Resume for High School Student: Complete Guide + Examples
Your first resume is not about proving experience you do not have. It is about showing an employer that you are reliable, capable, and ready to work. This guide covers every section, with examples and a full annotated template.
By Rolerise Editorial9 min read
1 page
Every high school resume — no exceptions
Education first
Unlike adult resumes — your school goes at the top
No experience needed
Employers hiring at 15–17 do not expect prior work history
Writing your first resume feels hard because you think you have nothing to put on it. You do. A high school resume is not compared against candidates with ten years of experience — it is compared against other students who are in the exact same position. The employers reading it know you are 15, 16, or 17 years old. They are not expecting a career.
What they are looking for: someone who will show up reliably, communicate clearly, follow instructions, and not quit after two weeks. That is it. Your resume's job is to make you look like that person — and almost every high school student has enough to do it.
This guide walks through every section in the order they belong on the page, with examples of what to write at each step. At the end there is a full annotated example of a complete high school resume so you can see how it all fits together.
How a High School Resume Is Different From an Adult Resume
Most resume guides are written for adults with years of work experience. A high school resume has different rules — different section order, different emphasis, and different expectations from the reader.
High school resume vs adult resume — key differences
High School Resume
Adult Resume
Length
1 page — always
1–2 pages depending on experience
First section
Education — listed first because it's your main qualification
Summary/experience — work history leads
Summary vs Objective
Objective — you are stating what you are looking for
Summary — you are stating what you offer based on experience
Experience section
Includes informal work (babysitting, lawn care), volunteer work, activities
Formal employment history only
Activities section
Important — sports, clubs, student council are legitimate resume content
Usually omitted
What employers expect
Reliability, attitude, coachability — not experience
Relevant skills and proven outcomes
The single most important thing to remember: employers hiring high school students have made a deliberate choice to hire someone young and inexperienced. They have budgeted for the training time. They are not expecting a fully formed professional. They are evaluating whether you look like someone worth training.
Every Section Explained — In Order
Section 1: Contact Information
Your name, phone, email, and location. That is all. This section appears at the very top of the page.
What to include and exclude in contact information
Include
Do not include
Full name (first and last)
Photo or headshot
Phone number (your cell phone)
Date of birth or age
Email address
Full home address (city and state only)
City and state
Social media handles (unless relevant)
LinkedIn profile URL (if you have one — optional)
Parent's contact information
Email address matters more than you think
Your email address is part of your first impression. [email protected] or [email protected] look unprofessional and give employers a reason to pause. Create a new email address for job applications if needed: [email protected] is the standard. Takes two minutes and makes a real difference.
Adult resume guides say not to use an objective and to use a summary instead. For high school students, the objective is the right choice. You are at the beginning of your career — it makes sense to state what you are looking for, not what you have already done.
A good high school resume objective does three things:
Names the type of job or industry you are applying for
Mentions one genuine strength
Says something specific about why you want this type of work (optional but effective)
Keep it to 2–3 sentences. No fluff. No "results-driven professional seeking a challenging opportunity."
❌ Generic — says nothing
"Motivated high school student looking for a part-time job to gain work experience and develop professional skills in a fast-paced environment."
Could be anyone. No specifics. No genuine signal.
✓ Specific — gives the employer something to hold onto
"Junior at Austin High School seeking a part-time customer service role at a local retailer or café. Comfortable talking to people, experienced managing busy situations from three years of team sports, and available weekends and all summer. Looking to contribute while learning how a retail operation works."
Names the type of role. Mentions a real strength (people, high-pressure). Shows availability. Shows genuine interest.
The availability line
Most high school jobs have specific schedule requirements. Stating your availability clearly in your objective — "available weekends and all summer" or "available 15+ hours per week after 3pm on school days" — saves the employer a step and immediately answers their most practical question. A student who has thought about this looks more serious than one who has not.
"Sophomore at Lincoln High School applying for a crew member role at [Company Name]. I work well under pressure — I play varsity soccer and have handled high-intensity situations since I was 14. I am available 20+ hours per week including all weekends, and I am looking for a role where I can be part of a team, learn food service operations, and prove my work ethic."
"Junior at Riverside High seeking a part-time cashier or stock associate role in retail. I have been babysitting and managing schedules for three years, which has given me strong organizational and communication skills. I am reliable, punctual, and available every weekend and 3 days per week after school."
"Senior at Westview High applying for a summer camp counselor position. I have three years of experience working with children as a babysitter and Sunday school assistant, and I am CPR and First Aid certified. I am enthusiastic about working outdoors, committed for the full summer, and able to work with children aged 6–12."
"Junior at Northside High School interested in a part-time administrative or office assistant position. I am proficient in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, type 65+ WPM, and have strong attention to detail from maintaining a 3.8 GPA while managing a 15-hour weekly sport commitment. Available 3 afternoons per week and all summer."
Section 3: Education
Education goes first on a high school resume — the opposite of most adult resume advice. Your schooling is your primary qualification. A recruiter at McDonald's, Target, or your local movie theater is not reading 50 résumés — they are reading a handful, and they want to know quickly where you go to school, when you are available, and whether you seem capable.
EDUCATION
[Your High School Name] · [City, State] High School Diploma, expected [Month, Year of graduation] GPA: 3.6/4.0 (include only if 3.0 or above) Relevant Coursework: Business Essentials, Computer Applications, Spanish II (optional — include if related to the job)
Education section elements for high school students
Include your GPA if it is 3.0 or above. Leave it out if it is below 3.0 — omitting it is not dishonest, it is standard practice. If you have a strong GPA in specific subjects that are relevant to the job (a 4.0 in business classes when applying for a retail role, for example), you can note that: "GPA: 3.8 in Business coursework."
Work permits
Many states require a work permit for students under 16. Some employers will ask about this during the application process. Check your state's requirements before applying — having your permit ready shows initiative. Your school's guidance counselor can usually provide one within a day or two.
Section 4: Work Experience
Here is where most high school students get stuck — they think they have no experience. Look more carefully. "Work experience" for a first resume includes far more than formal employment.
Babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, snow shoveling, house cleaning, tutoring, tech help for neighbors, social media management for a family business, selling items online. These are real jobs. They involve real skills, real responsibility, and real money. List them.
Anything where you gave time to help others — food bank, animal shelter, library, church youth group, community clean-up, charity events, tutoring younger students. Volunteer work tells employers about your character and your initiative. List it under Experience or in a separate Volunteer section if you have a lot of it.
If you have had a real part-time job — even for a short time — this goes first. Anything listed in an employer's system, anything where you received a paycheck, anything where there is a manager who can vouch for you.
If you regularly helped with a family business — managing social media, helping with deliveries, assisting customers, doing bookkeeping — this is legitimate experience. List it honestly: "Part-time assistant, Martinez Family Catering" is fine.
For each experience entry, write 2–3 bullet points. Start each bullet with an action verb. Focus on what you did, any outcomes you can measure, and any responsibility you took on. You will not have dramatic metrics — but you can still quantify.
❌ Weak bullets — describes tasks, not outcomes
Babysat for two families
Took care of children
Responsible for meals and bedtime
✓ Stronger bullets — describes what you actually did
Cared for 2–3 children (ages 4–9) for 4 families over 2 years, averaging 8–10 hours per week during school year and 20+ hours in summer
Prepared meals, managed homework routines, and handled bedtime independently — trusted by parents to manage full evenings without supervision
Resolved conflicts between children, communicated daily updates to parents, and maintained consistent schedules — developed patience and problem-solving under pressure
The skills section for a high school student is different from an adult resume skills section — but it matters just as much for ATS keyword matching. Employers may run your application through an applicant tracking system even for part-time retail or food service jobs. The skills section is where those keywords live.
These matter more than most students realize. Employers hiring for retail, food service, or office work genuinely value basic computer competence. Be specific — not "good with computers" but the actual programs you can use.
Examples: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Canva, Instagram (content creation), TikTok (video editing), iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, PowerPoint, typing speed (if above 50 WPM)
If you speak any language other than English — even conversationally — include it. State your level honestly: Fluent, Conversational, Basic. Bilingual candidates are genuinely valued in customer service, food service, and healthcare-adjacent roles.
Example: Spanish (conversational), Mandarin (native), French (basic)
Match your skills to what the job posting asks for. Read the job description before finalizing your skills section. If they mention "cash handling," add "cash handling" if you have done it. If they mention "food safety," add "food safety knowledge" if you have any.
Retail/Food Service: Cash handling, customer service, food safety (ServSafe certification if you have it), POS systems, inventory management, visual merchandising
Office: Data entry, scheduling, filing, phone etiquette, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace
Outdoor/Physical: Lawn equipment operation, CPR/First Aid certified, OSHA safety awareness, physical lifting (state weight if relevant), driving (if licensed)
Do not list "communication," "teamwork," or "leadership" as standalone skills unless you back them up with a specific example in your experience or activities sections. These words alone mean nothing on a resume. If you can demonstrate them elsewhere in the document, they add credibility. If you list them without evidence, they add noise.
The test: For every soft skill you list, ask: "Where does my resume prove this?" If you cannot answer, remove it from the skills section and demonstrate it in a bullet instead.
Section 6: Extracurricular Activities and Leadership
This section is unique to student resumes — and it is more important than most students realize. For a high school student with limited work history, your activities section tells an employer more about who you are than almost anything else on the page.
Sports demonstrate: coachability, performance under pressure, teamwork, commitment, showing up every day even when you do not feel like it. Clubs demonstrate: interest, initiative, sustained engagement. Leadership roles demonstrate: responsibility, judgment, organizational skills. These are exactly the signals employers are looking for in a first employee.
Sports teams — especially if you play varsity or have a leadership role (captain, co-captain)
Academic clubs — National Honor Society, Math League, Science Olympiad, Debate, Model UN
Arts and performance — band, choir, drama, visual arts if performed or exhibited publicly
Student government — student council, class officer, school board representative
Work-related clubs — DECA, Future Business Leaders of America, HOSA
Community groups — scouting, religious youth groups (if comfortable), civic organizations
For each activity, include: the name of the activity, your role (member, captain, president), how long you have been involved, and one accomplishment or responsibility. Do not just list the name — add one line of context that makes it meaningful.
Varsity Soccer, Midfielder · Austin High School · 3 years Member of 20-person team; competed in state playoffs. Coordinated strategy with teammates during matches. Named team captain for senior season — responsible for organizing practice warm-ups and team communication with coaching staff.
DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) · Vice President · 2 years Organized chapter meetings for 40 members, coordinated fundraising events that fully funded chapter activities for the year, and competed in regional marketing competitions.
National Honor Society · Member · Inducted junior year Maintained required GPA and service hour commitments; participated in monthly tutoring sessions for 8th-grade students at partner middle school.
Section 7: Honors and Awards (Optional but Valuable)
If you have received any formal recognition — academic, athletic, community, or otherwise — include it. This section is short: a list of awards with brief context. It does not need to be long to be effective. One meaningful award is better than five filler ones.
Honor Roll — 3 consecutive semesters (most recent)
Principal's List — [School Name] — top 10% of junior class
Athletic Award — Most Improved Player, JV Basketball
Community Service Award — Austin Youth Volunteers, for 100+ volunteer hours
Eagle Scout — highest rank in Boy Scouts of America (this is a significant credential — always include it)
DECA Regional Marketing Finalist
AP Scholar — scored 3 or higher on 3+ AP exams
If you have nothing formal to list here, skip this section. A missing section is fine. An empty or padded section looks worse than nothing.
Complete Annotated Example: High School Student Resume
Here is a full example for a junior applying to a retail or food service role with no formal work experience. Every section is annotated to explain the choices.
✓ Professional email. City/state only. No photo. No date of birth.
OBJECTIVE
Junior at Austin High School applying for a part-time customer service or crew member role. Experienced handling children and high-pressure situations through 2 years of babysitting and 3 seasons of competitive soccer. Available 15+ hours per week on afternoons and all weekends, and full-time in summer.
✓ Names the type of role. Mentions two real strengths with specific evidence. States availability clearly.
EDUCATION
Austin High School · Austin, TX High School Diploma, expected May GPA: 3.6/4.0 · Honor Roll, 4 semesters Relevant Coursework: Business Essentials, Spanish III, Computer Applications
✓ GPA included (above 3.0). Honors mentioned. Relevant coursework that supports customer-facing work.
EXPERIENCE
Independent Childcare Provider · Austin, TX Ongoing, approximately 2 years
Provided regular childcare for 3 families (children aged 3–10), averaging 8–12 hours per week during school year
Managed meals, homework, bedtimes, and sibling conflicts independently — trusted with full supervision from drop-off to parent return
Maintained 100% reliability record over 2 years, never cancelling or arriving late
Communicated daily updates to 3 sets of parents and adapted care approach to each family's preferences
✓ Informal work treated as real employment. Quantified where possible. Shows reliability and communication.
Volunteer, Food Distribution · Central Texas Food Bank · Austin, TX Monthly, 18 months
Sorted and packaged food donations alongside teams of 10–20 volunteers; contributed to distributing 400–600 lbs per session
Trained 3 new volunteers on sorting procedures after first 6 months; assigned shift leadership responsibilities by coordinator
✓ Volunteer work as real experience. Progression shown (regular → shift lead). Community commitment visible.
SKILLS
Technology: Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Canva, 55 WPM typing Language: Spanish (conversational — 4 years study, used with Spanish-speaking families while babysitting) Other: Cash handling (informal), CPR/First Aid certified (Red Cross), food safety awareness, customer communication, reliable transportation
✓ Specific tools, not vague "computer skills." Language skill tied to real usage. CPR certification is relevant for many entry-level roles.
ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP
Varsity Soccer, Midfielder · Austin High School · 3 seasons — team of 22 players, competed in regional playoffs; selected team captain for current season
DECA Member · 2 years — participated in regional marketing competition; assisted VP with event coordination for 40-member chapter
Student Tutoring Program · 1 year — tutored 6th-grade students in math through school's peer tutoring program, 2 hours per week
✓ Captain role shows leadership at same age as being hired. DECA is directly relevant to retail/business. Tutoring shows patience and communication.
HONORS
Honor Roll — 4 consecutive semesters · DECA Regional Marketing Finalist · Most Improved Player, JV Soccer (sophomore year)
✓ Short and clean. Three meaningful honors. No padding.
10 Mistakes High School Students Make on Their Resume
1. Using a designed two-column template
Canva templates, creative resume builders, and many online templates use two-column layouts or text boxes. These break ATS parsing — even for entry-level jobs. Many companies, including McDonald's, Target, and Starbucks, use ATS for their online applications. A plain, single-column Word document or PDF will always outperform a visually designed template in an ATS system.
2. An unprofessional email address
This is an easy fix that many students miss. Create a professional email for job applications before sending anything out.
3. Listing activities without any context
"Soccer" is not a resume entry. "Varsity Soccer, captain, 3 seasons, competed in regional playoffs" is. Every activity needs at least one line of context that makes it meaningful to someone who does not know you.
4. Not including informal work
Babysitting, lawn mowing, dog walking, car washing, tutoring — these count. Many students leave them off because they do not think of them as "real jobs." They are. Include them with the same detail and bullet point structure you would use for formal employment.
5. Copying a generic objective from the internet
"Motivated student seeking a challenging opportunity to develop professional skills" sounds like every other application. Personalize it — name the type of job, mention something real about why you want it, and state your availability.
6. Listing your parents' contact details
Use your own phone number and your own email address. Listing a parent's contact information looks like the student did not put the application together themselves.
7. Leaving out your availability
Employers hiring teens care deeply about when you can work. State your availability clearly — in the objective or in a short line at the top. "Available weekends, holidays, and 3+ afternoons per week" answers the employer's most urgent question before they have to ask.
8. Making it two pages
A two-page high school resume is always too long. Cut until everything fits on one page. If you are struggling to fill one page, add more detail to your existing entries — do not add length to add length.
9. Not customizing for each job
You do not need to rewrite your entire resume for every application. But take 10 minutes to check the job posting and add the specific skills they mention — if they mention "food safety" or "cash register," make sure those words appear in your skills section if they are true for you.
10. Not proofing it before sending
One typo in a contact email means you never hear back. Read your resume out loud once before submitting. Ask a parent, teacher, or trusted adult to read it too. Your guidance counselor is also a free resource — they review student resumes regularly.
Applying In Person vs Online — What Works Better for Teen Jobs
For many entry-level teen jobs, walking in to apply in person is still more effective than submitting an online application — especially at local, independent businesses. Here is how to approach each.
Large employers with standardized hiring processes require online applications through their career portals. These go through ATS — which is why your resume format matters even for a part-time crew job. Follow the ATS rules above. Upload your resume as a .docx or clean PDF. Fill in every field — do not leave blanks with dashes.
Tip: Apply on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Research consistently shows hiring manager activity peaks mid-week. Friday applications often sit until the following week.
In-person applications (local restaurants, shops, small businesses)
For local employers, walking in during a slow period (typically 2–4pm on weekdays, not during a lunch or dinner rush) with a printed copy of your resume can be significantly more effective than emailing. Here is what to do:
Print 5–6 copies. Have extras — you may visit multiple places in one afternoon, and printing one copy at home is always cheaper than doing it at a store.
Dress appropriately. Not formally — but clean, neat, and not in gym clothes. First impressions at the door are real.
Ask for the manager. "Hi — I am looking for part-time work. Is the manager available? I have my resume." Direct and clear is better than hovering.
Be brief and confident. Introduce yourself, hand over your resume, say you are interested in any part-time openings, and ask if you can follow up. Do not oversell. Do not talk too long.
Follow up in one week. If you have not heard back, return or call once. More than once is too much — but one follow-up is expected and respected.
The ask that almost no teen makes
When you hand in your resume in person, ask: "Is there anything I should know about your hiring timeline, or a good time to follow up?" This question does three things: it signals genuine interest rather than mass-applying, it gives you useful information about when to expect a response, and it makes you memorable. Most adult job seekers do not ask this question. Almost no teenagers do. It takes 5 seconds.
What to Do After You Submit Your Resume
Submitting your resume is not the end of the process. What you do in the days after matters.
Track your applications
Keep a simple list of everywhere you applied — company name, date applied, method (online or in-person), and whether you have heard back. This prevents the embarrassing situation of forgetting where you applied, applying twice to the same place, or missing a follow-up opportunity. A basic spreadsheet or even a note on your phone works. See: Job Application Tracker: Free Template.
Follow up appropriately
For online applications: one follow-up email to the hiring manager after 7 days is appropriate if you can find contact information. For in-person applications: return once after 5–7 days if you have not heard anything. Two contacts total — initial application and one follow-up — is the maximum.
Template for a follow-up email:
Subject: Following Up — Part-Time Application, [Your Name]
Hi [Manager's name or "Hiring Manager"],
I submitted an application for a part-time position on [date]. I wanted to follow up to confirm it was received and to express my continued interest. I am available for an interview any afternoon this week and would welcome the chance to speak with you.
Thank you for your time. Jordan Martinez (555) 204-8901
Prepare for the interview before it happens
Most teen job interviews are brief — 10 to 20 minutes. They cover a predictable set of questions. Prepare answers to these before you walk in:
"Tell me about yourself." — Not your life story. Your name, grade, and two sentences about what you are good at or interested in that relates to the job.
"Why do you want to work here?" — Be specific about this company or location. "I come here often and I like the atmosphere" is more memorable than "I need a job."
"What are your strengths?" — Pick one real one and give a specific example. "I am reliable — I have babysat for the same families for two years and never cancelled."
"When are you available?" — Know your answer before you go in. Be honest about school commitments and sports seasons.
"Do you have any questions?" — Yes. Always have one. "What does a typical first week look like for new employees?" shows you are thinking ahead.
How to Tailor Your Resume for a Specific Job Posting
Sending the exact same resume to every job is the most common application mistake at any age. It takes 10 minutes to tailor your resume for a specific posting and it meaningfully improves your chances — even for entry-level teen jobs.
The 10-minute tailoring process for high school students
Read the job posting once. What words appear in the Requirements section? These are your keywords.
Add those words to your skills section — if they are genuinely true for you. "Customer service," "reliable," "punctual," "food safety," "cash handling," "register operation" — whatever they list, use their words.
Adjust your objective to name this specific type of role. "Crew member at a fast food restaurant" is more specific than "part-time job."
Move the most relevant activity or experience to the top of each section. If the job is about physical work, put the physical activities first. If it is about customer service, put the babysitting or customer-facing experience first.
Add availability details that match their schedule. If they are looking for weekend availability and you have it, say so explicitly.
For most teen entry-level jobs — fast food, retail, grocery, movie theater — a cover letter is not expected and not required. If the application does not ask for one, do not include one.
When a cover letter does matter: if you are applying to a small local business (a restaurant, a boutique, a lawn service company) where you will be handing in your resume in person, a 3–4 sentence cover note can make a difference. It should say: who you are, what job you want, one specific thing about why you want to work there in particular, and your availability. Keep it short.
"Hi — I am Jordan Martinez, a junior at Austin High School. I am interested in any part-time positions you have available, particularly front-of-house or café crew. I come in here every Saturday morning and I genuinely like how the team works — it is the kind of place I would be proud to work at. I am available every weekend and 3 afternoons a week after school. Here is my resume — I would love the chance to talk if there is an opening."
High School Resume Checklist
Run through this before sending any application.
Format
✓Single-column layout — not a two-column Canva template
✓One page — not one line over
✓Professional email address in contact section
✓Contact info in document body — not in a Word header
✓Saved as .docx or text-based PDF (can highlight individual words)
✓File named: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
Content
✓Education listed first — with GPA (if 3.0+) and relevant coursework
✓Objective is specific: names the type of job + one strength + availability
✓Every activity has at least one line of context — not just a name
✓Informal work (babysitting, lawn care, tutoring) included under Experience
✓At least 2–3 bullets per experience entry — starting with action verbs
✓Skills section is specific: tool names, language levels, certifications
✓No soft skills listed without evidence elsewhere on the resume
Targeting
✓Objective names this specific type of role
✓Skills section uses vocabulary from the job posting
✓Availability stated clearly and accurately
✓Proofread at least once — including contact email address