I'm a high school student trying to land my first job and need to create a resume. Could someone share some ideas or a template on how to structure it, especially without much experience to list?
Creating a resume as a high schooler for your first job can certainly be daunting, but fear not. Even without much job experience, you can still create a compelling, professional document. Here's a basic structure and some useful tips:
1. Contact Information: This should be at the very top and include your full name, email, phone number, and your city and state (full address is not necessary).
2. Objective: This is a short, concise statement about your career goal. For your first job, it could be as simple as, "High school sophomore seeking a part-time job that allows for professional development and provides customer service experience."
3. Education: Since you're still in high school, your educational details matter more than for an adult. List your high school name and graduation year. If you have a good GPA (ideally above 3.5), you can include that here too.
4. Experiences/Activities: If you don't have prior work experience, this is a good place to list things like volunteer work, club involvement, sports, or even significant school projects. For instance, a leadership position in a school club can highlight your organizational or public speaking skills.
5. Skills: List any skills that might be relevant to the job, such as communication skills, time management, or technical skills like convenience with spreadsheets for a data entry job.
6. Honors/Awards: List any academic or extracurricular awards you've received. This shows prospective employers that you've been recognized for your hard work and dedication.
7. References: Employers often want to speak to someone who knows your work. A good reference could be a teacher, coach, or supervisor from volunteer work.
Here's a sample layout:
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[Your Name]
[Your Email] | [Your Phone Number] | [City, State]
Objective
High school student seeking part-time work to gain professional experience...
Education
[Name of Your High School], expected graduation year [Year]
Experience
- Club President, [Club Name], [Year–Year]...
- Volunteer, [Organization], [Year–Year]...
Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Time management
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Awards and Honors
- [Name of Award or Honor], [Year]
References
Available upon request
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Stay concise and specific, and remember that first impressions matter. Good luck with your job hunt!
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