High School Student resume example

Choose the right format for a High School Student resume

Use a reverse-chronological format even if your work history is thin. Employers hiring for part-time, seasonal, or entry-level roles expect a clean one-page document — never go to two pages at this stage. Put your name and contact info at the top, followed by a summary, then skills, experience, and education.

Because you likely have limited paid work, lead with a skills section right after your summary. This front-loads what you bring to the job before a hiring manager reaches your experience. Use a simple, single-column layout with standard fonts like Calibri or Georgia at 10–12 pt. Avoid graphics, tables, and columns — many applicant tracking systems used by retailers, restaurants, and grocery chains can't parse them.

• One page maximum, 0.75–1 inch margins
• File name: FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf
• Sections in order: Contact → Summary → Skills → Experience → Education → Extras
• No photos, no headshots, no decorative borders

Write a professional summary that gets you past the first glance

Your summary is two to three sentences that answer: who you are, what you can do, and what you're looking for. Skip vague openers like 'hardworking team player.' Instead, name a specific skill or accomplishment tied to the role you're applying for.

Example: "Detail-oriented high school junior with 18 months of customer-facing experience in a fast-casual restaurant environment. Certified in ServSafe Food Handler and trained on Square POS. Seeking a part-time retail or food-service role where strong communication and cash-handling accuracy translate directly to results."

Write work-experience bullets that show impact, not just tasks

List any paid jobs, babysitting gigs, lawn care routes, or family business help. Even informal work counts if you can describe it with a result. Use action verbs and add a number wherever possible — frequency, dollar amounts, customer counts, or time saved all work. Avoid writing job descriptions; write what you actually accomplished.

If you have no paid work, use volunteer roles, school club officer positions, or sports team captain responsibilities in this section — label it 'Experience' rather than 'Work Experience' so it reads naturally.

• Handled cash register transactions averaging $1,200 per shift at a 60-seat diner with less than $5 in weekly variance over six months.
• Coached five beginner swimmers during a summer rec program, with four advancing to the intermediate level by end of session.

Skills and certifications recruiters and ATS systems look for

Hiring managers at grocery stores, fast-food chains, retail outlets, and summer camps use ATS platforms like Jobvite or Greenhouse even for hourly roles. Matching your skills section to the exact language in the job posting — 'cash handling' vs. 'cashier,' for example — improves your chances of passing the filter.

Certifications carry real weight at this level because they signal initiative and reduce training costs for the employer. List any you hold, including the issuing organization and expiration date if applicable.

• ServSafe Food Handler (National Restaurant Association)
• CPR/AED and First Aid (American Red Cross)
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Point-of-sale systems: Square, Toast, Lightspeed
• Lifeguard certification (American Red Cross or YMCA)
• Driver's license with clean record (relevant for delivery or camp roles)

Education, licenses, and extras that fill the gaps

List your high school, expected graduation year, GPA if it's 3.5 or above, and any relevant coursework such as Business Principles, Computer Applications, or Culinary Arts. Include AP or dual-enrollment college courses — they signal academic rigor to employers who care about reliability.

Use an 'Activities & Honors' section to capture varsity sports, NHS membership, student government, debate team, or part-time enrollment in a vocational program. These demonstrate time management, which is one of the top concerns employers have about hiring teenagers. If you earned any awards — employee of the month, academic honors, Eagle Scout rank — list them here with the year.

• National Honor Society membership
• Varsity sport or club leadership role with years active
• Vocational or CTE program enrollment (e.g., culinary, automotive, health sciences)
• Relevant AP courses: AP Computer Science, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science

Mistakes to avoid

• ×Listing 'references available upon request' wastes space and signals inexperience — employers already assume this, so cut it entirely.
• ×Using a personal email address like 'xXgamer2009Xx@gmail.com' immediately undermines your professionalism; create a simple firstname.lastname account before you apply.
• ×Copying the job posting word-for-word into your summary or skills section reads as lazy and flags you as a low-effort candidate — paraphrase and add your own context.
• ×Leaving off informal or unpaid experience because you think it doesn't count is a missed opportunity; babysitting, yard work, and volunteer shifts all demonstrate reliability and responsibility when described with specific details.

Frequently asked questions

What do I put on a high school resume if I have no work experience?

Use volunteer work, babysitting, lawn care, school club roles, sports team positions, or family business contributions in your experience section — label it 'Experience' rather than 'Work Experience.' Focus on responsibilities and results, not job titles. Employers hiring teens expect limited paid history and care more about reliability and attitude.

Should a high school student include GPA on a resume?

Include your GPA if it is 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale — it signals academic discipline to employers. If your GPA is below that, leave it off and let your activities, certifications, and experience speak for you. Never round up or inflate your GPA; background checks and reference calls can surface discrepancies.

How long should a high school student's resume be?

One page, always. Hiring managers at retail stores, restaurants, and summer programs scan resumes quickly, and a second page signals poor editing judgment at any experience level. If your content exceeds one page, tighten your bullet points and remove anything older than three years or unrelated to the target role.