While a well-crafted resume is an important part of both job and college applications, learning to write one isn't covered in traditional high school classes. For many teenagers, especially those with little work experience, writing a resume can be confusing and stressful. If you're struggling to create yours, here are a few tips for formatting a stellar high school resume.
1. Keep it short
Although you may be tempted to add detailed explanations, try to keep your resume to a single page. Employers and college recruiters use your resume to get a distilled picture of who you are; they don't want to sift through unnecessary information. For adults with more work experience, a few pages are fine, but teenagers should keep it short and sweet.
2. Make sure everything is there
Although you want to avoid extraneous information, there are a few key elements every high school resume should have such as your basic personal information, including your Tallo or LinkedIn usernames, your education background, your volunteer or work experience, and any awards or accolades you have acquired. Dividing your resume into sections for each of these categories is an excellent way to keep it organized and easy to read.
3. Make it visually appealing
Be sure that your resume looks clean and professional. Use an easy-to-read font and avoid any extraneous or distracting design features. Using a template on Word, Google Docs, or an online resume builder is a great way to ensure you end up with a sleek document.
4. Beware of typos
To keep your resume as professional as possible, make sure to proofread it! Typos or grammatical errors are concerning to employers and college recruiters. If you don't trust your proofreading skills, be sure to ask a teacher, parent, or trusted friend to look over it.
5. Highlight your strengths
As you format your resume, be sure to highlight your strengths, specifically those that pertain to the job or program you are applying to. While there's no need to pad your resume with skills you don't have, be sure to have a special-skills section where you mention talents that were not included elsewhere.
