How to Write a Resume for High School Student

Our society demands a lot from our youth. Probably the biggest expectation of all—we instill in them the idea that going to college is the only way they can be successful in life. In so doing, we deliberately eliminate the option of them working for jobs that require but only a resume for high school student, and not a four-year degree.

TV personality Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame has actively campaigned for high school graduates to seriously consider that there are several million openings for trades and semi-skilled occupations waiting to be filled. Rowe particularly argued that a college education isn’t the only path to success. So if you are open to the idea of working a semi-skilled job immediately after high school, perhaps you would like to know a handful of tips to make your resume for high school student more compelling and attractive to potential employers.

Tip #1: Write your objective

Your resume objective serves as your “elevator pitch” about yourself, which should contain your introduction, unique skills, noteworthy accomplishments, and goals at work. It can be just a single sentence or a brief paragraph of three to four sentences. Regardless of length, your resume objective should explain why you’re applying for the position and what makes you a strong candidate for the role. Check out these examples.

Applying for the paperboy, looking to bring energy, enthusiasm, and initiative to the position.

Trustworthy and adaptable high school grad looking for a full-time position at your food establishment and applying my well-developed service skills to meet your customers’ high expectations.

High school senior applying for a retail salesperson job where I can harness my exceptional customer service skills to prepare for a career in marketing.

Tip #2: List your relevant skills

Potential employers will want to know what you’re capable of the right of the bat, so immediately after your heading and objective summary, add a Skills section that includes any abilities you have that relate to the job. Depending on the requirements, you will want to list your fields of expertise, such as computer skills, communication skills, physical skills, or soft skills such as teamwork, honesty, self-management, etc.

Skills

• High-achieving student-athlete

• Mountain biking enthusiast

• Strong work ethic

• Adaptable learner

Tip #3: Showcase your academic achievements

As a current or graduating high school student, you want to place the spotlight on your educational attainments right after your Skills section. Unless you already have significant work experience, your high school education is going to be your biggest asset in securing an interview and landing a job. If you have an above-average GPA, make sure it’s easy to spot.

If you want, you can put your academic achievements at the top portion of your resume for high school student before the skills section. This can be especially helpful if you have high academic achievements. Make sure to include accolades, awards, and other honors.

When writing your academic achievements, it’s important to have the proper order for all the relevant details. Here’s how to arrange education information on your resume for highschool students.

Covington Catholic High School – Park Hills, KY

Diploma expected 2022

3.6 GPA

Honors and Awards

• Honor Roll during Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years

• Expected Honor Roll during Senior year

• Best Debater, 2021 Kentucky High School Speech League debate competition

Specialties and Certifications

• Sony Vegas Pro Editor

• Adobe Photoshop

• Basic Life Support Training Certification

• Scout Den Leader Training Awardee

Tip #4: Emphasize leadership qualities

Adding leadership experience and skills for resume for high school student is a great way to get your application noticed. Becoming captain of a sports team or a den leader of a scout group are great examples of leadership, so be sure to list positions like these if you’ve held them.

Even if you haven’t had any leadership experience during your high school years, you can demonstrate your potential by incorporating powerful leadership-related keywords in your resume for highschool students. Leadership skills include decision making, delegation, commitment, creativity, communication, adaptability, trustworthiness, responsibility, etc. Here are some examples:

• Developed and led weekly sports activities for the lacrosse team

• Composed monthly email newsletter for school environmental club members

• Recruited club members using social media and during school events

Tip #5: Include volunteer experience and extracurricular activities

Since you will likely have limited work experience coming out of high school, it can help to include any activity you participate in outside of school, including clubs, sports, and other organizations. Volunteer work and extracurriculars can give your potential employers a better sense of your personality and help make you appear as a better-rounded candidate.

Whatever purpose you want your resume for high school student to serve—whether for college admissions, scholarships, or a job position—adding your activities outside of school can provide your application the boost it needs to stand out. Here’s a sample format for the Activities section of a resume for highschool students for your perusal.

Activities

• Three-year member of the basketball varsity team, captain as a junior

• Three-year staffer of the school paper, associate editor as a junior

• Two-year member of school eco-green club

Tip #6: Tailor your resume for high school students to fit each job

If you plan to send your resume for high school student first job to multiple employers, make sure each application is unique and custom-fit for the job and company. Applicants who send the same generic resume for each position are putting their applications at risk of being rejected. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes and think about what they are looking for. Come up with a list of your strengths, skills, and key requirements for a job. Use that insight to demonstrate that you are the right individual for the job.

High school student resume from Resumeble

If you’re having trouble with how to write a resume for high school student or skills for resume for high school student, let Resumeble help you. When you decide to avail of one of our resume writing services, you will be partnered with one of our very capable resume writers who will work with you to develop a resume that will get your foot in the door. Call us today for more info, or send us your high school resume for a free, no-obligation evaluation.