Skills
Tutor Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in tutors, and how to build and show them.
What skills do tutors need?
Tutors need technical skills such as subject expertise, explaining concepts, and assessment, plus people skills like patience and encouragement. They also use tools such as Video conferencing tools and Digital whiteboards.
Technical (hard) skills
- Subject expertise
- Explaining concepts
- Assessment
- Test preparation
- Online teaching tools
- Progress tracking
People (soft) skills
- Patience
- Encouragement
- Communication
- Adaptability
Tools, equipment and technology
- Video conferencing tools
- Digital whiteboards
- Practice tests
- Learning apps
- Scheduling tools
- Progress tracking sheets
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how tutors put their skills to work:
- How to run a first tutoring session
- How to explain a concept a different way
- How to prepare a student for a test
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Subject expertise” and “Explaining concepts.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “patience,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as CRLA tutor certification near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our tutor glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Tutor training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.