High School Student Resume Templates (+ Writing Tips)

Creating a resume as a high school student, whether for jobs, internships, or college, is key to early career development. We provide professional template selection and advice on highlighting skills and achievements, offering samples for guidance, even without formal experience.

Nilda Melissa Diaz, CPRW
By Nilda Melissa Diaz, CPRW, Career Advice Expert Last Updated: November 27, 2023Rated 4.5/5 Stars

Resume High School Template

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High school student resume templates examples

Let’s start by looking at resume samples for high school students for different scenarios. Do you have internship experience? Or do you need a resume for a high school student with no work experience? Part-time experience? We got you with our resume examples for high school students. These examples are part of our premium high school resume templates, created by design professionals to highlight what matters most in each scenario. Choose one to customize it in our Resume Builder, with the help of our step-by-step guide.

Example of a resume for high school student with no experience

This resume for a high school student highlights your career objective, summary of qualifications, skills and professional skills, above work history and education. Its main purpose is to show the hiring manager what you can do.

High school resume example with volunteer experience

This high school student resume template makes the “Professional Skills” section the main focus. The top three skills acquired from volunteer experience are featured along with details on what was accomplished for the organization by using those skills.

High school resume example with personal project experience

In this resume template for a high school student, the “Professional Skills” section is named “Relevant Skills.” It hihglights the skills learned from projects, showing that they have what it takes to do the job despite not having a professional background.

Resume for high school student with internship experience

This high school resume template features work experience and relevant skills from internships.

Resume for high school student with work experience

In this particular high school resume, the candidate has enough work experience to be organized so that the work history is front and center.

Resume for high school student with leadership experience

While the candidate in this high school resume template doesn’t have professional work experience, they highlight the leadership experience they have gained from high school club activities.

High school resume example with extracurricular activities

In this high school student resume template, the candidate writes their experience tutoring, as a secretary of their Government Club and as treasurer of their Women in STEM Club under work history.

Resume for high school student with customer service experience

A detailed relevant skills section and a work history section explaining the candidate efficiency make this a great resume for a high school student with experience in customer service.

Resume for high school student with food service experience

The candidate has at least two years of experience in this high school student resume template working in the food service industry and has written what she’s looking for in the career objective.

For hundreds of more resume examples you can use as inspiration, visit our resume examples section.

Download Template

Download free high school student resume templates

Want to download and edit a resume on your own? Choose from the best free high school resume templates below. If you want to see the other types of free templates available, take a look at our professional resume templates, simple resume templates, creative resume templates and modern resume templates.

Remarkable

Make a statement with this free high school student resume template, which utilizes box graphics for headings and a prominent header space to showcase the job applicant’s name.

Strong

This high school student resume template is perfect to create a resume that conveys confidence with solid borders and bold fonts.

Structured

A minimalist design makes this a great resume template for a high school student who wants a pop of color while keeping it simple.

Contemporary

This two-column high school resume template allows you to organize your information easily.

Cool

With a prominent header and duotone columns, this design will make sure your high school resume template looks professional.

Deluxe

Sometimes, a straightforward resume template for a high school student is the way to go. This design makes for quick and easy navigation.

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How to write a high school resume

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  • Include your contact information.

    Make sure to create a professional email address for your high school student resume, if you don’t already have one, and include a phone number where the employer can reach you.

  • Capture your intentions in your career objective.

    A resume objective for high school student is one to two sentences where you state your goals for employment. It lets the employer know your intentions of getting hired for that role and what skills and experiences you have that make you ideal for the position job. It’s at the top of your high school resume template, so make sure to feature the most relevant information.

  • Focus on your skills.

    Your skills and abilities are the heart of your high school resume — remember to tailor them to the job you’re applying for. Your skills can be written down in a simple bulleted list titled “Skills.” Other times, however, your resume for a high school student will allow you to organize your skills into categories and explain them in more detail, as the high school resume example shows.

    • “Professional Skills” or “Relevant Skills” section: Choose your top three core skills that match the job requirements. Dive further into them by using three to five bullet points per skill to explain what you did or achieved utilizing that skill. Use numbers (or quantifiable metrics) when possible to better portray the results of your skills.
    • “Summary of Qualifications” section: Choose the top three skills that you’ve learned or used in internships, projects or extracurricular activities that qualify you for the role. Briefly explain how you used these skills in a single sentence.
  • Relevant experience is good experience.

    Internships, academic experiences, personal projects, extracurricular activities (such as volunteer work, sports or clubs), or temporary work experiences, like babysitting, camp counseling or seasonal positions count as relevant experience. You’ll see that a lot of the high school student resume templates on this page include these situations.

    If you have work experience, go beyond daily tasks and use your bullet points to highlight work achievements in your high school resume. If you can include quantifiable metrics, meaning numbers and percentages, even better. For example:

    • Instead of:
      “Prepared coffee for customers.”
    • Write:
      “Poured and prepared coffee for over 30 customers daily.”
    • Instead of:
      “Created content for social media.”
    • Write:
      “Created monthly calendar with over eight posts for the school’s social media accounts.”

    Protip: If you have substantial experience, you can include your extracurricular activities as optional additional section

  •  List where you study and any training you completed.

    Write your high school’s name, its location and your expected graduation date in your high school resume. If you have taken relevant training or possess a certification (such as CPR or Life Saver) that can help you in this new role, include them as well.

Action verbs for your high school student resume template

High School Student Resume Templates

Rather than just claiming you have a skill, feature examples of how you’ve used that skill, using action verbs to describe specific experiences where you used or acquired it. The result? A more effective resume.

You’ll mostly use action verbs in your “Summary of Qualifications,” “Professional Skills” and “Work History” sections. For example, note this high school student resume example. The highlighted words are action verbs that mark you as a proactive, energetic job applicant and strengthen each statement. As you can see, first-person pronouns (like “I,” “me” or “my”) are omitted.

Action verbs for a high school student resume template

  • COMMUNICATING
  • Addressed
  • Arranged
  • Corresponded
  • Developed
  • Directed
  • Drafted
  • Edited
  • Enlisted
  • Influenced
  • Interpreted
  • Participated
  • Persuaded
  • Presented
  • Promoted
  • Proposed
  • Related
  • Sold
  • Spoke
  • Translated
  • Wrote
  • CREATING
  • Acted
  • Conceived
  • Conceptualized
  • Created
  • Customized
  • Designed
  • Developed
  • Established
  • Fashioned
  • Illustrated
  • Improved
  • Initiated
  • Originated
  • Performed
  • Planned
  • Redesigned
  • Reshaped
  • Revitalized
  • HELPING
  • Assisted
  • Clarified
  • Coached
  • Counseled
  • Demonstrated
  • Educated
  • Guided
  • Motivated
  • Referred
  • Supported
  • Tutored
  • MANAGING
  • Accomplished
  • Analyzed
  • Attained
  • Conducted
  • Consolidated
  • Contacted
  • Coordinated
  • Developed
  • Directed
  • Established
  • Evaluated
  • Exceeded
  • Improved
  • Initiated
  • Organized
  • Oversaw
  • Planned
  • Produced
  • Scheduled
  • RESEARCHING
  • Collected
  • Consulted
  • Evaluated
  • Examined
  • Experimented
  • Identified
  • Inspected
  • Investigated
  • Obtained
  • Reviewed
  • Searched
  • Summarized
  • Surveyed
  • TECHNICAL
  • Assembled
  • Built
  • Calculated
  • Computed
  • Configured
  • Determined
  • Edited
  • Enhanced
  • Installed
  • Maintained
  • Operated
  • Programmed
  • Remodeled
  • Solved
  • Trained
  • Upgraded

7 tips to perfect your high school resume

  1. Use the job posting as your outline.

    Employers will spell out what they’re looking for in a candidate and the requirements needed to get hired in the job description. Read it well and you’ll find exactly what you need to include in your resume for high school student, such as the top skills they want the candidate to have.

  2. Make a list of your skills.

    Before writing your high school student resume, list all the skills you possess and divide them into three categories: hard skills, soft skills and technical skills.

    • Hard skills are tangible abilities learned through education, training or on the job and are job-specific. For example: sales, design, writing, social media marketing, language, presentation or project management.
    • Soft skills are personality traits and habits that show how you approach a task. For example: attention to detail, problem-solving, self-motivation, time management and communication.
    • A technical skill is the ability or knowledge needed to perform a job. For example: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom), Microsoft Office Suite, Google Docs, Java or HTML5.

    For more skill suggestions and tips, check out Top Skills to Put on a Resume.

  3. Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for.

    Customize your resume for each job application and employer by using the right keywords in your resume template for a high school student, based on specific phrases in the job description that highlight important skills and requirements.

  4. Find resume examples to use as inspiration.

    A high school student resume example is a great tool to understand the tone, language and formatting you should use. Look for professional examples similar to your situation, address the same job or belong to the same industry.

  5. Only include relevant information.

    Hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds reviewing resumes. Only highlight information relevant to the job posting.

  6. Review and edit your resume with someone you trust.

    Talk to your parents, guardian, teacher or guidance counselor and sit down with them to look over your high school student resume. Get their feedback and edit accordingly.

  7. Make sure you have the permissions necessary to work.

    Laws vary by state, but generally, minors need permission from their parents or legal guardian to work, and they must notify their school. Companies may also require the parent or guardian to sign a waiver, even if it’s a summer job.

  8. Include a cover letter.

    Write a high school cover letter in just 400 words. Use three paragraphs: first, introduce yourself and why you want to work there; second, explain how you’ve used or plan to use your skills, and finally, ask them to contact you. A cover letter will help you expand on your high school student resume.

Additional resources for your high school resume template

Choosing a resume template for high school students is only the first step. Here are some expert resources to write a perfect resume and cover letter:

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FAQ High School Resume

What is a high school student resume?

A high school resume is a snapshot of your skills, accomplishments and any work experience. You can include your internships, volunteer work, extracurricular activities and hobbies.

Why is a high school resume important?

A high school student resume is important because it serves many purposes. 

A high school resume:

  • Helps you apply to an after school job.
  • Acts as an addition to your college application.
  • Helps you get comfortable building a resume. 

A resume can also help self-evaluate your high school career. For example, you can include non-honors and non-academic achievements in your resume, like spearheading a club, if you were recognized by peers and teachers, leadership role in extracurricular activities and more.

What should be included in a high school resume?

A high school student resume should include the same elements of a regular resume.

  • Your name
  • Current contact information
  • Your education
  • A resume objective 
  • A skills section

Because you are starting out, you can include other sections to highlight your skills.  

  • Work experience — If you have a formal job or gig, include them in your resume. 
  • Extracurricular activities — Member of an organization? Add them to your resume to showcase your interest and commitment. 
  • Volunteering 
  • Academic achievements  
  • Honors
  • Certifications 

It can be tempting to exaggerate your skills or accomplishments, yet it’s best to keep it honest.  Include only those sections that apply to you.

How can I make my high school resume stand out?

A resume for a high school student can stand out when it shows a well-rounded person. Your academic achievements are important and so are your extracurriculars. 

  • Show how you pursue your interests — Creating a club or joining an organization can show your interests, commitment and discipline. 
  • Highlight your entrepreneurial spirit — Babysitting, mowing lawns, building websites, doing art commissions or anything else help showcase your willingness to learn on your own.
  • Include your volunteering — Whether you stick with one cause or enjoy helping different organizations, add these activities to your resume.

Your resume should always be tailored to its application. An employer would want to know about your skills, while a college application benefits from knowing more about your extracurriculars. 

How to write a high school resume?

Before you start writing your resume for a high school student, keep in mind what you’re creating it for and use that to tailor your resume. If it is for a job, use the job description and include keywords on your resume. If you’re creating it as an addition to your college application, include everything you can from your high school career.

  • Include your contact information. Limit it to email and phone numbers. There is no need to include an address, city and state should suffice.
  • Create a resume summary or objective. 
  • Use bullet points to include a list of soft and hard skills.
  • Include certifications, like CPR, first aid or CompTIA A+.
  • Include your employment experience, like: 
    • Part-time jobs
    • Internships
    • Volunteer Work
    • Hobbies and Interests

You can follow our guide on how to write a resume with no experience to create each section. 

How we reviewed this article

Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.

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