RESUME

Resume for a High School Student: What To Include in 2024

As a high school student, you may want to prepare yourself for the working world by developing and updating your resume. Resumes are used for job applications, to apply for internships, apprenticeships and general job roles throughout your working career. Discovering how to construct your high school resume can help you reflect on your experiences and create a resume that can make a professional impression. In this article, we discuss what to include in a resume for high school students and provide some tips and examples.Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

What to include on a resume for high school students

Below we look at the important areas to consider when writing a high school resume:

Emphasise your education

Education is important to the employers that review your job application because it explains the topics you're interested in and have learnt. As a current student, emphasise your education, including past subjects, current subjects, grades and what you wish to study.If you achieved impressive academic results or completed challenging coursework and projects, listing this information can illustrate your dedication and ability to overcome obstacles. In addition, including extracurricular activities is valuable on a resume for high school students as it showcases your interests, dedication and commitment.

Example: Jane V Penrose High School Graduation Date: Nov 2020

ATAR: 86.00

Relevant coursework: Introduction to Journalism, English Literature, Creative Writing, Photography School clubs: School newspaper, Art club, International club

Highlight any experience

Any volunteer or paid work is valuable to include on high school resumes. Whether that was babysitting, mowing lawns, umpiring or volunteering, provide all of the experiences that illustrate your ability to participate in a team, commit to helping people and your work ethic. Make sure you include any leadership responsibilities you had or special achievements within this experience. It also shows employers that you're a dedicated, hard-working and committed candidate, making a positive impression. You may also want to review the job description of the role you're applying for and look for specific keywords or requirements that match your experiences, and ensure you use these keywords. For instance, if you're applying for a role at the cinema and the job description states they want an usher who can work independently as well as part of a team, your work experience section on your resume can showcase this.

Example:   Surf Life Saving Club Student Volunteer Lifeguard, 2017–Present

• Attended lifeguarding duty and monitored my allocated section of the beach.
• Worked within a team to perform my specific duties.
• Worked independently when monitoring swimmers.
• Treated beach-goers for minor injuries and educated them on dangers.

List awards and achievements

Awards and achievements show employers that you have a history of achieving impressive results and making an impact. Whether it's an academic award or anything else, listing them in your resume can make your job application stand out.

Example:

• Year 11 academic excellence award
• Year 12 High school prefect
• Rothdale Tigers Best & Fairest award
• Long jump school interstate champion 2017

Highlight your skills

As a high school student, you may not have much previous experience to relate to the job you're applying for, so your skills can be a great way to demonstrate your suitability for the role. Employers prefer candidates with a mixture of hard skills specific to the job and soft skills that can help you succeed in the position. If you were applying for an apprenticeship as a carpenter you may include skills you currently possess that may transfer well to woodwork.

Example:

• Workshop hand-tools and machinery skills
• Computer-aided design
• Mathematics skills
• Organised and self-motivated
• Verbal communication
• Accepting constructive criticism
• Problem-solving

Promote your attitude and performance

If your greatest strengths are your habits, attitude and performance, you may not have a chance to highlight this anywhere else on your resume, but employers value these traits in employees. Employers don't expect you to have a lot of experience as a high school student, so may look for candidates with good work attitudes and performance. You can include your performance in your resume with a heading and list.

Example:

• Near-perfect attendance at school and sports training
• Punctual to every class
• Participated in every school club I was interested in and some unfamiliar ones to learn more about them
• Led online classroom forums to discuss coursework

Include a career objective

A career objective consists of one or two sentences that summarise your career goals and how this objective aligns with the employer's needs. It goes at the very top of your resume and is the first bit of information that hiring managers read while assessing your resume. People of all ages can benefit from a clear career objective statement in their resumes. However, it's necessary for high school students because your work experience may not reflect your future goals yet. Including a career objective explains to employers why you're applying to a position and how their role helps you move towards your goals.Example: I am a motivated team player and aspiring ecologist seeking an opportunity to work with animals in your pet shop, where I can apply my skills and passion for animals and develop my knowledge further.