education, apprenticeships, or higher study. A well-prepared CV can demonstrate not only your skills but also your passion for supporting and guiding students into brighter futures.
The job description of a Schools Liaison Officer often includes coordinating outreach programmes, attending careers fairs, delivering presentations, advising on progression routes, and managing partnerships with schools and external stakeholders. Strong communication, organisational ability, and knowledge of the education landscape are essential. Salaries in the UK typically range from £23,000 to £34,000 per year, with senior liaison or outreach officer roles reaching higher brackets depending on experience and institution.
So how do you capture all of this on paper in a way that secures interviews? Let’s walk through it together, step by step.
Why your CV matters for a Schools Liaison Officer role
Your CV is not just a record of jobs you’ve had; it is your personal sales document. It’s the tool that persuades recruiters and hiring managers that you’re the right person to represent their organisation to schools and students. Institutions are looking for individuals who are proactive, confident in delivering presentations, able to manage projects, and skilled at relationship building. By presenting your achievements in a structured and compelling way, your CV will open the door to those all-important interviews.
Tailoring your Schools Liaison Officer CV
One of the most common mistakes I see as a career coach with over 25 years’ experience is candidates sending the same CV to every job. For roles like this, tailoring is essential. Study the job description carefully and reflect the exact skills and achievements that the employer is asking for. For example, if the job highlights “building relationships with local schools,” be sure to include bullet points under your work experience that specifically demonstrate your success in this area.
Remember: recruiters often spend less than 30 seconds scanning a CV. Making your CV immediately relevant will set you apart.
Professional profile section
At the top of your CV, include a strong professional profile. This is a concise 4–6 line summary that captures who you are, your years of experience, and your key skills. For example:
A proactive and engaging Schools Liaison Officer with over five years’ experience in student outreach, partnership building, and event coordination. Skilled in delivering impactful presentations and workshops to large groups of students, with a proven record of increasing student engagement and progression. Adept at developing strong links with schools, colleges, and local organisations to widen participation and raise awareness of higher education opportunities.
This kind of introduction sets the tone and immediately showcases your suitability.
Key skills to include
For a Schools Liaison Officer CV, consider highlighting the following skills in a dedicated section:
Stakeholder engagement
Public speaking and presentation delivery
Project management
Outreach and student recruitment
Relationship building with schools and colleges
Event organisation and coordination
Communication and interpersonal skills
Knowledge of education and apprenticeship pathways
Data analysis and reporting on engagement outcomes
Marketing and promotional activities
Work experience section
When listing your work experience, use a clear structure. Start with your most recent role and work backwards. For each position, include job title, employer, and dates, followed by 4–6 impactful bullet points that focus on achievements. Avoid simply listing duties. Instead, show outcomes.
For example:
Schools Liaison Officer – XYZ University, London (2019–Present)
Built and maintained relationships with over 40 schools across London, increasing attendance at open days by 30%.
Delivered engaging presentations and workshops to student audiences ranging from 20–200 attendees.
Coordinated a regional careers fair attracting 1,000+ students and 60 exhibiting organisations.
Implemented a new tracking system to monitor school engagement and report on participation trends to senior management.
These results-driven bullet points demonstrate impact, which is exactly what hiring managers are looking for.
Education and qualifications
In this section, include your degrees, diplomas, or relevant certifications. For Schools Liaison Officer positions, employers typically look for candidates educated to degree level, often in education, social sciences, or communications, although experience can be equally valuable.
Example:
BA (Hons) Education Studies – University of Manchester (2015–2018)
You can also list professional training such as safeguarding, presentation skills, or project management courses.
Additional sections
If relevant, add sections for:
Volunteering (particularly with youth organisations or education charities)
Professional memberships (such as HELOA – Higher Education Liaison Officers Association)
IT skills (CRM systems, Microsoft Office, event management platforms)
General CV structure
Contact details
Professional profile
Key skills
Work experience
Education and qualifications
Additional sections (volunteering, memberships, IT skills)
Keep your CV to two pages maximum. Recruiters and hiring managers prefer concise, focused documents.
Advice for graduates
If you’re a graduate stepping into your first Schools Liaison Officer role, don’t panic if you lack direct experience. Instead, highlight transferable skills. Have you delivered presentations as part of your degree? Organised student society events? Volunteered in schools? These all demonstrate the abilities that employers want. Use your profile section to showcase enthusiasm, adaptability, and commitment to working with young people.
Advice for mid-level professionals
If you already have a few years’ experience, focus on achievements and measurable impact. Employers want to see evidence of how you improved student engagement, built sustainable partnerships, or delivered successful events. Don’t just tell them you “delivered presentations.” Show them the results: “Delivered over 50 presentations annually, resulting in a 20% increase in student applications from partner schools.”
Advice for senior-level applicants
For those applying for senior or managerial Schools Liaison roles, the emphasis shifts towards leadership, strategy, and long-term outcomes. Showcase your ability to lead teams, develop outreach strategies, and influence policy. Include achievements such as “Led a team of four liaison officers to deliver a widening participation programme across 100 schools” or “Developed and implemented a three-year outreach strategy aligned to institutional targets.”
Do’s and Don’ts for your Schools Liaison Officer CV
Do:
Keep it clear, structured, and no longer than two pages.
Use strong action verbs (coordinated, implemented, delivered).
Quantify achievements where possible.
Tailor your CV to each job description.
Ensure consistency in font, spacing, and formatting.
Don’t:
Overload with jargon or acronyms unfamiliar to recruiters.
List duties without achievements.
Include irrelevant information such as unrelated hobbies.
Use generic phrases like “hardworking” without evidence.
Submit without proofreading for spelling or grammar errors.
Using a CV template and CV example
To save time and ensure you’re following a proven structure, you can use a professional cv template
or review a detailed cv example
as a guide. These provide ready-made layouts and content suggestions tailored for Schools Liaison Officer roles, helping you focus on personalising your achievements and making your application stand out.
Final thoughts and encouragement
Writing a Schools Liaison Officer CV may feel daunting, but with the right structure, tailored content, and a focus on achievements, you can create a powerful document that opens doors. Remember, your CV is your personal marketing tool – make it shine.
As someone who has coached thousands of professionals over the past 25 years, I can assure you that investing time and effort into your CV pays off significantly. Employers notice candidates who go the extra mile to tailor and present their skills with confidence.
If you’d like expert help in crafting your CV and LinkedIn profile to secure interviews faster, I warmly invite you to book a personalised consultation. Together, we’ll ensure your application stands out and gets results.
👉 Book your appointment today
and take the next confident step in your Schools Liaison Officer career.
