resume writing lessons for high school students

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Lesson Plan: Resume Writing for Teens

Description.

In this lesson, students will develop a resume, write business correspondence, complete a sample job application, and explain the protocol for selecting and using appropriate references for job applications.

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10 Helpful Resume Writing Activities For High School Students

“The challenge of life, I have found, is to build a resume that doesn’t simply tell a story about what you want to be, but it’s a story about who you want to be” . – Oprah Winfrey

As beautifully defined by the above quote, a resume is a story of the stepping stones that you’ve taken so far in order to become who you want to be. Having a compelling resume is a must for every individual to thrive in the competitive landscape, be it a high school student or a working professional. 

Resume writing is a crucial skill that high school students need to develop as this is the time they prepare for their higher education and enter the corporate world. It is not only about enlisting skills and achievements, but it requires thoughtful organizational skills, an ability to present qualifications and a good hold of language skills. 

To quip high school students about the process of resume writing, summarized below are some creative activities aiming to guide them in creating impactful resumes and setting a strong foundation for their careers.

Discover, collaborate & reflect: Engaging resume writing activities for high schoolers

1. resume redesign .

With the availability of a number of templates for resumes, it becomes quite difficult to select the suitable and relevant one on the basis of the unique information to include, especially for high schoolers who are bound to get overwhelmed being their first time for jobs as well as college applications. 

How to do the activity:

• Firstly, educators need to familiarize students with every important element that has to be there in a resume for high school students and the optional ones that are not necessary but can be included as per the need and availability. 
• Now, students need to make a note of their information, and based on that, they have to explore and experiment with different designs for their resumes. 
• Instruct them that they can try different fonts and layouts and design at least 5 resumes for themselves. 
• Fix one day when every student has to come prepared with their designed resumes and every participant will present their designs to the class and the class will rate every design out of 5

Here, feedback and rating play a crucial role in helping students select the most appropriate one for themselves. Also, when they explore and experiment with different designs, they familiarize themselves with different layouts and structures which might be helpful in any other cases of resume designing.

2. Discover yourself

Let’s use an effective strategy of SWOT Analysis which is used for marketing to discover ourselves. Yes, you read that right! SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. In order to build an efficient resume, one must know about themself in terms of what they are good at and what areas need to be worked upon.

How to do the activity:  

• Explain to the class about the strategy and its elements. 
• Now ask them to take a sheet of paper and divide it into 4 sections. Name each section with Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 
• Set a timer of about 5-10 minutes for each section and ask students to think about themselves and fill in each section. 

Strengths will help them know what they’re good at that can also be referred to as positive points about themselves. The weaknesses section will include the negative points or what they can not do or are not good at which will help them know and narrow down the options to what they can do in the future. 

The opportunities section will include the areas they think they can ace if they work on it which will help them know the areas of improvement. Last, but not least will be threats in which they need to write about any external threats that you can not control but can be reduced by controlling other factors (can be external or internal) causing it.

3. Improvise your Resume

Every job profile is different and that calls for different requirements such as unique skill sets, achievements, and qualifications. 

• Explain to students how customizing the resume for every job or college application they’re applying to is important and not the same single resume works for every application.
• Ask students to search and explore different job openings on job portals or company official websites. 
• Shortlist 3 job openings that they think are suitable for them and go through the details of what is the profile, what are requirements, and what will be the daily responsibilities. 
• Now they’ve to work on their resume and customize it for all the 3 profiles they shortlisted.
• Once done, check their resume and provide feedback. 

One thing that students need to know here is that customizing a resume based on different applications doesn’t mean we’ve to lie and make it exactly what is the requirement, instead, it means presenting your skills and qualifications, experience in such a way that it resonates with the application requirements. This activity can also be done for college applications.

4. Resume Peer Review

Feedback is significant for everything we do. Be it education or resume writing. 

• Start giving numbers 1 to 10 to every student, or can be according to the number of students in a class but make sure only 2 students can have the same number.
• Now, the students with the same number will form a pair. 
• Ask students to exchange their resumes with their pair and they need to check and evaluate each other’s resumes based on what they know about their pair and also set certain criteria for the evaluation. 
• After they are done evaluating, they need to share the insights they find about the resume. Share what they think is missing in the resume, what areas can be improved and what are the good and the positive points about the resume. Teachers can check with every pair and share their insights too. 

This activity will help to get the different perspectives that you might be missing or are not aware of. Additionally, it will help with observation skills as well as help students revisit the resume-building crucial points.

5. Hire for your company

This activity will give students an opportunity to act as HR of different companies and evaluate different resumes. 

• Gather some samples of resumes for different job profiles. Make sure there are enough samples that every student in a class receives 2 samples at least to compare and evaluate. 
• Now give a situation to the students such as “Suppose you’re an HR manager of XYZ company hiring for customer support profile. You’ve got certain resumes and you need to check and evaluate them and see if you want to shortlist them for an interview or not. If yes, then why, and if not, then why not. Observe carefully and provide a proper explanation for the same” 
• Now give 2 resume samples to each student and let them scan them and come to a conclusion. 
• Call each student one by one to present their findings to the class to which classmates and the educator can give feedback and share insights on the observation skills of the student. 

This will let students think from the recruiter’s point of view and they will get clarity about their resume about how to write and present their skills and qualifications.

6. Practice cover letters

Cover letters are what answer “why you should be hired for this role” and in case of college applications, it will be the statement of purpose. Cover letters need to be very straightforward that require good writing skills. For this, high school students can employ creative writing activities to learn and practice the same.

• Students have to create a 1-2 minute elevator pitch for themselves keeping in mind their resume and the job profile they’re applying for. 
• Instruct students that they need to include examples of why they think they’re good at every skill they’ve mentioned. 
• Instruct the students that in this 1-2 minute pitch, you’ve to convince the HR (here students) how you can be an asset to the company.
• Ask the class to share their insights about what points are good and what can be better. 

This activity will help you write an effective cover letter and make a good first impression.

7. Powerful Words Resume Challenge

Word choice is critical when it comes to resumes. It is always said that action words are powerful to describe what you have done to highlight your experience and persuade potential employers and college administrators. 

• Prepare handouts for all the students of the class with all the powerful action words that can be used in a resume and explain how the use of these words can make an impact and make the resume stand out. 
• Discuss every word, the meaning of it, and an example of how it can be used in a resume and under what situations. 
• Now ask students to use the handout and try to incorporate as many words as they can in their resume and then give feedback to each and every student. 

This can also be an improving communication skill activity that will familiarize them with using these words in their daily conversation. 

8. Resume Do’s and Don’ts

This activity is to equip high school students about what to strictly avoid while writing resumes and what to follow to make the resumes more impactful and stand out. 

• Make different slips with resume do’s and don’ts and put them in a bowl or small box in the classroom.
• On the whiteboard or chalkboard, mark a line in the center and make two sections and name one part as “Do’s” and the other as “Don’ts”. 
• Call each student one by one and ask them to pick one chit and determine whether the point he/she discovered will come under do’s or don’ts. 
• Ask them to explain why they think the same and what should be done in that case. 

This activity will familiarize them with the technicalities that need to be taken care of while writing a resume and clear doubts about the whole process and exceptions. You can conduct this activity for both colleges as well as job applications. 

9. Anonymous messages

Who doesn’t like getting anonymous compliments and knowing about themselves? Well, this activity is all about getting insights about ourselves from other’s points of view. 

• Ask every student in the class to write about a minimum of five of their classmates on a slip of ½ size of a4 sheet. They can write for more friends if they want but the minimum is five. 
• They need to write the name of the friend they’re writing about then followed by strengths that they think their friend is good at which can be an asset to land a good job. Then write about the areas where they need to work on that can be added advantage for them while applying for jobs. 
• These chits will be anonymous feedback for the students. 
• Once done, collect all chits, mix them, and put them in a bowl. 
• Pick one chit one by one and read aloud about the student. 

This will encourage them, increase their self-esteem, provide insights that the students are unaware of about themselves, and can use them in their resumes and work on themselves. This self-esteem activity for high school students can work wonders in encouraging students to have belief & faith in themselves and their unique capabilities.

10. Build a Resume from Scratch

Let’s solve a puzzle and build a resume from scratch without having relatable skills, qualifications, and experiences to include. Sounds interesting, right? 

• Have different bowls or small boxes for every component of the resume like skills, qualifications, experience, the position of responsibility, etc. 
• Now, you can ask students or make different slips for every box by yourself. Each slip should have one thing like one slip with graphic designing for the box of skills. Make sure to have enough slips for every box so that every student can get at least 3-4 slips from each box. 
• Now every student has to come and pick 2-3 slips from each box. 
• After everyone is having their own set of slips, they need to design a resume based on the information they’ve got on the slips. They need to think of what qualifications, and skills can go together and how and create a good compelling resume. 

This activity is to equip students to carefully design and present everything in a resume when things are not so good and relatable enough. This activity will also help them in tailoring the resume according to a given job profile or college application.

High school students are at a point of transition to the colleges and workforce. This calls for developing resume writing skills to build compelling resumes. Besides instructing them about the process, engaging them in activities can have a profound impact on their learning.

Activities do not only teach them about the technicalities of resume building but also involve them in critical thinking, self-reflection, and collaboration. In addition to this, high school students can also participate in college readiness activities and transition activities to prepare themselves for their future endeavors.

Having a 10+ years of experience in teaching little budding learners, I am now working as a soft skills and IELTS trainers. Having spent my share of time with high schoolers, I understand their fears about the future. At the same time, my experience has helped me foster plenty of strategies that can make their 4 years of high school blissful. Furthermore, I have worked intensely on helping these young adults bloom into successful adults by training them for their dream colleges. Through my blogs, I intend to help parents, educators and students in making these years joyful and prosperous.

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Resumes and Cover Letters for High School Students

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• Related Resources

Today's high school students must market their experiences, skills, achievements, and accolades to set them apart from others when applying to college or for a job. This lesson takes students through the steps of creating an effective resume and cover letter using ReadWriteThink's Resume Generator and Letter Generator.

Featured Resources

• Resume Generator : This ReadWriteThink resource takes students through the process of creating a resume one step at a time.  
• Letter Generator : This ReadWriteThink resource helps students create a professional cover letter.  
• Sample High School Resumes and Cover Letters : These realistic resumes and cover letters help students visualize and generate content for their own documents.

From Theory to Practice

Common core standards.

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

Materials and Technology

• LCD Projector  
• Computers with Internet access
• The 3 Fs of Resume Writing  
• My Resume Ideas: Getting Started  
• Steps to Creating a Cover Letter  
• Sample High School Resumes and Cover Letters  
• Resume / Cover Letter Rubric  
• Visualizing Your Resume: Graphic Organizer  
• Visualizing Your Cover Letter: Graphic Organizer

Preparation

• Prepare copies of the  Sample High School Resumes and Cover Letters printout so that students may review it.  
• Reserve space in a classroom that has access to the Internet, specifically ReadWriteThink’s  Resume Generator and Letter Generator .  
• Prepare copies of the following printouts: The 3 Fs of Resume Writing , My Resume Ideas: Getting Started , Steps to Creating a Cover Letter , Sample High School Resumes and Cover Letters, Visualizing Your Resume: Graphic Organizer , and Visualizing Your Cover Letter: Graphic Organizer .

Student Objectives

Students will

• Understand the function, form, and effectiveness of a resume by examining and discussing sample resumes with their classmates  
• Demonstrate the importance of rhetorical situations by selling themselves to a defined audience  
• Develop a working resume by using the Resume Generator  
• Recognize how a cover letter works in conjunction with a resume by drafting them for a similar purpose  
• Write a cover letter by using the Letter Generator

Lesson 1: What is a Resume?

• Introduce students to resumes as a genre of writing: professional writing. Discuss how this is different from academic genres in that it serves a different purpose and is intended for a different audience. In short, it is a type of writing by an author who is trying to get something. As a result, it is an extremely persuasive style of writing. Share examples of when a person would need a resume, such as applying for a job, a scholarship, or an award, or when creating a portfolio of one’s work.  
• Prepare students to understand the purpose of a resume, including its F unction, F orm, and (e) F fectiveness (the 3 Fs). Take an informal poll of the class, asking who has heard of a resume before this class, who has seen one, and who has one of their own. Based on the results, you may ask students to share their experiences to add to the conversation.  
• Function: The function of a resume is to inform the audience about you in order to accomplish something. What you’re trying to accomplish depends on what you’re trying to do. This might include getting a job, getting into college, winning a scholarship, or being selected for an internship. There are many reasons to show people your resume.  
• Form: Resumes need to look a certain way. This is considered their form. People who read resumes expect them to include specific information, such as your name, address, contact information, education, past jobs, volunteer experience, and special skills. If a resume does not look like a traditional resume, the reader may be confused and think the writer is not educated about writing proper resumes.  
• (e)Ffectiveness: For a resume to be effective, it must demonstrate your knowledge of both function and form. An effective resume - Has a clear purpose that shows why you are writing it - Is visually appropriate and appealing, or easy to read - Includes all the necessary information about the writer - Is grammatically correct with no errors in punctuation or spelling
• Share copies of the resume printout. You might begin discussing these by putting students into small groups first to review. Tell them to identify what they see as the 3 Fs: Function, Form, and (e)Ffectiveness.  
• Return together as a class, and discuss each F and how students determined what it was.

Lesson 2: Developing Content for Your Resume

• Review the  The 3 Fs of Resume Writing from the previous lesson.  
• Discuss the two types of resume: chronological and functional. Ask students which style they think is best for them.  
• Show the sample resumes from the previous lesson. Ask students to identify which one is chronological and which one is functional.  
• Share online resume reference sites such as  College Admissions High School Resume and  High School Students Need a Resume Too with the class to present additional ways of thinking about the construction of resumes. (If you are not in a computer lab or a room with Internet access, tell students to view these sites later on their own.)  
• Have students brainstorm content for their resumes using the printout  My Resume Ideas: Getting Started as a guide.  
• Begin completing the parts of the printout. Move around the room answering questions as students work.  
• Ask students to complete the printout on their own before the next lesson.

Lesson 3: Defining Audience and Purpose

• Have students take out their completed  My Resume Ideas: Getting Started printout. Put them into small groups to share their work with others.  
• What was easy about filling this out? What was difficult?
• What sections contained the most and least information? Why?
• The audience refers to anyone who will review the resume, so we must consider all audiences, both primary and secondary.
• The purpose refers to why the audience is looking at the resume and what they will be looking for, so we must ask ourselves what they want to read.

Lesson 4: Using Resume Builder

• Take students to a computer lab with access to the Internet and  Resume Generator to complete this lesson. Have them log into the Resume Builder site. As they do so, remind them about the time limit for creating their draft in class. They should structure their time accordingly.  
• Using their notes from the  My Resume Ideas: Getting Started printout, ask students to go through the process of entering their information. Show students the features of the tool, from the additional information about resumes on the first page to the audio feature accompanying the site that enables them to hear the information aloud.  
• When they have completed their resumes, have students save them and also print a copy to bring to the next class.

Lesson 5: Peer Review

• Ask students to take out the printed copies of their resumes. Discuss how resumes today can be printed and submitted to the audience, as they have prepared, but they can also be submitted electronically. In that case, the resume writer needs to understand how to save a resume as a .pdf or how to create a resume with very little formatting, with only the basic information listed and no fancy spacing or bullets used. Connect this to their use of Resume Generator , and discuss how this would be similar to or different from what they just did.  
• Put students into small groups to peer review their resumes. Encourage students to review their peers’ resumes for the 3Fs: Function, Form, and (e)Ffectiveness.

Lesson 6: What is a Cover Letter?

• What did you like about using Resume Builder to create your resume?  
• What did you find particularly easy or difficult about the process?  
• What do you like or dislike about your completed resume? d. What would you like to change about it?  
• Function: Cover letters accompany resumes to introduce the reader of the resume to the writer. They personalize the resume, allowing the writer to provide more detail about him- or herself and any relevant experience. Many people think of cover letters as a way for the writer’s true voice to come through.  
• Form: Like resumes, cover letters also have a typical form: that of a business letter. The writer has to know the correct placement of the heading, date, salutation, body paragraphs, closing, and signature. Readers expect a cover letter to have certain features. If they aren’t included, the reader may think the writer is not knowledgeable and, therefore, not ready for whatever he or she is trying to accomplish by submitting the cover letter and resume.  
• Has a clear purpose that shows why you are writing it  
• Is visually appropriate and appealing, or easy to read  
• Includes additional relevant information about the writer  
• Is grammatically correct with no errors in punctuation or spelling  
• Share an online reference about cover letters, such as Sample Cover Letter for High School Students , to support the present discussion, and raise or discuss any questions as a result of it. (If you are not in a computer lab or a room with Internet access, tell students to view this site later on their own.)  
• Show the sample cover letters written by high school students in the  Sample High School Resumes and Cover Letters printout. Discuss these with the students in relation to the 3 Fs: What is the function of the cover letter (its purpose), what is unique about its form (design), and how effective do students think this cover letter will be?

Lesson 7: Developing Your Cover Letter

• Explain to students that they are going to create a rough outline of a cover letter that could accompany their resume. Provide the  Visualizing Your Cover Letter: Graphic Organizer printout to fill out. They may do this individually or in small groups. Move around the room responding to students’ work and offering suggestions.  
• Once students have a good start on this, provide the more detailed  Steps to Creating a Cover Letter printout. Students should use this to create a draft of their cover letters, due at the next class. Remind students that their time in the lab during the next session will be limited, so they need to have a full draft completed.

Lesson 8: Finishing Your Cover Letter

• Once again, have students meet in the computer lab to type their cover letters using the  Steps to Creating a Cover Letter printout and Letter Generator . You may want to remind them about their time constraints and the need to organize their time.  
• Using Letter Generator, have students transform their drafts into finished cover letters.  
• Make sure students save their work and also print a copy.  
• At the end of class, ask students to submit their resumes and cover letters to you for a grade. Use the  Resume / Cover Letter Rubric to assist you in assigning a grade.
• Have students submit first and second drafts of the resume and cover letter to you for comments or an early grade, additional revision, and a new/final grade.  
• Do more detailed work with cover letters, including researching jobs and researching examples of cover letters for specific jobs. Then have students write cover letters tailored to these jobs.  
• Include a discussion of writing essays and personal statements for college applications.  
• Connect discussions of resume and cover letter writing to students’ college aspirations, including their ideas for majors, careers, courses, and activities to become involved in. You may consider reviewing online resources, including ACT .

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Review students’ printouts for The 3 Fs of Resume Writing, My Resume Ideas: Getting Started, Visualizing Your Resume: Graphic Organizer, Visualizing Your Cover Letter: Graphic Organizer, and Steps to Creating a Cover Letter after each lesson in which they are used or collected. Make sure students are correctly identifying the parts and including information as needed. If a pattern of errors or misunderstandings occurs, review them with students at the beginning of the next lesson.  
• Collect typed drafts of students’ resumes and cover letters as created using the Resume Generator and Letter Generator. Review and grade them using the Resume/Cover Letter Rubric. Address the grade and comments when returning the resumes and cover letters to students, especially if students are allowed to revise for a new grade.

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20 High School Student Resume Examples Created for 2024

High School Student Resume

• High School Student Resumes by Experience
• High School Student Resumes by Role

High school is one of the best times of your life, but it can also be one of the most difficult when looking for your first or second job. You’ve got to fill out applications, prep for interviews, and write your resume.

Using ChatGPT for resumes  is a cool idea, but can still feel daunting and overwhelming. We’ve all been there, and what you really need is a free AI resume builder and solid student cover letters to get you on your way.

We’ve analyzed countless high school resumes to discover  what would get students job interviews in 2024 . While you may want to start with a simple  resume outline , keep reading to find 20 high school resume samples (plus writing tips) that are jam-packed with essential techniques and tricks.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• If you choose to use a template, make sure you adjust the  resume’s formatting  so that your text is big enough to read with one-inch margins on the side.
• However, you should write your bullet points like you would for a job. Highlight any responsibilities and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for now.
• For example, if you’re looking for a job in sales, emphasize your ability to work in groups and create a good customer experience.

High School Student No Experience Resume

• If you don’t have work history, include projects and volunteer work instead. Treat them like a job and write bullet points according to your responsibilities.
• Make sure you start every bullet point with active verbs, and always double-check for typos. You’ve got this!
• Include your unique skills, your desired position, and the company you hope to work for to make your objective stand out from the rest!

Beginner High School Student Resume

• But here’s the deal, schools won’t provide funds like candy—so convey why exactly you need a scholarship using the career objective. In Morwenna’s case, her pursuit of gaining knowledge to make societal changes is a compelling argument that no school can ignore. Basically, make them think, “We need this future reformer in our school.”

High School Internship Resume

• You ideally want key industry-proof skills that can work in any internship such as Google Sheets, Adobe Lightroom, and Todoist. These also become a testament to not just your super-fast learning ability but also your tech-savviness with current software!

First Job High School Student Resume

• To remedy that problem, add a  skills section on your resume  to give hiring managers an important overview of your strengths.
• To really highlight your abilities, incorporate the same skills in your work experience, too. Demonstrate how you used your skills to better your workplace, and you can’t go wrong!
• Adding stylistic elements like color and different fonts can help you show a bit of your personality (and make your resume more fun to read). 

Experienced High School Student Resume

• Remember, your resume is a highlight reel, so you need to include what’s most important (like your achievements and relevant metrics). 
• You can adjust your layout, font sizes, and margins, but keep it easy to read. 
• Use a bit of color and some fun fonts, provided it still looks professional. You’ve got this!

High School Senior Resume

• This statement must align with the potential employer’s needs, proving you understand the job requirements and have gone the extra mile to address doubts about your capabilities. As for experiences that might have prepared you for the job, workshops and volunteering programs you’ve participated in are prominent candidates.

Out of High School Resume

• Leisure activities range from soccer, hiking, drawing and sketching, robotics, and photography to journalism. But how do they fit in the picture? Well, a penchant for drawing and sketching could reflect creativity and an eye for detail, while journalism stints could hint at strong communication and critical thinking.

High School Graduate Resume

• Right from the first line of the career objective, you can see the candidate’s passion and willingness to work in this field. Notice how Serai’s love for photography is clearly backed by a previous project for a school newspaper.
• These details will be perfect when Serai’s ready for the AI cover letter generator to bring her application to perfection.

High School Diploma Resume

• In the education section of your high school diploma resume, include your diploma, the school’s name, and your start and end date. Add some useful software skills to the mix to secure your seat in any undergraduate program.

Recent High School Graduate Resume

• Begin with clearing which stream and degree you want to pursue. Next, follow suit with your mission and what you hope to gain by completing the program. Try some more personalization by linking your career goal with the college’s agenda.

High School Student Scholarship Resume

• Your high school student scholarship resume should vividly show your positive contributions to noble causes, such as offering ADLs to seniors, and emphasize your impact on society.

High School Student College Application Resume

• Ensure your high school student college application resume shows your practical and classwork achievements that emphasize your grand vision to make a positive contribution to society.

High School Student for College Resume

• Before hitting “submit,” always  check your resume  for typos and other minor errors. It’s amazing what you can miss during your first few reviews.
• A good GPA can demonstrate, at least in part, your willingness to work hard. We’d recommend including your GPA only if it’s above 3.5, but anything above a 3 is a good average.

High School Student for Customer Service Resume

• Including projects, volunteer work, or club memberships is a great way to add value to your resume.
• Your resume should focus on your abilities and other activities you’ve engaged in that will show your value.
• Read the responsibilities and qualifications to look for key skills and tasks. Then, incorporate some of those skills and responsibilities into your high school student customer service resume.

High School Student Internship Resume

• For example, if the job description lists responsibilities like writing and analyzing data, include “written communication” and “data analysis” in your skills section.
• One easy way to customize your resume is by focusing your  resume skills  on things that apply to the internship. 
• Make sure you keep your resume professional and to the point. You don’t want to include anything too personal about your beliefs, religion, politics, or personal information.
• For example, you can list “volunteering at local church,” but avoid saying “fasting every weekend.” It doesn’t show off relevant skills and is a bit too forward for a resume.

High School Student Office Worker Resume

• Good projects include anything that demonstrates your leadership abilities or desire for knowledge. Senior projects, personal blogs, or even being on a sports team are all good examples to include!
• Add work experience directly under your contact information and name, then add any relevant projects if you’re low on space. 
• While there are plenty of  resume writing tips , your resume should be as unique as you. Don’t get so caught up in what you think you “should” do that your resume is bland and cookie-cutter. 

High School Student Sales Resume

• Numbers demonstrate your value, and they’re useful tools for the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software that hiring managers use to sort through job applicants.
• Trust us, and incorporate metrics into at least 80% of your bullet points!
• For example, you know that different  resume templates  can change your resume’s appearance, but different templates can also stretch or streamline your content. 
• Mess with multiple templates to see what your content will look like—you may find a template that allows for more room, or one that allows you to highlight your skills better.

High School Student Athlete  Resume

• Think of a time you proved you were the MVP on your team—Did you lead your team to a championship? Perhaps you made the game-winning shot in a crucial, nail-biting game?

High School Student Music Resume

• When you include hobbies like songwriting or your interest in classical music in your high school student music resume , it conveys to your recruiter that you’re super dedicated and passionate about your craft.
• You can also include hobbies that are different, too. For example, if you enjoy experimenting with new recipes from around the world, that can show you’re ready to give new genres a whirl or that you understand that music—while art—is still supposed to be fun and adventuresome.

Related resume guides

• Entry Level

How to Write a High School Resume (Template and Examples Included!)

As a student trying to land your first job , you've probably heard how important it is to have a good resume . But writing a strong high school resume isn't always easy when you have little to no work experience .

It’s not always easy—but it is possible.

The secret is to leverage any professional-like experience (such as community or volunteer services) you've gained, plus your skills and academic accomplishments. Since you're likely applying for entry-level jobs , most recruiters won't expect a huge professional background but will look for a good set of skills and strengths .

In this article, we'll cover how to write a high school student resume, and provide practical tips and examples of what to write in each section. Plus, you'll get two templates that you can easily adapt to make your own.

Why is a high school resume important?

A well-crafted high school resume can set the stage for your future career experiences. Even if you have no formal work experience, recruiters still want to see your skills, education, and potential certifications laid out on paper.

Writing a resume also helps you organize your achievements, identify your strengths, and lessons you learned from past experiences, such as extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and AP courses.

Though your resume might be short—which is normal for a high schooler—a thoughtful and tailored presentation can make your application stand out. Especially considering that you're likely to be competing with other high school students, so your chances might be higher than you'd think. Get that resume out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find work that’s right for you »

How to write a high school student resume in 6 steps

Resumes are all about presenting your qualifications strategically and authentically to grab the recruiter's attention and land an interview . Here's how to write one as a high school student:

1. Start with your contact information

Needles to say, your resume should have your contact information so the recruiter can identify it and contact you to schedule an interview. It's the first section of the resume and should be placed at the top of the page.

Follow this structure:

Name: [Full Name]

Address: [City, State]

Phone: [Phone Number]

Email: [Email Address]

Media (optional): [Linkedin and/or Portfolio link]

2. Write a resume summary or objective

A resume summary is a short statement that highlights your top skills, qualifications, and aspirations for a specific job in two to three sentences. This section is placed right below your contact information.

Though it's optional, a resume summary helps showcase who you are—especially if you don't have much work experience and would benefit from highlighting skills and positive traits. It should be brief and to the point.

Similarly, the objective statement also has two to three sentences in which you highlight your qualifications and directly state your interest in that position and why. Though it's considered outdated, an objective statement is still welcomed by some recruiters if it is well-crafted.

High school student resume summary examples:

“Driven high school student with a passion for software development and a proven track record in coding and robotics competitions. Skilled in HTML, Java, and C with certifications in data analysis and project management.”

“Ambitious high school student with strong communication skills and proven leadership skills in extracurricular activities. Skilled in advanced Excel, Figma, and fluent Spanish.”

High school student resume objective example:

“Detail-oriented high school student with a passion for design and proven experience creating visual content for social media platforms. Seeking opportunities to leverage design skills in a dynamic internship setting.”

3. List your education

This section should be the first thing the hiring manager sees after the summary because “it shows them what you’re looking for—an internship , a part-time job , or a full-time job—after graduation,” says career coach and speaker Anne Ryan .

Here, you should add your current or completed academic background. Ryan also says that if you are dual-enrolled in a college program (especially ones where you may receive an associate degree as well as your high school diploma), you might want to add that in this section as well.

Adding your high school GPA can also be a good move. It'll help you stand out if your score is high—3.5 or above for high school students—and show hiring managers you did well in classes, showing commitment and effort.

Here's an example:

High School Diploma

New York Preparatory High School

New York, NY

Graduation date: November 2024

Below high school, you could add some other extra classes you’ve taken that are relevant to the application, “but you may want to put AP classes and awards further down the page to direct more attention to your experience section,” Ryan says.

4. List your relevant experiences

Next section is the experience section . As a high school student, it's likely that you had few professional experiences in life, but there are multiple activities that can count as experience in this context. For example:

• Extracurricular activities
• Community service
• Personal projects
• Volunteer work
• Programs or applications you manage
• Academic clubs you’ve been part of
• Part-time jobs
• Internships

You don't need to include all of that in your resume. Instead, pick the experiences that are relevant for the job. For instance, if you're applying for a sales position, an experience in volunteer work where you've dealt with the public is more relevant than being the organizer of a book club.

The idea is to show hiring managers how you could fit a position based on what you did and achieved in all these experiences. These experiences should be listed in two to four bullet points , always highlighting key actions and potential accomplishments.

For example:

Food Bank Volunteer

May 2022 – July 2024

• Stocked shelves and maintained inventory in order to reduce waste
• Organized my team's shift and tasks to improve our productivity

Note: You may find examples of resumes with volunteer experience and other experiences in separate sections. That's also correct and OK to do if you think it'll improve readability.

5. Create a skills section

The skills section demonstrates what abilities you have that makes you qualified for the job. You can add both hard skills (technical knowledge and the certifications you have to perform that job) and soft skills (the way you behave and interact with others when working).

Think about tasks or projects you've done in the past that required some of the skills you'll also use in the job you're applying for. For instance, organizing a charity event requires planning, teamwork, and leadership, which are valuable skills in any professional context.

High school student resume skills examples:

• Content writing
• Written and verbal communication
• Software development
• Social media management
• Translation
• Transcribing
• Planning and organizing
• Image editing
• Video editing

6. List your relevant certifications

Finally, the certifications section , which is the last one in your high school resume. This section usually is written with bullet points showcasing each certification and the year you achieved it.

Remember that you don't need to list every single certification you have, but only the ones that are relevant to the job you want. For example, if you're applying for a social media management internship, a creative writing and digital marketing certification is more relevant than a coding certificate in this context.

Here's an how this section should look like:

Certifications

• Creative Writing Masterclass Certification - AlphaCom (2024)
• Digital Marketing Certificate - HubSpot Academy (2024)
• Content Management - HubSpot Academy (2023)

Note: If you don't have many certifications or skills, you can combine those sections into one. Some resume templates also have an “Awards & Honors” section after skills and certifications. If you have earned relevant academic awards and honors, you can and should use this section.

Extra high school resume writing advice

Here, we'll cover formatting and tricks that can make your resume stand out from the bunch. Check it out:

Use keywords to match the job description

If you're applying for a job online , you'll come across descriptions that list tasks, skills, and essential information about the company, and keywords that appear repeatedly are likely important to recruiters.

Incorporating relevant keywords into your resume not only demonstrates alignment with the job but also helps applicant tracking systems (ATSs)—which recruiters use to filter candidates—select your resume.

However, don’t stuff your resume with keywords that don't make sense. Instead, pick out the ones that match your own experiences, certifications, and skills, and naturally add them in sections where it makes sense. For internships and entry-level jobs, you're not expected to meet every requirement, so be honest and strategic when selecting relevant keywords.

(Need help with that? Here's how to pick resume keywords that'll get your job application past the ATS .)

Use action verbs and quantifiers

As the name implies, action verbs are verbs that express an action that can be mental or physical. Basically, they describe and express something that you did or are currently doing. In resume writing, action verbs are a powerful way to express your involvement in an activity or project.

Examples of action verbs

• Collaborated
• Implemented

On the other hand, quantifiers are anything you can measure within your tasks and results that demonstrate the impact of your work, the scope it had, and the frequency of the activities. Together, action verbs and quantifiers are a great way to demonstrate your qualities and skills as a professional.

For instance, you could write:

• Worked for four months as a barista, serving more than 100 clients per evening
• Participated in my school's green committee team and organized 10 activities during the school year
• Developed and organized a book donation campaign for my local library and received 150+ donations

Choose a simple format for your resume

When it comes to formatting, keep your resume as simple as possible. A simple format makes your resume much easier to read and easily scannable for ATS. By simple formatting, we mean standard fonts, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and regular size, like 11 or 12.

Be consistent and stick to the chosen format throughout the entire resume. Avoid overly complex designs with colors, images, or fancy fonts that can hinder readability and ATS compatibility.

As former Google VP of People Operations Lazlo Bock said on LinkedIn, “unless you're applying for a job such as a designer or an artist, your focus should be on making your resume clean and legible.”

Finally, save your resume in Word and PDF and send in the format asked by the recruiter in the job listing. Although the standard is PDF, because it can't be edited and keeps the integrity of the file, some companies prefer Word.

Proofread, proofread, proofread

Always double check your resume to ensure there are no grammatical errors or typos. Instead of immediately sending it to a recruiter, review it a couple of minutes after writing and/or ask for a friend or family member to proofread it for you.

Tools like Grammarly , Google Docs, and even Chat-GPT can also help you refine your text, trim words that aren’t needed, and point out grammatical errors and typos you missed.

High school resume examples

Here are two high school resume examples that you can use as a reference when crafting yours.

Example #1: Resume for high school student with volunteer experience

[email protected]

(917) 274-7398

linkedin.com/in/jenadams

Proactive high school student with volunteer and leadership experiences in content writing, news reporting, event planification, and team collaboration. Eager to start a communications career in a local setting while finishing studies.

Holy Trinity Diocesan High School

Hicksville, NY

Sep 2022 – Present

Graduation date: Jun 2025

EXPERIENCES

Book Club President

Jun 2023 – Present

• Managed reading materials for monthly reading sessions for +20 students, expanding the club from 8 to 22 students in a year.
• Promoted analytic reading among teenagers through games and educational contests, which led to 10 books read in a school year.
• Contacted 2 local bookstores to organize book club special events within their stores.

Co-Editor-in-Chief (Volunteer)

Holy Trinity Newspaper

Feb 2023 – May 2024

• Joined as a freshman staff writer and was promoted to Co-Editor-in-Chief in sophomore year
• Delegated articles about school events, creative pieces, & editing tasks to a diverse staff of 25+ students
• Designed print layouts with Adobe Pagemaker & wrote monthly editorials about current world events

CERTIFICATIONS & SKILLS

Google Workspace

Adobe Suite

Example #2: Resume for high school student with work experience

CHRISTIAN WOLF

[email protected]

(555) 274-8248

Santo Domingo High School

Weekend Receptionist

Fresno Art Museum

Ago 2023 – Present

• Answered & transferred over 25 calls per day quickly & accurately to on-duty staff.
• Greeted over 50 visitors per day and responded to questions about scheduling & events.
• Collaborated with the HR team distributing +15 internal mail campaigns using specialized project management and CRM softwares.

Bishop’s Altar Server (Volunteer)

St. John's Cathedral

Downtown Fresno

Sep 2021 – May 2023

• Worked in teams of seven highly trained servers during liturgical prayer (services, weddings, & funerals).
• Trained +5 new volunteers over the course of 4 months to assist high demand in a fast paced environment.

Languages: English (native) | Spanish (beginner)

Office skills: Google Workspace (advanced), Microsoft Excel (intermediate)

Social media: HootSuite (beginner), Mailchimp (beginner)

CERTIFICATIONS

Inbound Sales Certificate - HubSpot Academy (2023)

Email Marketing Certificate - MailChimp (2024)

AWARDS & HONORS

Month Employee: Fresno Art Museum (2024)

Gold medal: CIF State Swimming Championships (2022)

High school resume template

Ready to make yours? Here are two resume templates for high school students you can edit including your own experiences. Don't be afraid to make the necessary changes to better showcase your skills, accomplishments, and education.

Template #1: High school student resume with no work experience

Resume Summary (optional): 1-2 sentences paragraph about your skills, interests, and motivations for the job.

High School Name

City, State

Graduation Date: [Month, Year]

GPA: [3.5 or above]

• Skill 3 (you can add more, but don’t over do it.)
• Certification 1
• Certification 2
• Certification 3

AWARDS & HONORS (optional; if it’s career or academic-related, the better)

• Title of Achievement 1
• Title of Achievement 2
• Title of Achievement 3

Template #2: Resume template for high school students with volunteering experience

Address: [Address]

Resume Summary: 1-2 sentences paragraph about your skills, interests, and motivations for the job.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Volunteer Position, Organization Name

Dates of service: [Month, Year] – [Month, Year or present]

• Responsibility 1 (use action verbs and quantifiers)
• Responsibility 2

How to create an impressive high school resume

Essential components of a high school resume.

Ready to help your teen start writing their resume? Be sure to include these key elements to create a well-rounded and compelling resume.

Personal details

Start with the basics. Include your teen’s full name, contact information, and a professional email address. Ensure these details are clear and easy to find at the top of the resume.

Education and academic achievements

List the school name, expected graduation date, and any academic honors. You might also want to include their relevant coursework or any projects they’ve worked on that have equipped them with specific skills or knowledge.

Extracurricular activities

Encourage your teen to include activities that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and initiative. This section can cover everything from sports and clubs to volunteer work and community service.

Work experience

Even if they haven't held a formal job, part-time work , babysitting, or tutoring can show responsibility and work ethic. Describe their role and any skills gained.

Skills and interests

List skills that are relevant to the positions or programs they are applying for. These could range from technical skills, like proficiency in a certain platform, to soft skills, like communication or problem-solving abilities.

Tips for creating a standout high school resume

Follow these strategies to make your high school resume shine and leave a lasting impression.

Keep it concise

An ideal high school resume should be one page long. Use bullet points to present information clearly and concisely.

Use action verbs

Start bullet points with strong action verbs to make achievements sound more dynamic and impactful. Words like "led," "organized," and "created" can add punch to their descriptions.

Tailor the resume

Customize the resume for each opportunity. Highlight the experiences and skills most relevant to the specific role or program.

Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. A polished resume reflects attention to detail and professionalism.

Common mistakes to avoid

When crafting a resume, it's important to present the best version of yourself while avoiding common pitfalls that can diminish its impact.

Overloading with information

Too much information can overwhelm the reader. Focus on quality over quantity, listing experiences that truly showcase your teen's strengths.

Neglecting non-academic interests

Colleges and employers value well-rounded individuals. Include hobbies and interests that show personality and potential.

Using an unprofessional email address

Make sure the email address is appropriate and easy to associate with your teen's name.

Why a high school resume matters

A high school resume is more than just a list of accomplishments. It’s a snapshot of your teen's educational journey, showcasing their unique strengths and interests. This document serves as a tool to communicate their potential and readiness for new challenges. Developing a resume early on helps them reflect on their experiences, set goals, and gain confidence in their abilities.

Putting together a high school resume doesn't have to be daunting. With a clear structure and thoughtful content, your teen can present themselves in the best light possible. This process not only helps them prepare for future opportunities but also builds their confidence as they step into the next chapter of their lives.

Want more tips and tricks to make parenting a breeze? Check out Greenlight's Learning Center for helpful resources on all things family, finance, and fun.

This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.

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How to Write a Resume for High School Student

Posted on 12 jan 2022.

Our society demands a lot from our youth. Probably the biggest expectation of all—we instill in them the idea that going to college is the only way they can be successful in life. In so doing, we deliberately eliminate the option of them working for jobs that require but only a resume for high school student, and not a four-year degree.

TV personality Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame has actively campaigned for high school graduates to seriously consider that there are several million openings for trades and semi-skilled occupations waiting to be filled. Rowe particularly argued that a college education isn’t the only path to success. So if you are open to the idea of working a semi-skilled job immediately after high school, perhaps you would like to know a handful of tips to make your resume for high school student more compelling and attractive to potential employers.

Tip #1: Write your objective

Your resume objective serves as your “elevator pitch” about yourself, which should contain your introduction, unique skills, noteworthy accomplishments, and goals at work. It can be just a single sentence or a brief paragraph of three to four sentences. Regardless of length, your resume objective should explain why you’re applying for the position and what makes you a strong candidate for the role. Check out these examples.

Applying for the paperboy, looking to bring energy, enthusiasm, and initiative to the position.

Trustworthy and adaptable high school grad looking for a full-time position at your food establishment and applying my well-developed service skills to meet your customers’ high expectations.

High school senior applying for a retail salesperson job where I can harness my exceptional customer service skills to prepare for a career in marketing.

Tip #2: List your relevant skills

Potential employers will want to know what you’re capable of the right of the bat, so immediately after your heading and objective summary, add a Skills section that includes any abilities you have that relate to the job. Depending on the requirements, you will want to list your fields of expertise, such as computer skills, communication skills, physical skills, or soft skills such as teamwork, honesty, self-management, etc.

• High-achieving student-athlete

• Mountain biking enthusiast

• Strong work ethic

• Adaptable learner

Tip #3: Showcase your academic achievements

As a current or graduating high school student, you want to place the spotlight on your educational attainments right after your Skills section. Unless you already have significant work experience, your high school education is going to be your biggest asset in securing an interview and landing a job. If you have an above-average GPA, make sure it’s easy to spot.

If you want, you can put your academic achievements at the top portion of your resume for high school student before the skills section. This can be especially helpful if you have high academic achievements. Make sure to include accolades, awards, and other honors.

When writing your academic achievements, it’s important to have the proper order for all the relevant details. Here’s how to arrange education information on your resume for highschool students.

Covington Catholic High School – Park Hills, KY

Diploma expected 2022

Honors and Awards

• Honor Roll during Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years

• Expected Honor Roll during Senior year

• Best Debater, 2021 Kentucky High School Speech League debate competition

Specialties and Certifications

• Sony Vegas Pro Editor

• Adobe Photoshop

• Basic Life Support Training Certification

• Scout Den Leader Training Awardee

Tip #4: Emphasize leadership qualities

Adding leadership experience and skills for resume for high school student is a great way to get your application noticed. Becoming captain of a sports team or a den leader of a scout group are great examples of leadership, so be sure to list positions like these if you’ve held them.

Even if you haven’t had any leadership experience during your high school years, you can demonstrate your potential by incorporating powerful leadership-related keywords in your resume for highschool students. Leadership skills include decision making, delegation, commitment, creativity, communication, adaptability, trustworthiness, responsibility, etc. Here are some examples:

• Developed and led weekly sports activities for the lacrosse team

• Composed monthly email newsletter for school environmental club members

• Recruited club members using social media and during school events

Tip #5: Include volunteer experience and extracurricular activities

Since you will likely have limited work experience coming out of high school, it can help to include any activity you participate in outside of school, including clubs, sports, and other organizations. Volunteer work and extracurriculars can give your potential employers a better sense of your personality and help make you appear as a better-rounded candidate.

Whatever purpose you want your resume for high school student to serve—whether for college admissions, scholarships, or a job position—adding your activities outside of school can provide your application the boost it needs to stand out. Here’s a sample format for the Activities section of a resume for highschool students for your perusal.

• Three-year member of the basketball varsity team, captain as a junior

• Three-year staffer of the school paper, associate editor as a junior

• Two-year member of school eco-green club

Tip #6: Tailor your resume for high school students to fit each job

If you plan to send your resume for high school student first job to multiple employers, make sure each application is unique and custom-fit for the job and company. Applicants who send the same generic resume for each position are putting their applications at risk of being rejected. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes and think about what they are looking for. Come up with a list of your strengths, skills, and key requirements for a job. Use that insight to demonstrate that you are the right individual for the job.

High school student resume from Resumeble

If you’re having trouble with how to write a resume for high school student or skills for resume for high school student, let Resumeble help you. When you decide to avail of one of our resume writing services, you will be partnered with one of our very capable resume writers who will work with you to develop a resume that will get your foot in the door. Call us today for more info, or send us your high school resume for a free, no-obligation evaluation.

• 7 seconds: this is how long your resume has either to impress or be ignored by the recruiter
• 300+: average number of applications one corporate job opening posted online receives
• 3%: number of sent resumes that result in interviews

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15 Impressive Resume Examples for High School Students

Put your best foot forward.

Many professionals struggle to write a strong resume, even after years in the workforce. It’s not surprising, therefore, that it’s even harder for those with limited work experience. That’s why we put together this list of resume examples for high school students. They need it!

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , teens are experiencing the highest employment rate since 2008. In May 2022, 5.5 million U.S. teens ages 16 to 19 held jobs, and by summer 2023, analysts predict “that the share of 16- to 19-year-olds working this season will rise to 33.6 percent, from 32.7 percent last year.” Use these templates, which are perfect for students applying f or jobs, college admissions, or scholarships, to edge out the competition!

What To Include on High School Students’ Resumes

When you don’t have years of work experience to showcase, what should you include on your resume? Here are some ways to put your best foot forward.

• Highlight academic strengths.
• Mention extracurricular activities including clubs, sports, and volunteerism.
• List any honors, awards, or other achievements.
• Emphasize leadership experience.
• Share projects or gigs, including any internships.
• Include a “Skills” section and list computer skills, soft skills, or language skills.
• If your hobbies and/or interests are relevant to a job, include those as well. 

Resume Examples for High School Students

High school student resume templates and examples.

These helpful resume templates and examples are perfect for high school students trying to land their first job or internship. This resource shares tips on how to make a great impression. 

Resume with no experience: first job examples

Trying to land a job with no work experience? No problem! This template offers an ideal resume for high school student applicants who are entering the workforce for the first time.  

Resume for a part-time job

For students looking for a part-time job, their high school resume needs to reflect their availability. This sample offers guidance for creating a resume that sends the right message. 

Experienced high school student resume

Multiple work experience examples should be listed on an experienced high school student resume, so you might need to change the layout to make everything fit nicely.

McDonald’s resume

While this resume specifically highlights McDonald’s, it could easily be modified for any fast-food chain. The important thing is that students’ work history includes customer service and interpersonal skills and the ability to take orders, prepare food, accept payments, keep a restaurant clean, and more. 

Customer service resume

Hiring supervisors are aware of and anticipate the fact that you may not have much work experience as a high school student, but this template will help tailor your resume to the demands specified in the customer service job description.

Camp counselor resume

If you’ve ever worked as a camp counselor (or similar leadership role), you likely have a well-rounded set of skills. This resource provides tips and examples of how to list your achievements and abilities in a way to stand out above the competition. 

High school student sales resume

Writing a high school student sales resume can be challenging, especially if you have little professional experience. One solid strategy is having numbers on your side. This great template will help you get started!

Athlete resume

Depending on the student, athletics can make up a huge part of their high school experience. Should athletics be mentioned on a resume? If it’s relevant to the job or if a student was a stand-out athlete, gained leadership skills, or was recognized for their great attitude and/or outstanding abilities, this guide will show you how to include it.

High school graduate resume

Once students graduate, they’ll either be continuing their education or heading into the workforce (or both!). This great, straightforward high school resume is perfect when applying for their first real job. 

College resume for high school students

The future is bright, which is why high school students need to focus on creating a college admissions resume that will really make an impression. These tips and samples offer clear guidance on how to make a college application truly shine. 

High school student office worker resume

It’s alright if a high school office worker resume isn’t packed with noteworthy achievements. Instead, list any project that highlights your leadership qualities or relevant skills you’ve acquired along the way!

Scholarship resume

You already know that college tuition is expensive. There are plenty of scholarships out there, but the competition is fierce. This high school resume template focuses on academic achievements while highlighting skills, professional experience, and career objectives to help students stand out from the crowd. 

High school student music resume

Of course you want to highlight any musical work you’ve done, whether it’s in school or professionally. Also highlight lessons, achievements, and interests that showcase your love and passion for music. This template will give you a good idea of where to begin!

Internship resume

It can be tough to find a decent internship as a college student, which is why high school students should start looking before they graduate. These types of jobs might not come with a paycheck, but the rewards are immeasurable in terms of experience. This template offers tips for writing a strong resume for an internship position. 

Do you have more great resume examples for high school students? Share them in the comments below.

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How to teach resume writing to your high school students

If we are teaching our students how to write literary analysis essays about the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby, then we also should be teaching our students how to write effective resumes that will get them jobs. In fact, I think the latter is more important, and I say this as a teacher who is obsessed with Gatsby. (Just stalk my Instagram.) But I’m not trying to call you out or shame you for not teaching resume writing in your English class. I actually never taught resumes until this year, when I was tasked with the responsibility of teaching a new senior English Elective, “Technical Communication.” After taking on this class and teaching resumes, I am wholeheartedly convinced that every single student should be required to create a resume before graduating high school.

Teaching resume writing was not an easy task for me or my students, but we learned a lot in the process. Drafting a resume is about more than practicing “real life” writing or becoming an employable job candidate. It’s about growing as a human being. Writing a resume requires introspection, self-awareness, and reflection. Throughout the process, students wrestled with the questions “Who am I?” and “How can I represent what I have to offer on a mere piece of paper?” This unit was challenging but rewarding, for me and my students.

Initially, I was intimidated by teaching resumes, because unlike the Gatsby essay that would be turned in and graded by me, these resumes would be printed out and sent off into the “real world” someday. The thought of teaching students how to write and design a document that could end up on the desk…or in the paper shredder…of a hiring manager was a bit daunting. Although I was nervous, I was excited about empowering my students and teaching what I knew would be one of the most relevant and valuable units I’ve ever taught.

Thankfully, I was right. By the end of our resume writing unit, I was so proud of how much my students had grown as writers, future job candidates, and most importantly, human beings. If you’re hoping to implement the same kind of learning experience for your students, check out my resume writing unit, which contains editable versions of all of my mini-lessons and resources. Here’s everything I learned about how to structure a helpful resume writing unit for your students:

1. Expose the students to lots of resumes: the good, the bad, and the ugly

At first, I didn’t know how to start our resume writing unit. Jump in to the writing process and revise later? Start with a mini-lesson? Honestly, I was stressed out and doubting my ability to teach resumes. I hadn’t interviewed for a job or touched my resume in 5 years. I felt like I was in over my head. What did I know?

In an effort to begin my unit and lesson planning, I started researching resumes. I found myself searching examples and taking mental note of what I noticed. Then it hit me: That’s what my students needed to do! Like me, they would be overwhelmed with the daunting task of creating an appealing, modern resume. Suddenly, my lesson plan for the next day was simple: Find tons of examples: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let students sift through them and record their observations about what makes an effective resume–student-centered, inquiry-based learning!

I quickly rounded up sample resumes from Google, pulled up my old (and ugly) resume, and asked friends on Facebook to share their resumes. Within 20 minutes, I had a nice collection of over 20 resumes to share with my students. I printed off a few copies of each and arranged them on the counter in the back of my classroom.

Then, I created a worksheet where students simply recorded what they noticed about each resume. I gave them a few categories to focus on and asked them to critique each resume. I told students to pretend they were hiring managers going through stacks of resumes, deciding which candidates deserved an interview. After examining multiple resumes, students had to synthesize what they noticed about the most effective resumes. Finally, they reflected on what they already knew about resumes and what they wanted to learn and focus on throughout our mini unit.

This lesson was so simple, but so valuable. Some of them were harsh critics, which was great! Afterwards, I told them, “Gotcha! Now I have higher expectations because now you KNOW what to do! The only excuse is laziness!” If they critiqued the ugly fonts on the sample resumes…I could critic their font choice when I graded their final resumes with my rubrics. Mission accomplished!

2. Model the process with your own resume

After the results of the resume critique activity, I knew I needed to model the resume writing and design process by updating my own resume. My students were right. My resume was 2 pages long, filled with way too much text, and just plain ugly and uninspiring.

So before I began my mini-lessons on resume writing, I sat down to “teach myself” before I taught my students. I redesigned my entire resume, deleted irrelevant jobs, cut the fluff, and improved my word choice. This process gave me some confidence about teaching resumes for the first time, and it helped me realize what I should focus on during writing workshop with my students. During mini-lessons, I used my resume as an example. My students appreciated my transparency and learned a lot from my “before and after.”

Even though you might not need to update your resume, it’s a great exercise that will help you better understand the process and allow your students to see an “expert” model revision.

3. Scaffold the writing process with mini-lessons & a resume outline

When I revised and redesigned my own resume, I remembered how laborious it is to create an effective, visually-appealing resume. To make the resume writing process less daunting for my students, I broke up the different sections of the resume into different mini-lessons. I also created a resume outline on Google docs, and I required students to draft everything in the outline before they even touched a template. Students drafted and revised multiple times until I “approved” their working outline and allowed them to begin their final draft. This outline document scaffolded the structure and formatting of the resume, and it also helped me break down my mini-lessons. Here’s how I set up my mini-lessons during writing workshop:

• Writing a Professional Profile (If you’re new to the resume writing game, this is what has taken the place of the “Objective” section).
• Outlining Employment & Using Powerful Action Verbs
• Listing Skills & Using Strong Adjectives

I also incorporated peer feedback and teacher feedback activities in addition to the above mini-lessons.

4. Provide resources and support throughout the process

Since all of my students were creating resumes for different types of jobs, I knew I needed to offer even more scaffolding and support. A resume for an aspiring esthetician is going to look a lot different from a resume for an automotive technician! To support students and give them access to even more resources and examples, I created a hyperdoc of resources and links. Some of these resources were my own, but others were links from helpful websites that provided samples of resumes for different careers! If you want more information on creating your own hyperdocs for your students, check out this blog post.

Another way I provided support throughout the writing process was by checking in with every student, every day. On most days, I was able to walk around the room and physically check in with each student, but on days when I ended up helping a handful of students for a while, I didn’t make it to everyone. To make sure that I had a way of checking in on every student, no matter what, I had students submit an exit ticket at the end of each day. Each exit ticket was the same: “What did you accomplish today? What questions do you have and how can I help you?” I did this through Google Classroom’s “question” feature, so I was able to respond to students’ questions and see what everyone needed during the next day of writing workshop.

5. Incorporate multiple opportunities for peer feedback

Here’s the way I see peer feedback: The more you can train your students to provide feedback, the more efficient you can be with your teacher feedback. During our resume writing unit, I incorporated peer feedback in a variety of ways. First, I had students “turn and talk” to each other to give a “personal sales pitch” that would then become their professional profile at the top of their resume. Then, once they had drafted their profile and posted it on Google Classroom, I asked them to provide feedback to 3 of their peers. That way, once I looked at their professional profile drafts, their peers had already addressed a lot of what I would have commented, anyways! This allowed me to give my students more specific, focused feedback (and it saved me time, too).

The writing process can feel time-consuming, tedious, and boring for students. Mixing it up with opportunities for them to talk about their writing helps with engagement, too.

6. Emphasize the process of revision

It’s important to emphasize the process of revision and how it’s different from proofreading and editing. Some of them wanted to crank out their resumes, click “Turn in,” and then cheerfully shout, “I’m done!” when they hadn’t taken the time to genuinely revise. Other students argued that their resumes were “good enough” because they had successfully used them when applying for their current jobs. It was difficult to convince some students to invest time in the revision and editing.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret: Some of the students who struggled or complained the most were the very same ones who thanked me later in their learning reflections. Here’s what one student said: “The resume unit was the most helpful because I was too lazy to write one on my own. Miss G, you’re killing it.” At least they’re honest.

By structuring the resume-writing process with step-by-step lessons, modeling my own revision, and incorporating lots of peer and teacher feedback and subsequent revision, I forced my students to revise. I demonstrated the value of revision and purposefully integrated revision in my mini-lessons. I even included a category titled “Evidence of Revision” on my final rubric, and I asked students to explicitly tell me (through Google docs comments) what they revised and why. The end result? Better resumes, but more importantly, better writers who finally valued the process of revision.

7. Provide templates to help your students create a visually appealing, modern resume

It’s easy to let your students create the standard text-on-a-page resume, but it’s 2019, and those resumes are ancient! There are tons of options and templates available online, but my favorite resource for visually appealing resumes is Canva, a online graphic-design tool with many free templates. You can also search on Pinterest for more inspiration!

I designed two of my own templates and provided them to students, but I also linked up a few templates I found online. Most of my students used my templates or the ones from Canva, but I did have a few students who used other sources. I would recommend assessing how much structure your students need and then recommending different templates and/or websites. For example, for my ELL students, my pre-made template was especially helpful. I didn’t want them to be overwhelmed by the process of creatively designing a resume, because the process of writing was already challenging enough. Meet your students where they are, but use templates to help them create a visually appealing resume!

8. Make it meaningful & “publish” students’ final resumes!

English teachers know that one of the most important but often ignored parts of the writing process is the final phase: Publishing! When your students are finished, print their resumes out and celebrate their hard work in an authentic way. Here are a few ideas:

• Facilitate a “gallery walk” or “exhibit hall” where students “network” with their peers, exchange resumes, and discuss their experiences and skills.
• Facilitate mock interviews where students must discuss their resume and answer other common interview questions. (We did this & it was a hit with students!)
• Send off the resumes to administration or an hiring manager (if you can find one) and ask them to provide realistic feedback.
• Encourage students to use their new resumes to apply for a job, and then celebrate when they are successful!

I was so proud of my students’ final resumes and how much they grew during the writing process. The unit was not without its challenges, but it was so rewarding to end it with physical proof that students were one step closer to being “college and career ready.” If you’re interested in preparing your students for life after graduation, check out my Career Readiness Growing Bundle, which currently contains a career research project and this resume writing unit. (Cover letters and mock interviews are coming soon.)

Do you teach resume writing to your students? If so, what grade level and class? What other ideas or tips do you have? I would love to hear more in the comments!

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Thanks for the great resources. I plan on beginning my employment package assignment in April and this will come in handy. However, there is something that I want to point out. As a business professor who teaches business classes and resume writing, I would suggest telling your students that creative and fun resumes are only appropriate in that type of field such as graphic designs, creative writing, art, etc. In fields such as marketing, medicine, engineering, management, etc., creative resumes with various designs is a no-no. Granted these are high school students, but what we teach them now as a foundation on what they need to know should be practical for future referencing. Yes, the resume is a boring looking document, but how you teach it can be the creative and exciting part!

I will definitely be using these resources this year. Thank you for all you do.

Hi there, Thanks for your feedback. I do teach them about that. However, even the “boring” resumes look more professional with some fonts/lines/boxes/formatting/etc.

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Resumes and CVs

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CV vs. resume — what's the difference?

Both a resume and CV (curriculum vitae) are documents that outline your education, experience and skills. However, they differ in their purpose and layout.

• When applying to a job in the U.S., a resume is almost always the preferred document.
• In many other countries, a resume is known as a CV. However, the term CV refers to a different document in the U.S.
• In the U.S., CVs are most commonly used in academic environments, such as when applying to graduate school, jobs in academia or research positions.
• CVs are more detailed than resumes and may be many pages long, while resumes are concise, usually only 1-2 pages in length.
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What should I include in a CV?

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CV Example (PDF)

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