Helping your High School Students Write Their First Resume

The overall employment rate for high school graduates is expected to grow by 5% from 2016 to 2026, which is the average amount of growth expected for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While an individual isn’t guaranteed employment with a high school diploma, those who do find a job may earn more and can expect lower unemployment rates than those without a diploma. In 2018, workers with a high school diploma earned approximately $200 a week more than those without, and the unemployment rate was around 5%.

For high school graduates, the top earners are those who receive on-the-job-training and apprenticeships in occupations such as driver, storage and distribution manager, detective and criminal investigator and commercial pilot, but all require at least a high school diploma to get started.

Resume Builder has posted 4 great Resume examples you can use as templates for your students to help them create their first resume.

Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for High School Resumes

The skills needed for employment as a high school graduate vary depending on the type of employment and will be listed within the specific job description. For many occupations, employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes looking for individuals who match the job description. This helps eliminate unqualified individuals from the applicant pool.

When crafting your resume and cover letter, it’s important that you use the right combination of key skills and action verbs to ensure you make it through the first round of the application process. For high school graduates, there are some general skills and action verbs that are helpful for use in your job hunt.

Key Skills & Proficiencies
Ability to follow directionsActive listening
Customer serviceInterpersonal skills
OrganizationReading
Software programsTime management
Verbal communicationWritten communication
Action Verbs
AccomplishedAttended
BalancedCommunicated
EarnedExceeded
ExploredGained
HandledIdentified
MaintainedObserved
ParticipatedPerformed

Tips for Writing a Better High School Resume

Showcase your educational achievements

Education provides transferable experience for high school graduates when applying for entry-level positions. Consider any leadership positions you’ve held, any honors received and any clubs or activities that demonstrated your ability to perform the duties of the position you are applying for. For example, for a landscaping or groundskeeping job that requires someone with knowledge in gardening and the ability to operate landscaping tools, be sure to mention any agricultural classes or involvement in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) club and any other experience you have working in an outside environment.

Example #1

Good


High School Diploma
Buckhead High School, Buckhead, GA, August 2015 – May 2019

  • President of FFA from 2018 to 2019
  • Received certificate of recognition in horticulture
  • Actively participated in National Ag Week

Bad


High School Diploma
Buckhead High School, Buckhead, GA, August 2015 – May 2019

Example #2

Good


High School Diploma
Tallahassee High School, Tallahassee, FL, August 2015 – May 2019

  • Completed the Pathways to Horticulture program
  • Presented class-winning landscape design as an end-of-the-year project
  • Assisted with the care and cultivation of the school flower garden which contained over 50 species of flowers and plants

Bad


High School Diploma
Tallahassee High School, Tallahassee, FL, August 2015 – May 2019

Highlight non-work experience important for the role

Feature any abilities you’ve learned through summer volunteer opportunities. Many high school graduates take part in volunteer positions to gain expertise and fill the time off from classes in a productive and meaningful manner. For example, a high school graduate interested in a future in the medical field and who has volunteered at a local hospital throughout the summer can include the skills obtained waiting on patients and supporting trained medical professionals.

Example #1

Good


Assisted with changing over 50 beds, cleaning rooms, answering patients’ calls and helping patients with chronic conditions perform daily tasks

Bad


Kept patients happy on a daily basis

Example #2

Good


Obtained CPR certification while volunteering

Bad


Learned how to care for patients

How to Align Your Resume With the Job Description

Aligning your resume with the job description helps you get the attention of the hiring manager and strengthens your chance at getting an interview. When making a decision on the best candidate, the hiring manager needs to see you have the background to fit in with the company culture and handle the required tasks. To do this, you should customize a single resume for each position you apply for instead of sending out a standard general resume.

To do this, start by scanning through the job description, and highlight all important skills and requirements the company has listed. Your resume should include as many of these skills as possible. As a high school graduate, focus on any skills and achievements you achieved throughout the course of your educational career, including any experience gained through part-time employment and summer jobs.

Example Job Description for High School Graduates


Hometown Pharmacy is devoted to serving its customers and contributing to the wellness of the community by providing quality products in a friendly atmosphere. Our patient-centered business requires an applicant with a passion for the health industry and a commitment to customer service. The ideal applicant will work closely with the pharmacist, other team members and support staff to complete transactions and to ensure the satisfaction of each customer. The individual will help check the accuracy of filled prescriptions, keep inventory filed and neatly organized and help answer any questions from shoppers.

Responsibilities:

  • Provide excellent customer service through active communication
  • Manage incoming phone calls from medical facilities and patients
  • File and maintain existing confidential customer files within the online database
  • Monitor on-hand inventory
  • flexible work-week schedule
  • Assist in all duties as assigned

Qualifications:

  • Must be 18 years of age
  • High school diploma
  • Interest in the medical field
  • Computer skills preferred
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Preference is given to those going into a college degree program in the medical field

Incorporate the skills you’ve highlighted in the job description with your existing skills and experience to help you get noticed. As a recent high school graduate, you likely won’t have much work history, so it’s important to convert educational experience to job skills and include any volunteer opportunities. If you’ve volunteered over the summer or through an internship, use that experience as work experience.

High School Graduate Work Experience Example


Front Desk Volunteer, Animal Medical Care, Gainesville, GA

August 2019 – Present

  • Manage incoming phone calls from existing and new patients
  • File and maintain health information for over 150 patients
  • Assist patients in completing transactions for new medications
  • inventory of in-stock pet medications
  • Provide support to all veterinarians and other staff members
  • Work a flexible work-week schedule
  • Treat each animal with respect and care in a timely manner by prioritizing cases based on the immediate need

Resume Builder offers free, HR-approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your LinkedIn profile. Create an account to save your progress and multiple versions, plus download as a PDF. Here is the link to get started: https://app.resumebuilder.com/