Resume Help
Writing a resume as a high school student may seem challenging, especially if you have limited or no formal experience. However, there are effective ways to demonstrate your skills and potential to employers. This page provides tips and examples to help you get started.
Writing a Resume as a High School Student for a Job
Click the link below to view the full article on what to include in your resume, along with examples of high school resumes.
What to Include in Your Resume
Informal Work Experience and Activities
If you have formal, paid work experience, be sure to include it. If not, you may include informal work such as babysitting, pet sitting, lawn care, or other services performed for pay. Even without a regular paycheck, these experiences demonstrate responsibility, reliability, and transferable skills.
Because many high school students have limited formal work experience, it is important to highlight other areas that reflect your character, work ethic, and abilities. Include extracurricular activities, volunteer work, academic achievements, and athletic involvement.
Leadership Roles
If you have held leadership positions (e.g., club officer or team captain), be sure to include them. For each role, provide a brief description along with a bulleted list of responsibilities and accomplishments.
Attitude and Work Habits
Employers often value strong work habits and a positive attitude as much as experience. If you have a record of strong attendance, punctuality, or reliability, consider including this information. Recognition from teachers, coaches, or supervisors for positive behavior or outstanding service should also be noted.
Achievements and Accomplishments
Employers look for individuals who make meaningful contributions. Review your experiences and identify specific achievements in academics, activities, sports, or work. Use action verbs such as enhanced, reorganized, increased, improved, initiated, upgraded, or expanded to clearly describe your contributions. Including advanced or challenging academic projects can further demonstrate initiative and strong work ethic.
Writing a Resume for College or Scholarship Applications
Think resumes are just for jobs? Think again.
While many college applications do not require a resume (and some may not allow one), learning how to create a resume for use with the Common Application can be a valuable time-saving strategy for high school seniors. Developing a college resume can also be beneficial when applying for internships, jobs and scholarships.
The link below provides examples of college resumes, formatting tips, and downloadable templates that you can use to get started.
Do I need to send a resume to college?
Before you start making a resume to send to colleges, you should first consider these important questions:
- Do the colleges you are applying to accept or require a resume?
- Does your resume provide information or insight that is not already included in your application?
- Are there additional reasons to create a resume?
Additional Reasons to Create a Resume
Yes, there are several situations in which having a resume is beneficial.
- Applying for scholarships: Many third-party scholarship organizations require a resume in addition to application essays.
- Applying for jobs or internships: A resume can be tailored for specific positions, making it useful for both high school students and college freshmen.
- Prepare for interviews: Bringing a copy of your resume to college, job, or internship interviews can provide helpful talking points and demonstrate preparedness.