High school resume: how to write a strong first resume (with a sample)

A high school resume is a one-page summary of your education, activities, informal work, skills and certifications, written to show an employer or admissions reader that you're reliable and ready to learn. You don't need a job history to write a good one. Put your school near the top, treat clubs, sports, volunteering and babysitting like real experience, and describe each one with specific, action-led bullet points.

If you're out of school and starting with no job history, see the guide to writing a resume with no work experience. This page focuses on students still in high school or just graduating.

What to put on a high school resume

When you have little or no work history, almost everything you do outside class can earn a place on your resume. The question to ask about each item is: does this show I'm dependable, good with people, or able to learn something new? If yes, include it.

Education (your strongest section)

List your school, city and state, and your expected graduation month and year ("Expected June 2027"). Underneath, add anything that helps:

• GPA, if it's strong (see below)
• Honor roll, awards or academic recognition, with the year
• Relevant coursework, two to four classes connected to the job or program
• Programs like AP, IB, dual enrollment, career and technical education (CTE) or a vocational track

When to include your GPA

A good rule of thumb: include your GPA if it's 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and leave it off if it's lower. Nobody expects it on a resume for a part-time job, but for college applications and scholarships a strong GPA is worth showing. If you're strong in one area, you can list something more specific, such as "GPA in math and science: 3.7". Be honest; you may be asked for a transcript.

Relevant coursework

Coursework helps when it connects directly to the role: "Biology, Animal Science" for a vet clinic, or "Business Applications, Keyboarding" for an office job. For a cashier role it adds little, so spend the space on activities instead.

Clubs, sports and school activities

These are your "work experience". A varsity athlete shows commitment. A student council treasurer has handled money. A yearbook editor has met deadlines. Include your role, the organization, the dates, and one to three bullets on what you did.

Volunteering

Food banks, animal shelters, library programs, church events, coaching younger kids: all of it counts. Include the hours if you tracked them ("60+ hours over two years"), since it shows consistency.

Babysitting and other informal work

Babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, tutoring and helping in a family business are all real work. Someone trusted you, and you were paid. Give it a plain title ("Babysitter, Self-employed") and describe it like a job.

Skills

Pick six to ten true skills that appear in the job ad. Mix practical skills (cash handling, Google Docs, Canva, a second language) with people skills you can back up elsewhere on the page (customer service, teamwork).

Certifications

Short certifications stand out on a first resume because they show initiative and save an employer training time. Common ones for high school students:

• Food handler card: for restaurants, cafés and fast food. Usually a short online course.
• CPR and First Aid: for babysitting, camps, childcare and sports coaching.
• Lifeguard certification: for pools, beaches and summer camps.
• Driver's license: if the job involves driving or early shifts.

List the certification name, the issuing organization and the year (and expiry date, if it has one).

The best section order for a high school student resume

Put your strongest material first. For most high school students, that's this order:

1. Contact details: name, city and state, phone, a professional email, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link only if it's filled in.
2. Objective or summary: two or three sentences.
3. Education
4. Experience: informal work, volunteering and leadership roles, newest first.
5. Activities and awards: clubs, sports, competitions (merge with Experience if you only have a few).
6. Skills
7. Certifications (and Availability, for part-time jobs).

If you've had a real part-time job and it's relevant, move Experience above Education. For more on choosing a layout, see this guide to resume formats.

In the UK, a school leaver's "CV" follows a similar order, with GCSEs or predicted A-level grades in place of a GPA.

Writing a strong objective or summary

An objective says what you want; a summary says what you offer. On a high school resume, blend the two: one sentence about who you are and what you're good at, one with proof, and one about what you're looking for (including availability, for jobs).

Avoid empty lines like "Hardworking student seeking an opportunity to grow." Every high school student could write that. Name the job, mention a real example, and say when you can work.

Example: first part-time job

Friendly and dependable high school junior looking for a part-time cashier or crew member role at Greenleaf Market. Two years of babysitting for three families and weekend volunteering at the Riverside Food Bank, where I help sort donations and greet visitors. Available weekday evenings after 4 p.m. and all day Saturday.

Example: summer job

Certified lifeguard and CPR/First Aid holder looking for a summer camp counselor position for June through August 2027. Coached a youth soccer team of 12 eight-year-olds for two seasons and comfortable leading group activities outdoors. Available full time, Monday to Friday.

Example: college application or scholarship

Senior at Lincoln High School (GPA 3.8) planning to study environmental science. Founded the school's recycling club, which now runs collection points in every building, and completed 120 hours of volunteering with the county parks department. Applying for the Greenway Community Scholarship to support a degree focused on water conservation.

How to describe school activities with action verbs

The difference between a weak and a strong high school resume is usually the bullet points. Weak bullets list duties ("Responsible for..."). Strong bullets start with an action verb, say what you actually did, and include a number or result where you can.

Useful action verbs for students: organized, led, coached, trained, tutored, planned, raised, managed, created, designed, sold, helped, greeted, prepared, scheduled, recruited, built, presented, edited, cared for.

Here are before-and-after rewrites:

Basketball team

• Before: Member of the varsity basketball team.
• After: Trained 10+ hours a week with the varsity basketball team while keeping a 3.4 GPA; elected co-captain senior year.

Babysitting

• Before: Babysat kids in my neighborhood.
• After: Cared for children aged 2 to 9 for three families, including preparing meals, helping with homework and handling bedtime routines.

Student council

• Before: Was on student council.
• After: Planned the spring dance as student council treasurer, tracking a $1,500 budget and coordinating with five volunteers.

Volunteering

• Before: Volunteered at an animal shelter.
• After: Walked, fed and socialized shelter dogs every Saturday for 18 months; trained four new volunteers on cleaning and safety routines.

Tutoring

• Before: Tutored other students.
• After: Tutored three freshmen in algebra weekly; all three raised their grade by at least one letter by the end of the semester.

Only include numbers you can stand behind. If you don't know the exact figure, a reasonable, honest estimate ("about 20 customers a shift") is fine; a made-up one isn't.

References on a high school resume

You don't need to list references on the resume itself, and you don't need the line "References available upon request". Employers assume you'll provide them. Instead, keep a separate page ready with two or three references: name, relationship to you, phone and email.

Good references for students include teachers, coaches, club advisors, volunteer coordinators, and parents you've babysat for. Avoid family members. Always ask first, and tell them what you're applying for so they know what to say.

How long should a high school resume be?

One page. If you're running onto a second page, cut older activities, merge small items or shorten bullets; the one-page resume guide shows how. If you're short on content, don't pad it with a long skills list or huge fonts. A specific three-quarter page beats a full page of filler.

Formatting tips for a first resume

• Use a clean, simple layout with clear headings and white space. Skip graphics, skill bars and photos.
• Pick a readable font like Calibri, Arial or Georgia at 10.5 to 12 points.
• Keep it consistent: one date format ("Sep 2025 – Present"), one bullet style.
• Use a professional email address, ideally firstname.lastname@.
• Save as PDF with a clear name: "Jordan-Reyes-Resume.pdf".
• Use standard headings like "Education" and "Experience", so applicant tracking software used by some employers can read your resume.

If you'd rather not fiddle with spacing, the free plan on HiredResumeAI includes simple resume templates and unlimited PDF downloads with no watermark, which is plenty for a first resume.

Sample high school resume

Here's a complete sample for a junior applying for a part-time job. Copy the structure and replace the details with your own.

JORDAN REYES
Springfield, IL | (555) 214-7788 | jordan.reyes@email.com

SUMMARY
Dependable high school junior looking for a part-time crew member or cashier
role. Experienced with young children, handling cash at school events and
working in a team through two seasons of varsity soccer. Available weekday
evenings after 4 p.m. and weekends.

EDUCATION
Lincoln High School, Springfield, IL                      Expected June 2027
- GPA: 3.5 | Honor Roll, 2024–2025 and 2025–2026
- Relevant coursework: Business Math, Intro to Marketing, Spanish III

EXPERIENCE
Babysitter, Self-employed                                Jun 2023 – Present
- Care for children aged 3 to 10 for four local families, 6–10 hours a week
- Prepare snacks and simple meals, help with homework, manage bedtime routines
- Trusted with house keys and emergency contacts; regularly rebooked

Volunteer, Riverside Food Bank                           Sep 2024 – Present
- Sort and shelve donations every other Saturday (70+ hours to date)
- Greet visitors and help them find items at the weekly pantry
- Trained three new student volunteers on stocking and safety procedures

Treasurer, Lincoln High Spanish Club                     Sep 2025 – Present
- Handle cash and keep records for club fundraisers and event sales
- Organized a taco night fundraiser that raised $520 for a class trip

ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS
- Varsity Soccer, Lincoln High School (2024 – Present): train 10 hours a week
- Most Improved Player, Varsity Soccer, 2025

SKILLS
Customer service | Cash handling | Teamwork | Time management
Spanish (conversational) | Google Docs and Sheets | Canva

CERTIFICATIONS
- Food Handler Card, issued 2026
- CPR and First Aid (Adult and Child), issued 2025, expires 2027

AVAILABILITY
Mon–Fri after 4 p.m. | Saturday and Sunday, any time | Full time in summer

For a college or scholarship resume, swap the Availability section for Awards and Honors, move academics and leadership to the top of Experience, and add any research, competitions or summer programs.

When you apply online, you'll often be asked for a cover letter too. A short one helps a first-time applicant stand out; see how to write a cover letter for a simple structure.

Common high school resume mistakes

• Leaving out informal work. Babysitting, yard work and family-business help are real experience.
• Listing duties, not actions. Replace "Responsible for..." with a verb and what you did.
• Typos. Read it aloud, and ask a teacher or parent to check it.
• Exaggerating. Don't claim "fluent" in a language you studied for a year.
• Using one resume for everything. A camp counselor resume should lead with childcare and CPR; a cashier resume with customer service and cash handling.
• Forgetting availability. For part-time and summer jobs, managers check this early.
• Including personal details. No photo, age, date of birth or full home address on a US resume.

High school resume checklist

Before you send your resume, check that it:

• Fits on one page
• Has your name, city and state, phone number and a professional email
• Opens with a two-to-three sentence summary naming the job or program
• Lists your school and expected graduation date near the top
• Includes GPA only if it helps (around 3.0 or higher)
• Treats babysitting, volunteering, clubs and sports as experience, with dates
• Uses bullets that start with action verbs, with numbers where honest
• Includes skills that match the job ad
• Lists certifications with the issuer and year
• Shows your availability (for jobs)
• Has consistent formatting and no typos
• Is saved as a PDF with your name in the filename

Ready to put it together? You can start your resume in the builder with no account needed, then read these resume tips for a final polish.

Frequently asked questions

What should a high school student put on a resume with no work experience?

Put your education first, then treat informal work like babysitting or lawn care, volunteering, clubs, sports and school leadership roles as experience. Add skills that match the job ad and any certifications, such as a food handler card or CPR. Describe each item with action-verb bullet points so the reader sees what you actually did.

Should I put my GPA on my high school resume?

Include it if it's around 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, especially for college applications, scholarships and academic programs. For part-time jobs it's optional, and leaving it off won't count against you. If your overall GPA is lower but you're strong in specific subjects, you can list a subject GPA instead, as long as it's accurate.

Do I need references on a high school resume?

You don't need to list references on the resume or write "References available upon request". Prepare a separate list of two or three references, such as a teacher, coach, volunteer coordinator or a family you've babysat for, and hand it over when an employer asks. Always ask your references for permission first.

What is a good objective for a high school resume?

A good objective names the specific job or program, gives one real example of what you've done, and states your availability or goal. For example: "Dependable junior seeking a part-time cashier role; two years of babysitting and weekly food bank volunteering; available evenings and weekends." Avoid generic lines that any student could write.

Can I use the same resume for a job and a college application?

You can start from the same base, but adjust it for each. A job resume should lead with relevant experience, skills and availability, while a college or scholarship resume should emphasize academics, leadership, awards and long-term commitments. Keeping two versions saves time and makes each one stronger.