How do I fill out job applications as a high school student?

I'm a high school junior looking to apply for part-time jobs. A lot of applications are asking about my graduating year or my major. How should I fill out these sections if I'm still in high school?

When filling out job applications as a high school student, your strategy may need to differ slightly than that of a college grad or an experienced professional.

Under the section for "graduation year," you can provide the year you are expected to graduate high school. If it asks for a major field of study, you can put “High School Diploma” or "General High School Studies." You can also consider specifying the areas of interest or courses that you're focusing on in high school, like "High School Diploma - Focused in Sciences" or "High School Diploma - Emphasis on Math and Engineering," if there is a relation between your field of interest and the job that you're applying to.

Remember that many part-time job applications understand that the majority of their candidates might still be high school students. They're likely not expecting you to have too much specialized education or work experience. Instead, they're interested in your general responsibilities, commitments and transferable skills that might be an asset to the job. Be sure to include any relevant interests, activities or experiences in the designated areas or in your resume. This could be leadership roles in clubs, volunteer work, or even casual jobs like babysitting or lawn mowing.

For future reference, don't hesitate to call the HR department of the company you're planning to apply to if you're unsure about the application process. Most employers will appreciate your initiative in getting the application right.

Good luck with your job applications!