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High School Student resume

When your work history is a blank page, an employer is really asking one quieter question: will this person be reliable and easy to train. That is the case a high school student resume has to build, so lead with your school and GPA, then translate the things you have actually done into proof of habit. A team sport shows you keep commitments, a club role shows you organize people, babysitting and tutoring show responsibility someone trusted you with, and any seasonal or part-time shift shows you can hold a real schedule. Group these as experience rather than apologizing for them, and you give a manager something concrete to say yes to.

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Maya-Robinson-High-School-Student-Resume.pdfBuilt with Resimay →
Maya Robinson
High School Student, Class of 2027
[email protected] · (555) 431-1301 · Naperville, IL · linkedin.com/in/maya-robinson
Summary

Junior at Naperville Central High School with a 3.7 GPA, seeking a part-time or summer position. Reliable and quick to learn, with experience leading a school club, tutoring younger students, and handling cash and customers as a concession volunteer. Available weekends and after 3 PM on weekdays.

Experience
Babysitter2024 to Present
Neighborhood families (referrals available)
  • Care for two to four children, ages 3 to 9, on a regular weekly schedule for three local families.
  • Plan meals, homework time, and activities while parents are away, and keep parents updated by text.
  • Earned repeat bookings and three referrals to new families through dependable, on-time arrivals.
Volunteer, Concession StandFall 2024 and Fall 2025 seasons
Naperville Central Athletics Boosters
  • Served food and drinks to 100-plus customers per game during a six-game home football season.
  • Handled cash and made change accurately under pressure during the busy halftime rush.
  • Restocked supplies and wiped down the stand between rushes to keep the line moving.
Peer Tutor, Math2025 to Present
Naperville Central Math Lab
  • Help five to six Algebra I students per week during a scheduled study-hall tutoring block.
  • Break down problems step by step and check understanding before moving on.
  • Track which topics each student struggles with and report progress to the supervising teacher.
Skills

Customer service and cash handling · Reliable time management and punctuality · Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Workspace · Clear written and verbal communication · Teamwork and working with younger kids · Quick to learn new tasks and follow instructions

Education
Naperville Central High School, Naperville, IL. Expected graduation June 2027. GPA: 3.7 / 4.0. Relevant coursework: Algebra II, Intro to Business, Spanish III. Activities: Key Club (Secretary), JV Soccer, Math Lab tutor.
Certifications
  • Food Handler Certification, Illinois (2025)
  • CPR and First Aid, American Red Cross (2025)

A worked example for a fictional candidate. Copy the structure, not the details. Swap in your own real experience.

Keyword match

Keywords ATS systems scan for

Use the ones that are genuinely true for you, in your own words. Mirror the exact phrasing from the job posting where it matches.

customer servicecash handlingtime managementcommunicationteamworkMicrosoft OfficeGoogle WorkspacevolunteerbabysittingtutoringGPAhigh school diploma (expected)
What recruiters look for

How to make this resume stronger

Specific to high school student roles, not generic advice.

  • Lead with education, not a thin work section

    Put your school, expected graduation year, and GPA (if it is 3.0 or higher) at the top. Add a short relevant-coursework line and your activities. For a first job, your education section is your strongest section, so let it carry the resume.

  • Treat everything you do as experience

    Babysitting, mowing lawns, club roles, sports, fundraisers, and volunteering all count. Give each a title, the dates, and two or three bullets about what you actually did. A manager hiring for a first job is looking for reliability and a willingness to learn, and these show both.

  • Name skills the job posting asks for

    Read the listing and use its exact words where they are true for you: customer service, cash handling, teamwork, punctuality. Many employers screen resumes with software that matches keywords literally, so mirroring the posting helps you get seen, even for a first job.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Leaving the resume nearly empty because you have no formal job. List clubs, volunteering, babysitting, and coursework instead.
  • Hiding or skipping your GPA when it is strong (3.0 or above). It is one of the few hard numbers you can show.
  • Listing hobbies with no relevance instead of skills an employer cares about, like reliability, customer service, or teamwork.
  • Using a school email full of nicknames or numbers. Create a simple firstname.lastname address and double-check your phone number.

High School Student resume FAQ

What do I put on a resume with no work experience?

Lead with your education: school name, expected graduation year, and GPA if it is 3.0 or higher. Then list everything else you have done, including clubs, sports, volunteer work, babysitting, lawn care, and tutoring. Add a skills section with things employers value for a first job, such as customer service, reliability, teamwork, and basic computer skills. For a first job, a manager mainly wants to see that you are dependable and willing to learn.

Should I include my GPA on a high school resume?

Include it if it is roughly 3.0 or higher, since it is concrete proof you are responsible and consistent. Write it as 3.7 / 4.0 so the scale is clear. If your GPA is lower, you can leave it off and lean on your activities, attendance, awards, or coursework instead. Never round up or invent a number, because some employers ask for a transcript.

How long should a high school student resume be?

One page, and usually less than a full page is fine. Use a clean layout with clear sections for education, experience or activities, and skills. Three or four short bullets under each activity is plenty. A focused half-to-full page that is easy to scan beats a padded page stretched to look longer.

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Last reviewed April 27, 2026.