st. mary's academy
academic advising

High School Resume Writing Tips

Writing a resume when you're a high school student who doesn't have much – or any – prior work experience can seem daunting. Experiences like babysitting, lawn mowing, school and community involvement and volunteering all help to show valuable work skills that employers want to see. 
 
Just because you haven’t had a job like the one you are applying for, doesn’t mean you haven’t acquired the skills necessary to succeed. 
 
Use XELLO  
You can always access through PowerSchool – Applications (top right symbol) 
Utilize Resume Builder 
Students access this feature from their About Me page. Once started, you have access to the Tips & Samples on every page to help guide you through the dos and don'ts of writing a stand-out resume. 
 
Look at several examples:
https://www.uvic.ca/coopandcareer/career/applications/
http://www.mass.edu/gearup/documents/WritingaResume.pdf 
 
Use a Template 
Using a template will make it easier to create your resume. The formatting should be clear and simple. 
https://templates.office.com/en-us/Resumes-and-Cover-Letters


 
 
 

Make an Outline 
Make a quick list of all possible experiences, paid and unpaid, to include in your resume before you try to find the right language to describe them.  
 
Include your Activities. Since most high school students haven't held a lot of jobs, it is important to draw upon all aspects of your life which show you have the right character, work ethic, skills, and personality to succeed in a job. Mention your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, academics, and athletic pursuits.
If you held any sort of leadership position in these roles (such as secretary of a club or team captain), be sure to note this.
Include a bulleted list of your responsibilities and accomplishments. 
 
Include Your Name and Contact Information. Make sure the employer knows how to get in touch with you.  

Promote Your Attitude and Performance 
Employers will be most interested in your work habits and attitude. If you have perfect or near-perfect attendance and are punctual for school and other commitments, you might include language like "Compiled a perfect (or near-perfect) record for attendance." If supervisors, teachers, or coaches have recognized you for a positive attitude mention it in your description of the activity. 
 
Mention Your Achievements
Employers look for staff who have a history of making positive contributions.  Use verbs like enhanced, reorganized, increased, improved, initiated, upgraded, or expanded to show what you accomplished. 
 
Include Skills
Include skills as they relate to the job for which you are applying. After your bulleted list of responsibilities and accomplishments mention the skills you utilized or acquired. Examples: communication, leadership, problem-solving, positive attitude, resiliency, team player. 
 
Use Action Verbs
Use active language when describing your experiences so you are portrayed in a dynamic way. Organized, led, calculated, taught, served, trained, tutored, wrote, researched, inventoried, created, designed, drafted, and edited. 
 
Keep it Short
I have just told you to write a great number of things about yourself... now the hardest part is cutting away the fat, and ensuring your resume is lean and eye-catching. Your resume should NEVER be longer than two pages (one is better).  
 
References
You should provide 2 references that can vouge for anything on your resume and is willing to say nice things about you. Include their contact information on your resume (phone & email). You may use me. 
 
Proofread Your Draft
Review your draft very carefully before finalizing your document and make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Ask your guidance counsellor, parents, or a favourite teacher to critique your resume.