High School Student Resume Examples [Templates for 2024]
A well-written resume can make a big difference in your job search if you’re a high school student looking for a job. Here, you’ll find ways to optimize your high school student resume with volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, skills and hobbies, plus resume examples to help you land the job.
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Sample resumes for high school students
The following high school student resumes will give you an idea of how to organize your resume sections and what information to highlight depending on your experience level and desired role.
High school student resume (Food server)
What this resume gets right:
- Includes a professional summary that communicates the job seeker’s experience working in a fast-paced environment and following food safety regulations.
- Shares the skills section at the top of the resume so recruiters can see this job seeker’s qualifications.
- Makes the most of a short work history by including various unique achievements such as achieving employee of the month and increasing table spending.
High school student resume with little to no experience (Tutor)
What this resume gets right:
- Adds a skills section at the top to communicate to the employer they possess the required skills.
- Includes an additional skills section instead of a traditional work history, allowing the candidate to share relevant achievements according to each skill.
- Minimizes the candidate’s lack of work experience by only sharing essential details about previous jobs.
Resume for a high school student’s first job (Barista)
What this resume gets right:
- Opens with a solid objective statement where the candidate shares their enthusiasm and commitment to professional development.
- Showcases essential qualifications for the barista role, such as latte art skills and supplier management,
- Includes a certifications section to demonstrate their certified barista training.
Experienced high school student resume (Camp counselor)
What this resume gets right:
- Immediately communicates the candidate’s relevant camp counseling experience in a resume summary packed with qualifications.
- Includes three relevant work experiences in the work history section and shares quantifiable achievements in the three listed roles.
- Maximizes the skills section by showcasing eight highly relevant skills and keywords.
High school student college application resume
What this resume gets right:
- Includes a resume objective where the job seeker mentions their passion for their significant and personal connection to the university.
- Includes an extra section titled “Projects,” where the candidate shares school and personal projects related to their Communications major.
- Includes an extended education section where they share their impressive GPA, valedictorian status and college credits completed in the summer.
High school student resume (Receptionist)
What this resume gets right:
- Includes relevant skills in a brief resume summary that helps the resume catch recruiters’ attention.
- Shares keywords in the work history descriptions to ensure the resume bypasses any applicant tracking systems (ATS) searching for those words.
- Mentions relevant and unique accomplishments in their work experience that differentiate the candidate from other applicants.
High school student resume (Lifeguard)
What this resume gets right:
- Uses the resume objective to showcase their genuine enthusiasm for the job and relevant qualifications.
- Places the skills and the work experience in equal standing to show recruiters they’re a well-rounded candidate.
- Includes additional sections to show more relevant qualifications, such as their CPR certification and language skills.
High school student resume (Dishwasher)
What this resume gets right:
- Strikes a smart balance in the resume objective by showcasing the most relevant qualifications and the job seeker’s eagerness to grow.
- Emphasizes their relevant qualifications by placing the skills section at the top of the resume.
- Follows with a robust work history section where the job seeker provides context for their accomplishments in the food service industry.
High school student resume (Pet Sitter)
What this resume gets right:
- Utilizes the resume objective to pinpoint the job seeker’s career aspirations and goals to assure potential employers of their dedication.
- Includes a summary of qualifications to give recruiters a preview of their skills and areas of expertise.
- Shares the job seeker’s career accomplishments categorized by skill, effectively distracting from a limited career history.
High school student resume (Hostess)
What this resume gets right:
- Opts for the well-known chronological format to showcase their extensive experience in the restaurant industry.
- Highlights impressive and unique achievements in the work history that help the candidate stand out, such as experience supervising dining room operations and directing waitstaff.
- Highlights their relevant Hospitality Management degree and their food safety certification.
High school student resume (Retail sales associate)
What this resume gets right:
- Uses the professional summary to mention required qualifications but also shares highly valuable extra skills in merchandising and sales that will surely grab an employer’s attention.
- Positions the skills section next to the work history for another chance at capturing recruiters’ attention with a strong and diverse skill set.
- Makes sure to show they have experience in all retail and sales areas by listing relevant and quantifiable achievements.
High school student resume (Babysitter)
What this resume gets right:
- Opts for a professional summary to showcase this experienced job seeker’s qualifications and expertise, like their CPR certification and babysitting multiple children simultaneously.
- Uses the skills section to showcase their specialized child care knowledge, increasing their value as candidates.
- Demonstrates their diverse babysitting experience in the work history by showing the candidate has worked independently for families and in private child care establishments.
PRO TIP
Although we have tailored this guide to help high school students apply for a job, we also have an article that will teach you how to write a college resume as a student preparing for college admissions.
What is the best resume format for a high school student?
Out of the three recruiter-approved resume formats, most high school students should opt for a functional resume because it’s the best at showcasing relevant skills while minimizing work experience, which most high schoolers don’t have.
The other two resume formats are also acceptable for high school students, depending on their situation. A high school student with more work experience than the average teenager can get away with using a combination or a chronological resume.
You can easily recreate all these resume formats inside our Resume Builder and get automatic formatting so everything fits neatly into one page. Ready to start applying for jobs?
How to write a resume for a high school student
Once you’ve established which resume format is best for your experience level, you can start writing your resume. Follow these easy steps to learn how to write each section of your high school student resume.
STEP 1
Format your contact information correctly
Your resume for a high school student needs to begin with contact information that includes:
- Your name
- Phone number where recruiters can easily reach you
- A professional email address
- City and state where you reside
- LinkedIn so recruiters can see more of your achievements (optional)
- Work-related social media accounts, for example, your babysitting Facebook page (optional)
Make sure you leave out this information from your high school student resume:
- Residential address: Never include your full street address for security reasons. As a minor, this can pose a big risk to your safety.
- Photo or headshot: Including a profile photo or headshot in your resume is an ongoing debate. Some corporations are wary of resumes with headshots in the U.S. because of potential discrimination lawsuits.
STEP 2
Write a resume objective to impress employers
Your resume should include a brief opening statement that shares who you are, your experiences and qualifications and what you want from the job opportunity. This statement is called a resume objective, and it’s the best approach for high school students with little or no work experience.
Check out good and bad resume objective examples below:
Good example of a resume objective
“Motivated and dependable service industry professional eager to contribute cash handling, stocking and kitchen prep skills to a reputable dining establishment. Possess training in various knife techniques and maintains a spotless kitchen environment. I am quick on my feet, a fast learner and a respectful crew member.”
Why this example works:
- Hits on many of the job’s required skills, such as cash handling, knife techniques and kitchen prep.
- Reassures potential employers by signaling the job seeker’s motivation, dependability and respectfulness.
Bad example of a resume
objective
“I am a high school student looking for a job while I’m in school in a fast food restaurant. I am a hard worker, so I’m confident I’ll do well in this role. Give me a chance, and I won’t let you down.”
Why this example doesn’t work:
- Uses too many filler words and phrases, such as the informal “I” pronoun.
- Doesn’t provide any relevant skills and asks recruiters to hire them without any basis.
Want more ideas of what to write in your resume objective? Find dozens of pre-written phrases you can copy-paste to your resume objective and edit to fit your unique characteristics when you use our Resume Builder.
STEP 3
Include skills relevant to the job.
Your resume skills section should include six to eight professional skills. However, you shouldn’t arbitrarily add the first skills that pop into your mind.
Instead, list the skills the employer seeks. You can find these required skills and qualifications in any job description; in the resume industry, we call them resume keywords.
You should include as many resume keywords as possible throughout your high school student resume, especially in the skills section.
Skills section example for high school resume (Hostess)
Skills
- Dining room management
- OpenTable expertise
- Excellent verbal communication
- Knowledge of POS systems (Clover, Lightspeed)
- Complaint resolution
- Friendly demeanor
- Flexibility
- Multitasking
PRO TIP
Find hundreds of skills like this in our Resume Builder’s database. Type in your desired job title and years of experience, and the Resume Builder will suggest the most in-demand skills that best fit you.
STEP 4
Write a work experience to show off achievements.
Your work experience section should list any previous jobs in reverse-chronological order. List your current or most recent job and then work backward.
Every work experience entry should have the following information:
- Your job title
- The company or employer name
- Dates of employment
- Basic location (city and state)
The key to writing a great work experience section is to favor accomplishments over job responsibilities. You may instinctively write your job duties instead of being specific about your achievements. Any other applicant might have the same job responsibilities as you, but no one has the same accomplishments.
Compare the following examples of a high school student’s resume work experience section to learn how to maximize this section.
Good example of a work experience section
Work Experience
Babysitter 01/2022 – Present
Orange Theory Gym | Pasadena, CA
- Supervised play area with 6-10 children ages 3+ up to four-hour shifts.
- Organized different recreational and educational activities for toddlers and grade school children, ensuring friendly social interactions.
- Effectively de-escalated tantrums and conflicts between children quickly to ensure pleasant experiences for kids and avoid interrupting clients’ workout sessions.
Why this example works:
- Shares the candidate’s unique accomplishments instead of generic job duties.
- Highlights quantifiable accomplishments such as the number of children they supervised and the length of their shifts.
- Sneaks in even more relevant skills and keywords such as de-escalating tantrums, recreation, educational activities and expertise with toddlers and grade school children.
Bad example of a work experience section
Work Experience
Babysitter 01/2022 – Present
Orange Theory Gym | Pasadena, CA
- Supervised children during day care.
- Organized many activities.
- Resolved tantrums between crying toddlers.
Why this example doesn’t work:
- Only shares the bare minimum job responsibilities of any babysitter.
- Leaves the recruiter doubting the candidate’s capabilities beyond just watching children by not incorporating unique experiences and skills.
Want to write a work experience section that lands you a job interview? Simply type in your desired job and years of experience, and our Resume Builder will create a custom work experience section for you.
STEP 5
Showcase your education.
Another section where high school students can shine is the education section, where you can go beyond your high school diploma with any special awards or honors you’ve received.
Because you haven’t graduated yet from high school, your education section should look like this:
Education example for high school resume
Education
High School Diploma – Expected graduation: June 2024
Sacred Heart Preparatory School | Atherton, CA
Some additional information you can include in your education section is:
- Your GPA: Include your GPA if it’s 3.5 or higher.
- Honor roll status: “High Honors Grades 9, 10 & 11.”
- Class rank: This is your position in class based on your GPA and a class member’s GPA. Mention your class rank if you’re in the top 25% of your class.
STEP 6
Customize your high school resume with extra sections.
After completing your main resume sections, consider adding extra sections to showcase achievements beyond skills, education and experience.
Here are some of those potential extra sections and how to write each one:
Honors and awards
An Honors and Awards section is a classic addition to many high school resumes. This section allows students to show they excel in their studies, which makes them appealing to employers.
Some honors and awards you can include are:
- Honor Roll student
- President’s Award for Educational Excellence
- President’s Award for Educational Achievement
- Advanced Placement Scholar Award
- Scholar of National Merit
- Class rank acknowledgment
- Award for Perfect Attendance
- Awards for excelling in specific school subjects
- Awards for academic competitions
- Prizes for National Forensic League competitions
- Awards for sports competitions
Honors and awards example for high school resume
Honors and Awards
AP Scholar Award with Honor(2022)
1st Place Award– Regional Forensic League Competition (2020)
2nd Place Award – Regional Forensic League Competition (2021, 2022)
President’s Award for Educational Achievement (2012) – 8th Grade Graduation
Volunteer Experience
Including a Volunteer Experience section can show employers that you have acquired some real-life professional skills and savviness. Volunteering also looks great on college applications, so having a solid set of volunteering hours is a big plus.
Some places where you can volunteer are:
- Animal shelters
- Women’s and children’s shelters
- Environmental preservation organizations
- Children’s hospitals
- Veterans’ hospitals
- Homes for senior citizens
- After-school day care/tutoring
Volunteer work example for high school resume
Volunteer Experience
150 Hours – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
50 Hours – After School Supervised Studies, Central High School
Extracurricular activities
Sharing activities and other experiences beyond your academics tells employers of your areas of interest. Focus primarily on extracurricular activities that directly relate to your desired job.
For example, if you’re applying for a customer service or retail position, sharing your long career as a Girl Scout can be a great way to validate your sales and organizational skills.
Some other extracurricular activities you can include are:
- Student body council
- Drama club
- Individual or team sports
- Robotics club
- Mathletes
- Environmental Club
- Domestic sciences club
- National Honor Society
Extracurricular activities example for high school resume
Extracurricular activities
Vice President – Stuyvesant High School Student Council (2022-2023)
Treasurer – Stuyvesant High School Student Council (2021-2022)
Mathletes Club Member (since 2021-Present)
Language skills
If you have multiple language competencies, share them on your high school resume. Sharing your various language skills is an excellent addition to your resume if you’re applying for jobs that require you to interact with all kinds of people, such as retail, customer service, receptionist work or even government.
Language skills example for high school resume
Languages
English: Native Language
Spanish: Advanced
Mandarin: Elementary
You can easily customize your resume with additional sections in our Resume Builder. There is no need to figure out how to format and organize your sections. The Builder takes care of that automatically so all your essential information fits neatly into one page.
4 tips for writing a stellar high school student resume
1. Make a list of things you’re proud of.
Before writing your resume, make a list of accomplishments you’re proud of. If it’s your first time writing a resume, brainstorming achievements from your high school career will help you choose which ones to include.
Think back and pinpoint circumstances where you’ve excelled, such as sports competitions, volunteer work, part-time work, school projects, student council elections or participation in a school club.
2. Pick information that’s relevant to your desired job.
Now, you’ll want to determine which achievements deserve a spot on your resume. If the achievement demonstrates skills and knowledge directly related to your desired job, you should consider including it in your resume.
Tailoring your resume for a specific job ensures your best chances of getting an interview. Your high school student resume shouldn’t be a general overview of all your skills and qualifications. It should be a careful selection of qualities that demonstrate you’re the ideal candidate for that role.
3. Draw from various experiences to build a work history section.
Because work experience is one of the five essential resume sections, we always recommend trying to include it. For high school students, including a traditional work experience section can seem impossible if they’ve never had a formal job.
Remember that you can include some informal jobs, like babysitting, part-time or seasonal jobs, or even helping at a family business. If you can’t think of experiences that would fit into a work history section, you can swap out this section for “Volunteer Work,” “Projects” or “Extracurricular Activities.”
4. Don’t stress about graduation dates.
If you are under 18, you should include your expected graduation date in your education section. Otherwise, you shouldn’t include graduation dates on your resume to avoid hiring bias from employers. However,
Free downloadable resume template for high school students
If you don’t know how to make a resume for a first job as a high school student, these free resume templates will help. Pay close attention to the template’s content for tips on writing each section of your high school student resume.
Chronological
Functional
Combination
Build a better resume faster with our Resume Builder!
Save time from writing your high school resume from scratch and let our Resume Builder do the work for you. All you have to do is tell us your desired job, and the Builder will generate personalized content for all your resume sections. Just remember to go in and tweak the info with your details!
Connect with employers with a cover letter
Connect with employers with a cover letter
A great way to get recruiters to notice your job application as a high school student is by including a cover letter. With a cover letter, you can share why you possess relevant skills and capabilities that make you a great candidate despite having less work experience.
Create a personalized cover letter in minutes with our Cover Letter Builder!
Benefits of using a cover letter:
- Allows you to share even more professional accomplishments.
- It lets you contextualize how and where you developed your skills.
- It helps you connect on a personal level with employers.
- It gives you a chance to sell yourself as the ideal candidate.
- Offers the opportunity to share the positive side of perceived shortcomings as a high school student.
Key takeaways
- Pick a combination or functional resume format if you need more work experience.
- Focus on achievements demonstrating your abilities to excel in your desired job.
- Write a summary objective showcasing relevant skills and career goals.
- List various soft and hard skills relevant to the role.
- Share unique achievements instead of generic job responsibilities in your work experience section.
- Highlight your academic achievements in your education, and share your expected graduation date.
- Customize your resume with additional sections like Honors and Awards, Extracurricular Activities or Volunteer Work.
- Use a cover letter to show employers all the ways you’re a valuable candidate, even as a high school student.
- Use a Resume Builder like ours to make the process easier and quicker for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a high school resume be?
Your high school resume should be one page long. One-page resumes are the preferred length for most recruiters because it allows them to scan your resume in seconds.
What’s the best way to create a high school resume?
The best way to create a high school resume that gets you interviews is to:
- Add relevant achievements for each job application.
- Include keywords from the job description that recruiters want to see on your resume.
- Use a professional resume template that’s organized and visually appealing.
- Reap the benefits of using a Resume Builder that offers pre-written phrases and a database of 100+ in-demand skills.
How do I write a resume with no experience?
When writing a resume with no experience, compensate with a diverse skill set, a strong education, academic achievements and any certifications that can validate your specialized knowledge.
In our no-experience resume writing guide, learn every tip for creating a genuinely impressive resume, even if you haven’t had an extensive career.
Is it OK to put your high school diploma on a resume?
You can include your high school diploma on your resume if you’re a recent high school graduate or college student. However, suppose you’ve already graduated from college. In that case, it’s best to leave your high school diploma out, and any other academic achievements from your high school career since these can seem outdated.
Should high school jobs be on a resume?
It depends. If you had jobs during high school unrelated to your career, you’re better off leaving those jobs out of your resume. You should only include jobs directly related to your career or desired role on your resume.
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