High School Student Resume Examples (No Experience) + Free Templates
In this guide:
- What should a high school student put on a resume?
- What employers look for in high school students
- Common jobs for high school students
- 3 high school student resume examples
- Free high school resume template
- Best skills for a high school student resume
- How to make a student resume ATS-friendly
- Common high school resume mistakes
- High school student resume summary examples
- FAQ
Most high school students face the same problem: every job asks for experience, but you can't get experience until someone gives you a job.
The good news is that employers hiring teenagers don't expect a long work history. They care more about responsibility, communication skills, extracurricular involvement, and whether you can learn quickly. Your resume just needs to show those things clearly — and this guide gives you everything to do that: three complete examples, a copy-paste template, the skills that actually matter, and tips to get past ATS screening.
What Should a High School Student Put on a Resume?
If you've never held a paid job, your resume draws from a different set of evidence. Here's what goes on it — and what each section does for you.
Education
Your school, GPA (if 3.0+), relevant coursework, and expected graduation date.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, sports, student government — anything showing commitment and teamwork.
Volunteer Experience
Community service, church groups, food banks — treated like real work experience.
School Projects
Research papers, science fairs, group presentations — evidence of skills in action.
Skills
Technology, communication, organization — match them to the job you want.
Awards & Certifications
Honor roll, academic awards, CPR certification, online course completions.
What Employers Look For in High School Students
Employers who hire teenagers aren't looking for years of experience. They're looking for signs that you'll be dependable and easy to work with. These five traits show up in hiring decisions more than anything else.
Responsibility
- Showing up on time
- Following through on commitments
- Owning mistakes instead of hiding them
Communication
- Speaking clearly with customers and coworkers
- Asking questions when confused
- Writing professional messages
Teamwork
- Working with others toward a shared goal
- Supporting teammates during busy periods
- Handling disagreements without drama
Leadership
- Taking initiative without being told
- Helping newer team members
- Leading group projects or club activities
Willingness to Learn
- Accepting feedback without getting defensive
- Adapting to new tasks quickly
- Asking for help when needed
Common Jobs for High School Students
These are the roles most available to teenagers. You don't need experience for any of them — just a resume that shows you're responsible and willing to learn.
- Retail Associate — Stocking shelves, helping customers, running the register. Stores like Target, Walmart, and local shops hire 16+ year-olds regularly.
- Fast Food Crew Member — Taking orders, preparing food, cleaning. McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and Subway are among the largest teen employers in the U.S.
- Babysitter / Nanny — Watching kids, helping with homework, managing bedtime. You can start with neighbors and family friends — no formal application needed.
- Dog Walker / Pet Sitter — Walking dogs, feeding pets, managing keys. Apps like Rover and Wag make it easy to find clients, or go door-to-door in your neighborhood.
- Camp Counselor — Supervising younger kids at day camps and overnight camps. Most camps hire at 16–18 and provide training.
- Lifeguard — Monitoring pools and beaches. Requires CPR and lifeguard certification, but most facilities offer the training before the season starts.
- Tutor — Helping younger students with math, reading, or test prep. If you're strong in a subject, you can charge $15–25/hour.
Most of these roles value reliability and communication over experience. A resume that highlights babysitting, volunteer work, or school activities gives you a real advantage over applicants who show up with nothing.
3 High School Student Resume Examples
Each example targets a different situation: your first job, a retail position, or an internship application. Copy the one that fits, then swap in your own details. For more examples across different industries, see our resume examples with no experience collection.
Never Written a Resume Before?
Check if your high school resume passes ATS — even with zero work experience.
- Step-by-step guidance for student resumes
- ATS-friendly format by default
- Built for first-time job seekers
- Free to start — no credit card needed
High School Student Resume Template
Fill in the brackets with your own information. This template works for first jobs, retail, internships, and summer positions.
SUMMARY [Your status] with [relevant skill/trait] seeking [target role]. [One specific strength or relevant experience.]
SKILLS Communication, Teamwork, Time Management, Customer Service, Organization, [Technology Skill], [Additional Skill], [Additional Skill]
EDUCATION School Name — City, State Diploma | Expected Graduation: [Month Year] • GPA: [X.X/X.X] (include if 3.0+) • Relevant Coursework: [list 2–3 classes]
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Activity Name — [Your Role] | [Dates] • [What you did — start with an action verb] • [Result or number — quantify if possible]
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Organization Name — City, State | [Role] | [Dates] • [What you did, especially anything customer-facing or organizational] • [Impact or result]
AWARDS & CERTIFICATIONS • [Award Name] — [Organization], [Year] • [Certification Name] — [Organization], [Year]
Best Skills for a High School Student Resume
List skills that match the job you're applying for. Don't dump everything — pick the ones that make sense. For a broader look at what hiring managers scan for, see our best resume keywords for ATS guide.
Academic Skills
Research: Finding, evaluating, and organizing information. Science fair projects, research papers, and debate prep all count.
Writing: Clear, professional communication. Essays, lab reports, and emails to teachers demonstrate this.
Presentation: Speaking in front of groups. Class presentations, club meetings, and theater performances all apply.
Technology Skills
Google Docs/Sheets: Creating documents, tracking data, and collaborating in real time. Most schools use these daily.
Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Still the standard in most workplaces.
Additional Tools: Canva, Notion, Trello, or any software you use to organize work or create content.
Soft Skills
Communication: Talking clearly with customers, coworkers, and supervisors. Retail and food service roles value this above all else.
Teamwork: Working with others to meet a goal. Sports, group projects, and club activities are your evidence.
Problem Solving: Figuring things out when something goes wrong. Think of a time you handled a tough situation at school or in a volunteer role.
Job-Ready Skills
Customer Service: Helping people, answering questions, and staying patient under pressure. Volunteer front desk work and event staffing count.
Time Management: Balancing school, activities, and work. If you play a sport and keep your grades up, you already have this skill.
Organization: Keeping track of tasks, deadlines, and materials. Student council, event planning, and club leadership all demonstrate this.
How to Make a Student Resume ATS-Friendly
Even part-time jobs at large retailers and restaurant chains use applicant tracking systems. If your resume can't be parsed, it gets auto-rejected before anyone reads it. Here's how to make sure yours gets through.
- Use standard section headings. "Education," "Skills," "Experience" — not "My Background" or "What I've Done." ATS looks for recognizable headers. For formatting details, see our ATS-friendly resume format guide.
- Include student-friendly keywords. If the listing says "customer service," "teamwork," or "communication," those exact words should appear in your skills or experience sections. Learn more: best resume keywords for ATS.
- Match the job description. A retail resume should highlight customer service and organization. An internship resume should highlight research and writing. Adjust for each application. For a step-by-step process, see our guide on how to tailor your resume to a job description.
- Use achievement-based bullet points. "Organized donation drive collecting 500+ items" beats "helped with charity event." For help writing stronger bullets, see our resume bullet point examples.
- Save as DOCX or text-based PDF. Image-based PDFs can't be scanned. Always export in a format that preserves editable text.
Common High School Resume Mistakes
These mistakes get student resumes tossed — and they're all easy to fix.
Mistake #1: Listing every school activity
Being in 8 clubs doesn't impress anyone if you can't show what you did in them. Pick 2–3 activities where you had real responsibilities or made an impact, and write strong bullet points for each one.
Fix: Quality over quantity. Three activities with specific achievements beat ten activities with no detail.
Mistake #2: Using a generic objective
"Seeking a challenging position to grow and learn" says nothing. Your summary should mention the specific role, one or two relevant traits, and something that sets you apart — bilingual, certified, available all shifts.
Fix: Replace generic objectives with specific summaries. See the summary examples below.
Mistake #3: Leaving off volunteer work
Volunteer experience is real experience. If you staffed a front desk, handled money, or organized an event, that's the same work you'd do in a paid job. Leaving it off means you're hiding your best evidence.
Fix: Treat volunteer roles like jobs. List the organization, your role, dates, and 2–3 bullet points.
Mistake #4: Not quantifying achievements
"Helped with fundraiser" is forgettable. "Organized fundraiser that raised $1,200 from 50 donors" is memorable. Numbers make your bullet points believable and specific. For help writing stronger bullets, see our resume bullet point examples.
Fix: Add numbers wherever possible — people helped, items organized, money raised, hours contributed.
Mistake #5: Using an unprofessional email address
[email protected] tells the employer you're not taking the application seriously. Create a simple email with your name — [email protected] works perfectly. It takes two minutes and makes a real difference.
Fix: Use a professional email. [email protected] is the standard.
High School Student Resume Summary Examples
Not sure what to write in your opening statement? See our resume objective examples guide for more templates. Your summary is the first thing a hiring manager reads. Keep it to 2 lines, specific to the role, and free of filler. For more summary templates across different job types, see our resume summary examples guide.
"Responsible and motivated high school junior seeking a first job. Active in school athletics and community volunteering, with strong time management and teamwork skills."
"Friendly and organized high school senior with customer service experience from volunteering. Seeking a part-time retail position — comfortable handling transactions and answering customer questions."
"Energetic high school student with experience handling fast-paced volunteer events. Seeking a part-time food service role — available evenings, weekends, and school breaks."
"Detail-oriented high school senior with strong research and writing skills. Seeking a summer internship to apply data analysis and project management experience in a professional setting."
"Reliable high school student seeking a summer position. Experienced in teamwork through varsity sports and community volunteering. Available full-time June through August."
Check If Your High School Resume Passes ATS →
Our scanner checks your resume against real student job descriptions and tells you exactly what's missing.
- Student-friendly keyword analysis
- ATS-friendly format by default
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a resume in high school?
Yes. Even if a job doesn't require one, a resume shows you're serious and organized. It also makes filling out applications faster because you have all your information in one place. For help getting started, see our first job resume guide.
How long should a student resume be?
One page. No exceptions for high school students. Keep it tight: summary, skills, education, activities, and volunteer work. Cut anything that doesn't relate to the job. For more on resume length, see our resume length guide.
What if I have no work experience?
Use volunteer work, school projects, extracurricular activities, and sports. These show the same skills employers want: responsibility, teamwork, and commitment. For a full walkthrough, see our resume with no experience guide.
Should I include my GPA?
Only if it's 3.0 or above. A low GPA doesn't help you. If you don't include it, employers won't assume the worst — they'll focus on your skills and activities instead.
Can I include sports on my resume?
Yes. Sports demonstrate discipline, teamwork, time management, and physical stamina. List your team, position, years played, and any leadership roles or achievements. If you were team captain or made all-conference, that matters.
Can I use volunteer work as experience?
Absolutely. Volunteer work is real experience. Treat it like a job: list the organization, your role, dates, and 2–3 bullet points showing what you did and the impact. Food bank sorting, event staffing, and tutoring all count.
What skills should I list on a high school resume?
Focus on skills that match the job. For retail: customer service, communication, organization. For internships: research, writing, technology. For general jobs: teamwork, time management, reliability. Only list skills you can back up with examples. For a full breakdown, see the skills section above.
Can a 16-year-old have a resume?
Yes. Age doesn't matter. What matters is showing you're responsible and capable. Use school activities, volunteer work, and any informal experience like babysitting, yard work, or helping with a family business. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our first job resume guide.
Can I put babysitting on a resume?
Yes. Babysitting is real work — it shows responsibility, time management, and the ability to handle unpredictable situations. List it like any other job: include the family name (or "Private Family"), your dates, and 2–3 bullet points about what you did. "Cared for two children ages 5 and 8 three evenings per week" is stronger than "babysat for neighbors."
Should I include extracurricular activities on a resume?
Yes — especially if you have no paid work experience. Sports, clubs, student government, and volunteer groups all demonstrate skills employers want: teamwork, commitment, leadership, and time management. Pick 2–3 activities where you had real involvement and write specific bullet points for each one.