Getting a head start on your resume in high school can set you up for success—whether you’re applying for jobs, scholarships or college programs. A strong resume helps you present your experiences clearly and professionally, even if you’re just getting started.
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Here’s how to build a resume that highlights your strengths and sets you apart.
Resume tips for high school students:
1. Own your experience.
Everyone starts somewhere. You don’t need a long job history, a major internship, or crazy skills to build a strong resume in high school.
Focus on what you’ve done: jobs, volunteer work, school activities—and be specific about your role. Leadership roles, group projects, and extracurriculars all count. Any extracurricular activity looks good on a high school resume. What matters most is how you describe it.
2. Keep A clean aesthetic.
Keeping your information concise while writing a resume in high school is pertinent. Make sure your resume is easy to read by having clear section headers and professional fonts. Comic Sans is not your friend; use a common and basic font like Aptos, Times New Roman, or Verdana. Your resume should comfortably fit on one page. This is about quality, not quantity.
3. Show what makes you unique.
Resumes will look different for every high school student because it’s a snapshot of who you are instead of a mold you’re trying to fit.
You should include your hobbies and interests on your resume if there is space. These details reflect your personality and experience. Evaluate how the teams and clubs you participate in can showcase your skills. Even the hobbies you do in your free time without any formal training can come in handy during an interview. Make your hobbies and clubs sound good on your resume by providing details about your responsibilities. Not only can these activities make you memorable, but they can also showcase a side of you that isn’t represented somewhere else on your resume.
4. Highlight your certifications and accomplishments.
It is important for any resume to include relevant certifications and accomplishments. List any courses you have taken where you’ve become proficient in a skill; these can be things like Excel, Photoshop, Canva, Coding, CPR Certified, etc. Also note on your resume if you know multiple languages, if you have won any awards, if you have a high GPA, or if you hold office in any student organizations.
5. Update and change your resume routinely.
Your resume tells your story. You’ll change a lot over the course of your high school career. Update your resume as you go along. If you’re applying for something specific, cater your resume to that application. What skills are they looking for that align with your experience? Make sure it’sclear that you have the experience they’re looking for.
Creating a resume in high school may look slightly different than an adult with degrees and years of job experience, but they all share the same fundamental structure. Your resume will grow with you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I make my volunteer work sound good on a resume?
Details are important on a high school resume. Talk about what you did but also make sure to note the skills you gained from doing your volunteer work. Show how your experience is relevant to what you're applying for and steer your resume in that direction.
How long should a student resume be?
Resumes should always be one page and not double-sided. Make sure everything fits nicely.
What can I put on my resume if I have no work experience?
A lot of extracurriculars can be relevant for a high schooler, and there are plenty of skills that can be highlighted on a resume without listing job experience. Write down the clubs you're in and give details about the role you serve there, the volunteer work you’ve done, any teams you’re a part of, competition wins or any awards, any certifications or special courses you have completed, and even your hobbies – if you can provide details about how those things make you a better applicant. You can also include things like your GPA and big class projects.
What counts as a skill on a high school resume?
If your skill is a positive reflection of yourself and could be useful for the position to which you are applying , then it can be presented as a skill on a high school resume. List the skill on your resume and provide examples on how you have executed that skill. It could be as simple as saying that you’re personable and sharing instances where you worked well with others.
What’s the best resume format for a teen with no experience?
Keep the same standard format: name at the top, contact information in the top right corner, and three separate sections for skills, education, and experience. For most adults, the experience section is related to jobs, but those who will be looking over a teen's resume understand that this section will include different information. Under experience, list the things you're involved in. Title it with the position, the affiliation and the location. Then write a small description below.