A High School Student’s Guide to Writing a Resume

For high school students, one of their main focuses is preparing for college. There are long days (and nights) doing assignments, studying for tests, and ensuring their grades are top-notch.

Another aspect they need to start preparing for is the world of employment. It’s not something many think about because they’re living at home.

But as they get older, they’ll want to get a job and increase their financial independence. However, most teenagers don’t have a resume or don’t have much experience to improve their employment chances.

While having a resume with outlined experience is essential, students can get by with a few tricks. Here’s how to format a high school resume.

1. Start With a Career Objective

The first thing you’ll need to have on your resume is a career objective. It’s a brief statement to employers outlining your career goals and skills.

Since you don’t have that much work history yet, you can use this statement to highlight your writing skills. It also provides employers with a great first impression, which can make all the difference.

Understandably, creating a resume is a daunting experience. But with the help of a free online resume builder, you can showcase your formatting skills.

2. Highlight Your Experience

Next, you’ll need to highlight your experience. If you’ve worked odd jobs like babysitting, shoveling snow, or hand-washing the neighbor’s car, add them to your resume.

As you’re describing your experience, use words such as:

• Assisted
• Managed
• Dedicated
• Initiated

Although you have no “real” work experience, these activities show potential employers your work ethic. Yes, some employers are looking for related experience, but you can make a strong case for yourself by demonstrating your abilities. 

3. Provide An In-Depth Description of Your Educational Experience

Since you’re in high school, you obviously can’t talk about your college degree. So your primary focus should be to describe your educational experiences thus far.

If you’re taking Honors or AP classes, include your GPA and talk about how you overcame the coursework. It illustrates your dedication and ability to conquer challenging obstacles.

You should also add extracurricular sports activities or social clubs. While grades are an essential aspect of your resume, employers also want to see if you’re a well-rounded individual. 

4. Outline Awards and Achievements

Have you won any awards, whether academic or athletic? If so, highlight them on your resume.

Potential employers want to hire someone who has positively impacted their institution. Don’t be shy; the more achievements you have, the better chance you’ll have to stand out from the competition.

High School Students Should Start Their Resumes Early

It’s never too early for high school students to start working on their resumes. As you continue to gain experience, you can adjust your resume accordingly. Before you know it, you’ll have a hefty resume that will help you land a job.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed our resume formatting advice. For more educational content, feel free to check out other blog posts.