High School Resume — Complete Guide + Free Templates

How to Write a High School Resume

Start with the job search.

Determine if you want a part-time job, an internship, a seasonal job or a trade job. This will help you determine what work experiences and skills you need to highlight in your resume. Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all resume; each one should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for.

Establish your strengths.

Think of your participation in clubs, teams, associations or even hobbies. Make a list of these activities and what you’ve learned in them; it could be teamwork, self-discipline, creativity, communication. You will use these qualities to write your resume’s skills section.

Choose the right format.

The same way one resume won’t work for every job application; one resume won’t work for every candidate. The following three resume formats help present you in the most flattering way while downplaying any potential weaknesses you may have like, say, lack of extensive work experience.

What to Include in Your High School Resume

1. Strong summary statement

A summary statement, also called a professional summary, is basically a pitch of yourself to your potential employer. It is composed of two or three sentences that convey your strongest qualities.

For example, if you’re applying for a sales associate position, your summary statement could read like this:

2. Relevant work history

If you’ve had common high school jobs like cashier, retail associate or babysitter, include them in your work history if you’re applying for similar positions.

Every work experience entry needs to include a job title, the dates of employment and any major achievements. We always recommend you quantify these achievements with numbers.

Here’s an example:

3. Showcase your skills

The skills section is one of the most important sections of your resume since it includes the main professional qualities that will get you hired.

Let’s continue with the sales associate example. You can include a list of six to eight skills such as:

In a functional resume, your skills will form the basis of your resume. Instead of listing job titles, you will list three to four main skills. Each skill should be followed by the tasks and achievements that prove you have developed them.

For example:

4. Awards, honors and special achievements

Include a separate section in your resume that lists your participation in clubs or student associations; extracurricular activities such as theater, sports or band; and any other impressive accomplishments.

Take a look at how you should format it:

5. Display your education

To list your education you must include the name of your high school, its city and state, and your expected graduation date. Here’s how it should look:

6. Contact information

Your resume begins with your contact information, which includes your full name, email address, phone number, and your city, state and ZIP code. It was customary to include a full address, but since it’s unlikely you’ll receive traditional mail, this is not necessary.

Follow this example:

FAQ