Highlighting Skills with No Experience on a Resume?

I'm struggling to write a resume for a job as a high school student with no work experience. What should I focus on? Are there any particular skills I should highlight to make myself stand out?

Writing a resume without much work experience can be challenging, but it's certainly not impossible. You should focus on highlighting your other experiences and skills that make you a suitable candidate.

1. Academic Achievements: Include your GPA (if it's strong), relevant courses, projects, or research. If you're in any academic clubs or honor societies, be sure to include those too.

2. Extra Curriculum Activities: If you are involved with any extracurriculars, such as sports teams, clubs, or volunteer organizations, include these. They can demonstrate teamwork, leadership, organizational, or other skills that might be relevant to the job.

3. Skills Section: Highlight the particular skills you have that would be beneficial for the job. For instance, if you're applying for a retail job, you might highlight your interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills, possibly giving examples from a group project or student organization.

4. Courses and Certifications: If you've taken any industry-specific courses or achieved any certifications, include those. Even if they're not directly related, they can show initiative and a desire to learn.

5. Reference Letter: If you have a reference letter from a teacher, coach, or community leader, this can add more weight to your application.

Example: If you were part of the high school debate team, this can show your strong communication, critical thinking, and English language skills, which could be useful in a variety of roles.

Remember, your goal is to show an employer that, even without work experience, you have the skills they're looking for. Align your skills with what is mentioned in the job description as much as possible for optimal impact.