How Do I Write A Simple Resume
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How To Write A High School Resume For College Applications
Think resumes are only for job seekers? Think again. High school student resumes give colleges a snapshot of your accomplishments, extracurriculars, hobbies, and work history. They can also be a useful tool for prepping for a college interview or to give to the teachers who are writing your letters of recommendation.
Not sure how to get started? Follow our tips for crafting a standout resume for college and scholarship applications.
How To Write A High School Student Resume
Many high school students ask themselves, “How will I get a job without experience?” Guess what: Everybody who is now working started out in a first job without having any employment history. You have to start somewhere. A little time and research can be all it takes to find a job that adds to your skills list while putting some money in your pocket!
You have already made the decision to look for work. Now, with Resume.io’s collection of tools at your fingertips, we’ll walk you through everything you need in the first steps to success. It all starts with getting your foot in the door.
If you plan to work during the summer, you are lucky because of the relatively low competition. Over time, fewer teens have been choosing to enter the seasonal job market only about one-in-three during the summer of 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Fewer high school students are working part-time jobs during the school year as well, so you will be in demand no matter when you want to work.
According to a Brookings Institute report on BLS statistics, only about half of high school students aged 16 to 19 had a job in 2000, down from 58% during the peak year in 1979. By 2018, the percentage had dropped and plateaued to 35%, the lowest on record
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Scan Each Job Description And Identify The Requirements
Read through the job description for each job position you are interested in and highlight the core skills and competencies. Identify the keywords, normally there is a list of requirements and it is important to show you meet all of them.
The skills section of your resume needs to incorporate the appropriate soft skills which you must be able to demonstrate, such as: leadership skills, reliability, and communication skills. As well as the necessary hard skills such as computer skills, foreign languages, and accountancy.
Identifying the key competencies will make it easy to know what information you should add to your high school resume. This will include both soft and hard skills.
Include A Career Objective
A career objective is a one or two-sentence statement summarizing your career goals and how your talents and skills align with the needs of the employer. While people of any age and career level can benefit from including an objective statement on their resume, its especially important for a high school student. This is largely because your work history may not reflect your future goals.
Adding a career objective to your resume will give employers a clear idea of why youre applying for the role and how their decision to hire you could be beneficial.
Examples of high school student resume career objectives
I am a motivated team player and aspiring graphic designer seeking an opportunity to work in a sign shop where I can apply my skills and further develop my artistic abilities.I am an aspiring leader, with more than three years of experience in childcare, seeking a position as a summer camp counselor. Im excited to share my talents while expanding my leadership skills as part of a valued community institution.
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How To Write A High School Resume
Start with the job search.
Determine if you want a part-time job, an internship, a seasonal job or a trade job. This will help you determine what work experiences and skills you need to highlight in your resume. Remember that theres no one-size-fits-all resume each one should be tailored to the specific job youre applying for.
Establish your strengths.
Think of your participation in clubs, teams, associations or even hobbies. Make a list of these activities and what youve learned in them it could be teamwork, self-discipline, creativity, communication. You will use these qualities to write your resumes skills section.
Choose the right format.
The same way one resume wont work for every job application one resume wont work for every candidate. The following three resume formats help present you in the most flattering way while downplaying any potential weaknesses you may have like, say, lack of extensive work experience.
Entry Level High School Student Resume
If you are submitting an entry level High School Student resume, simply remove the section on work experience then focus on writing a stronger resume objective. Tell the prospective employer why you need the job or why the company should take a chance on someone without work experience.
We could rewrite Tylers work experience as follows:
I am the eldest of three children. My father works as a salesman for an insurance company while my mother stays at home to take care of us. I believe I am of the right age to find work and earn additional income for the family as lately my fathers income has not been enough to cover our needs. During the past 3 years I have maintained a GPA of 3.8 which is proof of my dedication, discipline and commitment to education. These are also highly valued attributes that will surely benefit Kingspoint Document and Archival Services. I am also proficient in graphic design, project management software and MS Office.
Instead of writing about an enterprise, we placed emphasis on Tylers strongest attributes which would attract the attention of the prospective employer.
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Conclude Your Resume With Additional Skills & Honorary Mentions
Adding an Additional Experience section is a nice way to wrap up your resume it also takes up space! This is the best place on your resume to mention any other commendable skills that would make you a top pick. High schoolers may think they havent had time to cultivate real additional skills, but that couldnt be further from the truth.
Our applicant included basic knowledge of Adobe Dreamweaver , but they also said great photographer. With this skill, employers have to take the applicant for their word you can do the same thing.
Think of skills and talents you have that would fit your resume. To help you, weve listed some soft skills below:
- Problem solver
Use The Proper Format
As with any resume, a high school resume should not be wordy or difficult to read. The best is a one-page resume but its not uncommon to add a second page if you have a lot of activities or job experience. Make it any longer, and the reader gets bored and stops reading. Employers always recommend that job applicants keep the resume concise and to the point. If readers dont see something to grab their interest on the first page, its unlikely they will keep reading.
The resume should be written in an easy-to-read font and look professional.
Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation ask a teacher, parent or other mentor to proofread it! The contact information should be at the top of the resume and specific area should have a bold heading: Education, Activities, Work Experience, etc.
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How Do I Format My High School Resume
You should follow a few general rules when formatting your resume for college admissions, internships, and jobs.
- Use Times New Roman or Cambria on your resume. These fonts are easy to read.
- Regular font should be size 10-12. Headings should be at least two points larger than your font.
- Keep margins at 1 inch. If you need to shorten the length of the resume, .5 margins are OK. Anything less takes a toll on the eyes.
Sample Lifeguard Position Objective
If you are looking to apply for a lifeguard position, your resume objective should mention any and all certifications you have received. Here are some examples of what to include.
- Hardworking high school senior seeking a lifeguard position. I am CPR-certified and hope to put my years of competitive swimming experience to good use.
- Responsible high school student seeking junior lifeguard position where I can become properly certified and learn what it takes to become a senior lifeguard.
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What Information Should My High School Resume Include
In a nutshell, your high school resume should include:
- Contact info: Name, email, phone number, address
- Education: high school name, GPA, test scores, class rank, coursework, achievements and honors
- Experience: Work, volunteer, and extracurricular qualifications
- Skills: Computer expertise, foreign languages
Types Of Skills High School Students Have
Your resume can include skills that you have learned in school, during extracurricular activities, in sports, and when volunteering. For example, if you have played football, soccer, basketball, or other sports, you have teamwork skills. Were you the captain? You have leadership skills.
Have you taken a computer class or taught yourself how to use software programs? You have computer skills.
Almost everyone has some level of communication skills. If you can carry on a conversation, present in class, or write a paper for school, you are communicating.
When you have successfully juggled personal activities and schoolwork, youre flexible and dependable. Did you work on a group project? You have collaboration skills. Do you babysit or mow a neighbors lawn? You are reliable and dependable.
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Cv Layout Design And Formatting: Simple Wins
Are you itching to show off your artistic bent here? You may be tempted to try standing out from the crowd with a strikingly colorful high school student CV design. But unless you are applying for a graphic design job or other position in a creative field, it’s in your best interest to keep the look of your resume simple, streamlined and polished. Strive for a first impression that’s as legible and inviting to read as it is eye-catching.
But simple doesn’t rule out creative choices when it comes to the layout, design and formatting of your high school student CV.
What Skills Can High School Students Add On Their Resume
If you are like many students, you probably feel youre yet to accrue enough relevant experience to write a convincing resume. Nothing further from the truth. You probably have more relevant knowledge than you think.
Take into account your life experience, work experience, academic achievements, volunteer work, skills, and personality strengths, and write it all down. This list will come in useful when filling in those sections on your resume.
The education section is likely to be a key feature of your high school student resume so rack your brain for extracurricular activities. Include honors and awards and If you have been a member of a club, association, or a sports team, mention it.
Do not be modest. Make it clear If you were captain of a team as it demonstrates leadership skills. Likewise, if you have helped to run or organize something it shows you are responsible and have organizational skills.
Focusing on your education and achievements at school will help you to write an attractive high school student resume with no work experience.
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Emphasize Teamwork And Leadership
Good teamwork skills are necessary for most entry-level jobs, and so its wise to provide examples of how youve participated in school, church, club, or scouting roles requiring teamwork. Its even better to describe any leadership roles youve held, since this demonstrates to your employer that you can hold responsibility, take personal initiative, and organize and support others.
The chances are high that you havent had a lot of paid work experience since you’re a high school student. While you should describe any actual real jobs youve held, its also a good idea to describe volunteer experience, accompanied by dates, your responsibilities, and your contributions in these roles.
Volunteer experience is important for high school students because it provides experience and shows that you’re trying to find out what you might be interested in.
At the end of your resume, include a statement of selected interests. Employers like candidates who are well-rounded and involved in their communities.
Theyll get a better idea of your personality if you mention a few sports that you play or interests like theater, music, or environmentalism. Be careful, however, not to mention interests that are too political or might distract you from your job .
Use Your Resume As A Marketing Tool
A resume is one of the most important marketing tools you can use to sell yourself to colleges, impress scholarship judges, and get a part-time job or an internship during high school and/or college. You can also use your resume when asking for recommendation letters. It gives the people who are recommending you a reminder of your accomplishments.
Put your best effort into your high school resume. It is a valuable tool for all students and will make life easier whether you are applying to college, for a job or internship or trying to win a scholarship.
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Do You Have A Plan For Applying To College
With our free chancing engine, admissions timeline, and personalized recommendations, our free guidance platform gives you a clear idea of what you need to be doing right now and in the future.
If youre like many high school students, writing your first resume can seem like a catch-22. To get experience, you need to build a strong one, but to build a strong one, you need experience. Whats a teen to do?
Dont worry. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you think outside the box its likely that you actually have a lot of experiences and skills that are already worthy of being on your resume. So, whether its for a part-time job or a summer program, in this post, well outline why you need a resume and the five essentials you should include on your first resume.
Tips For Using A Resume Template
The best way to use a resume template, or sample resume, is as a starting point. Don’t think of it as something engraved in stone. In other words, just because the template uses a Times New Roman font, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use your preferred Arial font.
And, if the resume template includes an objectives section, but you prefer to have a summary section, feel free to make the adjustment.
In fact, personalizing a resume template is advantageous. After all, nearly every resume template out there is available to every other job applicant out there, and it pays to stand out from the crowd. Just be sure to stay within the boundaries of what’s appropriate when you personalize your resume. For example, while you can change the font, be sure to stick with a professional, resume-appropriate font choice.
After reviewing a few options, choose the template that appeals to you the most. Part of the template selection process may involve deciding what type of resume you’d like to have: functional, targeted, chronological, or some hybrid option. Once you’ve selected a template, add your information. Then, tweak and edit the document to personalize your resume, making sure it highlights your unique skills and abilities.
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When Is Your High School Best Left Off Or When To Stop Listing It
Including your high school in your resume makes up for the lack of work experience and gives you better chances for being called by the hiring manager.
But there are certain situations when its better to leave it off your resume.
If you were dismissed for a cause, better left unsaid, you should better leave your high school off your resume and transfer the focus to your skills and accomplishments section.
What is more, a few years after you finish high school, the hiring manager will start caring more about your more recent accomplishments.
Once you get to that point, you can safely delete your high school from your resume.
A clear sign that you can leave your high school out of your CV:
You have trouble fitting all your information on one page.
Job Specific Vs Transferable
Job-specific skills are those abilities that allow a candidate for employment to excel in a particular job. Some skills are attained by attending school or training programs. Others can be acquired through experience learning on the job.
Job-specific skills vary based on the position. For example, an IT help desk worker needs computer skills, teachers need lesson planning skills, and carpenters need skills working with power tools.
Job-specific skills can be contrasted with transferable skills like communication, organization, presentation, teamwork, planning, and time management, which are required in a broad array of jobs.
Transferable skills are those that you use in almost every job. Both types of skills can be included in a resume.
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Tailor Your Resume To Fit Each Job
Job candidates who do not tailor their resumes for each position are putting themselves at a disadvantage. A quick and easy way of adapting your resume for each role is using a resume builder.
Once you have a list of your strengths and skills, and you have identified the key requirements of a job, it is simple to tailor your resume using a high school resume template.
Think about what the employer is looking for and highlight your achievements which clearly demonstrate that you are the right person for the job.