12 High School Graduate Resume Examples for 2025

A resume is your first step to getting a job. This article gives high school graduates proven examples and strategic advice. Learn how to highlight your skills, education, and activities to make a strong impression. Covering formats to use and common mistakes to avoid, this guide helps you create a professional resume that can open doors to your future career.

  Compiled and approved by Liz Bowen
  Last updated on See history of changes

  Next update scheduled for

At a Glance

Here's what we see in top high school graduate resumes:

  • Show Impact With Numbers: The best resumes show impact using numbers. Metrics like increased participation by 20%, reduced errors by 15%, saved 10 hours per week, and handled 50+ customer queries are common.

  • Include Relevant Skills: Include skills on your resume that you have and are mentioned on the job description. Some popular ones are Microsoft Excel, Data entry, Customer service, Scheduling, and Inventory management. But don't include all of them, choose the ones you have and are mentioned in the JD.

  • Highlight Volunteer Work: Volunteer work is valued. Phrases like organized events or assisted in community programs make an impression.

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Where to place your education

If you are a high school graduate with limited work experience, your education is a strong asset and should be near the top of your resume. This shows hiring managers your most recent and relevant achievement first.

When listing your educational background, include details like GPA if it is strong, any honors, and relevant courses you completed. This gives a clear picture of your dedication and areas of knowledge. If you have participated in activities or projects that show skills such as leadership or teamwork, include these as well.

Use volunteer work and internships

Volunteer work and internships can help if you have limited paid experience. These show you have basic skills and a good work ethic.

Include any projects or activities related to the job you're applying for. This shows that you are proactive and passionate about the industry.

Ideal resume length

Keep your resume to one page. As a recent high school graduate, show you can summarize your experience and skills concisely. Use one page to focus on your most relevant achievements, such as important projects or leadership roles in school clubs that relate to the job you want.

Remember, a shorter resume does not mean you lack experience. It means you understand what the hiring manager looks for first. High school graduates should highlight strong academic performance and any work or volunteer experience that shows responsibility and the ability to work with others.

Highlight certifications and courses

If you've taken online courses or earned certifications, list these in your resume. They show you have relevant skills and are willing to learn.

Examples include computer skills, first aid, or industry-specific certificates. These can set you apart from other high school graduates.

Understanding resume screeners

You need to know about resume screeners and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These tools help hiring managers sort through many resumes quickly. They look for keywords and phrases that match the job. When you apply for work just after high school, make sure your resume fits what these systems search for.

Here are some tips:

  • Include words from the job ad in your resume. For example, if the job needs a 'team player,' use that exact phrase.
  • Show your school achievements in a way that relates to work. Talk about times you worked with others or led a project. This shows you have skills even without much job experience.

Make your resume fit

You want employers to see you're right for the job. Show them by changing your resume to match what the job needs. Think about what skills and experiences are most important and put those first.

  • If you want a job working with people, like in sales, write about times you've worked in a team or helped customers.
  • For a job that needs problem-solving, talk about a big project you did in school or a tough problem you solved.
  • Aiming for a tech-related job? Point out your skills with computers or any coding classes you took.

Oversharing personal details

When you are just out of high school, you may feel the need to add personal details to fill up your resume. You should avoid sharing too much personal information. Stick to details that relate to the job you want. For example, mention if you were a group leader in a project but skip your love for skateboarding unless it's directly linked to the job.

Another common error is writing too much about each experience. Keep your points short and focused on what you learned or achieved. For instance, if you worked on a school fundraiser, highlight how much you raised or what skills you used, like teamwork or planning.

Remember, employers want to see what you can do for them. Show them with clear examples and keep your resume to one page if you can.

Use strong action verbs

When you're putting together your resume after high school, it's important to start your bullet points with strong action verbs. This helps you show your skills and experiences in a powerful way. You will stand out more to hiring managers by proving that you can take action and achieve results, even with limited work experience.

Be direct and to the point in describing what you have done in past jobs, volunteer work, or school projects. Focus on what you achieved and how you took the lead. Use verbs that fit the job you want. For example, if you're looking for a job in customer service, you'll want to use verbs that show you can work well with others.

  • To show leadership, use organized, coordinated, directed, led, managed.
  • To show teamwork, use collaborated, contributed, supported, participated, cooperated.
  • To show initiative, use initiated, launched, established, pioneered, instituted.
  • To show customer service skills, use assisted, helped, resolved, guided, provided.
  • To show problem-solving skills, use analyzed, diagnosed, repaired, improved, restored.

Want inspiration for other action verbs you can use? Check out synonyms to commonly used action verbs like Served, Cleaned, Organize, Consulting, Develop.

Show your achievements, not tasks

When you create your resume as a high school graduate, focus on what you have achieved, not just the tasks you've carried out. This helps employers see the value you can bring to their team.

Instead of listing day-to-day responsibilities, highlight your accomplishments with specific examples. Here's how to transform a responsibility into an accomplishment:

  • Before: 'Member of school debate team, participating in weekly debates.'
  • After: 'Contributed to school debate team's victory in regional championships by developing strong arguments and effectively researching topics.'

Remember to pick examples that showcase the skills relevant to the job you want. This approach will make your resume stand out and show employers that you're a candidate who achieves results.

Essential skills for new graduates

When you're fresh out of high school and diving into the job market, it's important to highlight the relevant skills you've gained. Here's a list of common hard skills that can make your resume stand out:

  • Technical proficiency
  • Basic computer skills
  • Data entry
  • Mathematics
  • Scientific methods
  • Foreign language fluency
  • Software knowledge (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace)
  • Basic coding (e.g., HTML/CSS)
  • Social media management
  • Graphic design basics

Remember, you don't need all these skills. Choose the ones that best match the job you want. If you're aiming for a technical role, focus on technical proficiency and software knowledge. For creative jobs, graphic design basics and social media management might be more relevant.

Include these skills in a dedicated section on your resume. This makes it easy for hiring managers to see your abilities quickly. Also, many companies use software to scan resumes for specific skills. If you have skills from this list, put them on your resume to help you get past these scans and into the hands of a hiring manager.

Highlighting leadership roles

If you've recently graduated from high school and are entering the workforce, showcasing any leadership experience or promotions you've had can be a strong point on your resume. Even if you haven't had a formal job, think about times when you were in charge or moved up in a role, such as within school clubs, sports teams, or community service groups.

Here are some ways you can show this experience:

  • Team captain of a sports team: 'Served as captain for the varsity soccer team, leading practices and coordinating team strategies.'
  • Officer in a school club: 'Elected as secretary of the debate club, organized meeting minutes and communicated schedules.'

These examples help you put forward a strong image of being responsible and capable of leading others. Remember to be specific about what your role was and how you helped the team or group succeed.

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