High School Graduate Resume Examples & Templates for 2025

More High School Graduate Resume Examples

Review these high school graduate resume examples to see how to showcase your unique skills, extracurricular involvement, and part-time work. Use these samples to help you build a resume that stands out in entry-level job applications.

Advice for Writing Your High School Graduate Resume

Starting your first resume as a high school graduate might feel a little overwhelming, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered!

Whether you’re applying for part-time work, an internship, or your first full-time job, learning how to write a resume tailored to your goals can make all the difference. Dive into our tips and discover how to highlight your strengths, education, and any experience that sets you apart.

Highlight your most relevant skills

Listing relevant skills when applying for a job is important because it helps show why you’re a good fit for the role. For a high school graduate, it’s key to highlight both technical and interpersonal skills in your resume.

Technical skills might include computer know-how or familiarity with certain tools, while interpersonal skills cover teamwork and communication. By creating a dedicated skills section, you can easily show potential employers what you bring to the table.

It’s also smart to weave these skills into your work experience or extracurricular experience for added impact. This means that when you describe past jobs, school projects, or volunteer work, mention how specific skills helped you succeed in your tasks.

For example, if you worked on a team project in school, talk about how your teamwork helped achieve great results. This approach not only highlights your abilities but also paints a picture of how you’ve used them effectively before.

Balancing technical and soft skills gives employers a clear understanding of your capabilities as a high school graduate. It shows that you’re ready to take on challenges and contribute positively to their team, making you stand out from other applicants.

Showcase your accomplishments

When you’re a high school graduate looking to showcase your accomplishments, organizing them by categories can help you fill up your resume with valuable details.

You can categorize them by skill in a functional resume format or make a section per type of activity, such as work history, volunteer work, projects, or extracurriculars. You could also make a dedicated accomplishments section if they don’t fit anywhere else on your document.

To make your resume stand out, focus on highlighting measurable results. Instead of just listing what you did, show what you achieved by using numbers or percentages. For example, instead of saying “helped organize events,” say “organized three school events attended by over 200 students that received positive feedback from staff, students, and parents.”

Using action-oriented words like “improved,” “increased,” or “reduced” can also help convey your impact effectively. Quantified accomplishments allow hiring managers to quickly assess how you’ve contributed your skills before and predict how you might contribute in future positions. By focusing on these achievements, you’ll present yourself as someone who gets results rather than just completing tasks.

5 high school graduate work history bullet point examples

• Assisted in daily operations at a local retail store, improving customer satisfaction scores by 15% through efficient service.
• Managed inventory and restocked shelves, reducing stock discrepancies by 10% and ensuring optimal product availability.
• Supported event coordination for school functions, leading to a 25% increase in student participation compared to previous years.
• Operated the cash register accurately for a fast-food establishment, achieving an average transaction time reduction of 20%.
• Collaborated with team members on landscaping projects, completing tasks 30% faster than projected timelines.

Write a strong introduction

A professional summary is a brief introduction at the top of a resume designed to capture the attention of hiring managers. When writing your resume, decide whether to include a summary or an objective first. This choice depends on what you want to highlight about yourself and your career goals.

The professional summary showcases your experience, skills, and achievements in three to four sentences. It’s ideal for applicants with direct experience who want to emphasize their professional identity and the value they bring. Consider it as a snapshot of what you’ve accomplished in jobs or in other relevant experience like volunteer work or clubs.

Conversely, resume objectives focus on your career goals and are best suited for entry-level job seekers, those changing careers, or individuals with employment gaps. An objective communicates what you aim to contribute rather than listing past achievements.

Now that we’ve covered these key points, let’s explore examples of both summaries and objectives tailored for various industries and levels of experience.

High school graduate resume summary examples

High school graduate resume objective examples

Match your resume to the job description

Tailoring your resume to job descriptions is essential because it helps you stand out and pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS). ATS are tools that scan resumes for specific keywords and phrases found in job postings.

An ATS-friendly resume is one that integrates relevant keywords and phrases from the job ad that align with your skills and experiences. By matching your resume with these keywords, you increase the chances of catching the employer’s attention.

To find keywords from a job posting, look for the skills, qualifications, and duties mentioned throughout. For example, for a server job, you may find terms like “customer service,” “POS systems,” and “order accuracy.” Using exact phrases on your resume is important because ATS looks for specific wording.

Incorporate these terms into your resume naturally by rewriting descriptions. For instance, if a job requires providing attentive customer service, you might say “Delivered prompt and attentive customer service to 50+ parents and staff during three school events.”

When you customize your resume, you improve compatibility with ATS by using relevant terms effectively. This approach makes it more likely that your application will be seen by employers, increasing your chances of getting an interview and landing the job.