Writing a High School Resume
By Sayaka Seino
Being a high school graduate presents a tremendous opportunity for creating a resume. Your high school diploma should be showcased. Often it is all that is needed to be qualified for a job. Any other qualifications can be made up by your enthusiasm and determination. In the objective section, show your enthusiasm to work for a company. Ask leaders and teachers for suggestions of your strongest qualities. Be sure to participate in as many experiences as possible while in high school. Include different leadership positions and offices held. Participation in athletics should be included as well. Be sure to list good references. They can confirm the qualifications listed on your resume.

	Resumes are a big asset to have at all age levels, even if you are in high school or just finished with high school.

Resumes are a big asset to have at all age levels, even if you are in high school or just finished with high school. Although most jobs that hire high schoolers do not require a resume, having one prepared will add a crowning touch to your application and leave a great impression. You will probably need to have a resume for most of the jobs in your future, so why not gain the practice and experience you need today? It is never too early to get started.

If you have just recently graduated from high school, you already possess a vital weapon: a High School Diploma. Do not underestimate the importance of a diploma. Oftentimes this is all that is required to be qualified for a real career job if you can make up for the rest with enthusiasm and determination. Don't be afraid to flaunt what you worked so hard to achieve.

The objective section, located first and foremost underneath your name and contact information, is your place to shine in a few lines or less. Use strong, functional adjectives to emphasize your strengths. Employers love high schoolers for their fresh energy so be sure to exude that enthusiasm. If you're not sure of what your strongest qualities are, it's a great idea to ask some of your favorite teachers for help.

High school is a great time to get involved in a variety of excellent teams, clubs, and activities, and you will definitely want to include your involvement in your resume. Employers will want to see how you took advantage of these opportunities and what contributions you made to leave your mark. Involvement in extra-curricular activities shows you are proactive about your education. Don't forget to tell them about any leadership positions you've held as well.

Any volunteer work you have done is very important to include in your resume.

You may have already worked some part-time jobs while you were going to school. These are great to list as your work experience because it shows you already know how to work for an employer and that you have already learned crucial skills like schedule adherence, handling assignments and responsibilities, and following company policy. Working and going to school simultaneously also shows great time management skills.

Any volunteer work you have done is very important to include in your resume. There are many great volunteer opportunities offered to you in high school and your potential employer will want to see how you accepted them. Showing how you gave service to the community and other organizations shows maturity and that you are willing to take initiative and work hard even when you aren't getting paid. Caring about others is always an admirable quality to have.

You have undoubtedly received many honors and awards throughout your high school experience, whether you've been on the honor roll, won a sports or music competition, or were inducted into the honor society. Although you don't want to go overboard in describing these because your resume should only be about a page long, it's great to briefly list the accolades given you to recognize your excellence.

Lastly, you will want to give some references in case your employer wants verification of your qualities and qualifications. Since you probably don't have a lot of work experience yet, if you don't have any previous employers to list, don't hesitate to ask some of the teachers who know you well if you can use their names and contact information as a reference.

You have probably realized by now that you already have an arsenal of experiences to include in your high school resume. High school is a great time to try out a variety of new and exciting opportunities and showing how you took advantage of these opportunities in your resume will help land you with a job that will further expand your experience and knowledge. By racking up more work experience in this way, you will be well along the path of being able to write professional resumes for the profession of your choice in the future.