high school resume for college example

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., write a high school student resume for college applications.

Think resumes are only for job seekers? Think again. A high school student resume gives colleges a snapshot of your accomplishments, extracurriculars, hobbies, and work history. They can also be a useful tool for prepping for a college interview or to give to the teachers who are writing your letters of recommendation .

Not sure how to get started? Follow our tips for crafting a standout resume for college and scholarship applications.

What should go on a high school student resume for college admissions?

Any of the sections below could appear on your resume for college applications. Pick an assortment that works for you!

• Heading with your name, address, and e-mail
• High school information with your graduation date, GPA (weighted), class rank, and SAT/ACT scores
• Academic awards, publications, honors, and other achievements
• Coursework (summer programs, college courses, or other specialized workshops that do not appear on your high school transcript)
• Extracurricular activities
• Community service
• Work experience
• Special skills (e.g. foreign language fluency or HTML expertise)

When should you submit a resume to colleges?

Some colleges and scholarship committees request or recommend that you include a high school resume with your application materials. (But don’t submit a resume if they don’t ask for one—following instructions is a key application strategy.) Bring your resume to college interviews and give copies to your college counselor and teachers so that they can write you the strongest possible recommendation letter.

Tips for Composing Your College Admissions Resume

1. keep it concise..

Pare down the activities you showcase to the most brag-worthy and most representative of you as a candidate. Do colleges need to know that you were on the field hockey team for one semester in Grade 9? Probably not. The standard rule of thumb is to stick to one or two pages.

2. Focus on depth and length of commitment.

When deciding which activities and accomplishments make the cut, keep in mind that colleges would much rather see you excited about one or two key experiences than sporadic involvement in 20 clubs. If having an after-school job limited your ability to participate in clubs or sports, make sure your resume plays up your work responsibilities, training, and on-the-job skills.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Applying to College

3. Provide detail whenever possible.

The details are what set a resume apart from a list of extracurriculars on a standard college application. For example, when describing your involvement in the French Club make sure to include:

• school years/hours per week you participated
• specific contributions (e.g. "Organized a successful after-school film series to introduce our community to French cinema and culture" )
• leadership roles (e.g. "Treasurer, Grade 12" )
• unique details that will make you stand out

4. Highlight things you weren’t able to write about in your college essays or short answers.

Use your high school resume to show colleges something new. If your devotion to photography didn’t make it on the application but is a big part of who you are, then showcase your photography cred on your resume.

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5. Formatting is key.

Make your resume easy to scan. Divide information into sections with clear headings, bulleted lists, and a consistent font. Use a system of organization that works for you. (Chronological, by importance of activity, or by time commitment are a few options.) Don’t forget to proofread !

6. Be honest and accurate.

Colleges know how to spot inconsistencies in your high school student resume, and they won’t hesitate to call your counselor to verify information that doesn't seem right. So don't tell them that you have practice for the school play for 30 hours per week—unless drama club is somehow your full-time job!

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3 High School Student for College Resume Examples

High School Student for College Resume

Formal high school student for college resume, elegant high school student for college resume.

• High School Student for College Resume Writing 101

Life as a high school student can be exhilarating, but it can also feel like you’re juggling five million things. You’re sending out college applications, doing interviews, taking extracurricular courses, trying to have a social life, and prepare your resume for that killer job you’ve been eyeing.

If you don’t have a lot of experience, you might feel like it’s impossible to create a resume as a high school student headed to college. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be!

We’ve helped thousands of high school students craft awesome resumes and master writing a great cover letter for that college job over the years, which is why we’ve created this guide with everything you need to know—starting with three sample high school student for college resumes.

or download as PDF

Related resume examples

• High school teacher
• English teacher
• Middle school teacher
• Social science teacher
• High school student

The Most Important Part: Skills & Work Experience

As a high school student, you may be short on career experience, but you can use this section to focus on all the skills you’ve gained from the activities that keep you busy!

Your goal here is to show that you’re a motivated go-getter, and you can use the skills section to do just that. Start by reading the job description carefully to see what kind of skills they might want, like verbal communication, time management, or research.

Then, think about what skills you’ve picked up from school clubs, after-school activities, odd jobs, or errands, and write those down. If you’re stuck, ask a friend: sometimes the skills may seem so obvious to you that you’ll forget to include it!

9 Best High School Student for College Skills

• Customer service
• Microsoft Office
• Social media marketing
• Determination/diligence
• Research/analytics
• Bilingualism
• Time management
• Collaboration

Sample High School Student for College Work Experience Bullet Points

So you’ve gotten the skills section out of the way. Now, you want to focus on letting your previous experience shine.

Sure, you may not have worked as a teen in a traditional 9-to-5 yet, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the chops. So how can you convince the recruiter you can do what it takes as a high school student looking for a college job?

Focus on impact (using metrics) from previous roles like volunteer work, internships, regular chores, extracurricular activities, or side gigs. Showcase using numbers the impact you had. Recruiters will clearly see that you know what’s important, and more importantly know how to measure it.

Let’s look at a few examples:

• Started an Eastern European Literature club as a freshman, recruiting 35+ members in the first semester
• Assisted in fundraising events for inner-city kids, helping raise $40,000 in 2 weeks
• Founded and ran a comedy page on Instagram and TikTok, reaching 5 million views and 23,000 followers
• Surpassed sales targets by 6-9% on a weekly basis by upselling appetizers and desserts to diners

Top 5 Tips for Your High School Student for College Resume

• A career objective can help your resume stand out when you’re a high school student, but only if it’s not impactful. Clearly demonstrate your achievements and drive, and mention where you see yourself within the company you’re applying to. If it’s just generic fluff, it’s best to skip it.
• It can be easy to minimize your talents if you’re early on in your career. That’s a mistake! Focus on what makes you unique: are you a polyglot? A math whiz? Top of the class in Computer Science? If it could help you stand out, put it down!
• Conversely, don’t wax poetic when writing your high school student for college resume. It doesn’t need to be a two-page resume. If you’ve got the essentials, you’re good to go. Less is more, and filler will kill your chances of getting interviewed.
• Yes, we’re repeating this! Use your work experience to show what kind of positive impact you’ve had through your previous tasks and responsibilities. Whether it’s chairing class meetings, participating in community activities, or volunteering for a fundraiser, make it clear what your impact was.
• A good resume should be easy on the eyes. Have lots of white space, simple bullet points, and no fancy graphics or images that could mess up your layout. Remember, your resume as a high school student is the first impression your future employer might have of you!

Absolutely! Don’t worry if you haven’t had an internship or worked in retail yet. Focus on volunteer work, your education, extracurricular courses you’ve taken, hobbies, and any other achievements like a strong GPA. Remember, everyone needs to start somewhere.

Sure thing! In fact, it’s better to have less than too much. If you have all the essentials we talked about, then you should be good to go. And remember: recruiters aren’t expecting you to have that much experience out of high school.

All you need to do is make sure any skills the job description asks for are reflected in your resume. Plus, include relevant work experience that aligns with the mindset or profile they’re looking for. And don’t forget to customize your career objective !

• How to Write a High School Resume for College Application (with examples)

Writing an excellent high school resume for college consideration is the only way you increase your chances of getting into the higher education institution of your dreams. While many people state that you can only create an excellent resume when you have tons of high school accomplishments, you can always work with what you have and still create a killer document.

In this article, we provide you with useful tips on how to craft the perfect high school resume for college applications. Better yet, we share with you some great examples to help you understand the fundamentals of good resume writing . Let’s get on with it.

Adopt the Perfect College Application Resume Format

College admission panels across the country pay particular attention to the format of your document. As such, even if the contents of your paper are compelling to the core, if your formatting is off, then your application will quickly end up in the “reject” pile. So, how do you get the college resume format? Below are a few things to consider.

Use the Reverse-Chronological Structure

This tip is perhaps the most useful in this regard. See, despite there being many colleges in the country, the majority of them still receive tons of applications. So, to ensure that your document is worthy of a second look, your latest and best qualifications should be noted quickly. Luckily, the reverse-chronological format will help you pull this off quite easily.

Are you short on time? You can use this college application resume builder to craft an excellent document with proper formatting.

Be Great with the Spacing, Headings, and Fonts

A college resume with proper spacing is sure to stand out since it is easy on the eye. This is because everything is not crammed up together. Apart from that, it would be best if you crafted proper headings for the different sections to make it easy for the assessors to identify parts of your application. Lastly, you need to use a legible typeface to ensure that the admission panel can read your document comfortably. 

Choose the Right File Format and Resume Length

Unless communicated, always save your college resume as PDF since they are machine-readable. For more information on this matter, read more on the acceptable file types for resumes . When it comes to length, one page is always ideal for a high school resume for college.

Write an Excellent College Resume Objective

College admission panels do not read applications. Instead, they skim through them. For this reason, you need to write an attention-grabbing objective .

College Application Resume Examples for High School Seniors

Never write your objective like this:

“An exceptionally diligent scholar with a keen interest in Geography and History. I only have a 3.1 GPA, and 1348 SAT scores, but I am dedicated to working extremely hard on campus. I was captain of my high school lacrosse team.”

So, what is wrong here? Well, it just does not move the reader.

Below is an excellent example of a resume objective.

“Enthusiastic student writer/producer looking forward to bringing a refreshing feel to New York University’s student fraternity exceptional leadership and organizational capabilities. Started and ran an educational YouTube channel that has since gained over 400,000 views and 3,000 comments. Lacrosse team captain with A+ average in Geography, Chemistry, and Art.”

Why is this a “thumbs up?” It shows enthusiasm and quantifies achievements, offering the reader a better perspective. Moreover, it makes good use of tenses .

Highlight Your Activities in the College Resume

Every standout college resume should have the following details:

• The initiatives you launched, their impact, plus any other useful information to support the claims.
• Your hobbies/ interests that are relevant to the course you want to pursue in college.
• The number of professional books you read on the side.
• Clubs you founded, ran and/or participated in.
• Sports activities and achievements.
• Subjects that you were most passionate about.

While the list does not stop there, make sure that you are aware of the things not to include in your resume . This way, you will craft a more compelling document.

College Application Examples

Below is an excellent example of a college resume for high school scholars.

Founder, Supervisor

• Started and ran a YouTube educational channel for two years.
• Wrote and produced 14 short educational documentaries.
• Got 400,000 views and 3,000 comments with 91% positive viewer feedback on the YouTube channel.
• Excellent lacrosse player. Trained 4 days/week since age 12.
• Lacrosse team captain during my final year.
• Read 276 books in different genres.
• Created exemplary art that is pinned in the school gallery.

Useful Takeaway

Avoid writing accomplishments on your college resume at random. Instead, provide those that suit the course and institution you want to join. Case in point, if you’re going to pursue information technology, be sure to list computer-related achievements at the top of your document. In the meantime, take a moment to learn how to list achievements, accomplishments, and awards in a resume on your resume .

That said, avoid writing basic info such as:

• Love writing educational posts.
• Good lacrosse player.
• Captain of the lacrosse team.
• Like to read.

Instead, take time to ponder on your past to find information that will add more weight to your accomplishments.

Add Extra Sections on Your Resume for College

Given that a college application resume is probably the first serious document you’ve been tasked with, it may be hard to figure out what to share to impress the admission committee. To make a lasting impression, you will need to highlight strong points. But you don’t do that in powerful words like self-motivated, driven, industrious, etc. Instead, choose the right information to share. Here are some examples of what looks good on college applications resumes:

• Previous work. If you’ve previously held a part-time or summer job, highlight it to show your working ethic.
• Volunteer gigs . Have you offered your services for free to homeless shelters, nursing homes, animal shelters, hospitals, etc.? Include that too.
• Awards and Certificates. Talk about the activities and competitions you’ve been involved in, for instance, spelling bee, science congress, essay writing, etc., and the awards earned from them.
• Extra-curricular projects. Highlight your projects as well on your high school resume for college. These could include your site/ blog, books/ articles, art, performances, etc.
• Social media influence. If you are an influential figure on social networks such as Instagram, Twitter or YouTube, mention it.
• Leadership roles. Do you have a leadership role in your sports team, club, part-time job, or church? Talking about these positions can help demonstrate your leadership skills.
• What are some things you like to do that could be relevant to your high school resume for college? Include it.
• Sports activities. List all the sports activities you’ve participated in. If you were a captain in any of them, highlight it.
• Hobbies . How do you spend your free time? It could be writing poems, cycling, playing a musical instrument, etc. Use them to show that you utilize your time well.
• If you’ve learned speaking other languages aside from English, for instance, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and so forth, include them in your skillset. If you’re bilingual it’s even cooler.

Write a Compelling Education Section

A breakdown of your academic history is fundamental in a college admissions resume. Your education part must have:

• Your school’s name and where it’s located
• Graduation date (even if it is yet to happen)

Example of the Education Section

When writing this section, go a step further and highlight your relevant accomplishments as well. Example of how to put education on a resume :

Libertyville High School, IL

• Debate Team
• “A” in Science and Mathematics
• Assistant captain, Swim Team
• GPA score of 3.8
• SAT score 1510
• Graduation Date 4/7/19

Always Include Your Working Experience

When you are applying for college, job history isn’t a must as it’s probably your first resume with no experience . However, if you possess a bit of experience, it would help to include it. Remember, this section should go beyond mentioning that you held a particular post. Include what you achieved while in that role to emphasize on your valuable skills.

Job Experience on a Resume for College Example

Here is a perfect work history example:

McDonald’s, Syracuse, NY

• Often ranked as the number 1 tip earner in 2019
• Thrived within high-volume floors, serving up to 200 guests per shift
• Earned employee of the month award price

Highlight Your Skills on Resume for College

Skills are also essential in a resume for college applications. But before you decide what skills to put, learn what transferrable skills the admission committee value most. Then, pick and highlight those that you possess.

Skills to Put on College Admission Example

Always ensure that your skills are relevant to the program you wish to join. Then, present them in bullet form.

Example How to Put Skills in a Resume

Here is a sample of the skills segment of a resume applying for a medical program:

Member, HOSA

• Led a small team in 6 health science events
• Initiated over ten service projects
• Read 27 medical books and journals since the age of 12
• Learned necessary emergency response procedures while volunteering at a local hospital
• Fluent in Spanish

Now you know what looks good on college applications and can proceed to craft an excellent resume for you. Remember, you can include other sections, such as certifications , if they are relevant. Don’t forget to top it off with a powerful cover letter, even if it is optional. Good luck!

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High School Student Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write a High School Student Resume

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

High School Student Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Brenda Martin (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Tampa, FL 33601 | www.linkedin.com/example

Reliable high school student with strong recent sales experience at a major clothing retailer. Committed to providing positive service experiences to new and returning customers. Motivated and adaptable to new work schedules, challenges, and conditions.

• Creative problem-solving
• Customer service and relations
• Inventory monitoring and control
• POS systems
• Product sales and merchandising

Work Experience

Sales Associate, XYZ Clothing, Tampa, FL | May 2022 to September 2022

• Provided high-quality service to new and repeat customers of this popular clothing store
• Greeted and directed store visitors to their desired apparel section
• Assisted customers with sizing and product choices
• Efficiently operated cash register to process order payments
• Tagged and displayed incoming merchandise and performed markdowns on previous season styles
• Maintained a clean and tidy work area at all points

Highlight :

• Won “Employee of the Month” in August 2022 for outstanding customer service

Assistant, Paw Plus Pet Shop, Tampa, FL | June 2021 to September 2021

• Gained a strong foundation in customer service, helping visitors find their desired products
• Stocked shelves and maintained inventory
• Worked the cash register and helped other retail associates as needed

Candidate: Diploma, Tampa High School, Tampa, FL | expected June 2025

Michelle Hamilton (111) 123-4567 | [email protected] | Sacramento, CA 94248 | www.linkedin.com/example

High school student with recent volunteer work at a veterinary clinic. Naturally curious and motivated to learn about new health care procedures and equipment. Passionate about supporting the health and well-being of all types of animals.

• Data gathering and entry
• Filing and documentation
• Microsoft Word, Excel
• Task prioritization
• Team collaboration
• Veterinary procedures and equipment

Volunteer Experience

Sacramento Veterinary Clinic , Sacramento, CA | August 2021 to Present

• Assist veterinarians and staff with various daily tasks such as animal feeding, walking, and cage cleaning
• Facilitate phone, mail, and email communications with pet owners
• File and maintain information on over 150 clients and their pets
• Help maintain an adequate inventory of pet medications
• Refill paper towels and other exam room essentials as needed

Candidate: College Prep Diploma, Sacramento High School, Sacramento, CA | expected June 2024

High School Honors & Activities

Member, Debate Team | August 2022 to Present

• Collaborate closely on a 10-person team to form and organize compelling debate arguments

Attendee, National Honors Society Conference | May 2022

Aliya Jackson (111) 123-4567 | [email protected] | Sacramento, CA 94248 | www.linkedin.com/example

High school student with recent formal experience helping care for toddlers. Dedicated to providing children with fun, educational indoor and outdoor activities. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.

Childcare Provider, Sacramento, CA | January 2021 to August 2022

• Assisted and collaborated with parents of two children, ages 4 and 6
• Created engaging, educational indoor and outdoor activities for each child
• Organized and cleaned the play area regularly
• Provided meals and snacks and assisted with nap times
• Candidate: Diploma, Texas Preparatory School, Austin, TX | expected June 2023
• 3.9 GPA and perfect attendance record to date
• Taking advanced core curriculum classes in math, science, and language arts for college credit
• Voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by the student body in 2022

High School Athletics

Member, Volleyball Team | August 2021 to present

• Won “Most Valuable Player” for the Spring 2022 season
• Demonstrated strong teamwork and adaptability in a high-pressure setting

Fluency in Spanish

If you’re a high school student searching for a job, having a well-crafted resume can help you find potential opportunities. But you may be unsure where to start, especially if you’ve never written your resume. How do you present your education when it’s still underway? And how do you get interviews with little or no work experience?

These concerns shouldn’t keep you from writing a great resume for high school jobs. Chances are, even at a young age, you have experiences you can translate into strong resume content. The trick is focusing on the relevant skills like foreign languages, writing, or leading groups you’ve gained through work, educational, and volunteer experiences. Read on for tips and examples that will help focus your high school resume.

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications

In a brief paragraph, your profile summary should describe your top three to five qualifications for your target high school job. You may think this resume section isn’t necessary for young job seekers and entry-level positions. Yet, at every career level, the profile section improves your resume by focusing the hiring manager’s attention on whatever makes you a great fit.

If you’ve worked before, you may want to base your profile points on that job experience. But you could also base them on your high school experience or other activities. It just depends on what’s relevant to the role you’re pursuing. For instance, maybe you have volunteer experience that overlaps strongly with your target job duties. Or you’ve excelled in an AP class at school that relates to your goal. Maybe you have advanced skills in a foreign language and would like to use those in a work setting. Whatever your top qualifications, feature them in the profile, and you’ll ensure your resume makes a great first impression.

Profile Example 1

Profile example 2, 2. add a pertinent experience section.

Your resume’s experience section should center on your relevant duties, skills, and highlights. By focusing on your relevant background (whether in or outside high school), you can give hiring managers a clear view of how you fit their needs.

You don’t need directly related work experience (or any experience) to draft a solid high school resume. But you must brainstorm how you’ve applied yourself in other ways and write how those experiences helped prepare you for the job you’re seeking. This may sound tricky, but you can use details about your high school activities, volunteering, or any other area of your life so far.

Below is a list of experience areas you might develop for your high school resume:

• Community service
• High school athletics
• High school clubs and societies
• Hobbies and interests
• Internships
• Leadership experience
• Personal accomplishments
• Research experience
• Summer camps or coursework
• Travel or study abroad experience
• Volunteer experience
• Work experience

For each of the above areas you have experience in, take 10 minutes or so to brainstorm answers to these questions:

1. What were your primary roles, duties, or focus areas? 2. What are you most proud of about this experience? 3. What general skill areas did you develop (e.g., teamwork, efficiency, customer service)?

Next, determine which of your answers overlap with the key skills required for the job you’re now pursuing. Include on your resume anything that overlaps and leave out anything that doesn’t. With this approach, you can show the most relevant aspects of your life and give hiring managers a better sense of the skills you offer. For instance, say you’re applying to be a pizza delivery driver. In citing any high school sports on your resume for this job, you could focus on the relevant skills you gained, such as teamwork or adaptability.

Work Experience Example

Volunteer experience example.

Sacramento Veterinary Clinic, Sacramento, CA | August 2021 to present

High School Athletics Experience Example

• Won “Most Valuable Player” for Spring 2022 season

3. Include your high school education and certifications

You may wonder how (or whether) to give education details when you’re still working toward your diploma. It’s actually pretty simple – see below for a template you can use to accurately show your in-progress high school education and a template for any certifications you’d like to add as well. Note that optional template areas appear in [brackets].

• Candidate: Diploma, High School Name, City, ST | expected graduation date
• [academic awards or distinctions]

Certification

• Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [Year]
• Service Excellence Certificate, VCU Advanced Solutions | 2023

4. List key skills and proficiencies

Include a “key skills” section to help further focus your resume on your relevant background. For many high schoolers (especially those with limited work experience), this section should include “soft skills” like problem-solving and collaboration. But also feel free to add specific software programs you’ve used, or other technical skills you’ll need in your target job. Below are some common key skills for high school resumes:

How To Pick the Best High School Student Resume Template

A clear and straightforward resume template is usually best for high school students. Opt for a visual design that lets the hiring manager quickly review your most relevant information. Use a simple resume font , and avoid any template that has an overly colorful or elaborate design.

Frequently Asked Questions: High School Student Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for high school student resumes -.

One of the best ways to enhance your resume is by using a good mix of action verbs in your experience section. The following verbs list will help you brainstorm and capture the various ways you’ve applied yourself so far:

How do you align your high school student resume with a job posting? -

As of 2021, more than 36% (or 6 million) of U.S. teens held jobs for at least part of the summer season. This was the highest rate of summer employment for teenagers since 2008.

You can get more interviews for high school jobs if you tailor your resume to each application. Look at the job post text and highlight words or phrases that are repeated, emphasized, or otherwise seem important. Compare these highlighted phrases against the language you’re using in your resume, particularly the profile and key skills sections. Then, look for ways to align your resume language with the job post (while not copying phrases or misrepresenting your background).

For example, if the employer is looking for someone collaborative, you can name that aspect of your experience with a profile line as simple as “Thrive in team-oriented work settings.” Or say the organization has many non-English speaking customers. You could highlight your foreign language skills both in your profile and as a separate section farther down the document. With adjustments like these, you can make your resume more relevant to each new opportunity.

What is the best high school student resume format? -

In nearly all cases, use a Combination (or Hybrid) resume because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your relevant skills and experience. It’s also simplest for you to modify based on your job goals.

With the Combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your experience section(s) and an intro section. (This combination of experience and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro should usually include a profile summary and key skills section, but you may also include an awards or career highlights section.

Craft your perfect resume in minutes

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To increase your chances of an interview, write a strong cover letter. The key to an effective letter is customizing it based on each job opening. Read our high school cover letter guide to learn how. For other related examples, see our student and internship cover letter guides.

Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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High School Student resume examples & templates

Include your contact information

Make use of a summary, outline your work experience or extracurriculars, include the relevant key skills that make you a great employee, detail your education & relevant certifications, pick the right resume layout and design for a high school student resume, great first jobs, high school student resume, text only.

Congratulations! You've decided to take your first steps toward getting a job. Chances are this is your first high school student resume. You may not realize it, but you already have some accomplishments and achievements that will make your high school student resume shine. 

This high school student resume example and writing guide will show you how to capitalize on your experience, skills and knowledge even if you've never held a "real" job!

Resume guide for a high school student resume

Landing your first job can feel daunting, but Resume.io is here to help. Even if you're just starting out, our collection of 350+ resume examples and writing guides (like the one you are reading), along with professional resume templates, a resume builder tool and expert advice, can help you craft the perfect resume with ease.

This writing guide, along with the corresponding high school resume examples, will show you how to capitalize on your experience, skills , and knowledge even if you've never held a "real" job! These are the topics we'll cover.

How to write a high school student resume

Choosing the right resume format for a high school student.

• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the entry-level market looks like, and what salary you can expect

Let’s get started! 

Lack of work experience need not stop you from creating an impressive high school student resume! Generally, it should be structured to include the following key sections: 

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

We’ll be taking a closer look at each of these resume components after covering some general considerations.

Optimize your high school student resume!

Employers receive hundreds of high school resumes for each open position. They don’t have time to look through them all, so they use ATS software to do the initial sorting. That's why most employers now use applicant tracking systems (ATS). 

This means you have to know how these algorithm-based systems work and how to get your high school resume past the digital filter. Employers program the software to screen for certain skills and attributes reflected in keywords and phrases. 

The ATS scans resumes on that basis, and then scores and ranks them. Your resume will only make the cut if it is in the top-ranking range. 

Unless you already have some work experience, the most commonly used chronological format may not be suitable for structuring your high school student resume. 

It’s the most straightforward way for job candidates to organize their experience and qualifications below employer headings and dates, in order from most recent to earliest.

But for high school students or recent graduates with little or nothing to list in a traditional employment history section, other resume formats can be ideal. The format you choose should depend on the type of job and industry, and how best to present yourself as an ideal match. 

In cases where specialized knowledge and skills, and possibly extracurricular activities, are relevant to prospective employers, a functional resume may be your best bet. It offers greater flexibility to emphasize your most relevant strengths up front in a section labelled “Experience.” 

A hybrid, or combination, resume format offers even more versatility. You can integrate chronological and functional elements in the most applicable manner, and perhaps even put your education section higher up on the page to emphasize your school interests and accomplishments. 

Let us do the hard work for you! 

Check out the many resume templates in our resume builder and choose the format that best suits your situation. We have a wide variety available as resume examples .

A distinctive resume header sets you apart from other candidates by ensuring your resume gets noticed for the right reasons. An eye-pleasing design will make it inviting to read, while also readily identifying who your resume belongs to and how you can be reached for an interview. Here's what yours needs to include: 

• Full name & title. Simply include your first and last name, along with the role for which you are applying. Tailor this each time.
• Professional email address. Employers won't think highly of an address like [email protected] . Your best bet is the golden standard format of first name (or initials) + last name: [email protected] or [email protected] .
• Phone number. Include a number where you can be reached. You can also include when you are available at the given number.
• Location. You don't need to include your full address. However, you should highlight your location — i.e. your state and city.
• LinkedIn. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is active and highlights your expertise. If that is the case, you can include it on your high school student resume.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth. This move could lead to age discrimination .
• Personal details. Relationship status, social security number, passport number , etc.

Mary Smith  Barista  [email protected] 0811 992 1182 New York, New York

High School Student  [email protected] 0811 992 1182 Apartment 22, Victoria Building, New York In a relationship.

Describing yourself can be tough, but don't hold back. You have many of the qualities employers want. Here's where your personality can shine. 

The 2-3 sentence resume summary (also known as the profile or personal statement ) is the first section, directly under your contact information. It allows you to exhibit a bit of personality while you explain the qualities that will make you a great employee. 

Here are some sample questions to ask yourself when writing your summary:

• What makes me a good student, friend, teammate, family member?
• Which of my skills or personal qualities have helped me in school? Am I organized, creative, responsible?
• What activities, projects, and interests could I describe that translate into job skills?

You can find an adaptable high school student resume examples summary below:

Resourceful and dedicated high school student with excellent analytical skills and a demonstrated commitment to learning. Strong organizational abilities with proven success managing multiple academic projects . Well-rounded and professional team player dedicated to continuing academic pursuits at a collegiate level.

Driven and proactive high school student with top-notch time management and organizational skills. Previous experience working with CareKittens charity as a volunteer over two summers. Committed to supporting important causes, furthering education, and learning while on the job.

Before you give up on the work history section, don't forget that your high school experience includes a wealth of opportunities to draw from. 

Give yourself credit for jobs you've done for classes or community service points as a high school student. All positions of responsibility count! Maybe you have had a paying job. If so, that's great! Here are some examples to consider: 

• Voluntary experience. Whether you have volunteered at a charity or helped out at an event, now is the time to shout about it. Focus on your transferable skills here.
• Part-time jobs. Did you have a part-time job during high school? If so, you should include it as part of your work experience. You may have worked in a store, in a restaurant, or even babysat for the neighbors.
• Teams and clubs. If you don't have any work experience but are part of a sports team or club, you should add this here. Being a team-player is considered to be a high-level skill, and so it's an easy way to wow the hiring manager.

Jobs or work experiences to consider listing

Any volunteer work or projects for social or community groups are a great addition to your high school student resume, whether in the past or continuing now. 

List each item in your experience section as any other job applicant would in the conventional employment history format —  in reverse chronological order. That means you start with the current or most recent listing and work backward to the earliest, by date.

Look for job referrals! Ask friends who already have a job where you're interested in working for a referral. Some companies have referral programs that reward current employees when their referral is hired. Employers like referrals, because they eliminate some of the unknowns of hiring. Few people would recommend a person they did not think could do the job.

Here is an example of an experience listing suitable for a high school student resume.

Sales Associate at B&B Booksllers, New York  September 2022 - Present 

• Feed animals and made sure they had access to fresh water at all times.
• Answer customer questions and reported issues in person or by phone.
• Help customers select products that best fit the needs of their pet.
• Keep the selling floor clean and maintained neat and orderly product displays.
• Maintain accurate work logs.
• Recognize for my reliability and zero absence work record.

How to write a high school student resume with no experience

Let's say you have no direct work experience on your resume . One way to approach this conundrum is to focus on either voluntary experience or your extracurriculars.  As a high school student, you may be putting a lot of time and effort into extracurricular activities that demonstrate your commitment to showing up and participating. These may be especially relevant if they illustrate an interest related to the job you are applying for. 

Creating a master list of your extracurricular activities is a worthwhile exercise in its own right. It can reinforce your choices of which skills and personal attributes to highlight in other resume sections. It may also clarify the type of job you want, and lead you to consider targeting your job search to a field that fits your extracurricular interests. 

Any master list — be it for skills, activities or jobs — can be useful for your own reference and convenience. It’s a visual tool that highlights what you are looking for at a glance, then makes it easy to cherry-pick the most appropriate resume samples for your current resume version.

If you are a go-getter who participates in multiple activities outside of school and work, perhaps associated with accomplishments , consider adding a separate resume section for extracurricular activities. 

These show your talents, determination, and time-management skills. This is another way to inject a little personality into your resume. 

Science Honor Society, Callaway High School, Jackson  2019 - Present  National Honors Society, Callaway High School, Jackson  2019 - Present  Participated in several volunteer activities, including:

• Built a house for Habitat for Humanity
• Collected supplies Stewpot Community Services
• Organized food drive & fundraiser for Cascades Humane Society   

Volunteer, Cascades Humane Society Jackson  Aug 2019 - Aug 2020 

• Performed various administrative and clerical tasks as needed.
• Served as a support for the entire office staff.
• Monitored & observed animals for signs of illness & reported symptoms to superiors.
• Created online pet profiles for potential adopters.
• Collected and recorded adoption fees.

Employers willing to hire inexperienced workers are looking for signs of responsibility, initiative, and desire to learn.  What you do need are soft skills, also known as interpersonal, social or people skills. Examples include communication — including listening, courtesy and ability to take direction — as well as dependability, punctuality and being well-organized. 

Of course, hard skills have a place on your resume too. these are pragmatic skills necessary or valuable for certain jobs, tools or programs or sciences. Examples for a high school student might include computer programming or child care expertise. 

With ATS likely to be scanning your high school student resume (unless you are applying to work for an individual or at a very small company, you need to know what keywords will help get your resume in the hands of hiring managers.  Respondents to a Society for Human Resource Management survey ranked these as the most important skills for entry-level employees:

• Dependability and reliability (think being at work on time or fulfilling promises) — a whopping 97% said these were a must!
• Integrity — 87%.
• Respect (towards clients and co-workers) — 84%.
• Teamwork — 83%.

You probably have all of these skills to one degree or another. So, make sure you list them on your high school student resume. 

Check out a high school student resume skills sample below.

• Excellent Customer Service Skills
• Strong Organizational Skills
• Advanced Computer System Skills

Think of it this way: your career right now is your experience as a high school student. It's probably more important than your employment history if you have any work experience at all, so treat the education section of your high school student resume as a higher priority. 

Expand on your high school "career" achievements and focuses, starting with a list of classes that are relevant to the job you seek. Looking to work with children? Highlight your early childhood education class. Here are some examples of relevant certificates: 

• Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) : If you undertook this certificate while in high school, you don't want to leave it out. It shows that you have digital media skills, which is a real asset if you are applying for jobs within the creative fields.
• Certified Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) : Most hiring managers will expect you to be confident using Microsoft Office. However, if you happen to have this certificate, you can show that you are a cut above the rest.
• Google IT Support Professional Certificate: Interested in a career in IT? You might find that having this Google-certified qualification gives you the gravitas you need.
• Food Safety Certification : Hospitality roles are highly popular among high school students and graduates. If you want to show that you are serious about this role, you should let the hiring manager know that you have a Food Safety Certificate.
• Language proficiency: Speaking a second language is always going to be a valuable skill. Let the hiring manager know if you can and provide details of your certificates.

Also, mention any accolades and honors, or even your grade point average (SAT/ACT/GPA Scores) if they shine. Should your scores be high, you can elevate your resume above the competition. You can also use the education section to describe projects you are proud of and how they reflect your skills.

Choose a structure that works for you! Your resume sections do not have to be in the same order as they are listed in this high school student resume sample. Put the section you think is most important and impressive first and go from there. Just remember, the summary must remain at the top. 

High Honors, Callaway High School Jackson  Aug 2019 - Present 

• Academic High Honor Roll 2015 - 2017
• Presidential Award for Academic Excellence 2016

Are you itching to show off your artistic bent here? You may be tempted to try standing out from the crowd with a strikingly colorful high school student CV design. 

But unless you are applying for a graphic design job or other position in a creative field, it's in your best interest to keep the look of your resume simple, streamlined, and polished. Strive for a first impression that's as legible and inviting to read as it is eye-catching.

Simple doesn't rule out creative choices when it comes to the layout, design, and formatting of your high school student CV.

Why use a template?

Unless you've already developed a great eye for graphic design and the computer skills to match, a resume template may be your best bet to create an eye-pleasing resume without much difficulty.

Resume.io offers four categories of resume templates, any of them suitable for a high school student to personalize for a professional and beautiful result. Start by choosing one of these style categories before drilling down to select the right layout: simple, professional, modern or creative. 

One benefit of using a resume template is that you can avoid formatting errors that make your resume look sloppy or incomplete. Using the Resume.io builder tool makes every step of creating your resume a breeze. 

Don't lose your hard work!  If you are cutting and pasting your resume into a computer program, first save it as a text file to eliminate odd formatting marks.

Personalization

As emphasized already, the rule of thumb for resume layout, design and formatting is: keep it clean and organized! Working with one of our templates and the builder tool takes away any guesswork. Yet, you still have room to make your high school student resume stylishly unique. 

Contrary to popular wisdom, Times New Roman is not the only professional-looking font that will serve you well. Try Garamond, Georgia, Helvetica, Cambria, or Calibri. 

If your resume template of choice uses a color, feel free to change it. But resist any urge to add more color. One small splash is all you need. And don't use a color other than black for your text. The rule of thumb for layouts is: keep it clean and organized!

Job market and outlook

Many high school students ask themselves, "How will I get a job without experience?" Guess what: Everybody who is now working started out in a first job without having any employment history. You have to start somewhere. A little time and research can be all it takes to find a job that adds to your skills list while putting some money in your pocket!

You have already made the decision to look for work. Now, with Resume.io's collection of tools at your fingertips, we'll walk you through everything you need in the first steps to success. It all starts with getting your foot in the door. 

More than half of young people have jobs! 

Thinking of getting a first job? You're not alone. As of July 2023, 55% of people aged between 16 and 24 had jobs. Often enough, these roles are part-time and fit around the young person's studies. Look for a flexible option that suits your schedule.

Being in demand means you have choices. Your first job probably won't be the job of your dreams, but you can target work that will lead you in the right direction for your future. This can apply in almost any type of work that high school students are typically hired to do.

About one-quarter of working teens have jobs in food preparation or service, according to BLS data. And there is plenty of room to be selective and forward-looking in this industry. Even if you end up at a fast food restaurant, you can choose which one it is. 

With a little research, you can pick a company that offers management training, flexible hours or other benefits that appeal to you. More than 10% of working high school students have jobs in these fields:

• Sales and sales support
• Office and administrative support
• Personal care and service.

This does not mean you are restricted to these industries, but they are examples of areas you're likely to be qualified for. 

Resourceful and dedicated High School student with excellent analytical skills and a demonstrated commitment to providing great customer service. Strong organizational abilities with proven successes managing multiple academic projects and volunteering events. Well-rounded and professional team player dedicated to continuing academic pursuits at a collegiate level.

Employment history

Key takeaways for a high school student resume

An effective high school student resume can make finding your first job much easier. So, what are you waiting for? Employers understand your lack of experience and instead are interested in the soft skills you are likely to have.Highlight these soft skills, along with any hard (practical) skills you have, in the summary section of your high school student resume.

It doesn't end there. You should also use keywords that automated screening software will likely scan and score for. Remember, education has been your “career” up until now, so leverage your school experience when writing this section of your resume.

Use our resume builder to browse simple resume samples, then personalize the template that speaks to you. Make sure your resume writing is error-free and looks amazing.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

High School Resume Example and Step-by-Step Guide

by Winning Ivy Prep Team | Feb 7, 2023 | High School Resume

Table of Contents

So, it’s time to write your first high school resume for college applications. Maybe you’re inclined to Googling high school resume examples and step-by-step guides to create your own. But templates are generic–you’re not!

Remember that ultimately, a resume tells a story–the story of you. Like all well-told stories, it must be formatted thoughtfully and clearly or the narrative is lost. 

So, let’s dive straight in. 

Do Colleges Require A Resume?

Short answer: Nope!

Longer answer: Might be a good idea, depending on your situation. 

Keep in mind that some schools don’t even allow you to upload a resume, while others do. For instance, my alma mater, University of Pennsylvania allows you to upload a resume. Many Ivy League and top tier schools also have this option, from Cornell or Johns Hopkins .

Our general rule of thumb is this: 

• If you have a ton of activities and extracurriculars that can’t be succinctly summarized in the activity list 
• If you have competitive schools in your college list — at least one of them will give you the option to upload a resume.

…then it’s not a bad idea to have a college application resume to upload, just in case. Plus, it’ll be useful to secure summer internships and receive scholarships this way. 

Ivy League College Resume Example + Resume Template

Now, take a look at this resume example for an Ivy League-bound student. We’ll be using his example throughout this post.

Also, here’s a Google Doc that links to this student’s exact resume template that you can use for your own resume!  

By the way, these templates are modified versions of UC Berkeley’s resume templates, so, obviously, they’re quite good 😉

How To Create A Compelling High School Resume For College Applications

1. clean contact information section on your college resume.

Refer to our high school resume example: Sam’s name is in bold, centered at the top of the page; his e-mail address is directly underneath. That’s it!

Your name and e-mail address are the only contact information needed. If you have a website, particularly one that showcases your personality, include that too. 

Again, the ideal high school resume is clean and simple. There is no need for a brick and mortar address or phone number. 

2. Don’t Include Coursework In The Education Section

As you can see in our high school resume example, there are only six items in the education section and none are coursework. In this instance, coursework is clutter. 

The only items needed in the education section are the following: 

• school name and location
• class rank 
• class year 
• SAT scores 

Bear in mind: you’re the narrator of your own story, so be smart about the information you include. Remember the goal of a resume is to market yourself, so paint yourself favorably. 

…in other words, if your SAT scores are lower than you’d like, leave them off! The ideal high school resume is carefully curated.

3. Relevant Experience Means Relevant To Major

Perhaps you’re a dedicated and gifted cellist. Let’s be frank, unless you’re looking to major in music theory, that does not belong in the “relevant experience” category. 

So, what do we mean by “relevant”? We mean this: relevance to major . Are you pursuing computer science and did you intern at a start-up? That’s relevant experience!

Take a look at our sample high school resume. Sam lists three internships (two political, one research.) We can surmise that his major is related to political and environmental sciences. 

Notice that dates are listed as well. In addition to being relevant, experience should be timely. That means you should only include experience attained during high school. 

Don’t go all the way back to middle school. Start with the summer before high school and proceed from there.

4. Use Active Verbs In Your High School Resume

Once you’ve compiled your list of relevant experience, create bullet points detailing your responsibilities using active verbs. Let’s check out Sam’s sample high school resume again. 

Sam’s relevant experience section includes the following active verbs that are quite strong: 

• coordinate 

A ctive verbs show what you DID and showcase your contributions. They tell a vivid story of your ability to take action and illustrate what you bring to the table as a student at your dream college.

If you need inspiration for action verbs, check out this awesome action verb list from UC Berkeley Haas!

5. Activities Unrelated To Your Major Are Extracurriculars  

Once again, reference our sample resume. Sam was a swim coach, a varsity swimmer and co-Captain of the School Science Olympiad Team.

Swimming might not qualify as relevant experience, but it’s still important because well-rounded candidates are strong candidates. 

Basically, any activities unrelated to your major or field of study go in the “Extracurricular Activities/ Volunteering” section.

6. Skills Are Optional And Technical

The skills section is optional, and only to be included if appropriate.

So what are skills? Perhaps you can juggle, for example. While it’s a good party trick, don’t list that here. 

This section is for technical skills, especially if you’re interested in computer science or engineering. For example, proficiency with C++, Java, and R belong here. 

Once again, though, the skills section isn’t applicable to everyone. Remember, there is no need to pad your resume. The ideal high school resume is straightforward and honest!

So, now it’s your turn to write your high school resume. Hint: This is a great exercise to do for your activities list for your UC application and Common Application. Let us know how your resume turned out in the comments section below!

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10+ Free High School Resume Templates for 2024

Writing your high school resume is already hard as it is - you shouldn’t have to spend hours working on your resume layout and format.

Want to fast-track your resume-creation process?

Use one of these 10+ free high school resume templates!

All you have to do is pick a template that resonates with you and fill in the contents. Zero formatting hassle is required!

10+ Free High School Resume Templates [Pick & Download]

#1. simple resume template.

This timeless layout works for everyone - highschoolers and seasoned professionals alike. 

The understated design and clean look put equal emphasis on all parts of your resume.

#2. Professional Resume Template

The Professional template puts more emphasis on your work experience and skills. Don’t have much work experience? You can always replace it with some other relevant section like extracurricular activities or volunteering experience.

#3. College Resume Template

Created with recent graduates in mind, this template is also suitably structured for any applicant with little to no work experience. 

#4. Creative Resume Template

If you’re looking for a job in the creative industry or want to try something a bit bolder, the Creative template is right for you. It’s guaranteed to stand out in any resume pile with its light on dark header and circle style skill graphs. 

#5. Modern Resume Template

The Modern template is a step up from the more basic designs. It has an organized look featuring brackets and squares.

#6. Functional Resume Template

The Functional Resume template puts more emphasis on your educational background, making it a perfect fit for highschoolers or just about anyone with no work experience.

#7. One Color Resume Template

This template is quite simple and to-the-point. The sections are clearly separated, and the resume objective is located top and center. Bonus points: you can even personalize this high school resume template by customizing the color scheme.

#8. Two-Column Resume Template

The template has a rather unique two-column resume structure . It is easy to skim and pleasant to look at. 

It also has a very compact look, making it perfect for job-seekers with no work experience.

#9. Vertical Header Resume Template

What’s interesting about this template is the vertical layout in the header section. It looks refreshing and straight-up cool. However, it’s a hit or miss kind of situation. The recruiter will either be intrigued by it, or be bothered by having to turn the page to the side. Use at your own risk.

#10. Infographic Resume Template

Infographic resume templates in general use graphs and charts to illustrate the information. This template in particular uses bubbles to portray skills and level of competence, as well as icons to illustrate interests. This makes the resume quick to skim through and the information easy to understand. 

How Long Should a High School Resume Be?

The resume length discussion has been going on for ages and typically, the answer tends to vary depending on industry and years of experience. 

When it comes to a high school resume, however, there’s no room for discussion: your resume should be one-page max. 

It’s justifiable to have a two-page resume in case you have, say 10+ years of experience in the industry (which you don’t).

If your draft resume ends up being longer, revise your content with a critical eye and cut out anything that’s not relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Remember: the recruiter wants to know what your top skills and experiences are, not your entire life story!

What Should I Include In My High School Resume?

In your high school resume, include the following sections:

• Contact Information - This consists of personal and contact information like first and last name, phone number, e-mail address, or links to other profiles. Make sure everything is written correctly so the recruiter can reach you back.
• Resume Objective - This is a 3-4 sentence statement that describes your career goals and aspirations as well as mentions your skills and achievements. It’s used to grab the recruiter’s attention and ensure that they read the rest of your resume.
• Education - You can already guess what this one’s about, right? You should list down your education institution (high school) as well as any academic-related certifications or achievements.
• Extracurricular Activities - This is your resume’s selling point. The equivalent of work experience, if you will. Your extracurriculars are usually participation in high school clubs or various events and they show the recruiter you’re a competent and engaged individual.
• Projects & Gigs - In this section, you’d mention any independent projects you’ve worked on outside of academics. For example, a side-gig or your own blog - anything that shows you’re a self-starter.
• Work Experience (optional) - If you have any, you can list your work experiences. An internship or volunteer work also qualifies for this section.
• Languages - An extra language or two will definitely give you an edge over the other candidates. So, if you’re good at languages, make sure to list a dedicated section for that!
• Hobbies & Interests - Choose a few things that will give the recruiter some insight into your personality. Bonus points if these hobbies and interests are related to the industry where you’re applying - they’ll show you’re passionate and genuinely interested in the job.

And that’s about it!

How to Create a High School Resume With No Work Experience?

You’ve probably heard of the famous trope:

“You need work experience to get a job, but a job to get work experience.”

Fortunately, it’s not actually true.

If you’re applying for an entry-level position in any field, no one’s actually expecting you to have work experience.

Instead, you can focus on the experiences you do have to stand out from the rest of the applicants. Some things you can include in your resume are:

• Extracurricular activities
• Projects & gigs
• Hobbies & interests
• Internships

Key Takeaways

And that’s about it on high school resume templates!

If you want to know more about what to write and how to write it, check out our in-depth guide to writing a high school resume .

Before you go your way, let’s go over the main points of this article one more time:

• Always use a high school resume template instead of working on your resume from scratch - trust us, it’s going to save you a lot of time.
• Stick to the one-page resume limit. The recruiter wants to know about your work experience, not about your entire life story.
• Instead of work experience, focus on alternative sections like extracurricular activities, projects, volunteering experience, and so on.

Discover More Resume Templates

• Word Resume Templates
• Google Docs Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates

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• • Implemented A/B testing strategies that improved email open rates by 10%.

High School Student Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your teens resume should emphasize any part-time work or volunteer experience you have. Showcase responsibilities that demonstrate your commitment and work ethic. Highlight your extracurricular activities, as they reflect your ability to manage time and prioritize. These experiences can illustrate valuable transferable skills such as teamwork and leadership.

All resume examples in this guide

High School Student No Experience

Experienced High School Student

High School Student Internship

First Job High School Student

High School Student For College

High School Student For Customer Service

High School Student Office Worker

High School Student Athlete 

High School Student Music

Resume guide, what you’ll learn here, how to write a high school resume, high school resume formats, high school resume header recruiters keep their eyes on, high school resume summary looking professional, straight to the point resume objective, admirable high school resume experience that leaves positive impression, high school skills that make you look like a pro, education section in high school resume, high school certifications and courses, day of high school student’s life section, key takeaways.

By Experience

You are young, motivated and full of energy but struggle to find a job/internship?

Yes, this paradox is something common for high schoolers.

After all, you are nothing more than a lad with big dreams for the recruiters.

But don't get upset! We are here to show you the right path to success. You might have little to no experience, but your approach matters.

Grab your pencil and take notes from this 2022 guide for building a breath-taking high school resume.

• How to describe your education and specific knowledge by providing vital skills, achievements and responsibilities
• How to include your previous experience no matter what it is
• The difference between summary and objective and the steps to write them
• What other resume sections will fit the high school resume and pro tips for building them

You know that amazing feeling when the school year ends knowing that you are lying in bed doing nothing for two months?

Of course, you do! However, this is not the vibe you want to radiate!

After all, you are just a student with almost no life experience! Why do you think employers can trust you?

If you play your cards well, you have the right to be confident in yourself!

The approach when building your high school resume is crucial:

The first thing to do is to tailor it to the job description .

Such action is what separates successful from unsuccessful candidates.

You should use keywords and skills that express confidence and eagerness to achieve goals and learn.

You are a teenager, not a chief manager. You are not expected to have deep expertise but to gain knowledge.

Remember that recruiters want to know how you could contribute to their business.

You should prove to them that you could apply all you’ve learned from schools/training/courses.

Emphasize skills and strengths like communication, self-motivation and time management.

References from your tutors will be a bonus!

Do you know any foreign languages-they are the golden ticket to landing a job as a youngster!

Do not hesitate to add extraordinary talents or achievements that make you different from your peers.

Continue reading the high school resume guide and make their jaw drop when they understand you are just a high school student!

You have three main options when it comes to resume formats:

• Reverse-chronological resume
• Functional resume
• Hybrid resume

Years of experience and industry expertise are the two key factors that define your choice of a resume format:

• Reverse-chronological resumes will give an advantage to people with some experience in a specific niche.
• Functional resumes are perfect for career changers and job seekers. Nevertheless, this format isn’t popular among employers.
• Hybrid resumes are suitable for all types of professionals-beginners and seniors.

Pay attention to the style and layout! Here are some resume tips :

• Utilize the 12p resume font size
• 10’ resume margins are your optimal choice
• If you have under 10 years of experience-use one-page resume, otherwise-two-page resume
• Pay strict attention to your grammar and spelling
• Use the PDF format

Add References and Languages if you want to increase the chances of landing your first internship/job.

Top resume sections:":

• As a youngster, a coherent Education section makes you stand out
• If you have any experience, you will mesmerize recruiters
• Your summary introduces your goals and intentions for the future
• Listing crucial skills and strengths should be your priority
• References from your teachers prove you are a smart and respectful young person

What recruiters want to see:

• How will you bring value to the recruiter’s business based on your previous experience?
• How can you apply learned from school/training/courses into practice? Do you share your knowledge with others?
• What are your personality traits? How do you see yourself in the big world? What do you want to accomplish?
• Are you a self-motivated and communicative student? How do you act in intense and stressful situations? Do you like working in a team?

Your name and contacts are the first things employers see in your resume.

However, do not naively expect recruiters to remember any of them.

Therefore, you should focus on building an attention-grabbing header section .

Here are some tips to secure that you’ve done your job well:

• Write down your first and last name: make sure that they are the same as on your ID card and social profiles
• Be creative with the title: it should show your intentions for the position and your out-of-the-box thinking
• Adding your phone number and email is a must
• A web portfolio address or social media account will provide extensive information about you as a person and go-getter

Read these examples and avoid common mistakes.

2 High School Resume Header Examples

The summary is not always the “let’s boast-off” section where you put facts like: 

“Graduated from Harvard and became a Vice President at Google!”

We wish you had similar professional results, but you most likely start from zero.

You’ve got no professional accomplishments and a multibillion-dollar company behind your back.

However, the Summary section gives you the opportunity to:

• Introduce yourself as a self-motivated and ambitious youngster ready to learn
• Your intentions for the future and your personal goals
• What you’ve learned from school and our life experience so far

So, don’t lose hope and follow this advice to build a jaw-dropping summary section:

• Emphasize the knowledge you have in a specific subject
• Use quantitative data and action verbs to radiate dedication
• Mention skills that you acquired and how you could apply them in this particular position
• Include achievements and other accomplishments from authoritative institutions and people
• Add a foreign language that you can speak fluently
• Include say what you are looking for in the job you apply for

These tips are so powerful that they could sky-rocket your career.

Therefore, do not lose time and take notes from the examples below before writing your one-of-a-kind high school resume summary:

2 High School Resume Summary Examples

The following candidate made three crucial mistakes:

• The text is not tailored to the job description, and the candidate’s goals look vague
• It offers too general statements that bring no value
• Repetitiveness and starting almost every sentence with “I”

Therefore, you should research before writing your high school resume summary.

This one is way better as it follows all the tips above.

The applicant obviously did what’s expected from them:

• Offered a cohesive introduction that prove value to employers
• Outlines the student’s experience and positive personality traits

The alternative of a Summary section is a straight-to-the-point high school resume objective.

It’s brief, contains action verbs and reveals your intentions and goals.

You might include the position of the skills/strengths you want to acquire and excel.

Remember to add experience (if you have) like internships, previous summer jobs, competitions, conferences and similar events you took part in.

It’s vital to mention the exact position you are looking for and the company.

Below you can see a great example of a high school resume objective :

What is the synonym for the phrase "land a successful career"? 

The answer is a deep experience . 

So, it's simple to name it but so hard to gain it. 

Yes, even as a high school student, your expertise might play a crucial role. 

Not only jobs but internships also require some experience. 

But it's okay! 

With the right approach, you can move mountains.

Follow these steps and start building your high school Experience section:

• Try to use action verbs and quantitative data to support your statements
• Do not hesitate to mention your extraordinary achievements that made a positive impression
• Pay attention to skills you acquired and the way you applied them at work
• Give proof of work in a team and the outcomes from this collaboration
• Add duties and responsibilities that underline your self motivation, communication and organization skills

How did you utilize your communication skills and foreign languages at work?

Are your employers happy with your performance? How did you impress them? 

How did you manage to balance school and work? 

Did you work in a team, and did you make valuable relationships? 

High school resume experience examples

• • Supervised a lot of students
• • Delivered lectures to students
• • Prepared new course material
• • Fostered conversations with parents

You can try to give more detailed information about your work.

This candidate gives a bad example as they had a chaotic approach.

Recruiters do not care about what you did, but how you did it.

If you don't follow the advice and stick to mediocrity, you won't succeed.

• • Supervised 20+ 7–10-year-old students
• • Delivered 15 lectures on empathy and teamwork to 100+ students
• • Assisted in preparing the new course material for 4th-grade students
• • Fostered conversations with 10+ parents and received 98% positive feedback

Pro tip."

It's preferable to mention your age when listing your extraordinary achievements. Recruiters would love to invest in young talents like you.

Be so good they can’t ignore you.

Steve Martin, American Actor

You should list skills that you are confident you mastered. Just listing several skills won’t impress the recruiters. That’s why it’s a good idea to support and mention them in other sections of your high school resume.

You don’t have a second chance, so consider your skill choice carefully.

7 high school student soft skills:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Collaboration
• Self Motivation
• Time Management
• Fast Learning
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability

7 High school student hard skills for your resume

• Foreign Languages
• Basic Computer Skills
• Microsoft Office
• Google Drive
• Customer Service
• Public Speaking & PowerPoint Presentations

The Strengths section is an amazing opportunity to stand out from the competition.

Here you could list your talents or the skills that you excelled at.

Then, you can back them up with examples or quantitative data.

Of course, it’s crucial to focus on strengths related to the job description and focus on positive personality traits.

Take a deep breath and focus because the Education section will define the outcome of your job applications.

You can look at it as experience, as it:

• Offers proof of your self motivation and attitude toward learning and applying knowledge
• Shows your relationships with other students and feedback from your teachers
• Outlines your interests: employers will bet on candidates whose interests match the job offer

Do you get it now?

High school years are not just 5 years in which you party and drink.

It also shows your perception of the future.

So, to impress recruiters, follow these tips:

• List your favorite subjects and provide evidence for your top performance
• Mention achievements: awards or similar recognitions backed up with quantitative data
• Include extracurricular activities: competitions, conferences, and meetings you participated in. Emphasize teamwork.
• Add GPA (higher 3.6) and references from tutors  

There are countless courses to join and certifications to acquire.

However, the vital element here is to mention those that match the job description.

Otherwise, they will be useless.

Here are the most common and respected types of certifications to mention in your high school resume:

Top 4 high school student certificates:

• Foreign Language Certification
• Microsoft 365 Fundamentals
• Google Certification
• First Aid Certification

Let us tell you one universal truth:

If you learn how to manage your time early in life, there is a 99% chance you will be successful.

And employers will be impressed by it.

A person who clearly understands the price of time also considers it the most vital asset.

Nevertheless, students make one crucial mistake.

They do not mention how the job/internship they apply for will fit their schedule.

Thus, employers feel uncertain whether you will give 100% attention and energy.

So, look at the example below and carefully consider what to add to the diagram.

• Focus on communication and self motivation skills: prove you are a go-getter and ready to learn
• Emphasize duties, achievements, awards and responsibilities
• Mention the skills and knowledge you acquired from school and how you apply them in real life
• Add References, Languages, Strengths and similar sections that build trust

Teens resume examples

Explore additional teens resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Looking to build your own Teens resume?

• Resume Examples

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Sample High School Resumes for College Applications

Valerie is an experienced writer and editor with an extensive backgrounds in health, education, parenting, and nonprofit operations.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

If you want to apply to a traditional, four-year college, get a leg up on scholarship applications or make the college application process is easier, you need a high school resume. Creating a resume can help you pull together all your information in one spot so you can easily summarize your high school career.

Samples Based on Real Students

The following two samples each have a unique format and highlights based on the career and college goals of two different students. To download, click on the image of the sample you want and use. Each sample is customizable so you can create a resume that truly represents you. If you have issues, see the troubleshooting guide for online printables.

• 7 Senior Bio Examples to Help You Craft Your Own

STEM-Oriented Narrative Resume

This resume template is narrative in nature, meaning that it offers some explanation as to the nature of the activities the student engaged in. In addition, it makes a point to highlight test scores and difficult coursework - both of which are important to STEM programs.

Use this template if you:

• Want to highlight your grades, sports, coursework, or test scores
• Have awards or leadership that you want to explain
• Are a stellar writer

Liberal Arts Traditional Resume

Students going to a more humanities-based program might appreciate a resume that looks more traditional in nature. It highlights important details from the students time in high school without being too wordy.

• Have a lot of leadership experience within your extracurriculars that you want to highlight
• Have a lot of extracurriculars that will take up a full page
• Do not have a lot of categories to include but have a lot of things in one category

What You Should Include

You need to think about your resume as the prime real estate of your high school career. What is most outstanding about you as a student? The resume is a time to showcase both things that make you stand out, as well as information you think makes you an especially attractive student. You should always make sure your resume is no more than one page and include a variety of information.

• Basics - Make sure you include your name and contact information.
• Academics - You'll generally want to include your GPA and class rank and SAT or ACT scores. You might want to include the nature of your studies (ie Honors, AP, or IB) if they are essential to your intended major.
• Extracurriculars - Include things you are passionate about, spent a lot of time on, or are related to a future field of study.
• Sports Accomplishments - If sports was a major part of your high school career or if you plan to play in college, you should have a section devoted to your leadership and accomplishments.
• Leadership positions - This may or may not be a separate section. It is okay to discuss leadership and extracurriculars together if that makes sense for the formatting of your resume.
• Volunteer Service - You may want to note how many hours per week something took in addition to any initiative you took to make these things happen.
• Summer Activities - The most highly competitive programs are hoping you took the summers to engage in learning activities. Whether it's language camp, extra classes, or something else that's interesting, if you used your time off for learning - make sure and note that.
• Honors and Awards - If you won a major national award such as an Honor Society, or if the award is self-explanatory in its title (ie Principal's Award for Academic Excellent), you do not need to explain these. However, if you won something that might not be familiar to everyone reading your resume, make sure to add a brief explanation.
• Additional Skills - Fluent in German or even Elvish? Go ahead and note it on your resume. If you love to garden or took classes as a natural illustrator - note that too. Not everything on your resume has to be leadership positions held or awards won.
• Things related to your major - If you have had a major accomplishment related to something you want to study, note it separately. This could be research, field study or any other award.

Arts Majors Take Note

Arts majors, whether they are performing or visual, will often be allowed two page resumes. One page will be academic and extracurricular accomplishments, and the other page will list your most important accomplishments in the arts as a high school student. Each area of the arts frequently has a different way they handle resumes, and different schools may ask for the information differently. If you are giving the resume to a school on your application, it is best to contact them in advance and ask how they want the information formatted.

What Not to Do on Your Resume

There are not a lot of ground rules when it comes to writing your high school resume. You can and should include anything that you think is relevant to you as a student. However, there are a few things you should avoid to make sure your resume stands out. Students should be careful not to:

• Embellish or fib - It might be tempting to make yourself stand out more by embellishing a leadership position or saying you were involved in something when really you attended one meeting - but don't. Colleges want to know who you are, not who you wish you were.
• Highlight negative information - If you weren't a top student, focus on how you've improved your grades over the last few years rather than just giving a GPA. If you have high test scores but mediocre GPA, put the test scores higher on the resume.
• Include more than one page - If you have so much information that it takes up two pages, you have to choose your highlights. (Except for arts students, see above.)
• It's part of an ongoing theme (ie you are an Olympic hopeful fencer and you've been doing that since you were 8 years old)
• You won a major, nationally or internationally known award (ie you were won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 7th grade)
• Have an immature email handle - If your email address is something like [email protected] - it's time to change it. Some combination of your name or initials generally works best.
• Get too creative with formatting - Format your resume traditionally and don't get too creative. You want someone to be able to look at it quickly and feel like they have a good grasp of who you are. Fancy colors, perfumed paper, or anything similar is not appropriate.

When to Use a Resume

There are a variety of reasons why doing a resume is a great idea. You can use it in lots of places, and it's becoming the 'norm' that students have them.

• Having all of your accomplishments, volunteer work and other opportunities in one place is incredibly handy when you start filling out college and scholarship applications. If for no other reason, create one so you have the information gathered for you.
• While attending college fairs, you can give a representative your resume. You should do this only if you're genuinely interested in the school. If they accept it, they will start a file on you in their admissions office. ( Tip : Add a QR code to your resume. An admissions person is often happy to scan the information right into her phone.)
• If you are interested in playing sports or taking part of a team that represents the university (ie like Model UN or debate), give your resume to your potential coach as a way to introduce yourself.
• Asking for a letter of recommendation? Whoever you're asking knows you from one place, so giving that person your resume helps give them a better snapshot and can also ensure they get dates right. Nothing looks worse than you saying you've known your coach for three years when they say they've known you for two.
• You can give your resume to an advisor or professor at a school if you're very interested in a particular major. Only do this if you've accomplished something noteworthy related to that major.
• Likewise, give your resume, as a freshman in college, to a professor with whom you're interested in doing research. This helps give them information on your background when you don't necessarily have a lot of experience.
• Use your resume for college interviews. This often helps the interview be less awkward because now the interviewer has a sheet to refer to for questions.
• A lot of scholarship applications ask either for a resume or for all the information on it. If you plan on applying for money, keep this handy for quicker applications.

Will a Resume Get You In?

A resume won't necessarily get you into the college of your dreams. However, it shows people that you are a serious and capable person who really wants to be a contributor to the campus. Use your resume wisely, and at the very least, it will help make the process less stressful for you.

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Craft a Strong Resume

A resume is a tailored document highlighting your skills, education, goals, and experience. It is a summary of qualifications for a job, internship, scholarship, or other opportunity. Employers will often spend far less than 30 seconds looking at each resume, so yours needs to stand out. The resources below will help guide you through the process.

Get Started with Your Resume

Use these resources curated by the Career Center to help you craft a strong resume.

Resume Writing Editable Worksheet

Use this worksheet to help you plan and develop your resume content.

Resume Editable Template in Word

Download this template and tailor your content to specific opportunities.

High School to College Resume Sample

Learn how to transition your resume format to make it career ready.

Sample Resumes by Career Cluster

Review three different sample resumes from each of our career clusters.

• Communication, Arts, and Marketing
• Consulting, Finance, and Business
• Education, Nonprofit, and Social Impact
• Government, Law, and Public Policy
• Healthcare, Nursing, and Counseling
• Science, Technology, and Engineering

Why Do You Need a Strong Resume?

• Your resume is a tailored document that conveys to a potential employer the skills, experiences, and qualifications you have for a position you are interested in pursuing.
• In most cases, your resume will be part of every job, internship, or graduate school application you submit.
• Your resume—along with your cover letter—is what will determine whether you are invited for an interview.
• Your resume is one of the few parts of the job search process over which you have 100% control. The effort you put into your resume also sends clues to potential employers about the level of effort you put into your work. If your resume looks like it was put together quickly with little attention to detail, what message might you be sending? Make sure your resume is excellent!

Drop-in Sessions

Once you have a draft of your resume, stop by our office for a 15-minute resume review.

Get immediate feedback on your resume as a supplemental resource to drop-ins.

Get Started

• Content and formatting matter. If you have great content, but your reader can’t easily make sense of it or find it, you won’t get invited for an interview. Likewise, if you have a beautiful document, but don’t articulate your skills and experiences effectively, you won’t get invited for an interview. 
• If you're an advanced graduate student, you may, at times, submit a resume of no more than 2 pages.
• Learn more about Applicant Tracking Systems here . 
• Use this article to learn how to write an resume that gets through applicant tracking systems. 
• Your resume is a dynamic document.  Continue to add to and edit your resume on a semesterly or annual basis as you gain more experience. If your career interests change, it is recommended you rethink how you convey your experience on your resume to align with your new field of interest.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, can be used to enhance your resume. Read our best practices for appropriately leveraging AI in your application materials.

How to Write a Strong Resume

Start with a blank document or our ATS-friendly, editable template . We don’t recommend using templates from sites such as Pinterest or Canva as they become restrictive when you are trying to adjust formatting later. Then add each of the sections detailed below.

Use this worksheet to help you plan and develop your resume content. 

1. Contact Information

First, add your contact information at the top of the page

Your name should be large (e.g. 14 pt font or larger)

Your contact information should include your email address, phone number, city and state (street address is not needed), and a personalized link to your LinkedIn profile.

To personalize your LinkedIn profile link, click on ‘Edit Public Profile & URL’ in the top right corner of your profile page. Edit your custom URL to your name.

Baldwin Eagle

Chestnut Hill, MA | 617-552-XXXX | baldwin@bc.edu | linkedin.com/in/baldwineagle

2. Education

Next, as a current student, your education section should be listed at the top under your contact information.

Information that should be included: 

• Institution name, city, and state
• School or college, including study abroad institutions and graduate schools, where relevant
• Date of graduation (month and year)
• Major, if known
• GPA, if above a 3.0 or if required by an employer

Other optional information:

• Relevant coursework: You can share up to 5 classes that are relevant to the position to which you are applying. This is a great way to tailor your resume to a specific position and to show content knowledge that may not be reflected in your major or elsewhere on your resume.  
• Academic honors or awards: e.g. Dean’s list (with dates) or other academic recognition can be included here
• High school can be included through your second year of college if space permits unless there is a compelling reason to keep it there (e.g. for networking purposes). 

3. Experience

For most students, your experience section(s) will come after Education. An exception would be if the position description calls for key technical skills.

• Keep in mind that your experience is not just your paid experience. It can include jobs, internships, research, volunteer work, leadership, or campus involvement. You can choose how you title your experience section(s). Some ideas include: Relevant Experience, Volunteer Experience, Leadership & Involvement. 
• Since you want your most relevant experience closer to the top of your resume, consider how you want to represent your various experiences. What experiences are most relevant in terms of skills gained and content learned to the positions to which you are now applying? 
• Within each section, list your experiences in reverse chronological order by end date. 

How to write strong bullet statements for each experience:

Great bullet statements will describe your achievements rather than tasks.

Start each bullet with an action verb, then demonstrate the value you added to your work by stating what you did (Project), how you did it (Action), and why you did it (Result).

• What was the project or task?
• What actions did you take? (think specifically about your individual contributions)
• What was the result or outcome of your contribution?

Cite numbers whenever possible to demonstrate the scope of your work (e.g. number of people supervised, number of children in classroom, size of event, budget you oversaw, etc.).

• Example Action Verbs

4. Additional Sections to Consider

Following are some additional sections you may include on your resume:

Objective or Summary: For most students, this is unnecessary and simply takes up space. However, if you are looking to enter a field in which you have very limited experience, it can be helpful to include a short objective that articulates what you are seeking and can show that you are applying to a role with intent and purpose. 

Skills/Interests: It is strongly encouraged to include a section on skills such as computer skills, languages, laboratory skills. For most students, this section will appear at the bottom of your resume, but for students interested in science and technology, see specific tips in the next section. Personal interests such as hobbies can be included if space permits.

Career Field-Specific Resume Tips

Creative fields.

• When applying for a creative position, such as a graphic designer, web designer, or creative manager, it can be appropriate to have a creative resume designed in a program like Adobe InDesign.
• While a creative resume can include graphics and colors, it should still look professional and be easy to read. 
• It’s a good idea to have a traditional version of your resume along with the creative one. Applicant Tracking Systems cannot always pull information from graphics or heavily designed resumes, so use a traditional resume when applying for a position online and save your creative resume to be emailed directly or to give to someone in-person.
• See more information here about how to design a resume for the creative fields.
• When applying to positions in the federal government, it is appropriate to submit a federal resume. Federal resumes are generally 2-5 pages in length and include more required information, including U.S. citizenship status, veteran status, the address and contact information for prior employers and supervisors, and specific USAJobs.gov job identification number.
• As the large majority of federal jobs are posted on USAJobs.gov, we recommend using the website’s resume builder for a step-by-step guide to craft your federal resume.
• List the number of hours worked during clinicals.
• List any non-clinical work or volunteer experiences you have had. This shows the recruiter that you are well rounded.
• It is critical to keep your Nursing resume to 1 page only.
• Additionally, if you have worked with any data entry system such as EPIC, list it under the skills section.
• Prioritize key technical skills, such as laboratory (e.g. PCR, gel electrophoresis, western blot, etc.) and statistical analysis software (e.g. R, SPSS, STATA, etc.), in the top half of the resume. This is especially important if the position description explicitly calls for them.
• Include a research experience section that outlines any on- or off-campus research you have been involved with. Be sure to include relevant achievements in the bullet statements.
• If applicable, include a publications section following the citation style most commonly used in that field of research.
• For teaching in the public schools, create a Licensure and Certifications section, just below your Education section. The title and contents of this section depend on the norms for the state in which you are seeking work. For Massachusetts, include your SEI Endorsement; your 51A Mandated Reporter Training; your MTEL results (if you have passed all of them, you do not need to list each one); and any other endorsements or certifications you have achieved. 
• Create a category for Teaching and Related Experience, or break it up between two categories, such as Practicum Experience and Other Teaching Experience.
• Emphasize experiences with children with special needs; with English Language Learners; communicating with parents; using technology in the classroom, including remote teaching; using assessments to modify your teaching and improve student learning; and/or developing curriculum.
• Emphasize positive outcomes for your students - e.g. “collaborated with teachers to design and teach math units with an emphasis on encouraging students to build a strong foundation, explore the topics, and enjoy math.”
• View sample resume one and sample resume two .
• Prioritize key technical skills, such as programming languages (e.g. Python, C++, JavaScript, etc.) and analytical software (e.g. SQL, Spark, Hadoop, etc.), in the top half of the resume. This is especially important if the position description explicitly calls for them.
• Include a projects section that outlines any personal or group projects you have been involved with to develop your coding skills. Be sure to include relevant achievements in the bullet statements.
• If applicable, include a link to your GitHub in the contact information section.
• In your heading beneath your name, include any theatre-related professional organization memberships such as SAG and AFTRA.
• For actors, include your physical description—height, weight, hair and eye color, and vocal range. Actors should also include a color 8 x 10 headshot with their resume. Singers should specify their notes.
• Column One: Name of play or movie.
• Column Two: Role you played.
• Column Three: Name and location of the theatre, the director’s name. You can save space by abbreviating "director" to Dir."

Action Verbs and Keywords

Can one word make a difference? Yes! Choose your words carefully when writing a resume. Strong action verbs provide power and direction. Start each line of your resume with an action verb instead of more passive words. Use keywords to make sure your resume gets noticed. 

Management Skills

• administered
• consolidated
• coordinated
• prioritized
• recommended
• strengthened

Communication Skills

• corresponded
• interpreted

Clerical or Detailed Skills

• implemented
• systematized

Research Skills

• interviewed
• investigated

Technical Skills

Teaching skills.

• communicated
• facilitated

Financial Skills

Creative skills.

• conceptualized
• established
• illustrated
• revitalized

Helping Skills

• demonstrated
• familiarized
• rehabilitated
• represented

Keyword Strategies

• When you’re applying for a position, be sure to include keywords or skills from the job listing in your resume.
• Browse online job listings in your field. Words that appear consistently in a variety of ads are your "key" words. Company pages on LinkedIn are another good resource.
• Talk to professionals in your industry.
• Include at least four industry- or job-specific keywords in your resume. The ideal number is 12.

Keyword Examples*

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Award-winning corporate controller with more than ten years’ experience in two $500 million corporations. Impressive record implementing financial record database architecture that saved over $2 million annually. Proficient in Oracle, Prism, Red Brick, and SAP systems, as well as MS Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and FrontPage.

SKILLS Languages: C, SQL, C++, Assembler, Pascal Software: Oracle Developer 2000, Informix NewEra, FoxPro OS: UNIX, Windows NT/95/3.11, MS-DOS RDBMS: Oracle7, Informix 7

*Pam Dixon,  Job Searching Online for Dummies

Resume FAQs

What are the exceptions to the “one-page resume” rule.

Undergraduate students should keep their resume to one page, although there are some career fields for which a two-page resume is acceptable (e.g. teaching and federal government). Longer resumes (up to two pages) are acceptable for graduate school applications as well. 

What is an applicant tracking system? How do I know if a company is using one?

Because companies receive so many resumes for each job, applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen resumes electronically are commonly used. Over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS while 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on them ( Jobscan ). Given that so many companies use this technology, assume that your resume will be screened by an ATS and create an ATS-friendly resume.

The ATS will screen your resume and cover letter for keywords that match the job description, so make sure to use keywords from the job description in your resume and your cover letter.

What will make my resume stand out to employers?

• Putting keywords on your resume that match the job description (as long as they make sense). 
• Making sure your resume is readable, neat, and free of typos and spelling or grammatical errors.
• Dividing your experience into Relevant Experience and Additional Experience with Relevant coming first.
• Using bullet points rather than blocks of text to describe your experiences. Start each bullet point with a strong action verb, and show the result or purpose of what you did in each bullet point.
• Using numbers to quantify achievements when possible (e.g. served over 100 customers per day during a three-hour shift).
• Having a well-rounded variety of experiences and activities.

Should I use a resume template?

While it might be tempting to use a resume template from sites such as Pinterest or Canva because it is predesigned, it is best to stay away from resume templates and create a Word document from scratch. Resume templates are often not compatible with ATS and could render your resume unreadable by many employers. See our editable resume template for ATS-friendly formatting. 

You should avoid using graphics and colors in your resume unless you are applying for a creative position, such as a graphic designer, web designer, or creative manager. For these roles it may be appropriate to have a creative resume designed in a program like Adobe InDesign, however you should still avoid using a template. See more information here about how to design a resume for the creative fields.

Can ChatGPT write my resume? How should I use it?

ChatGPT and other AI tools can be used to enhance your resume, but should not be used to write one for you! AI should not replace your own creativity and perspective and the results generated are meant to provide suggestions rather than to be copied and pasted word-for-word. Think of these ChatGPT resume prompts as a supplement to your own ideas and insights, not a replacement.

When using AI to help with your application documents, submit prompts that are specific to the role for which you are applying. This will help you create materials that are tailored to the position and demonstrate your relevant skills and experience.

Just like any other writing, edit and proofread anything generated by AI before submitting. Make sure the content flows well, the wording is typo- and error-free, and the metrics are accurate. You should be able to speak to every bullet point on your resume if asked about it in an interview.

Should I include things I did in high school on my resume?

Yes, you may include extracurricular activities, sports, jobs, internships, and volunteer roles on your resume up through your second year in college or until you start replacing your high school involvement with activities you are involved in at Boston College. You may still keep work experiences from high school on your resume if you have space and/or they are relevant to your future career interests.

What document format should I use when applying for jobs online?

There are pros and cons to submitting your resume either as a PDF or Microsoft Word document. Read more here . Either way, follow the format instructions on the employer’s website or in the job description, if they provide them.

Should I include my pronouns on my resume?

Some people choose to put their personal pronouns at the top of their resume after their name. This is entirely optional. Do what feels most comfortable for you.

What is a CV? How is it different from a resume?

A curriculum vitae (CV) contains significantly more information and is more detailed than a standard resume. Unlike the one-page rule for resumes, there is no page limit for a CV. The CV includes your career history as well as your education, awards, special honors, grants or scholarships, research or academic projects, and publications. You might also include professional references, coursework, fieldwork, descriptions of dissertations, and a personal profile that lists your relevant skills and attributes. 

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Writing a CV  and a video overview of putting together your first CV .

Is there a difference between an undergraduate CV versus a graduate CV?

There are no formatting differences between an undergraduate and graduate CV except that a graduate CV might be longer because graduate students typically have more experience.

When would I use a CV? When would I use a resume?

CV’s are primarily used when applying for faculty positions in higher education or high-level positions in the sciences. CV’s are also often used in countries other than the U.S., but they can vary by country so make sure to research each country’s specific guidelines ( Interstride’s country insights can be helpful here). Resumes are used when applying for most other types of positions in the U.S.

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How To Prepare for College: The Ultimate Guide for High School Students

You may not be a high school senior yet or feel like you have plenty of time before you graduate. But it never hurts to start preparing for college early.

Going from being a high school student to a college student is a pivotal transition that requires thoughtful preparation and strategic planning. It's not just about getting into college; it's about being ready to thrive once you're there. This guide aims to demystify the process and put you on a path to success, ensuring that when the time comes, you're not just college-bound but college-ready.

From understanding the significance of your GPA to mastering the art of time management, there are countless ways to enhance your college readiness. This guide will provide actionable steps and insider advice to navigate the college preparation landscape. Whether you're a freshman just starting to think about college or a senior amid application season, there's something here to help everyone get ready for the next big step.

College Prep Steps

Here's a college checklist to follow as you get ready for your freshman year:

Research Colleges You May Be Interested In

Researching potential colleges is the first step in the college preparation journey. Start by identifying what you're looking for in a college experience, including the size of the school, its location, available majors, and campus culture. Utilize college search tools online and visit college campuses, if possible, to get a feel for the environment. Remember, the goal is to find a college that aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

Understand Each College’s Admission Requirements

Each college has its own set of criteria, which can include GPA, SAT, or ACT scores, and specific course completions. Start by visiting the college's website or contacting the admissions office to gather this information. Early awareness of these requirements can guide your high school course selection and extracurricular activities.

Take Standardized Tests

Taking standardized tests like the ACT or SAT is a key component of the college application process. These exams are a requirement for many colleges and universities and measure your readiness for college-level work. Begin preparing for these tests well in advance by utilizing study guides, taking practice tests, and considering prep courses. Your scores on these tests can play a significant role in college admission decisions and scholarship opportunities.

Participate In Extracurriculars

Engaging in extracurricular activities not only enriches your high school experience but also strengthens your college applications. Colleges look for students who are well-rounded and have demonstrated commitment and leadership in activities outside of the classroom. Whether it's sports, music, volunteer work, or clubs, find activities that interest you and where you can make a meaningful contribution.

Take a Variety of High School Courses

Diversifying your high school course selection can significantly impact your college readiness. Challenge yourself with Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they're available. These classes can offer a taste of college-level coursework and may even earn you college credit. Balancing your course load with a mix of subjects also demonstrates your willingness to push yourself academically.

Save for College

Starting to save for college early is a practical step toward managing the financial responsibilities of higher education. Explore savings options like 529 plans or education savings accounts. Understanding the costs associated with college  early on can help you and your family plan more effectively and reduce the need for student loans.

Attend College Fairs

Attending college fairs and information sessions can provide valuable insights into the college search and application process. These events are great opportunities to meet with admissions officers, ask questions, and collect information about various colleges and universities. Make a list of questions beforehand to make the most of these events.

Talk to Your Guidance Counselor

Consulting with guidance counselors for college opportunities  can offer personalized advice tailored to your academic and career aspirations. School counselors have a wealth of knowledge about college admissions, scholarship opportunities, and other resources. They can help you navigate the college application process and make informed decisions about your future.

Round Up Application Materials

Preparing application materials and recommendation letters well in advance of deadlines is essential. Start drafting your college essays early, giving yourself plenty of time to revise and perfect them. Reach out to teachers, coaches, or mentors who know you well to request letters of recommendation, providing them with enough time to write thoughtful endorsements.

Consider Financial Aid Options

Exploring financial aid options is a critical step in the college preparation process. Research scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and federal student aid to understand what financial support you may be eligible for. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a necessary step for accessing federal grants, loans, and work-study funds.

Visit Campus If Possible

Visiting college campuses can give you a firsthand look at what life is like on campus. These visits can help you determine if a college is the right fit for you. Take tours, attend information sessions, and if possible, talk to current students about their experiences. Observing the campus culture, academic facilities, and housing options  can provide valuable insights into your potential college life.

Tips for Preparing for College

Even with a step-by-step guide, preparing both mentally and physically for school can be a bit overwhelming. To help you feel ready for this next step, here are some tips to follow:

Stay Organized

Creating a timeline and checklist can significantly ease the college preparation process. Break down tasks by year or semester to manage your time effectively. Include key deadlines for college applications, financial aid submissions, and standardized tests. This approach ensures you stay on track and can make the journey less overwhelming. Regularly updating and referring to your checklist will help you meet your college prep milestones with confidence.

Build Good Study Habits

Establishing strong study and sleep habits early in your high school career can have a profound impact on your college readiness. Effective study techniques, such as time management and active learning, can improve your academic performance and reduce stress. Prioritizing sleep is equally important, as it affects your memory, mood, and overall health. Developing these habits now will prepare you for the rigors of college coursework and help you maintain a balanced student life  between school and personal life.

Take AP or Dual-Credit Courses

Enrolling in AP or dual-credit courses can provide a head start on earning college credits while still in high school. These courses challenge you academically and expose you to college-level material. Completing AP exams or dual-credit classes can reduce your college course load and potentially save on tuition costs. It's a smart way to get a jump on your college education and familiarize yourself with the expectations of higher education.

Practice Your Writing

Writing is a fundamental part of college coursework, from essays to research papers. High school is the perfect time to hone your writing abilities. Take advantage of English classes, writing workshops, and feedback from teachers to improve your clarity, coherence, and argumentation skills. Strong writing can also enhance your college applications, particularly your personal statement and supplemental essays.

Build Your Leadership Skills

Seeking leadership opportunities in extracurricular activities can set you apart in the college application process. Leadership roles demonstrate initiative, responsibility, and the ability to work with others. Whether it's captaining a sports team, leading a club, or organizing community service projects, these experiences can highlight your leadership skills and commitment to making a positive impact.

Ready To Start Your Education?

Discover the transformative education at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), where students are prepared for a future in healthcare and life sciences. MCPHS offers a unique blend of rigorous academic programs and hands-on learning experiences, guided by experienced staff committed to your success. From day one, you'll be immersed in a culture of innovation and collaboration, setting the stage for a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry.

Whether it's through internships, clinical rotations, or research projects, you'll have the chance to apply what you've learned in real-world settings, guided by faculty who are leaders in their fields.

Our campus is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, a hub of healthcare, research, and education. The vibrant MCPHS campus is surrounded by some of the world's leading hospitals and research institutions, offering unparalleled opportunities for professional development and networking. You'll be part of a dynamic community of scholars and healthcare professionals, all dedicated to improving lives through innovation and care.

Our supportive community and extensive resources are here to help you achieve your goals and make a meaningful impact in the world of healthcare. Start your application today  and take the first step toward a rewarding career that makes a difference.

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Resume Samples

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It is important to know that the look and feel of a resume are not dependent on a major, identity, or even an industry. Here you will find a variety of resume samples for you to see different options for formatting your document and organizing your content. Choose a style that best exemplifies your unique experiences and skills.

Undergraduate: Organized by Major

Graduate: organized by program, organized by situation/identity.