Resume Writing For High School Students

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As a high school student, developing a resume is a great way to start preparing for the working world. Resumes can be used for job applications, to secure internships and even to help complete college applications. Your high school resume will likely be focused on relevant coursework, extracurricular activities like volunteering or clubs and any job experience you do have.

Here are some tips to help you compose a high school resume that stands out to potential future employers and sets the foundation for a successful career.

Resume Format

Image description

Resume Format
1. Name and contact information
2. Summary or objective
3. Professional history
a. Company name
b. Dates of tenure
c. Description of role and achievement
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Optional (Awards & Achievements, Hobbies & Interests)

Related: How to Write a Resume Employers Will Notice

How to write a high school resume

Here's how to write a high school resume step by step:

Include a career objective

A career objective is a one or two-sentence statement summarizing your career goals and how your talents and skills align with the needs of the employer. While people of any age and career level can benefit from including an objective statement on their resume, it's especially important for a high school student. This is largely because your work history may not reflect your future goals.

Adding a career objective to your resume will give employers a clear idea of why you're applying for the role and how their decision to hire you could be beneficial.

Examples of high school student resume career objectives

"I am a motivated team player and aspiring graphic designer seeking an opportunity to work in a sign shop where I can apply my skills and further develop my artistic abilities."

"I am an aspiring leader, with more than three years of experience in childcare, seeking a position as a summer camp counselor. I'm excited to share my talents while expanding my leadership skills as part of a valued community institution."

Highlight any experience

From babysitting to mowing lawns, volunteer work to extracurricular activities (such as clubs or sports), you should include all previous experiences that illustrate your work ethic and your ability to participate in team-based activities. Be sure to highlight any leadership experience, special achievements or awards you earned within those roles.

While the positions you've held might not specifically relate to the job you're applying for, highlight relevant responsibilities or transferrable skills you can take with you into the new role. Take time to review the job description and look for specific keywords or requirements that align with your skills and talents.

For example, if you're applying for a role as a barista and the job description says they want someone with good customer service and organizational skills, your work experience may look something like this:

American Cancer Society Relay for Life
Student Volunteer, 2016 – Present

Manage registration table, including greeting and checking in participants
Hand out water and snacks to participants at check-in points
Attend, contribute to and occasionally lead after-school planning meetings
Spearhead efforts to recruit and train new student volunteers

Provide a detailed education section

As a high school student, education and exploration of your interests (like sports or academic clubs) have likely been your primary focus. While you may not have a long list of job experiences, your participation in school, both in and out of the classroom, will provide potential employers insight into the value you'll bring as an employee. This includes both academic achievements and participation in activities that prove you to be a balanced, well-rounded person.

If you've achieved an impressive grade point average or completed challenging coursework, listing this information can illustrate your dedication and ability to overcome obstacles. Additionally, be sure to include your extracurricular activities. This shows employers that you're able to balance multiple responsibilities. Finally, be sure to list any completed coursework related to the job.

For example, if you're applying for an internship at a newspaper, your education section may look something like this:

Susan B. Anthony High School
Graduation Date: May 2019
GPA: 3.7
Relevant coursework: Introduction to Journalism, Yearbook, Creative Writing, Photography
Clubs: School newspaper, Art club, International club, Future business leaders of America

Related: How to List Education on a Resume

List awards and achievements

Employers are looking for candidates who have a history of making an impact. Sharing your awards and achievements—academic or otherwise—proves you can make positive contributions and will help you stand out above other candidates.

Here are a few examples of awards or achievements you can include on a high school resume:

Member of the National Honors Society
Elected student body president for the 2016/2017 school year
Awarded school newspaper best feature article of the year
Helped yearbook staff increase ad sales 30% year over year

Share hard and soft skills

Employers prefer to hire employees who have a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are abilities that are specific to the job, while soft skills are attributes that can be applied in any position. In most cases, hard skills are learned and based on experience while soft skills are rooted in your personality and are often not easily taught.

For example, if you're applying for an internship as a graphic designer, your hard skills might include:

Photoshop
InDesign
Logo creation
Digital design
Print design

And your soft skills might include:

Active listening
Verbal communication
Accepting constructive criticism
Customer service
Problem-solving

Related: Interview Question: "What is Your Greatest Strength?"

High school resume example

Below is an example of a high school resume to reference as you're drafting your own. You can also view our full list of resume samples for more inspiration.

Contact
Tomas Domingo
(555) 111-2233
tdiego@email.com

I am a motivated, aspiring finance and accounting professional seeking an opportunity to learn alongside industry leaders in the tech space where I can apply my skills and further develop my passion for mathematics.

Education
River Tech High School
Graduation Date: May 2019
GPA: 3.8
Relevant coursework: Intro to Business Studies, Calculus 1 & 2, Advanced Geometry

Experience & Activities
Finance & Accounting Internship
Crane & Jenkins, Fall 2018

Performed systems analysis, testing and documentation for existing processes

Organized process to decrease time spent reviewing by 10%

Project team selected as winner for most innovative at program-end

Mathletes Team Captain, 2017–2018

Lead weekly team meetings and developed practice events to prepare for the annual Winter Math Competition

Team won nine of 10 competitions during tenure as team captain

Increased spring sign-ups through recruitment events by 15%

Cashier
Thompson's Grocery, 2015–2017

Strategically plan ahead according to high traffic times of day

Handle register during high pressure

Conduct all transactions involving gift cards, refunds, and store credit

Awards & Achievements
Intro to Business Certification
Member of the Key Club 2016, 2017, 2018
Academic Honor Roll 2014–Present

Skills & Abilities
Quickbooks
G Suite
Active listening
Accepting constructive criticism
Problem-solving

As a high school student, you have the ability to develop an impressive resume filled with relevant coursework, volunteer work, skills and abilities and other experiences that make you a great fit for a job. By highlighting your greatest strengths, skills, abilities and future aspirations, you'll have a lasting impression on employers.