What should a high school student resume include?
To write the best resume for your job search, you will need to represent your skills and experiences in a way that shows you are suitable for the requirements of the job description. Your high school resume should include the following sections:
Header
The header section should contain your contact information, including your full name, phone number and professional email address. You can also include your professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile if you have one but this may not be beneficial for a high school job application.
If you’re applying for a creative job or an internship, the resume header is also the place to include a link to your portfolio.
Resume summary or objective
The next section is the resume summary or resume objective. This short two-to-three-sentence paragraph provides a snapshot of your background.
More experienced candidates will generally create a resume summary. This will include key achievements, skills and positions. For a high school student, a resume objective statement is more appropriate. A resume objective statement should include your key skills and any relevant achievements, as well as a statement of your career goals and intentions.
Take a look at these examples of a resume objective, and see how the “good” example is specific about the applicant’s strengths, and job goals:
Good high school student resume objective
High school student looking to apply leadership and teamwork skills at an entry-level barista position to further professional development. Possesses proficiency in interpersonal communication, writing skills and working under pressure. Proven ability to learn quickly and maintain a clean academic record while participating in extracurricular activities.
Bad high school student resume objective
I’m looking for an entry-level job. I’m a high school student with good communication skills and able to work under pressure.
Skills section
All resumes should contain a skills section that details the most relevant hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills are those technical skills that you train for, such as computer skills, while soft skills are personality traits and abilities that are universal. These are most often interpersonal skills, such as verbal and written communication skills.
The right skills for your resume will depend on the job you’re interested in. However, here’s a list of some key skills you might want to consider:
Work history
When you have a long professional history, the work experience section will serve as a brief overview of your previous roles and achievements.
As a high school student, you can repurpose this section to include other relevant experiences, such as volunteer work, babysitting roles, community service, internships and extracurricular activities you were involved in. You can even include relevant coursework or highlight times when you held leadership roles in your class projects. Whatever you choose you should connect it to the job description and indicate how the experience prepares you for the role.
Whether you’re mentioning your part-time job or a volunteering experience, each bullet point should start with an action verb (e.g., “Managed” or “Coordinated” rather than “Was responsible for”). Avoid using personal pronouns (I, me, my) and if you can, include a quantifiable metric (e.g., “Assisted 40 customers per day”) that will help hiring managers see the positive impact you’ve had. You should also sprinkle in some keywords from the job description that tie in with your experiences and skillset.
Good high school student resume work experience example
Assistant Tutor / Sept. 2022 – April 2024
Washington High School, Seattle, WA
- Assisted seven high school students per semester with assignments and test preparation for Spanish and French classes.
- Coordinated group tutoring sessions of up to four students, promoting collaborative work.
- Tutored under close supervision of teachers and maintained high morale.
Bad high school student resume work experience example
Assistant Tutor / Sept. 2022 – April 2024
Washington High School, Seattle, WA
- I was responsible for tutoring students.
- I scheduled group tutoring sessions to go over Spanish and French coursework.
- My teachers supervised the tutoring I provided.
Education section
As a high school student, the education section of your perfect resume will be your chance to shine. This section should contain the highlights of your academic career.
For example, if you are a member of the National Honor Society, maintain a place on the honor roll. If you have a good GPA, mention it in this section. Also, if you have any certifications in any important skills or computer applications, such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word, be sure to include them in the education section.
You’ll also note in our high school student resume examples that you should include your graduation date (or expected date of graduation). For example
High School Diploma (Expected June 2024)
Washington High School, Seattle, WA
- 3.5 GPA
- National Honor Society (NHS)
More resume examples and tips
We’ve got much more than high school student resume examples. ResumeHelp has tons of career advice and resume resources to help you present yourself as the best candidate for the job. Check our expert articles and how-to guides!