9 answers
Laine
Student
Reno, Nevada
1
Question
Asked
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How do I create a professional resume?
How do I create a professional resume? I am a freshman in highschool and I have no clue what I am doing.
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9 answers
Danuta Detyna
Career Expert, Certified Professional Resume Writer
12
Answers
Rzeszow, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland
Updated
Danuta’s Answer
Hello Laine,
Creating a professional resume as a high school freshman is a great step towards preparing for future opportunities like internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer positions. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:
1. Choose a Simple and Professional Template
Start with a clean, simple layout that looks professional.
2. Include Basic Contact Information
At the top of your resume, clearly list:
Your full name
Phone number (make sure your voicemail is professional)
Professional email address (consider creating one if you don’t have it)
Optionally, you might include your LinkedIn profile if you have one.
3. Add an Objective Statement
As someone new to the workforce, an objective statement can help explain your goals. It should be brief—just one or two sentences about what you're hoping to gain from the positions you're applying for and what you bring to the table. For example:
"Enthusiastic high school freshman seeking to leverage strong interpersonal skills and a keen interest in technology in a part-time tech support role."
4. Emphasize Your Education
Since you're still in school, your education is one of the main focuses:
List your high school name and location.
Mention your expected graduation year.
Include your GPA if it’s high (generally, if it’s above 3.0).
Highlight any academic achievements, honor roll mentions, or special courses relevant to the jobs or fields you are interested in.
5. Include Relevant Courses
As a freshman, you can list any high school courses that are relevant to the job or industry you’re interested in. For example, if you’re looking at a tech-related job, mention any computer science or programming classes you’ve taken.
6. List Skills and Extracurricular Activities
Here, you can show what you've learned outside of a formal job environment:
Skills: Include any technical skills (like proficiency in specific software), languages you speak, and soft skills (such as communication or problem-solving).
Extracurricular Activities: Participation in sports, clubs, or other groups can demonstrate teamwork, commitment, and other workplace-relevant skills.
7. Add Volunteer Work or Community Involvement
If you've done any volunteer work, even if it's informal or occasional, list it here. Describe what you did, whom you helped, and any notable outcomes. This shows initiative and responsibility.
8. Awards and Honors
If you have any awards or recognitions from school or extracurriculars, include them. These can highlight your work ethic and dedication.
9. Keep It Concise
Try to keep your resume to one page. Be concise in your descriptions without leaving out important information.
10. Proofread
Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors in your resume. Ask a teacher, parent, or friend to review it.
11. Customize Your Resume for Each Opportunity
Tailor your resume for each job or opportunity you apply for. Highlight the most relevant experiences and skills based on what each position requires.
Starting your resume early in high school is excellent practice for the future, and even simple experiences can effectively showcase your potential to employers and organizations. If you want to find out more about writing a resume as a high school student, you can read this guide: How to Write a Resume as a High School Student
Creating a professional resume as a high school freshman is a great step towards preparing for future opportunities like internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer positions. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:
1. Choose a Simple and Professional Template
Start with a clean, simple layout that looks professional.
2. Include Basic Contact Information
At the top of your resume, clearly list:
Your full name
Phone number (make sure your voicemail is professional)
Professional email address (consider creating one if you don’t have it)
Optionally, you might include your LinkedIn profile if you have one.
3. Add an Objective Statement
As someone new to the workforce, an objective statement can help explain your goals. It should be brief—just one or two sentences about what you're hoping to gain from the positions you're applying for and what you bring to the table. For example:
"Enthusiastic high school freshman seeking to leverage strong interpersonal skills and a keen interest in technology in a part-time tech support role."
4. Emphasize Your Education
Since you're still in school, your education is one of the main focuses:
List your high school name and location.
Mention your expected graduation year.
Include your GPA if it’s high (generally, if it’s above 3.0).
Highlight any academic achievements, honor roll mentions, or special courses relevant to the jobs or fields you are interested in.
5. Include Relevant Courses
As a freshman, you can list any high school courses that are relevant to the job or industry you’re interested in. For example, if you’re looking at a tech-related job, mention any computer science or programming classes you’ve taken.
6. List Skills and Extracurricular Activities
Here, you can show what you've learned outside of a formal job environment:
Skills: Include any technical skills (like proficiency in specific software), languages you speak, and soft skills (such as communication or problem-solving).
Extracurricular Activities: Participation in sports, clubs, or other groups can demonstrate teamwork, commitment, and other workplace-relevant skills.
7. Add Volunteer Work or Community Involvement
If you've done any volunteer work, even if it's informal or occasional, list it here. Describe what you did, whom you helped, and any notable outcomes. This shows initiative and responsibility.
8. Awards and Honors
If you have any awards or recognitions from school or extracurriculars, include them. These can highlight your work ethic and dedication.
9. Keep It Concise
Try to keep your resume to one page. Be concise in your descriptions without leaving out important information.
10. Proofread
Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors in your resume. Ask a teacher, parent, or friend to review it.
11. Customize Your Resume for Each Opportunity
Tailor your resume for each job or opportunity you apply for. Highlight the most relevant experiences and skills based on what each position requires.
Starting your resume early in high school is excellent practice for the future, and even simple experiences can effectively showcase your potential to employers and organizations. If you want to find out more about writing a resume as a high school student, you can read this guide: How to Write a Resume as a High School Student
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1590
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
So Laine whether you’re applying to colleges, looking for scholarships, or searching for internships online, there are many different situations in which a high school student might need a resume. Like in the professional world, a high school resume is an introduction. Potential employers, college admissions officials, scholarship decision makers and more all use high schoolers’ resumes to more fully understand the students they’re considering.
CONTACT INFORMATION - Be sure to include your full name, phone number, email address and location on your high school resume. This should be in a prominent position towards the top of the page.
OBJECTIVE - Think of this as your “elevator pitch.” Your resume objective should quickly and clearly describe who you are and why you’re the right candidate for whatever position you're applying for. This section of your resume should be no more than 3 - 4 sentences.
WORK EXPERIENCE - If you have work experience it can be a great thing to include on your high school resume. Successfully holding a job while in high school shows colleges or other employers that you are a hard-working, dependable candidate.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE - For students who have yet to find their first job, volunteering experience is a great thing to include. In fact, even if you do have work experience, it’s encouraged to include any volunteering you may have done on your resume, as such items are impressive to almost all colleges and universities.
SKILLS - This can be a great section for students who may have a wide range of skills but not too much experience putting them into practice in an organized setting. This can include academic skills like writing or mathematics, technological skills like coding or computer building, and even artistic skills such as drawing.
In addition Laine your resume is one of the most important marketing tools you can use to sell yourself to colleges, impress scholarship judges, and get a part-time job or an internship during high school and/or college. You can also use your resume when asking for recommendation letters. It gives the teachers a reminder of your accomplishments when they are writing recommendation letters for you.
Hopefully you'll find this helpful Laine
CONTACT INFORMATION - Be sure to include your full name, phone number, email address and location on your high school resume. This should be in a prominent position towards the top of the page.
OBJECTIVE - Think of this as your “elevator pitch.” Your resume objective should quickly and clearly describe who you are and why you’re the right candidate for whatever position you're applying for. This section of your resume should be no more than 3 - 4 sentences.
WORK EXPERIENCE - If you have work experience it can be a great thing to include on your high school resume. Successfully holding a job while in high school shows colleges or other employers that you are a hard-working, dependable candidate.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE - For students who have yet to find their first job, volunteering experience is a great thing to include. In fact, even if you do have work experience, it’s encouraged to include any volunteering you may have done on your resume, as such items are impressive to almost all colleges and universities.
SKILLS - This can be a great section for students who may have a wide range of skills but not too much experience putting them into practice in an organized setting. This can include academic skills like writing or mathematics, technological skills like coding or computer building, and even artistic skills such as drawing.
In addition Laine your resume is one of the most important marketing tools you can use to sell yourself to colleges, impress scholarship judges, and get a part-time job or an internship during high school and/or college. You can also use your resume when asking for recommendation letters. It gives the teachers a reminder of your accomplishments when they are writing recommendation letters for you.
Hopefully you'll find this helpful Laine
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6183
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hello Laine,
How to Create a Professional Resume
Creating a professional resume is an essential skill that can help you stand out when applying for jobs, internships, or college programs. As a high school freshman, it’s great that you’re already thinking about this. Here are the steps to create a professional resume:
1. Contact Information
At the top of your resume, include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Make sure your email address is professional; if it’s not, consider creating a new one specifically for job applications.
2. Objective or Summary Statement
This section should briefly describe your career goals and what you can bring to the table. Since you’re just starting out, you can focus on your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any relevant skills or interests.
3. Education
List your current high school and its location. Include your expected graduation date and any honors or awards you’ve received.
4. Work Experience
Even if you haven’t had a traditional job yet, you can include volunteer work, babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, or any other responsibilities you’ve had. Focus on the skills and responsibilities you gained from these experiences.
5. Skills
Highlight any skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. This could include computer skills, language proficiency, leadership abilities, or any other talents you possess.
6. Extracurricular Activities
Include any clubs, sports teams, or organizations you’re involved in. This shows that you’re well-rounded and have time management skills.
7. References
As a high school student, it’s good to have at least one reference from a teacher or mentor who can speak to your character and work ethic.
Formatting Tips:
Keep your resume clean and easy to read.
Use bullet points to list responsibilities and achievements.
Use a professional font and keep the formatting consistent throughout.
Final Tips:
Tailor your resume for each application by emphasizing different experiences and skills based on the job description.
Proofread carefully to ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors.
Remember that creating a professional resume is an ongoing process; as you gain more experiences and skills, you’ll continue to update and refine it.
I hope this guide helps you get started on creating a professional resume!
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used in Answering this Question:
The Balance Careers: This source provides comprehensive guides on various career-related topics, including resume writing for students at different educational levels.
Indeed Career Guide: Indeed is a well-known job search website that offers valuable resources on resume writing for students and professionals alike.
U.S. News & World Report: This reputable publication offers insights into education and career development, including tips for high school students entering the workforce or preparing for college applications.
These sources were selected for their expertise in providing guidance on resume writing specifically tailored to high school students entering the workforce or seeking college opportunities.
GOD BLESS,
James Constantine.
How to Create a Professional Resume
Creating a professional resume is an essential skill that can help you stand out when applying for jobs, internships, or college programs. As a high school freshman, it’s great that you’re already thinking about this. Here are the steps to create a professional resume:
1. Contact Information
At the top of your resume, include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Make sure your email address is professional; if it’s not, consider creating a new one specifically for job applications.
2. Objective or Summary Statement
This section should briefly describe your career goals and what you can bring to the table. Since you’re just starting out, you can focus on your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any relevant skills or interests.
3. Education
List your current high school and its location. Include your expected graduation date and any honors or awards you’ve received.
4. Work Experience
Even if you haven’t had a traditional job yet, you can include volunteer work, babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, or any other responsibilities you’ve had. Focus on the skills and responsibilities you gained from these experiences.
5. Skills
Highlight any skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. This could include computer skills, language proficiency, leadership abilities, or any other talents you possess.
6. Extracurricular Activities
Include any clubs, sports teams, or organizations you’re involved in. This shows that you’re well-rounded and have time management skills.
7. References
As a high school student, it’s good to have at least one reference from a teacher or mentor who can speak to your character and work ethic.
Formatting Tips:
Keep your resume clean and easy to read.
Use bullet points to list responsibilities and achievements.
Use a professional font and keep the formatting consistent throughout.
Final Tips:
Tailor your resume for each application by emphasizing different experiences and skills based on the job description.
Proofread carefully to ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors.
Remember that creating a professional resume is an ongoing process; as you gain more experiences and skills, you’ll continue to update and refine it.
I hope this guide helps you get started on creating a professional resume!
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used in Answering this Question:
The Balance Careers: This source provides comprehensive guides on various career-related topics, including resume writing for students at different educational levels.
Indeed Career Guide: Indeed is a well-known job search website that offers valuable resources on resume writing for students and professionals alike.
U.S. News & World Report: This reputable publication offers insights into education and career development, including tips for high school students entering the workforce or preparing for college applications.
These sources were selected for their expertise in providing guidance on resume writing specifically tailored to high school students entering the workforce or seeking college opportunities.
GOD BLESS,
James Constantine.
Beth Gallery
Finance Manager
4
Answers
Libertyville, Illinois
Updated
Beth’s Answer
Congrats on thinking about putting a resume together while you're in high school. In addition to the advice you've received from other folks, a couple other things to consider:
1) Keep a running list of your accomplishments, including what the outcome was. For example, if you worked at a restaurant and came up with a better process for handling checks, talk about the process change AND how many more customers were able to come through as a result.
2) Check with resources at your high school. You may have a career center or guidance councilor who can help you with your resume. If your school doesn't have those options, consider asking a trusted teacher for help or a recommendation for local resources you can use.
Good luck!
1) Keep a running list of your accomplishments, including what the outcome was. For example, if you worked at a restaurant and came up with a better process for handling checks, talk about the process change AND how many more customers were able to come through as a result.
2) Check with resources at your high school. You may have a career center or guidance councilor who can help you with your resume. If your school doesn't have those options, consider asking a trusted teacher for help or a recommendation for local resources you can use.
Good luck!
Michael L
Recruiting Manager
2
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hello Laine! Along with all the great suggestions you've already received, I'd also encourage you to ask 2-3 folks from your circle to take a look at your resume. It's a fantastic way to get fresh viewpoints and include details you might not have considered before.
Stacey Moore
Recruiting
13
Answers
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Updated
Stacey’s Answer
Hello Laine,
Building a polished resume while still in high school is an excellent strategy to highlight your abilities, achievements, and experiences to prospective employers or universities. Here's a straightforward guide to help you craft a standout resume:
- Spotlight your skills and accomplishments: Present your abilities and accomplishments in a straightforward and brief way. Using bullet points can make your resume easier to read.
- Detail your education: Include your high school education details, such as your GPA and any distinctions or awards you've earned.
- Incorporate any relevant work history: If you've had any work experience, be sure to include it in your resume. This could range from part-time jobs to internships or even volunteer work.
- Mention extracurricular activities: Make sure to include any extracurricular activities you've taken part in, like sports, clubs, or community service.
- Stick to a professional format: Maintain a professional look for your resume with a clear font and layout. Steer clear of bright colors or decorative fonts.
A smart strategy to get started is to examine job descriptions in areas that pique your interest. Review the duties and requirements and aim to gain similar experiences. This way, you can include them in your resume, making it more appealing.
Keep in mind, your resume is a mirror that reflects your capabilities. Invest time in crafting a professional, polished document that effectively highlights your strengths and achievements. Best of luck!
Building a polished resume while still in high school is an excellent strategy to highlight your abilities, achievements, and experiences to prospective employers or universities. Here's a straightforward guide to help you craft a standout resume:
- Spotlight your skills and accomplishments: Present your abilities and accomplishments in a straightforward and brief way. Using bullet points can make your resume easier to read.
- Detail your education: Include your high school education details, such as your GPA and any distinctions or awards you've earned.
- Incorporate any relevant work history: If you've had any work experience, be sure to include it in your resume. This could range from part-time jobs to internships or even volunteer work.
- Mention extracurricular activities: Make sure to include any extracurricular activities you've taken part in, like sports, clubs, or community service.
- Stick to a professional format: Maintain a professional look for your resume with a clear font and layout. Steer clear of bright colors or decorative fonts.
A smart strategy to get started is to examine job descriptions in areas that pique your interest. Review the duties and requirements and aim to gain similar experiences. This way, you can include them in your resume, making it more appealing.
Keep in mind, your resume is a mirror that reflects your capabilities. Invest time in crafting a professional, polished document that effectively highlights your strengths and achievements. Best of luck!
Amanda Wiest
Finance Manager
1
Answer
Wheeling
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
Online or Microsoft templates are great tools for crafting your resume. During my tenure in a university's career services, we suggested students to scrutinize job descriptions of their desired roles. This helps to understand the responsibilities these roles demand. If your experience matches these requirements, highlight them in bullet points under your current job roles on your resume.
Afrad Mahamed
Operations & Project Management
80
Answers
Lakeland, Florida
Updated
Afrad’s Answer
Hi Laine -
Lots of great responses to your question so far!
Most resumes have similar components from your personal information, a summary of your skills and professional background, your experience, your education etc.
One of the best places to start is using predefined templates, of which there are quite a few out there. These make it a lot easier since you're not creating them from scratch. I've recommended one from Indeed.com below.
There are also a ton of videos on Youtube, one example also included below or simply search, "resume creation", or "how to create great professional resumes".
Best of luck!
https://www.indeed.com/profile/resume-templates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRTs4HsICI8
Lots of great responses to your question so far!
Most resumes have similar components from your personal information, a summary of your skills and professional background, your experience, your education etc.
One of the best places to start is using predefined templates, of which there are quite a few out there. These make it a lot easier since you're not creating them from scratch. I've recommended one from Indeed.com below.
There are also a ton of videos on Youtube, one example also included below or simply search, "resume creation", or "how to create great professional resumes".
Best of luck!
https://www.indeed.com/profile/resume-templates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRTs4HsICI8
Nina Xu
Recruiting Coordination Manager
6
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Nina’s Answer
[This response is brought to you by a team of dedicated Salesforce volunteers]
As a freshman in high school, you're off to a great start even thinking about your resume. Here are some ideas:
- Determine the purpose of your resume: is this for a volunteer or job you're applying to?
- You can separate your resume into different sections. Make sure to incorporate details like your school, graduation date, GPA, contact information, and participation in clubs or extracurricular activities such as team events, leadership roles, and sports, any work or volunteer experience you've had, a professional summary, awards and certifications you've received, languages you speak, advanced courses you've taken, and any special skills you possess.
- Prioritize the content of the resume rather than aesthetics, make sure it's succinct and free of errors.
- Have a friend, parent, or teacher take a look at your resume so they can offer any suggestions.
As a freshman in high school, you're off to a great start even thinking about your resume. Here are some ideas:
- Determine the purpose of your resume: is this for a volunteer or job you're applying to?
- You can separate your resume into different sections. Make sure to incorporate details like your school, graduation date, GPA, contact information, and participation in clubs or extracurricular activities such as team events, leadership roles, and sports, any work or volunteer experience you've had, a professional summary, awards and certifications you've received, languages you speak, advanced courses you've taken, and any special skills you possess.
- Prioritize the content of the resume rather than aesthetics, make sure it's succinct and free of errors.
- Have a friend, parent, or teacher take a look at your resume so they can offer any suggestions.