Tutor job description, responsibilities, and skills
Have you thought about offering tutoring services to students? With the right education and some teaching skills, you could support student learning while earning an income.
46% of tutors work for colleges and universities. The rest work for schools, educational support services, and private clients.
Not sure what a tutor does? Read on because we're going to tell you all about the job. And, we'll give you a rundown of the top tutor responsibilities.
Plus, you’ll learn about the skills you need, how much you can make, and where to look for tutoring jobs.
What is a tutor?
Tutors work with students to help them understand a topic and improve their grades. They may offer tutoring sessions for small groups or one-on-one.
Tutors work as private instructors in schools, colleges, student's homes, and online.
They have specialized knowledge in their chosen subject. For example, they may help tutees with math, science, or history. Some tutors are qualified teachers who want to earn extra money.
Students may only need short-term help, and the tutor may work with them temporarily. For example, they may be preparing for an exam or having difficulty in one area of study. Other tutors work with students regularly.
Tutors may work full-time or part-time. They may also have their own business.
What skills and education do you need to be a tutor?
If you want to work as a tutor, you'll need excellent communication skills and teaching skills. And, to be successful, you'll need extensive knowledge in the subject area.
You'll need to be a good role model and have excellent problem-solving skills. You'll also need to understand students’ needs and create lessons that suit their learning style.
Tutors usually need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. It's also an advantage to have an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree.
For those who are new to the industry, there are tutor training courses available.
Tutors need to be patient, professional, and approachable. Some tutors need to work out of school hours, including evenings and weekends.
Depending on where they work, tutors need to have clearance to work with children and a national police check.
What are the top tutor responsibilities?
Here are some of the top responsibilities you may find in a tutor job description:
1. Explaining the subject matter
Tutors assist students with a specific subject. The student may be having trouble understanding the topic, or they may have missed school and need to catch up.
During each session, the tutor explains the subject matter and works with the student to make sure they understand what is being taught. The tutor needs to show the student how to find answers to their questions rather than just doing the work for them.
They may have specific problems to solve, or the tutor may be there to give general support.
2. Creating personalized lesson plans
Everyone learns differently, and the tutor needs to personalize the lessons to suit the student.
The tutor may try different learning styles to find the best fit for their pupil. They will then give them a personalized learning plan to help them improve their study skills.
Tutors may collaborate with classroom teachers to make sure the content is relevant.
3. Tracking student progress
Tutors monitor students and track their progress. For example, they may look at their academic performance to identify areas that need improvement.
Students may bring copies of tests and essays to share with the tutor. By checking grades and reading feedback from the classroom teacher, the tutor can focus on the areas that the student needs the most help in.
With a good tutor, the student will gain confidence, and their grades should improve.
4. Helping students prepare for exams
Some students need extra support to prepare for exams, tests, and assessments. The tutor can help them prepare for test day.
The student may want to achieve academic success or increase their grade point average (GPA).
Whether the student is trying to get into college or wanting to open up more options for the future, a tutor can help them achieve their goals.
5. Giving students homework
To help the student learn, tutors may give them homework. They may ask them to listen to tutorials, brainstorm ideas, take notes, or complete a project.
Homework is normally minimal, especially if the tutee has a heavy school workload.
Handouts, practice exams, and mini-quizzes may be part of the tutor's homework toolkit. These extra activities will help the student remember important concepts.
How much does a tutor make?
The salary for tutors depends on their experience and expertise. The hourly wage can range from $20–$100 per hour.
Tutor resume tips
If you want to apply for a job as a tutor, here are our top resume tips:
Highlight your education and qualifications
Include interpersonal skills, such as excellent communication skills
Ask previous tutoring clients to share a testimonial
Check your resume for grammatical and spelling errors
Include your specialty subjects
Include previous experience as a private tutor, but keep names confidential
Mention if you have a clearance to work with children
For more resume tips, check out our Getting Hired Resource Center.
Where can you find a job as a tutor?
Looking for tutoring positions?
You can browse general tutoring positions on Jobcase’s job board. You can also browse jobs based on the subject you want to tutor, such as reading or Spanish.
Alternatively, some tutors have their own businesses and visit students in their homes. If you want to tutor privately, you can grow your business via word-of-mouth.
Working as a tutor
If you'd like to work as a tutor, you'll need to have good communication skills and be knowledgeable in a specific subject.
In this article, we told you what a tutor is and what skills you need to be successful.
And, we gave you a rundown of the top tutor responsibilities. Our list included explaining the subject matter, creating personalized lesson plans, tracking progress, helping students prepare for exams, and giving students homework.
Finally, we told you how much you can make and where to look for a job.
Want to know what other companies are hiring in your area? Browse Jobcase’s job board.