Student Resume Examples & Templates for 2024
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Student Resume Examples & Templates for 2024

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Writing a student resume is not easy, but so is looking for a job as a student, after all. The challenge is always the same: so much competition, and seems like all of them have way more professional experience than you.

It will take a perfect student resume to impress recruiters and get your foot in the door. Seem impossible? I’m going to teach you how to make a job-winning student resume in a flash.

This guide will show you:

  • A student resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
  • How to write a student resume that will land you more interviews.
  • Students' resume format to use in your application.
  • Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a resume for students to make hiring you a no-brainer.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.

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Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume examples here.

Below, you'll see a full student resume example to get you inspired. If you're looking for more specific information, we have resume guides no matter which level of education you’ve accomplished:

Student Resume Example

Justin Grimes

Junior Editorial Assistant

richard.f.grimes@gmail.com

502-555-0115

linkedin.com/in/rickygrimes93

Career Objective

MA Student in English at Stanford University, made the Dean’s List for three consecutive years (2015-2017), with two study abroad experiences and a semester-long research internship in Oxford, UK looking to use my strong research and writing skills, as well as my expertise in contemporary literature in the position of Editorial Assistant at Penguin Random House.

Education

MA in English, Stanford University

Expected to graduate in 2019

3.95 GPA

  • Favorite fields of study: American Poetry: From Modernism to Postmodernism, Creative Expression in Writing, Creative Nonfiction
  • Thesis title: "An Analysis of the Impact of 1940s Blues Culture on the Poetic Expression of the Members of Harlem Renaissance"

Key achievement: Awarded $15,000 2017 Drue Heinz Literature Prize for a collection of short stories "Your Latest Trick."

BA in Comparative Literature, Stanford University

2014–2018

3.9 GPA

  • Favorite fields of study: Introduction to Literary Study: Comparison, Cosmopolitanism, and the Global Novel, Literature Gone Viral, Digital Humanities, Radical Arts, Re-thinking Derrida, Being as a Spectacle
  • Thesis title: "Towards the Derridian Deconstruction of the Notion 'Biography' on the Basis of Julian Barnes' 1984 novel 'Flaubert's Parrot'"

Extracurricular activities and achievements:

  • Dean's List 2015–2017
  • President of the undergraduate student board from 2016 to 2017.
  • Started and ran a discussion club on Russian Postmodernist Literature.
  • Chief Editor of the University Blog from 2016 to 2018.

Awards and Honors

  • 2017, Drue Heinz Literature Prize
  • 2017, Dean's List, Stanford University
  • 2016, Dean's List, Stanford University
  • 2015, Dean's List, Stanford University

Work Experience

Part-Time Editorial Intern

Faber and Faber, Stanford

2016-06–2017-09

  • Assisted in hiring and managing a pool of freelancers as needed, including development editors, copy editors, proofreaders, indexers, recipe testers, and technical editors, including remote and on-site employees.
  • Assisted in the development, design, and preparation of sales materials.
  • Collected and distributed incoming mail and processed outgoing mail.
  • Served as the primary contact for incoming phone calls.
  • Provided general and editorial support to the staff as requested.

Key Skills

  • Academic Writing
  • Literary Criticism
  • Research
  • Creative Writing
  • Editing

Languages

  • Russian—Bilingual
  • Spanish—Advanced
  • Portuguese—Intermediate

Now that's an effective and simple resume template! Let's see how it got made—

1. Get Started on Writing Your Student Resume

Before you start writing your resume, you might want to learn that it will most likely get no more than 7 seconds of the recruiter’s attention, according to our HR statistics report. How can you turn that 6-second glance into a 60-minute interview? To begin with, choose the proper student resume format.

Recruiters look for very specific information on a resume. A good resume format serves them this information on a silver platter. The most important thing about formatting your student resume is dividing it into sections.

Your student resume should include the following sections:

What sections should your student resume include

Once you’ve got this simple student resume outline, remember some basic formatting rules.

Here are the seven best resume tips you should follow:

  • Choose an attractive resume font that’s easy to read.
  • Keep your font size between 10 and 12 points.
  • Set the margins for one inch on all four sides.
  • Align your content to the left for easy skimming.
  • Make section headings larger than the rest of the text; type them in bold or ALL CAPS.
  • Get photos off your resume. You’re looking for a job, not a date.
  • Aim for a one-page resume. A two-page resume is for more experienced candidates.
  • Save your student resume in PDF. This way, your layout will remain intact. But double-check the job description. Some employers don’t accept PDFs. If such is the case, submit your student resume in Word.

Best resume tips you should follow

Right, so now you’ve seen a sample student resume layout, and you’ve learned the most important resume design tricks. Let’s break down each section of your chronological resume.

If you want to make sure you’ll get your student resume template the right way and grab every recruiter’s attention, here’s a must-read guide for you: Standard Resume Formats

2. Make an Education Section That Gets You the Job

What goes under the summary of qualifications or resume heading statement on a student resume? That’s right, the Education section. Here’s how to ace it:

  • Highlight only your highest degree. The only exception? If you’re doing or have done a Master’s degree, include also your Bachelor’s. 
  • Put your current or most recent educational institution at the top. Then, follow it with the previous ones. Skip high school if already in college.
  • Include in each entry:
  • Add the following to your education entries:

Let’s have a look at some examples of student resume education sections:

Education Section on a Student Resume: Example

Right

2017 B.Sc. in Marketing and New Media
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
3.9 GPA

  • Favorite fields of study: Global Media Systems, New Perspectives on B2C Marketing, Macroeconomy Basics, Film Theory, Marketing of the Media
  • Thesis title: “The Paradox of Luxury Goods Marketing—Examined”

Key achievements and extracurricular activities:

  • President of the undergraduate student board from 2015 until 2016
  • Dean’s List 2014 and 2016
  • Started and run a discussion club on new trends in AI and Virtual Reality

Wow, right? Even if this candidate doesn’t have a lot of experience, their education section makes hiring her a no-brainer.

What if you’re still studying? In your high school student resume, include an expected completion date like this:

Education Section on a Student Resume: Example [Ongoing Education]

Flowerville High
Expected completion date: 2019
Current GPA: 3.7

Key achievements:

  • Student Body President and AP Student
  • Awarded the Best School Theatre Performer Prize in 2017

Voila!

Now let’s move to the next section: your professional experience.

Pro Tip: Listing your GPA is optional. In general, add it only if it’s higher than 3.5. The most important part? Be consistent. If you list more than one educational institution you’ve attended—either include all GPAs, or none.

3. Impress Recruiters with Your Work Experience Section 

Did you know that 66% of hiring managers report that they view new college grads “as unprepared for the workplace”? That’s why trying to highlight your relevant experience is so important.

In your student resume experience section, list all your past professional experiences. Think you don’t have any? Think again. Even the smallest activities count, including:

So, do just as you did with education: 

  • Re-read the job description carefully to tailor your resume perfectly.
  • List your work experiences in reverse chronological order. Start with the last one, then add the one before it, then the one before, and so on.
  • Talk about your accomplishments on a resume.
  • Add some resume action words.
  • Quantify your achievements.
  • Highlight the most impressive achievement in a separate bullet point.

Let’s see some examples.

Student Resume Example: Work Experience Section

Right

Events and Marketing Intern

Adidas Originals, Boston, MA

June–October 2017

  • Created and maintained lists of media contacts
  • Researched opportunities across online media channels
  • Produced product pitches and press kits
  • Supported event organization

This candidate looks like an achiever. And that’s what recruiters want.

And what if you’ve got no internship experience to showcase yet? 

High School Student Resume Example: Work Experience Section

Right

Swing Manager

McDonald’s

June–September 2016

  • Took accurate food orders
  • Prepared the world-famous McDonald’s food
  • Ensured items were well-stocked
  • Motivated crew members to do well in their current positions so they can move on to new roles

This candidate might not have an all-star professional experience. But the entry above clearly shows dedication, attention to detail, and a good team player.

Alright. So now you’ve got your education and work experience sections taken care of. Job done? Not yet. Here’s where the student resume skills section comes in!

If you ever need a recap of resume best practices, see: How to Create a Resume for Any Job

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

4. Include Relevant Skills on Your Student Resume

Having a list of relevant skills on your student resume will impress the hiring manager. A mix of soft and hard skills is the way to go. But how to do it right?

Here’s how to list skills on a student resume properly:

  • Read the job description again. 
  • Highlight all the relevant skills you’ve noticed.
  • Write a master list of all the hard and soft skills you have. 
  • Pay special attention to your soft skills. A study found out what skills employers value most in their student candidates include problem-solving, the ability to work in a team, communication skills, and leadership the most.
  • List up to 10 professional skills on your resume that the company you’re applying to prioritizes. Try to search for the clues in the job ad and on their website!
  • Be as specific as possible when talking about your skills, especially hard skills. 

Let’s have a look at some skills you might want to include on your resume:

What skills employers value most in their student candidates

A good list of skills is crucial for every student resume. But what about some things that won’t fit in all these sections? Let’s find out in the next chapter.

Want to learn more about employability skills? Here’s the guide you need: 30+ Resume Skills Examples to Put on a Resume

5. The Secret Behind Additional Sections on a Student Resume

Most students end their resumes with their skills section. And that’s one of the reasons they struggle to get a job. Want to outshine other candidates? Throw an additional section in your student resume. Show hiring managers that others have awarded and appreciated your skills and experience.

What to put in the additional section on your student resume?

Let’s see some examples:

Student Resume Examples—Additional Sections

RIGHT

Awards and Honors

  • 2017, Drue Heinz Literature Prize
  • 2017, Dean's List, Stanford University
  • 2016, Dean's List, Stanford University
  • 2015, Dean's List, Stanford University

Languages

  • Russian—Bilingual
  • Spanish—Advanced
  • Portuguese—Intermediate
Wrong

Interests

  • Sports
  • Movies
  • Art

Now your student resume is almost ready. Only one thing left to do: summarize it.

Learn how to take care of your online presence to impress employers and start getting more job offers: How to Check Your Online Presence

6. How to Write a Resume Objective for a Student Resume

A resume objective is a short, snappy paragraph in which you say why you’re the perfect candidate. You have to make your student resume objective about your employer’s gain, not your personal benefit.

And the good news? There’s a proven formula for that:

[Adjective(s)/Certificate(s)] [Your Job Title or Degree] seeking employment as [Position Name] at [Company Name] to apply my [Your Relevant Skills] to help [What Do You Want To Help The Company Achieve].

See how it works on an example of a student resume objective. Let’s say our candidate majors in Business Administration:

Sample Student Resume Objective [Experienced Candidate]

Right
Highly-motivated (strong trait) Business Administration graduate with a 3.9 GPA (education) looking to fill a position as a Management Assistant at ABC Corp (position and company). Wishing to use strong data analysis and management skills to help ABC Corp with your upcoming challenges (added value).
Wrong
Dedicated team player (captain of the swim team for 2 years) (education) with proven leadership and communication skills (strong traits). Seeking an opportunity to leverage my talents as a server at the Mele e Pere Restaurant (position and company). I have the follow-through and positive attitude that will allow me to achieve company targets (added value).

Writing a student resume with no experience? The formula is the same. In this student resume objective example, the candidate is looking for a part-time job as a server:

Student Resume Objective Example [Candidate with No Experience]

Right
Dedicated team player (captain of the swim team for 2 years) (education) with proven leadership and communication skills (strong traits). Seeking an opportunity to leverage my talents as a server at the Mele e Pere Restaurant (position and company). I have the follow-through and positive attitude that will allow me to achieve company targets (added value).

Notice how both the grad resume objective and the high school student resume objective emphasize how the two candidates will use their talents to benefit their future employers.

Also—both sample student resume objectives above include the name of the prospective company. That’s a strategy you have to use, too. Sure, it means you cannot randomly spam your resume around. And that’s the point. Employers are more likely to give you a shot if you address them personally.

Before sending your resume, let me teach you one last thing: writing a cover letter.

Pro Tip: Don’t make your student resume objective longer than 60 words. Sometimes a simple resume headline will do. Feel like it’s not enough? Follow up with a cover letter. Especially if you haven’t got much relevant experience, a good student cover letter is your best chance for getting a foot in the door!

7. Write a Cover Letter to Match Your Student Resume

As a student, you probably don’t have enough achievements to fill up your resume to the brim. And cover letters do what even the best resumes can’t: they tell a story. And humans love stories a lot more than data sheets.

Do employers read cover letters? 45 out of 100 recruiters won’t even be bothered to open your student resume if there’s no cover letter attached. So writing a cover letter basically doubles your chances of landing that interview.

Whether you’re writing an internship cover letter or a college student cover letter, the rules are pretty much the same:

And there you have it. You now know everything about creating a perfect application. So let’s recap what we’ve learned here today, shall we?

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

How to write a student resume

Getting your first job is hard work. Preparing your graduate resume shouldn’t be.
As a student, you’ve got the skills and education it takes to do a good job. It’s just harder to convince a hiring manager that you’ve learned to apply them.

Here's a recap of how to write a student resume:

  • Follow the expert student resume sample for inspiration.
  • Focus on your education: mention your academic achievements and relevant coursework.
  • Add extracurricular activities: clubs, sports, and community service can show your abilities and skills.
  • Include relevant jobs in the work experience section: even part-time jobs or volunteering.
  • Create a skills section: highlight most relevant abilties.
  • Don’t forget to include links to your SFW and employer-friendly social media profiles.
  • Add an objective or summary and put it at the very top of your resume.
  • Keep your document tidy: avoid "eye-catching" decorative elements and graphics.
  • Finish off with a cover letter.

All check? Get ready for interview calls!

Need more details? Still not sure how to make a resume for students? Write us a comment with your problem and we will help you solve it. Thanks for reading!

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines. We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions about Student Resumes

How do you write a college resume?

Like writing any job application, it’s important to include all of the essential parts of a resume. Follow these steps to write a student resume tailored to the job:

  1. Add your full name, contact information and LinkedIn profile at the top of the resume.
  2. Write a professional career objective statement (or a resume summary if you already have some relevant experience to put on your resume).
  3. List any relevant work experience you have. 
  4. Make an education section that gives in-depth info about your qualifications.
  5. Create a list of skills relevant to the job.
  6. Add certifications, awards, or conferences you attended.
  7. List languages you know, including your proficiency levels.
  8. Mention interests that can make you stand out from other applicants.
  9. Fit the information in one page—you may want to pick a one-page resume template for help.

Remember that your education must work to your advantage. Don’t simply list the school you attend or graduated—add relevant coursework, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, student projects, organizations you joined, and other things that show you have versatile experience. You may also consider putting references on your resume.

How to make a resume for a high-school student?

Getting good jobs for teens may be difficult. To create an effective high-school student resume, follow these steps:

  1. Add your name, surname, and contact details at the top of the resume.
  2. Write a career objective or a resume summary that can catch the recruiter’s attention.
  3. Mention any relevant work experience, such as part-time jobs, tutoring, babysitting, etc.
  4. Expand your education section with extracurricular activities, school projects, etc.
  5. Make a list of skills you’ve got that are relevant to the job description.
  6. List additional information on the resume, such as certifications or awards you received.
  7. Add languages you know, and mention the proficiency levels, too.
  8. Put hobbies you’ve got that may show useful knowledge and relevant abilities.

Use a professional resume layout to show you’re serious about getting a job. Then, write a brief message to email your resume to an employer.

What type of resume should students use?

That’s a valid question, as using the wrong format is a big resume DON’T. The reverse-chronological format is recommended for most college and high school students. It’s favored by recruiters, it’s scannable by ATS resume software, and it’s easy to read because it has a logical resume structure. Students with little to no work experience can list the education section right after the resume objective or summary in order to make their academic accomplishments stand out and make a good impression.

Other than the reverse-chronological format, students may also go for a combination resume. This resume format highlights the skills together with the candidate’s experience.

How to put college on resume if you haven't graduated yet?

Students who haven’t graduated don’t need to worry about listing college on a resume. Simply, instead of writing the year of graduation, they may say “Expected graduation in…” or “Expected to graduate in …”

When creating a college resume, students should focus on expanding their education section. Don’t just simply write your major and years of study! Add relevant coursework, academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, academic projects, and anything else that shows your abilities, like scholarships or Phi Beta Kappa membership

If you’re already in college, you don’t need to describe your high school experience in much detail. Just add the name of the school and years of study. Your high-school grades and other additional info shouldn’t be included in your resume.

How do you write a resume if you have no experience?

Everyone feels self-conscious about not having enough work experience. Some are even tempted to lie about their career in a resume, but that’s a very bad idea. If you truly haven’t worked before, you must think of other types of experiences that might back you up in a student resume. These might include:

  • Academic projects on a resume: Maybe you helped to organize a school event? Wrote articles to a student’s newspaper? Updated the school website? Presided in a debate club? All of these activities can be included in your resume.
  • Academic accomplishments on a resume: While awards are impressive, it’s not just about that. Participating in research, writing papers, editing the student’s journal, running a Facebook page for an organization—all of these experiences are valuable.
  • Interests on a resume: Do you use your time for creative work? Maybe you enjoy designing posters for your favourite movies? Or write reviews of restaurants you visited? Think of anything that can be relevant to the job you want.
  • Volunteering on a resume: As a volunteer, you may help to organize fundraising activities, teach or mentor children, learn to cook for large groups of people, assist disabled persons, and much more.

If you lack experience to put on a resume, consider participating in volunteer projects in your area, signing up for an online certification course to learn a new high-income skill, or spending your free time in a constructive way. It might not sound as relaxing as Netflix & Chill, but it may pay off in your future!

What to write ‘about me’ in a resume for students?

It’s important to describe yourself professionally in a resume. But rather than simply writing something about yourself, opt for a resume summary or a career objective. These types of resume profiles are more valuable for hiring managers, as they provide a better overview of the candidate’s qualifications.

When writing your resume profile, remember to include:

  • Highest level of education: your academic degree or the high school class you recently graduated.
  • Relevant skills: choose abilities you’ve got that match the job description.
  • Impressive achievements: pick something you accomplished during part-time jobs, school activities, or academic experiences.
  • What you can do for the employer: say how your skills and knowledge can assist the company.

That’s one of the elements that make a good resume. Your student’s resume profile should be about 3–4 sentences long, so much shorter than a typical school essay!

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Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW
Michael is a career expert and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. With his extensive knowledge of the job market, he provides practical advice and strategies for navigating the recruitment process and advancing your career.
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