How to Make a Resume for High Schoolers?

Hey everyone, I'm a high school junior trying to figure out how to make a resume for college applications and potential summer jobs. A lot of places ask for a resume, and I want to make sure mine stands out. I've got some club activities, a part-time job, and some volunteer experience under my belt.

Does anyone have any tips on what to include or how to format it? Are there specific sections I should focus on more than others? Also, how can I make my experiences sound more professional or impactful? Any advice or resources to check out would be greatly appreciated!

Responding as a high school counselor:

Building a solid resume in high school is a great way to prepare for college applications as well as future job opportunities. Here's a general structure for a high school resume:

1. Contact Information: At the top of your resume, include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Ensure that your email address is professional.

2. Education: List your high school and include your expected graduation year. You can also include your GPA here if it's strong and relevant classes you've taken.

3. Extracurricular Activities: Highlight your role in various school clubs or organizations. Be sure to mention any leadership positions you've held.

4. Work Experience: Detail your part-time job, but focus not just on tasks, but also the skills you've learned. For instance, if you've worked in a retail position, you could highlight your experience in customer service, money handling, and inventory management.

5. Volunteer Experience/Community Service: Include any unpaid work you've done in your community. Just like with work experience, point out the responsibilities you had and the skills you've gained.

6. Skills: Highlight relevant skills you've acquired from your experiences. This could include things like public speaking, event planning, or fluency in a second language. This section allows you to show off some personal qualities as well, like being a team player or an excellent communicator.

7. Achievements/Awards: Add any accolades or awards you've received, either academically or within your extracurriculars.

8. References: You don't need to include references on your resume, but be prepared to provide them if asked.

As for how to make your experiences sound more professional or impactful, use action verbs when describing your responsibilities in extracurriculars or work experiences. For example, instead of saying "was in charge of club recruitment," say something like "coordinated a successful recruitment campaign for the Spanish club that increased membership by 20%."

Finally, keep the resume concise, ideally to one page. Be sure to proofread and have someone else proofread for you to avoid any errors.

Remember, your resume is a work in progress. You’ll continue adding experiences and achievements as you move through high school and beyond. Best of luck!