Tips on creating a high school resume for my first job?

I'm working on my resume to apply for my first job while in high school. Anyone have tips on what to include or any templates I should follow? Not sure what to focus on since I have limited work experience.

Absolutely, crafting a resume as a high schooler can be an insightful exercise, especially as you start to chronicle your skills and experiences in a concise and professional manner. I'll share a few tips to guide you through the process:

1. Consider a functional resume: With little to no work experience, a functional resume may be a good fit. This format emphasizes skills and abilities, highlighting your strengths rather than a chronological work history.

2. Highlight academic achievements: Since you're in high school, your academics is a great place to focus. If you have a strong GPA, class ranking, or any academic achievements or awards, make sure to include those.

3. List your Extracurricular Activities: You should provide a list of your extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, student council, and other groups you're involved in. These activities can demonstrate a wide range of skills such as leadership, teamwork, initiative, and dedication.

4. Include any volunteer work: If you've done community service or any volunteer work, that shows altruism and good work ethic. Detail the organization and your role, and remember to include any specific accomplishments or projects you contributed to.

5. Certifications and courses: If you've completed first aid training, programming courses, language certifications, or anything of the sort, be sure to mention it. It tells employers that you're committed to learning and enhancing your skill set.

6. Skills: Identify the strengths you've developed that could be valuable in a work setting. This might include soft skills like communication, problem-solving, or organizational skills and hard skills such as familiarity with coding languages, proficiency in a foreign language, or expertise in graphic design software.

Remember to maintain a professional tone, proofread carefully, and keep your resume concise, no longer than a page for a high-schooler, generally. Start each line with active verbs to make it more engaging, for instance, "Organized a charity event" rather than "Was responsible for organizing a charity event". You can find various templates online, including on college prep sites like CollegeVine that can guide you in creating and formatting your resume. Good luck!