High School Graduate Resume Examples [2024 ready]

Here comes a job-winning resume for a high-school graduate. But first—

You have to impress the recruiter. One false move can ruin your career plans. Next thing you know you’re working in a dead-end job and wondering what hit you.

No!

We can’t let that happen. Your high school graduate resume has to land you a job you’ve dreamed of.

In this guide:

• A high school graduate resume template better than most.
• How to write a resume for high school graduates that get interviews.
• What to put in a recent high school grad resume so they can’t ignore you.
• How to format your high school graduate resume perfectly.

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Looking for other advice? Check out our guides:

• High School Student Resume
• College Application Resume
• Cosmetology Resume Examples
• Recent College Graduate Resume
• Undergraduate College Resume
• College Student Resume
• Student Resume
• Medical Student Resume
• Graduate School Resume/CV
• Internship Resume
• Scholarship Resume
• Resume for Teens
• Entry-Level Resume
• McDonald's Resume
• No Experience Resume
• Music Resume
• Landscaping Resume
• Logistics Resume
• Maintenance Resume
• Forklift Operator Resume
• Lifeguard Resume
• Virtual Assistant Resume

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Samples.

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Sample Resume for a High School Graduate You Can Copy and Use

1. Select the Best Resume Format for a High School Graduate

You only get one shot.

Your first impression is precious in a high school graduate resume.

Don’t blow it with frazzled resume formatting.

Use these tips:

Recent High School Grad Resume Format

• Add one-inch margins and some white space for ease-of-use.
• Use a dedicated resume font like 11–14pt Lato or Book Antiqua.
• Write resume sections for Heading, Objective, Education, and Activities.
• Put your items in reverse-chronological resume order.
• Stick to a resume length of a single page.
• Save it as a PDF resume so they can view it even on mobile.

Expert Hint: Recruiters spend about 7 seconds initially scanning a resume. Make sure yours is formatted in a way that highlights all the important stuff in very little time.

2. Write a High School Graduate Resume Objective

Disaster!

The recruiter just deleted your high school graduate resume.

Why?

You just seemed a little mediocre for the job.

How can you drop jaws instead?

Write an educated resume profile in the form of a resume objective.

Include:

1. An adjective (driven, hard-working)
2. Who you are & how you’ll help (High-school graduate with great communication and organizational skills. Eager to join the Aardvark Inc. as a Sales Assistant.)
3. Your best resume accomplishments (helped save the lives of 1,500 animals...)

Write it at the end so you don’t struggle with the material.

On a side note—

You may have come across the term resume summary as well.

Generally, resume summaries serve the same purpose as resume objectives, but are suitable for experienced candidates who have several years of professional experience under the belt.

Now, see these high school graduate resume examples:

High School Graduate Resume Objective

Driven high-school graduate with great communication and organizational skills. Eager to join Aardvark Inc. as a Sales Assistant. As leader of the Furry Angels Fundraising Group, helped save the lives of 1,500 animals, raising $2,000+ annually.

18 year-old high school graduate with good math skills and excellent reading and writing skills. Excelled in science classes and is an extremely hard worker who’s not afraid to make big sacrifices to get the job done.

Oof!

The second of those samples of resume for a high school grad says, “I can get the job done.” 

But—

The first gives proof with a shining fundraising achievement.

Don’t have one like that? You don’t have to. I’m about to show you how to find your most attractive features.

3. Don’t Waste Your Precious Education Section

Oh, if only I could go back in time.

My high school graduate resume education section was a travesty.

I listed my substandard GPA scores and my relevant corsework. Plus I said, “Oh yeah, and I was on the swim team.”

Dumb, dumb, dumb!

I can’t go back and change that now. But I can keep you from making a costly mistake.

Take my word for it—

Break your resume education section into sections with accomplishments.

Learn from these sample high school graduate resumes:

High School Graduate Resume Example—Education

• GPA 3.8
• Co-captain of school track team

Get the point?

You don’t have to use those exact high school graduate resume examples.

But—

Don’t just slap your GPA in there, plus a team sport.

If you’ve got projects, classes, or high school achievements that’ll wow them, show them.

And if not?

Don’t sweat it. Just fill your high school graduate resume with no work experience with other high-flying moments from your life.

Expert Hint: Include your GPA only if it’s 3.0 or above. Otherwise you might hurt your chances.

4. Add Experience to Your Resume for a High School Graduate

Do you know what keeps hiring managers up at night?

You’d better.

Otherwise, you won’t know how to write a recent high school grad resume that works.

So—

Here’s what worries hiring teams: finding applicants who’ll really get the job done.

You can prove that’s you by adding relevant experience section to your resume. Think volunteering, internship, freelancing, projects.

Work it like this resume sample for high school graduates:

Sample High School Graduate Resume—Experience 

Nice.

That entry-level resume for a high school graduate shows a passionate, competent candidate. She probably finishes what she starts, with flying colors.

Expert Hint: Studies show that employers give preference to candidates with previous work experience. To boost your chance of getting hired, dig deep to find your most impressive moments. Then spotlight them in your resume for a high school graduate.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

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5. What About Athletics in a Resume for a High School Graduate?

Do you need sports in a high school graduate resume?

Nope.

But—

If you’ve rocked the gridiron, court, or pool, let your dedication shine.

Do it like this no work experience resume for high school graduate:

Wow!

I don’t see a run-of-the-mill job applicant when I read that.

I see a hard-working leader who makes good things happen.

6. What Else Can Go in a Recent High School Graduate Resume?

You don’t have to put anything else in your fresh-out-of-high-school resume.

But think of it this way—

You’ve got a finite amount of space.

This is your chance to impress them. To show what you’ve achieved.

Your goal?

Pack your resume for high school graduate with the best and coolest things you’ve done.

List things that show you can:

• Work hard
• Set goals and reach them
• Get along with others
• Overcome adversity
• Care about important things

Choose carefully, but—

Only add your most impressive bullet points.

Pick from:

• Certifications
• Volunteering you’ve done
• Freelancing
• Personal projects
• Interests
• Associations or groups you belong to (BSA, 4-H)
• Awards
• Foreign languages you speak

See these examples:

High School Graduate Resume Examples—Other Sections

What’s wrong with the second of those high school grad resumes?

It’s vague.

Instead of hiking, it could say, “Hiked 20+ 4,000-foot peaks in 2 years as member of Peak Bagger’s Club.”

That’s wow-worthy.

Finally—

What high school graduate resume skills do you need in your application?

See this list of skills to put on a resume:

High School Graduate Resume—Skills

1. Interpersonal Skills
2. Communication
3. Teamwork
4. Time Management
5. Problem Solving
6. Attention to Detail
7. Listening
8. Adaptability
9. Organization
10. Computer Skills

But—

Don’t list them all. That’s fudging.

Only list skills you can prove in your high school graduate resume.

Expert Hint: Write a cover letter for your high school grad resume. Talk about how much you like the company, why, and how the job fits your goals and passions.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Haven't written your cover letter yet? See:

• Cover Letter for Graduate School Application

Key Points

Here’s how to write a resume for a high school graduate:

• Start with a good high school graduate resume template. Fill it with your best accomplishments.
• Split your resume education section into subsections for classes you excelled in, groups, and other school accomplishments.
• Add interests, hobbies, and athletics that show off your passions.
• Write a high school graduate resume objective for the top that puts your best school moments in a nutshell. (But write it last!)

Write a scholarship cover letter to stand out from the crowd.  

Need more career resources? Check these out:

• What Should you Include in your Resume Header?
• A Complete Guide on How to Build a Resume.
• Free Google Docs Resume Templates
• Free Microsoft Word Resume Templates
• How to Choose the best Resume Layout

Got questions on how to write good resumes for high school graduates? Not sure how to choose what to put in your resume objective for high school graduates with little experience? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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