High school resume templates for first jobs

Mostly the order and the emphasis. A high school resume for a part-time job and one for a college application can share every fact, but a hiring manager and an admissions reader look for different things. The manager wants to know you'll show up, learn fast and treat customers well. The admissions reader wants to see what you've pursued and how you've grown.

What should a high school resume look like?

A high school resume should be one page, starting with your name and how to reach you, then your school, then whatever shows you're dependable: jobs, volunteering, sports or clubs. Use a plain design, the same date style throughout and short bullets that start with a verb. That format works at 14 for a first summer job and still works at 17 for a college application.

How do I write a high school resume with no work experience?

Treat school, volunteering and activities as your experience, and describe them the way you'd describe a job: what you did, for whom and how often. A few bullets in that style:

• Trained two new volunteers to run the food bank's Saturday sign-in desk.
• Kept score and player stats for every home game of the basketball season.
• Walked and fed three neighbors' dogs on a weekly schedule.

How do I set up a resume for a part-time or summer job?

Open with proof that you'll turn up and do the job well, since that's what a shift manager is hiring for:

• Put any jobs first, including babysitting, yard work or helping at a family business.
• Show reliability: a spotless attendance record, a shift you covered or cash you handled.
• Mention your availability if the job runs on shifts, such as weekends and summer weekdays.
• Keep activities to one line each, unless one shows a skill the job needs, like a team sport for a busy restaurant or a coding club for a computer store.

Lifeguarding and camp jobs are popular first summer jobs, and they reward a certification you can name. The beach lifeguard resume example lists CPR and first aid examples worth borrowing if you hold them.

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How do I set up a resume for a college or scholarship application?

Admissions readers look for depth, so give a few activities real detail rather than listing everything:

• Lead with academics: your school, graduation year, GPA if it helps, honors and advanced classes.
• Give activities more room. Name your role, how long you stayed and one thing you achieved.
• Add awards, competitions, research projects or summer programs.
• Follow each application's instructions, since some ask for their own activities form rather than a resume.

Service and leadership carry weight here. The National Honor Society member resume example has suggestions on tutoring, service projects and volunteer hours you can adapt to what you've done.

What stays the same in both versions?

Both versions need accurate dates, a clean one-page layout and plain, specific wording. Start every bullet with a verb, such as organized, tutored or trained, and add a number when you can: "Tutored three classmates in algebra each week." Ask a parent, teacher or counselor to read it once before you send it; a fresh pair of eyes catches what you skim past.

Which version should I create first?

Build the job version first, since it's usually needed sooner. Then keep a second copy, move education and activities to the top and add your awards. Update both whenever something changes, such as a new job, an award or a role in a club, so neither copy falls behind. Section-by-section help is in what to put on a resume.