What to Include on Your Resume: For Recent High School Students and Graduates

Creating a resume can be a daunting task for any potential job seeker, and getting started is the hardest part. Having a strong resume is a crucial part of heaving success in a job search. Your resume should communicate to your potential employer who you are, and if your skills match the criteria needed for a certain position.

Resumes will differ depending on professional history, education, and position, but there are a few key sections you should definitely include on your resume. It could be helpful to look at some examples of resumes of other people in the industry you’re looking to apply for a job in.

In this guide, you will learn what to include on a resume for a job application.

Name and Contact Information 

Your contact information section should include your name, phone number, and email address. It is also common for people to use their name as the title, which helps employers to easily identify your name and contact information first. You may also want to include a link to an online portfolio or professional website, depending on the type of job you’re applying for.

Resume Objective or Summary 

You should be sure to carefully research the job qualifications of your desired profession. A resume objective, or summary, describes who you are and why you’re qualified. This should be brief, one to two sentences. An objective should state your short-term goals. A summary is good to use if you have some work experience that can be quickly described.

Your resume summary could say:

“Thoughtful construction laborer with over five years of experience helping manage teams toward successful and safe completion of housing projects.”

Your resume objective could say:

“Recent graduate eagerly looking to expand construction labor experience with a growing contractor.” (Indeed Editorial Team 2021)

Education

In this section of your resume you should include the most recent and relevant education. It should include the name and location of your school, GPA, graduation year, and any relevant honors or academic recognitions you have received. If you know where you are going to college, and the major you will be studying, this should be included before your high school Education.

Relevant Accomplishments and Volunteer Work

As a high school student, or graduate, it is likely that you don’t have much experience in the workforce. You should consider including any volunteer work or experiences which will help employers get a better understanding of who you are, and what qualifications you have.

When you submit an application to an employer, your resume is one of the most prominent documents in the decision-making process. Having a well-developed resume will give you a stronger chance of being recognized by employers.