resume objective for high school graduate with no experience

• High School Student with No Experience Resume Example

Resume Examples

• Common Tasks & Responsibilities
• Top Hard & Soft Skills
• Action Verbs & Keywords
• Resume FAQs
• Similar Resumes

Common Responsibilities Listed on High School Student with No Experience Resumes:

• Assisting with basic administrative tasks such as filing, photocopying, and organizing documents
• Answering phones and directing calls to the appropriate staff members
• Helping to set up and prepare for school events, such as assemblies, sports events, and dances
• Assisting teachers with classroom preparation, such as setting up equipment or distributing materials to students
• Participating in peer tutoring or mentoring programs to support fellow students
• Assisting in the school library with shelving books and helping students find resources
• Helping with the maintenance of school grounds, including light cleaning or gardening tasks
• Supporting the school's technology team with basic IT tasks, such as troubleshooting computer issues for students or staff
• Working with the school's nutrition staff to distribute lunches or organize the cafeteria during meal times
• Contributing to the school's newsletter or website by writing articles or taking photographs
• Assisting with inventory management, such as tracking school supplies or sports equipment
• Participating in community service projects organized by the school or associated clubs

Speed up your resume creation process with the AI-Powered Resume Builder . Generate tailored achievements in seconds for every role you apply to.

High School Student with No Experience Resume Example:

• Streamlined the administrative process by organizing over 1,000 student records and documents, resulting in a 30% improvement in retrieval time for the school staff.
• Coordinated and executed setup for 15+ school events, contributing to a 20% increase in student participation and community engagement.
• Implemented a peer tutoring schedule that matched 40 students with tutors, enhancing academic support and contributing to a 10% rise in average test scores.
• Assisted in the school library by cataloging over 500 books and resources, improving the book retrieval system efficiency by 25%.
• Supported the IT team in resolving 100+ student and staff computer issues, increasing the overall technology uptime by 15%.
• Contributed to the school's newsletter with 10+ articles and photographs, leading to a 35% increase in readership among the student body.
• Organizational Skills
• Event Planning and Coordination
• Peer Tutoring and Academic Support
• Library Cataloging and Resource Management
• Technical Support and IT Troubleshooting
• Written Communication and Journalism
• Photography
• Volunteerism and Community Service
• Inventory Management
• Time Management
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Problem-Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability
• Data Entry and Record Keeping

Top Skills & Keywords for High School Student with No Experience Resumes:

Hard skills.

• Organization
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Computer Literacy
• Research Skills
• Mathematics
• Writing Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Customer Service

Soft Skills

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Time Management and Organization
• Leadership and Initiative
• Positive Attitude and Enthusiasm
• Resilience and Perseverance
• Self-Motivation and Drive
• Learning Agility and Curiosity
• Professionalism and Work Ethic

Resume Action Verbs for High School Student with No Experiences:

• Participated
• Collaborated
• Contributed
• Demonstrated
• Volunteered

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Resume FAQs for High School Student with No Experiences:

How long should i make my high school student with no experience resume, what is the best way to format a high school student with no experience resume, which keywords are important to highlight in a high school student with no experience resume, how should i write my resume if i have no experience as a high school student with no experience, compare your high school student with no experience resume to a job description:.

• Identify opportunities to further tailor your resume to the High School Student with No Experience job
• Improve your keyword usage to align your experience and skills with the position
• Uncover and address potential gaps in your resume that may be important to the hiring manager

Complete the steps below to generate your free resume analysis.

Related Resumes for High School Student with No Experiences:

High school student first job, high school graduate, high school senior, student teacher, beginner teacher assistant, substitute teacher with no experience.

How to Write a Resume with No Experience [21+ Examples]

It’s time for your first job hunt !

You need to write a resume , which can be nerve-wracking if you don’t have any real-life work experience.  

You don’t know where to start, what to include, or which resume format to choose.

On top of that, most advice you find online isn’t relevant because it focuses on emphasizing professional background.

Chances are, you’re straight out of college with no experience to speak of. 

Or maybe you're a high-school student applying for a part-time job.

Whichever the case may be, you’re probably having trouble filling in the blank space on your resume that’s supposed to be the work experience section.

Worry not, though. In this guide, we’re going to help you create an AMAZING resume, no work experience is needed.

• How to format your resume with no work experience
• 4 sections to replace work experience (that help you stand out)
• 2 no-work experience resume samples (guaranteed to land you the job)

How to Format Your Resume [with No Work Experience + Examples] 

A resume format is the layout of your resume .

The ideal resume format usually depends on how much work experience you have. 

But what happens when you have none?

For a no-experience resume, we recommend that you use the reverse-chronological format . 

It’s the most popular format amongst applicants and a recruiter favorite.  

The sections in your reverse-chronological resume will be: 

• Header : Contact Information and Resume Statement
• Internships, extracurricular activities, projects, volunteer work  (These sections will replace your work experience)

In this article, we’ll walk you through each of these sections, and explain how to write them in a way that you stand out from the crowd.

Let’s dive in.

Start With Your Resume Header

Your resume header includes your contact information and your resume statement.  

Below, we’ll show you how to write both of these elements and how to include them in your header section.

Put Down Your Contact Information

Just like the name suggests, the first thing you add to your header is your personal and contact information.

It’s the easiest part to get right, just keep it short and to the point.

In your contact information section, mention the following:

• First and Last Name
• Phone Number
• E-mail Address
• A link to a professional profile (e.g. LinkedIn ) or personal webpage (if you have one)

Make sure to use a professional-sounding E-mail.

I.e. something along the lines of “[email protected].” 

You’re sure to leave a wrong impression if you use an email you created back in preschool ( “[email protected]” ).

Make sure to double-check, triple-check your contact information. After all, the recruiter can’t contact you if you have a typo in your phone number.

(Optional) Write Your Resume Objective

A resume objective is a short heading statement in your resume, where you describe your professional goals and aspirations.

Fun fact - hiring managers look at your resume for 5-6 seconds max .

Yep, that’s right. In most cases, the hiring manager is literally drowning in resumes. So, they have a couple of seconds to skim each one.

Well, this section is your chance to catch their attention (and let them know you’ve got what it takes).

A resume objective is usually 3-4 sentences max and includes information on:

• What your field of study is;
• What your skills and experiences are (ones that are relevant to the job );
• Why you’re applying for this position and/or this company.

As with contact information, you don’t need to label your resume objective with a title. Just write it underneath your contact information section.

Here’s an example of what a resume objective looks like:

“ Recent Communications graduate looking to apply for the role of Secretary at XYZ inc. Extremely organized with good writing and multitasking skills. Practical experience in management gained through several university projects, which involved coordinating tasks between different team members and ensuring that everyone was in sync with the latest information. ”

Emphasize Your Education

In your average resume, the first section would be work experience.

Since you don’t have any, though, you’ll want to omit that and replace it with the education section.

This way, you bring a lot more attention to your education, which is one of your main selling points. 

What should you include in the Education section? 

List the following features in this order:

• Name of the degree
• Name of the institution
• Years attended
• Location of the institution (optional)
• GPA (optional)
• Honors (optional)
• Relevant coursework (optional)
• Exchange programs (optional) 

As a general rule, if you studied in a prestigious university, you can add the name of the institution before the degree . This way, you will catch the recruiter’s attention faster.

Now, let’s go through some real-life examples:

BA in Computer Science

Tufts University

Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts

10/2015 - 06/2018

Magna Cum Laude

• Exchange Program in Greenville, NY

University of the Arts London

BA in Interior Design 

10/2017 - Ongoing

Westwood High

Boston, Massachusetts

Class of 2018 

Education Section Q&A

Still have some questions about the education section? Worry not, we’re about to give you all the answers!

Do I include my GPA?

• The answer here is a “maybe.” We’d recommend including a GPA if it’s higher than 3.5. Anything lower than that, and you might be underselling yourself. Keep in mind, though, that most employers don’t care about your grades.

Should I include my coursework?

• Yep, but just as long as it’s relevant. If you have no work experience, including courses can help establish your expertise in a field. Feel free to skip out on any basic courses, though. No one cares about your Maths 101 course.

Do I mention my degree if I dropped out?

• If you studied for more than 2-3 years, yes. A half-finished degree is still better than no degree. If you dropped out after a semester, though, that doesn’t really mean much.

Do I mention my high school degree?

• Only if it’s your only degree. If you have any higher education, your high school degree will only take up space.

4 Sections to Replace Work Experience [With Examples]

Now that you’ve listed your education, it’s time to fill that work experience gap in your resume.

You aren’t still worried about your lack of experience, right?

Because here are four sections you can use instead:

1) Internships

Have you done an internship that is relevant to the position you are applying for?

Now’s the time to mention it. 

Here is how you add an internship to your resume:

First , place the Internship section right after the education section. 

Title it: Internships

Second , write your internship title and role . Be specific.

If your internship was in the marketing department, instead of just “Intern”, say “Marketing Intern”. 

Third , put down the company name , location , and duration of the internship - in that order.

Marketing Intern

Full Picture

New York, NY

09/2019 - 12/2019

Easy and straightforward, right?

One more step:

Last , add a list of responsibilities you had as an intern in bullet point form. 

If you have any tangible achievements , even better! Write those in as well.

Finally, tailor both the responsibilities and achievements to the role you’re applying for.

Here’s how that looks in practice:

You used to be an Advertising Intern .

You’re applying for the position of Social Media Assistant . 

Here’s how you would put down your internship entry:

Internships

Full Picture Company

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content
• Managed company social media accounts
• Posted interested content on company Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%

The listed responsibilities and achievements are directly connected to the Social Media Assistant job requirements.

You’re applying for a Content Writer position. Take a look at the same entry now:

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts , which increased web traffic by 25%.

Notice how the internship title remains the same. 

But in this case you’re applying for a Content Writer position, so you are highlighting your writing experience instead.

For more examples, check out our full guides to an internship resume and how to write a cover letter for an internship .

2) Extracurricular activities

Still have a ton of empty space in your resume?

Extracurricular activities are always a great addition!

Whether they’re related to the job you’re applying for or not, they still show one thing:

You’re hard-working and motivated.

Imagine you’re the HR manager, and you can pick between these 2 candidates:

• Josh Johnson. Studied at Massachusetts State. 4.0 GPA, but that’s all he did in college - no extracurricular activities, internships, or anything else.
• Suzie Activeson. Also studied at Massachusetts state. 3.2 GPA. Vice-president of the business club. Served as a student government senator for 2 semesters. Organized several events as part of the marketing club.

Sure, Josh is probably qualified, but we don't know anything about him, other than that he studied a lot.

Suzie, on the other hand, can manage a team (business club VP), organize events (marketing club), and is passionate about making a change (student government).

So, which one would you pick?

Now, let’s explain how to list extracurricular activities on your resume:

• Title of the section: Extracurricular Activities
• Name of the organization and/or team 
• Your role in the organization
• Time period
• Noteworthy awards or achievements

Extracurricular Activities

Public Speaking Club

Vice-President

09/2018 - 09/2019

• Organized 10+ public speaking lectures
• Brought in speakers from all over the state
• Conducted public speaking workshops

3) Volunteering Experience

Volunteering shows dedication and passion to apply yourself. 

And there’s nothing recruiters love more than a committed employee.  

Whether you spend your free time in a soup kitchen, or you helped collect trash in the countryside, you can mention it in your resume!

But how do you list volunteering experience?

Well, it follows the same logic as your internship and extracurriculars:

• Title of the section: Volunteering Experience
• Name of the organization
• Relevant tasks and achievements (bullet points)

Volunteering Experience

Grand Archive Library Volunteer

Washington, D.C

08/2017 - 02/2019

• Performed secretarial activities, such as sorting mail, filing documents, answering phone calls, and taking messages. 
• Led a poetry reading event twice a month. 

4) Projects

In this section, you can add any relevant projects you were part of during your time in school or at an internship.

Your capstone project, graduation thesis, or research project go here. 

No need for work experience!

You can also mention any other type of project you’ve worked on in school, including:

• Business project for a real-life client
• Mock website you created in Web Design 101
• Fake magazine you created as a capstone project
• Market research you did as part of your graduation thesis
• Software you developed in Software Engineering class

...And so on!

Here’s how you put them down:

• Title of the section: Projects
• Project name
• Project type
• Related organization 
• Relevant responsibilities and achievements (optional)

And now, for some practical examples. Here’s what a journalism student project could look like:

Online Privacy and Social Media: a Journalistic Study of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica

Journalism Capstone Project

Harvard University

09/2018 - 11/2018

And here’s a law school example:

In-House Pro Bono Project

Columbia Law School

11/2018 - 03/2019

• Completed a full petition for U nonimmigrant status, interviewed legal persons and drafted affidavits.

If you have anything physical to back up your project with, feel free to include a link.

For example, if you’re a developer, you could include a link to your GitHub profile.

Stand out with your Skills 

There are two types of skills you can include on your no-experience resume: 

Soft skills and hard skills. 

What’s the difference? 

Soft skills are attributes or habits that describe how you work. They are not specific to a job, but indirectly help you adapt to the work environment. 

Here are some of the most popular ones: teamwork, responsibility, leadership, creativity, etc.  

Hard skills , on the other hand, refer to specific tools, technical knowledge and training and other work-specific skills. They apply directly to the job. 

Technical writing, C++, financial accounting, etc. are all examples of hard skills.

So, which of these skills should you include? 

That depends on a lot of factors, but as someone with no work experience, you should opt more for hard skills .

See, you could write all the cool buzzwords like “Critical Thinking” and “Leadership,” but the recruiter won’t believe you.

Fun fact - that’s what 90% of students do.

Instead, you should focus on skills that make you stand out , and in most cases, those are hard skills.

So, how do you decide which hard skills to mention? Easy! Just check the job ad you’re applying for.

Let’s say you’re applying for an entry-level creative internship, and you find these requirements in the job description: 

• Video editing experience (Premiere, After Effects)
• UI design experience
• Photo editing experience (Photoshop)
• Photography experience
• Experience with Adobe Illustrator

You’d transfer this into your skills section:

• Premiere & After Effects - Expert
• Photoshop - Expert
• UI Design - Intermediate
• Adobe Illustrator - Intermediate
• Photography - Intermediate

Not sure which skills to mention? Check out our article on 150+ must-have skills for all sorts of professions !

Other Sections You Could Include in a No-Experience Resume

A resume without experience does have one advantage: extra space . 

You can use this space to create other sections that highlight how awesome you are!

Here are some sections you could include:

• Hobbies and Interests . Add flair to your resume by showing your genuine passion and interest in the industry.
• Languages. Do you know a second language? Or even a third? Awesome! Most companies these days are pretty international and appreciate an extra language skill or two. Be mindful not to over-exaggerate your proficiency, though. Only knowing how to ask “¿Donde está la biblioteca?” doesn’t warrant a Spanish entry on your resume.
• Awards & Certifications . Do you have any fancy pieces of paper that show you’re smart? Maybe it’s an award for a terrific essay in a competition, or a certificate from an online course . Whichever the case may be, awards and certifications show that you’re a winner, so definitely include them in their own respective section.

Need Inspiration? 2 No Work Experience Resume Samples

Do you still have questions or don’t know where to begin?

That’s when a resume sample comes in handy. 

It provides you with a predetermined format.

It also helps you picture how your no-experience resume is supposed to look like. 

As Picasso put it: Good artists copy; great artists steal! 

Here are 2 no work experience resume samples you can borrow ideas from:

Business Student Resume Sample

High-school Student Resume Sample

Create a Matching Cover Letter

All done with your resume?

It’s not over yet. You need to write a cover letter to go with it.

A cover letter is a single-page letter that accompanies your resume and is part of your job application.

Look at it this way: your resume describes your experiences, and your cover letter explains (in simple words) how they’re relevant to the job.

Now, here’s a quick infographic on what to include in a cover letter:

Finally, as with everything else in your resume, make sure to keep your cover letter relevant, short, and concise.

The hiring manager doesn’t have time to read an autobiography, they’ll only review your cover letter for a few minutes. 

There’s a lot more to creating a good cover letter than what we just explained.

For a complete, all-you-need-to-know walk-through, check out our Complete Guide on How to Write a Cover Letter !

Key Takeaways

...and that’s a wrap!

At this point, you should know everything there is to know about writing a killer no-experience resume.

Just to keep things fresh, though, let’s quickly go through everything we’ve learned so far:

• When creating your no-experience resume, use the reverse-chronological format.
• You can create a killer no-experience resume by emphasizing your education instead. Include relevant internships, soft & hard skills, and projects.
• Other sections you can include on your resume are hobbies & interests, languages, certifications, or achievements.
• Keep all the content on your resume clear, precise, and relevant. Use bullet points for all your descriptions.
• After you’re done with your resume, you want to write an awesome cover letter that goes with it. The cover letter is a one-page letter that tells the story behind your resume content and reemphasizes why you’re a great fit for the job.

Related Resume Examples

• Internship Resume
• High School Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• College Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• Teacher Resume

Recommended Readings:

• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job in 2024
• 20+ One-Page Resume Templates [Free Download]
• 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers [Complete List]

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High School No Experience Resume Examples and Templates

This page provides you with High School (No Experience) resume samples to use to create your own resume with our easy-to-use resume builder . Below you'll find our how-to section that will guide you through each section of a High School (No Experience) resume.

If you’re a high school student stressed about writing your first ever resume, don’t worry – it’s not just you! When you’re young and inexperienced, resumes can seem like a serious challenge. All you want is to land your first ever part-time job – but how do you fill all that space, when you’re totally new to the world of work?

Don’t give up hope! You probably have more relevant experience than you think, even if it isn’t directly related to work. As a high school student, employers will expect you to include things like club activities, school-based responsibilities, and even volunteering work on your high school resume.

To give you a head start, we’ve written up a helpful guide to writing your first ever resume. We’ve put together examples of what a good resume should look like, hints on what to do (and what not to do) when writing, and advice on what to expect from the job application process – including some tips you may not get from your school’s careers counselor. Read on, and you’ll be sending out your first resume in no time!

How to Write Your High School No Experience Resume

As a high school student with no work experience, it’s unlikely that youve never had to write a resume before. Don’t let it scare you – it’s not as complicated as you might expect! In general, most resumes will contain the following sections:

• A summary and/or objective
• A record of your past work experience
• A list of your qualifications, certifications, and licenses
• A list of your relevant skills

Your resume needs to show a hiring manager two things, especially when you have no previous work experience. The first is that you have relevant qualifications for the role you want – whether that’s an academic qualification in a relevant field, or just some relevant experience that may not have anything to do with work. The second is that you have the skills that will allow you to excel in the role.

This means that it’s okay if you don’t have much to fill out your experience section. As a high school student, new to the workforce, you won’t be expected to bring any real professional experience to the table. The more important thing is how you present yourself in your resume – which means calling attention to the skills, qualifications and experience that you do have, so hiring managers know why they should give you the opportunity you want.

We’ll cover each section of your resume one by one, so you can build it one step at a time.

The Best Format for a High School No Experience Resume

Before you actually write your resume, you’ll need to choose the right layout! The format of your resume dictates what hiring managers will notice first when they see your job application. The right format will draw their attention to your best qualities, and draw it away from the areas where you know you aren’t as strong as you would like.

This is something to keep in mind when you choose your professionally-designed resume template from our selection. As you won’t have any previous work experience, you will benefit from choosing a format that will highlight your skills instead. That way, recruiters can see what you bring to the table, rather than what you don’t!

Remember, this is only your first resume – when you have more work experience behind you, you’ll be able to create a brand new resume for future job applications. After you’ve built up a stronger work history, you will benefit from choosing a resume format that balances your skills and qualifications with your work experience. When that time comes, our resume guides for a wide range of different industries will help you make the best and smartest choices!

• Applicant Tracking Systems

Some companies use an applicant tracking system (or ATS) to sort through the job applications they receive for each open position. ATS software filters resumes based on keywords (usually taken from the job description) to help weed out resumes that are generic, not qualified for the role, or otherwise unsuitable to progress to the interview stages. This is really useful for hiring managers – it allows them to speed up the hiring process, which saves them a lot of time.

But for candidates, it isn’t such good news! If your resume doesn’t get through the ATS software’s filtering system, it is likely to be rejected before a human gets to see it at all. That can be upsetting, especially if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into your resume.

You can boost your chances of getting through the ATS software by paying close attention to the requirements of the job description. Wherever possible, you should use the exact words used in the job description when describing your skills: for instance, if a job description asks for ‘high levels of personal organization,’ use that exact phrase when writing about your experience of balancing multiple AP classes at school. Treat the job description as your guide, and you can maximize your chances of success.

ATS software can sometimes get confused by complex resume formatting. But don’t panic – all of VisualCV’s resume templates are designed to make your resume easy for ATS software to read. That means you don’t have to worry about the software being confused by the format of your resume – you can focus on your resume’s content, instead.

How to Write a Summary for Your High School No Experience Resume

Most resumes open with a summary, which means it’s the first thing most recruiters will see when they pick up your resume. A summary is meant to give recruiters a short, clear description of your best qualities. The key to a good summary is keeping it brief – think about the three main reasons why you are qualified for the job you want, and write them down in three sentences or less.

It’s important to remember that your summary should be specific to the role you’re applying for. You can’t get away with reusing the same summary for multiple applications! Recruiters will notice, and it will affect your chances of getting hired.

Since you’re applying for your first ever job, you can’t talk about your past work experience in your summary. However, you can bring up your educational background, your skills, your best qualities, and any relevant non-work experience you have. Later in your career, you can use your summary to lay out your career journey so far, so recruiters can easily see where you’re coming from and what you bring.

• 3 High School No Experience Summary Examples:
• Junior year student at William McKinley High, achieving a 3.5 GPA. Student editor of the school magazine, with experience of teamwork and project management. A fast learner with a strong work ethic.
• Senior year high school student maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Active member of the school field hockey team, bringing my drive to succeed and my passion for teamwork to everything I do.
• Current student at West High School, maintaining a 3.6 GPA. Three years of volunteer experience at a local animal shelter. I deliver great customer service, compassion and care in all areas of my life.
• How Not to Write a High School No Experience Resume Summary

You might be tempted to use your summary as a second cover letter – a longer piece of writing telling the story of why you want the job you’re aiming for. In fact, this is the number one thing you shouldn’t do when writing your summary!

A summary needs to be clear and to-the-point, focused on what you can offer your employer. You need to keep it focused, professional, and short. If you want to talk more about yourself, you can do that in your cover letter instead – your resume simply doesn’t have the space to accommodate it.

We know that summaries can be tough to pin down. Some recruiters don’t think you need a summary at all – in fact, opinion is divided – so don’t feel too bad if you’re having a hard time! Leave it out for now, and think about coming back to it later on.

• For the past three years, I have worked as a volunteer at the Soft Paws Animal Shelter, cleaning the animals’ environments and providing enrichment activities. I believe this history of taking responsibility for my surroundings will give me a head start in the role of Part-Time Janitor, as I already know the best cleaning and sanitation techniques.

Do You Need a Resume Objective?

By now, you should be pretty clear on what a summary is – but what about your resume objective?

When you’re just starting out on your career journey, an objective is a great way to give hiring managers more information about your long-term plans. Your objective should be a one-sentence statement about where you want to work or what you want to do in the future. While it might sound obvious, you do need to make sure that your objective is relevant in some way to the role you’re applying for!

You won’t always need a resume objective. They’re much less useful when you already have an extensive work history, because your career so far can tell a hiring manager a lot about your long-term goals. But when you’re applying for a first job, most recruiters agree that an objective is a smart thing to include.

• High School No Experience Resume Objective Example:
• Current student at William McKinley High, hoping to build experience in the food service industry.

How to Describe Your Experience on Your High School No Experience Resume

We know you don’t have any previous experience of holding down a paid job – after all, this is your first ever resume! But you almost certainly have more relevant experience than you think you do. Here are just a few things you might be able to include in this section of your resume:

• High school clubs and extracurriculars
• Sporting activities
• Volunteering experience
• Work experience placements
• Relevant hobbies and achievements

As long as you can use the experience to show how it has prepared you for the role you want, you can include it! Try taking the time to list all of the skills you have used or learned during your non-work experience. Then you can include any experience where those skills match up with the skills listed on the job description.

Remember, you don’t have to add everything you’ve ever done to your resume! If you’ve participated in a lot of extracurriculars, be selective about which ones you include. On the flip side, if you don’t have much experience, don’t lie to pad it out – you will probably get caught, and it will throw up some serious red flags for any recruiter or hiring manager.

• Describe Your Experience Effectively

Each ‘item’ of experience on your resume should come with a bullet-pointed list of things you achieved while doing it. But as you’ll see in the example we’ve provided, it’s not always that straightforward! Every bullet point should prove that you have a skill or quality listed in the job description.

That’s why you should do your best to write about what you actually achieved – not just about the basics of what you did every day. Instead of ‘cleaned floors,’ try ‘maintained a clean and sanitary work environment in accordance with health and safety guidelines.’ Doesn’t that sound more professional?

Generally, hiring managers want to see evidence that you were able to succeed in your previous work. If you can show the results you achieved by completing each task, hiring managers will be more likely to believe that you can get those results again in a future job.

Do: Volunteer, Soft Paws Animal Shelter | 2019-21

• Provided a clean and sanitary environment for employees and animals by participating in a regular cleaning rota
• Delivered great customer service and well-researched advice to members of the public looking to rescue a pet
• Participated in a volunteer dog-walking and play rota, delivering enrichment and stimulation to animals in the shelter’s care
• How Not to Describe Your Experience

You should never write a simple list of the tasks you completed! Without any context, a basic list of responsibilities assigned to you won’t tell a hiring manager anything. They won’t have any reason to believe that you did a good job when you carried out those tasks, or that you might do them just as well in a new job.

The most important thing about writing a resume is showing hiring managers that you have the skills to succeed. Be explicit about those skills and how you have applied them in the past! You can’t afford to assume that they will make those connections without your input.

Don’t: Volunteer, Soft Paws Animal Shelter | 2019-21

• Cleaned work areas
• Greeted the public
• Walked dogs

How to List Skills on Your High School No Experience Resume

Your resume’s skills section is a list of your skills – specifically the ones that will help you in the role you’re applying for. You can refer to the job description to find out what those skills are! Most of the time, job descriptions include a list of qualities that applicants should have, so use that as a guide for this section.

It will help to know the difference between ‘hard skills’ and ‘soft skills.’ Hard skills are the practical skills you’ll use in your role – like the use of particular tools or equipment, or the ability to use a certain software package. If you don’t have all the hard skills necessary for the role you want, don’t give up – you can let hiring managers know, either in your cover letter or as part of your skills section, that you’re keen to learn on the job.

Meanwhile, you definitely have some relevant soft skills already! We’ll cover those in more detail in the next section.

For general information about skills on your resume, check out our resume skills guide here!

Important Soft Skills for Your High School No Experience Resume

Soft skills are the skills you rely on in every aspect of your professional life. Skills like communication, organization and attention to detail are vital in almost every line of work, and will help you navigate a new job more easily. When you don’t have any past work experience, a good list of soft skills can show an employer that you have the tools to succeed.

Whatever the nature of the job you’re applying for, certain soft skills are always useful. Here are some of the most important soft skills to include on your high school no experience resume!

• Communication

Can you share information clearly and appropriately in person, in writing, and over the phone? Communication is absolutely critical in most jobs. Being able to communicate well will bolster your customer service skills, as well as your ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Organization

You might get away with disorganization in high school, but the world of work is a lot less forgiving. You’ll need to be able to balance your various obligations, show up on time, and look put-together. If you can show that you’re an organized person, you’ll stand a better chance of landing almost any job!

• Willingness to Learn

For high school students looking for their first job, this one is vital – you’re likely to need more on-the-job training than more experienced candidates, after all. Being willing to absorb and adapt to new information is an important skill that will stand you in good stead with hiring managers!

There are very few jobs that will let you work independently of a larger team. Having a job means getting on effectively with people from all backgrounds, regardless of whether or not you actually like them. Teamwork also means taking on your fair share of responsibilities in partnership with the rest of your team.

Final Thoughts

Writing your first resume can be an intimidating prospect, especially when you’re young and inexperienced. But we’ve given you all the tools you will need to write a well-constructed resume, regardless of your experience level. Remember, it’s not about what you don’t have – it’s about how you present what you do have!

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High School Graduate Resume: Examples & Useful Tips

In this article, you will learn:

• Tips on writing a great high school graduate resume
• How to create a good job objective for a high school graduate resume
• How to write a professional resume summary for a high school graduate
• How to list high school education on a resume
• How to write a high school graduate resume with no experience
• High school graduate resume sample

Finding a job is never easy, even more so for high school graduates for the lack of professional experience. A resume for a high school graduate is thus one of the most crucial elements. It can reflect a job applicant’s value, strengths, and background. As most fresh high school graduates have few work experiences, designing a top-notch high school graduate resume is the first thing to nail the job-seeking processes. 

Tips on Writing a Great High School Graduate Resume

A resume is essentially a summary of your educational and professional background. If you recently graduate from high school and have limited experience, you might not have much to write on your resume. However, despair not! Here are some tips to help you make up for the lack of employment history on your resume.

Tip 1: Adopt an ATS-friendly resume format.

An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is a human resource software for the employer to efficiently organize a large number of resumes. To stand out from competitors, your high school graduate resume has to be high-ranking in ATS, which means adopting an ATS-friendly resume format is necessary.

Tip 2: Refer to online resume templates and examples.

There are now plentiful resume resources online, including examples, templates, and resume builders, which you can refer to when writing your resume after graduating from high school. With a high school graduate resume template, you can develop your own unique resume effortlessly.

Tip 3: Tailor your resume for the job position and adopt keywords in the job description.

By tailoring your resume, you can show your enthusiasm for the position and how you strive to get the job. Also, pay attention to the differences between resumes and CVs (Curriculum Vitae). 

Resumes are used for regular job applications, whereas CVs are more common for people who wish to find a job in academia or scientific fields. Thus, check the job description carefully, adopt keywords from it and create the resume or CV for senior high school graduates accordingly. 

Tip 4: Quantify results on resumes.

With statistics in the resume of a high school graduate, the hiring manager can easily let review the applicant’s achievements effortlessly. What is more, the significance of your experience can be shown explicitly with numbers.

Tip 5: Include relevant academic accomplishments.

An obstacle high school graduates may encounter is that they do not have sufficient working or related experience to show in their resumes. Usually, in this case, they can instead include their academic accomplishments and transferable achievements that demonstrate their skills. 

However, this kind of information may be considered irrelevant and distract the employers. So read the job description carefully and only include the relevant ones!

How to Create a Good Objective for a High School Graduate Resume

An objective in the resume states your goal or purpose of the career. The length of a well-written resume objective can range from 2-3 sentences. There are principal elements for crafting a successful career objective for a high school graduate in the resume:

• Your traits
• Career goals
• Personalized statements
• Specified experiences

The following career objective examples for a high school graduate are provided for your reference.

Example of objective in high school graduate resume with little work experience:

Enthusiastic and self-motivated high school graduate, with 2-year experience in fashion retail. Seeking a part-time sales assistant position in GU Company.

Example of objective in high school graduate resume with no work experience:

Passionate and responsible high school fresh graduate, who is looking for an entry-level position in retail. Looking forward to learning and improving marketing strategies and procedures while gaining customer service skills.

How to Write a Professional Resume Summary for a High School Graduate

A resume summary, as the name suggests, summarizes the content and the important parts of the resume. For applicants, especially a recent high school graduate, a resume summary is crucial because it determines if the hiring manager will continue reading the rest of the resume. 

As a result, applicants should ensure that they have gotten a summary stated in their high school graduate resumes that catch the eye. Information that should be highlighted in this section includes:

1. Experience

First and foremost, try to pick out the key experience that adds value and attracts the attention of the employer. Think about what you have done, and most applicants have not. Keep in mind that the experience must be related to the position you applied for, and it must have happened in recent years.

In the application process, both the soft and hard skills of all applicants will be evaluated. To amaze the hiring managers at the very beginning, read the job description thoroughly and embed your compatible skills in the high school graduate resume summary.

3. Qualifications

While some qualifications are prerequisites, others are just a plus. They are always helpful because they attest to your ability. If you own any relevant qualifications, remember to mention them in the resume summary.

Example of resume summary for high school graduate with no work experience:

Ambitious high school graduate with a 3.85/4.0 GPA and sound attendance record. Served a term as student congress chairperson with 65% support from student representatives and organized a vote of government members of student council successfully.

Example of resume summary for high school graduate with little work experience:

Diligent high school fresh graduate with clear concepts of sales, marketing, and customer services. Past participant of city youth marketing trainee camp. Served as a summer marketing intern at ABC Co. Attained a 1300+ score in SAT.

Example of resume summary for high school graduate with various skills:

Versatile high school graduate with Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and English proficiency. With practical experience in social media marketing, keyword analysis, and database management. Currently serves as the student ambassador of a company in the FMCG industry.

How to List High School Education on a Resume

Education is where you can stand out as a high school graduate looking for a job. An eye-catching education background balances out the lack of relevant work experience or skills in your high school graduate resume. 

Here is information you need to put in this section and how you can organize it:

1. The degree and where you obtain it

Specify the type of your degree and the name and location of your high school you graduated from in the resume as the types of schools, such as including public schools, private schools, international schools, and vocational schools, and degrees vary. Thus, make sure you mention the correct degree and school name here.

2. Duration

The duration and the graduation year are vital as well on your high school graduate resume so that the recruiter will know there is no gap in between.

Not all enterprises take much care of your academic performance. Nevertheless, it is still recommended that you incorporate their final GPAs into the senior high school graduate resume if your GPA is 3.7 or above. 

4. Honors and awards

If you have earned any honors or awards during secondary school or upon graduation, feel free to bring them up in chronological order. Still, avoid trivia content and keep the important ones.

5. Electives and extra-curricular activities

If you have taken any electives or participated in any unique, noteworthy events, briefly introducing them in your high school graduate resume can be a clever idea as they might impress the employer unexpectedly.

Example of education on a high school graduate resume:

Victoria First Science High School (CA, U.S.) | 2018-2021 | GPA: 4.0/4.3

Honors & Awards: 

• 2020 Science Vision Award
• National Science Youngster Scholarship
• 2019 Elizabeth’s Charity: Volunteer of The Year

Extracurricular Activities: 

• Cheerleading Captain
• President of Physics Club

ABC High School (LA, US) | 2016-2020

• AP in History, Physics and Math
• Student council secretary 

How to Write a High School Graduate Resume with No Experience

Do not worry too much about the absence of related experience. By following the advice below, you will be able to nail the job application!

Advice 1: Choose the right resume format. 

There are three common resume formats: 

• Chronological 
• Combination Resume

For high school graduates, the functional format best suits them because it emphasizes skills instead of showing work experience directly. Or you can choose to list your extracurricular activities chronologically and write a combination resume as a high school graduate.

Advice 2: Write a career objective.

As mentioned above, a clear career objective shows your vision and ambition as a starting professional, arousing the interest of the employer.

Advice 3: Highlight your education.

With the tips and advice above, we believe you are now able to generate a well-written part of education. Try to craft an intriguing story for the hiring manager to find out!

Advice 4: Include your portfolio/side project/personal website.

A personal website and/or portfolio are unique and valuable materials and can have positive effects on your application. The more special a high school graduate resume is, the more likely it will stand out from competitors.

Advice 5: Write a sincere cover letter.

A sincere cover letter works to your advantage when you compete with many applicants with similar conditions. It helps the hiring manager to see the efforts you put in and your passion for the position. 

High School Graduate Resume Sample

Marshall carney.

Award-winning sales representative with great communication skills

Southaven, MS +1-228-5742296  [email protected]

Resume objective

Desire to secure an entry-level sales position at a fashion retailer, to apply the communication skills gained in the High School Student Sales Trainee Program. Graduated from Southaven Christian School and has been a representative in the student council.

Resume summary

Fresh high school graduate passionate about fashion branding and sales operations. Highly competent team player, having participated in multiple inter-class projects to completion. Has a sense of style, being able to discover high-end fashion designs.

Hard skills:

• Illustrator
• Video Editing
• French (fluent)

Soft skills:

• Time Management
• Willingness to Learn
• Open-mindedness

Work experience 

XYZ Corporation High School Student Sales Trainee Program, MS 01/2020 - 11/2020

• Awarded the trainee of the year
• Solved 10+ real-world business and sales cases efficiently

Student helper at Lily’s Bookstore, MS 01/2019 - 01/2020

• Responsible for 200+ merchandises’ promotions
• Increased magazines’ sales by 30%

Southaven Christian School, TN | 2018-2021 

• GPA: 3.8/4.3
• 2021 Ted-Amanda Love Academic Scholarship
• 2020 Second Runner-Up in Inter-class Speech Contest

Extra-curricular activities

• 2019 Representative in Student Council
• 2019 Captain of Volleyball Club

--- Originally written by  Fu-Yen Chen  ---

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With the intention of helping job seekers to fully display their value, CakeResume creates an accessible free resume/CV/biodata builder, for users to build highly-customized resumes. Having a compelling resume is just like a piece of cake!

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16 High School Student Resume Examples + Complete Guide

High School Student Resume

• High School Student Resumes by Experience
• High School Student Resumes by Role

High school is one of the best times of your life, but it can also be one of the most difficult when looking for your first or second job. You’ve got to fill out applications, prep for interviews, and write your resume.

Using ChatGPT for resumes  is a cool idea, but can still feel daunting and overwhelming. We’ve all been there, and what you really need is a free AI resume builder and solid student cover letters to get you on your way.

We’ve analyzed countless high school resumes to discover  what would get students job interviews in 2024 . While you may want to start with a simple  resume outline , keep reading to find 16 high school resume samples (plus writing tips) that are jam-packed with essential techniques and tricks.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• If you choose to use a template, make sure you adjust the  resume’s formatting  so that your text is big enough to read with one-inch margins on the side.
• However, you should write your bullet points like you would for a job. Highlight any responsibilities and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for now.
• For example, if you’re looking for a job in sales, emphasize your ability to work in groups and create a good customer experience.

High School Student No Experience Resume

• If you don’t have work history, include projects and volunteer work instead. Treat them like a job and write bullet points according to your responsibilities.
• Make sure you start every bullet point with active verbs, and always double-check for typos. You’ve got this!
• Include your unique skills, your desired position, and the company you hope to work for to make your objective stand out from the rest!

First Job High School Student Resume

• To remedy that problem, add a  skills section on your resume  to give hiring managers an important overview of your strengths.
• To really highlight your abilities, incorporate the same skills in your work experience, too. Demonstrate how you used your skills to better your workplace, and you can’t go wrong!
• Adding stylistic elements like color and different fonts can help you show a bit of your personality (and make your resume more fun to read). 

Experienced High School Student Resume

• Remember, your resume is a highlight reel, so you need to include what’s most important (like your achievements and relevant metrics). 
• You can adjust your layout, font sizes, and margins, but keep it easy to read. 
• Use a bit of color and some fun fonts, provided it still looks professional. You’ve got this!

High School Senior Resume

• This statement must align with the potential employer’s needs, proving you understand the job requirements and have gone the extra mile to address doubts about your capabilities. As for experiences that might have prepared you for the job, workshops and volunteering programs you’ve participated in are prominent candidates.

Out of High School Resume

• Leisure activities range from soccer, hiking, drawing and sketching, robotics, and photography to journalism. But how do they fit in the picture? Well, a penchant for drawing and sketching could reflect creativity and an eye for detail, while journalism stints could hint at strong communication and critical thinking.

High School Graduate Resume

• Right from the first line of the career objective, you can see the candidate’s passion and willingness to work in this field. Notice how Serai’s love for photography is clearly backed by a previous project for a school newspaper.
• These details will be perfect when Serai’s ready for the AI cover letter generator to bring her application to perfection.

High School Student Scholarship Resume

• Your high school student scholarship resume should vividly show your positive contributions to noble causes, such as offering ADLs to seniors, and emphasize your impact on society.

High School Student College Application Resume

• Ensure your high school student college application resume shows your practical and classwork achievements that emphasize your grand vision to make a positive contribution to society.

High School Student for College Resume

• Before hitting “submit,” always  check your resume  for typos and other minor errors. It’s amazing what you can miss during your first few reviews.
• A good GPA can demonstrate, at least in part, your willingness to work hard. We’d recommend including your GPA only if it’s above 3.5, but anything above a 3 is a good average.

High School Student for Customer Service Resume

• Including projects, volunteer work, or club memberships is a great way to add value to your resume.
• Your resume should focus on your abilities and other activities you’ve engaged in that will show your value.
• Read the responsibilities and qualifications to look for key skills and tasks. Then, incorporate some of those skills and responsibilities into your high school student customer service resume.

High School Student Internship Resume

• For example, if the job description lists responsibilities like writing and analyzing data, include “written communication” and “data analysis” in your skills section.
• One easy way to customize your resume is by focusing your  resume skills  on things that apply to the internship. 
• Make sure you keep your resume professional and to the point. You don’t want to include anything too personal about your beliefs, religion, politics, or personal information.
• For example, you can list “volunteering at local church,” but avoid saying “fasting every weekend.” It doesn’t show off relevant skills and is a bit too forward for a resume.

High School Student Office Worker Resume

• Good projects include anything that demonstrates your leadership abilities or desire for knowledge. Senior projects, personal blogs, or even being on a sports team are all good examples to include!
• Add work experience directly under your contact information and name, then add any relevant projects if you’re low on space. 
• While there are plenty of  resume writing tips , your resume should be as unique as you. Don’t get so caught up in what you think you “should” do that your resume is bland and cookie-cutter. 

High School Student Sales Resume

• Numbers demonstrate your value, and they’re useful tools for the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software that hiring managers use to sort through job applicants.
• Trust us, and incorporate metrics into at least 80% of your bullet points!
• For example, you know that different  resume templates  can change your resume’s appearance, but different templates can also stretch or streamline your content. 
• Mess with multiple templates to see what your content will look like—you may find a template that allows for more room, or one that allows you to highlight your skills better.

High School Student Athlete  Resume

• Think of a time you proved you were the MVP on your team—Did you lead your team to a championship? Perhaps you made the game-winning shot in a crucial, nail-biting game?

High School Student Music Resume

• When you include hobbies like songwriting or your interest in classical music in your high school student music resume , it conveys to your recruiter that you’re super dedicated and passionate about your craft.
• You can also include hobbies that are different, too. For example, if you enjoy experimenting with new recipes from around the world, that can show you’re ready to give new genres a whirl or that you understand that music—while art—is still supposed to be fun and adventuresome.

Related resume guides

• Entry Level

10 High School Student No Experience Resume Summary Examples

A Guide for Future Success: Resume Writing for Beginners

Stepping into the world of work can be thrilling and nerve-wracking all at once, especially for high school students without any job experience. Crafting a resume might seem like a challenge, but it’s your ticket to landing that first exciting opportunity.

This guide aims to ease your worries and arm you with powerful examples to create a standout resume summary. We’ve lined up ten excellent examples that highlight your unique talents and eagerness to contribute, all without the need for formal job experience.

Dive into these crafted samples and find the spark to create a resume that shines bright with your potential. These examples are your starting blocks to not just write a resume but to launch your journey into a bright professional future.

Top 10 High School Student No Experience Resume Summary Examples

1. Proactive and resourceful high school student with a positive attitude and a willingness to take on new challenges. Strong problem-solving abilities and effective communication skills. Looking to leverage my academic achievements and passion for learning in a part-time position.

2. Eager and ambitious high school student with excellent interpersonal skills and a friendly demeanor. Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions accurately. Seeking an entry-level position that allows me to use my enthusiasm and commitment to provide valuable support to a team.

3. Responsible and detail-oriented high school student with excellent problem-solving abilities. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively in diverse settings. Looking for an opportunity to contribute to a positive and productive work environment while developing new skills.

4. Motivated and dependable high school student with strong communication and organizational skills. Seeking an opportunity to gain practical experience and develop a solid foundation in the workforce. Highly adaptable and eager to learn.

5. Enthusiastic and dedicated high school student committed to academic excellence and personal growth. Proven ability to work well in team environments and follow instructions effectively. Excited to contribute to a dynamic organization while learning valuable skills along the way.

6. Self-motivated high school student with a passion for learning and a strong work ethic. Demonstrated ability to manage time efficiently, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines. Seeking an entry-level position to gain experience and build a solid professional foundation.

7. Highly organized and dedicated high school student with a proactive approach to learning. Skilled in multitasking and handling various responsibilities. Seeking an entry-level position to apply my strong work ethic and willingness to learn, while making a meaningful contribution to a team.

8. Detail-oriented high school student with a strong desire to learn and contribute. Excellent time management skills and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Seeking an opportunity to gain practical experience and enhance my professional skills in a supportive environment.

9. Highly motivated and responsible high school student with a commitment to excellence. Demonstrated ability to work well independently and in team settings. Eager to apply my strong work ethic and dedication to a position that allows me to learn and grow professionally.

10. Adaptable and reliable high school student with a strong sense of responsibility and integrity. Effective time management skills and commitment to meeting deadlines. Looking for an opportunity to contribute to a positive work environment and gain practical experience in a professional setting.

How to Write a High School Student Resume Summary With No Experience?

Writing a resume summary as a high school student with no prior work experience can seem challenging, but it’s absolutely possible to create an impressive summary that highlights your skills, achievements, and potential. Here are some steps to help you write a high school student resume summary with no experience:

1. Start with a strong opening

Begin your summary by stating your name and highlighting your enthusiasm, motivation, or positive traits that make you stand out. For example, “Proactive and resourceful high school student with a positive attitude and a willingness to take on new challenges.”

2. Focus on transferable skills

Since you don’t have formal work experience, emphasize the skills and abilities you’ve gained through your education, extracurricular activities, volunteering, or personal projects. Highlight skills such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork, time management, leadership, or organization.

3. Tailor it to the job

Research the job or industry you’re applying for and customize your summary accordingly. Identify the key qualities or requirements sought by employers and align your skills and traits with them. This shows that you understand the job and are a good fit for the role.

4. Highlight academic achievements

If you have excelled academically, mention any honors, awards, or relevant coursework that demonstrate your commitment and competence. This can include your GPA, relevant classes, projects, or academic clubs.

5. Emphasize extracurricular activities

Showcase your involvement in clubs, sports teams, community service, or leadership roles. Highlight any achievements or responsibilities that demonstrate your ability to work in a team, manage projects, or take on additional responsibilities.

6. Demonstrate motivation and willingness to learn

Highlight your eagerness to gain experience, learn new skills, and contribute to a team or organization. Employers value individuals who are motivated, adaptable, and open to growth.

7. Keep it concise and focused

Keep your summary brief and to the point, ideally within 3-4 sentences. Remember to use action words and be specific about your accomplishments or responsibilities.

8. Personalize it

Make your summary unique by incorporating your own experiences, interests, or passions. This will help you stand out and provide a glimpse into your personality.

Remember, a resume summary is your chance to make a strong first impression, even without formal work experience. Tailor your summary to align with the job you’re applying for, highlight your transferable skills, and express your enthusiasm for learning and contributing. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to crafting an outstanding resume summary as a high school student with no experience.

These 10 high school student resume summary examples are excellent resources to help you create a compelling summary that highlights your skills and potential despite having no prior work experience. Implement these tips and make a strong impression on employers, increasing your chances of securing your desired job opportunity.

• 10 High School Student Resume Objective Examples
• High School Student Cover Letter Example [How-to Write]
• 21 High School Teacher Resume Objective Examples
• Recommendation Letter for High School Student Entering College

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30+ Resume Objective Examples (Plus, Tips on How to Write Yours)

Resume objectives are a bit controversial. Some career experts see them as outdated, while others believe job seekers can still use them to their advantage. Although resume objective statements have slowly been replaced by resume summaries, they remain useful in certain situations—and that's why you should know how to write one, just in case.

For instance, if you're changing careers and your previous work experience doesn't quite match the new role you're after, an objective statement could help communicate your professional goals to the hiring manager. Likewise, if you're a recent graduate or looking to relocate, you could use this section of your resume to highlight these intentions.

We've gathered 32 resume objective examples—plus, some tips on how to craft one that grabs the hiring manager's attention.

What is a resume objective

A resume objective is a brief statement outlining your short-term career goals, usually one to two sentences long. It should be tailored to the specific job or industry you're pursuing and is placed at the top of your resume, just below the header.

What is a good objective for a resume, and when are they welcomed? That's what we'll show you in a moment.

When you should use a resume objective

Resume objectives aren't quite the norm these days, so they should be only used when you need to clarify why you're applying for that particular role or company. Here are three situations where using an objective statement is a good idea:

• If you're doing a career pivot: A resume objective can guide recruiters on your career goals and prevent you from being disqualified when transitioning to a new field.
• If you're changing locations: Applying for jobs outside your current state or city can leave recruiters uncertain about your location; a resume objective can clearly express your willingness to relocate.
• If you're a recent graduate: Since you likely have little to no work experience to show, a resume objective can give a glimpse into who you are and what you aim to achieve.
• If you've worked in a variety of roles: When your work history is all over the place, a resume objective statement can be a helpful tool to highlight your most relevant skills, experiences, and what you're looking for in your next role .

Resume objective vs. resume summary

A resume objective outlines your career goals and what you aim to achieve in a position, while a resume summary focuses on skills, accomplishments, education, and relevant experiences for the role.

“Think of the resume objective as your career aspiration and the summary as your professional snapshot,” says Angela Tait, People Operations Specialist and Founder of Tait Consulting . “The objective sets your sights forward, while the summary looks at your past and present achievements.”

How to write a resume objective

If you decide to write a resume objective, it'll be the first thing recruiters see on your resume, right after your name and contact information. This means their first impression will be based on how well-written your objective statement is. Here are key tips to do it right:

1. Mention your area of expertise

“Start by mentioning your area of expertise and the role you are applying for,” Tait says. This way, you let the employer know right away about your background and what you want to achieve professionally.

2. Show how you can add value to the company

Your objective statement—and your whole resume, actually—should be tailored to each job opening. “Personalize your resume objective by stating how you can add value to the company you're applying to,” Tait says. “For instance, ‘ Seeking to leverage my expertise in digital marketing to drive brand growth and engagement at XYZ Corp.’”

3. Highlight skills relevant to the role

Once again, to write an effective resume objective, keep in mind the role you're going for. “Focus on how your skills and interests align with that specific job opportunity,” says Conor Hughes, certified in Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and HR Consultant at SMB Guide .

For example, for a software developer, skills in programming with languages like Java, C++, and Python are pretty important. Meanwhile, a graphic designer should highlight technical skills in creating and editing visual projects using tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma.

4. Optimize your statement for ATS machines

These days, most resumes get scanned by an ATS robot before reaching human recruiters. So, it's crucial to optimize your objective statement for these ATS machines. How? “Use keywords from the job description to show you have the relevant abilities they're looking for,” Hughes says.

If a job posting specifies “experience in copywriting” and “SEO optimization” as requirements, you should incorporate these exact keywords in your objective statement—and wherever else they fit on your resume. Using just “SEO” or only “copywriting” might not be enough; precision is key.

Need some help? Here's how to read the job description the right way —so you can stop sending resumes into the void.

5. Make it as concise as possible

Recruiters go through resumes really fast—that's one of the reasons two-page resumes aren't usually recommended. When writing your resume objective, keep it concise. “To one or two sentences max,” Hughes says. Remember, the goal is to give enough information about why you're applying for that role, not to share your whole life history.

32 resume objective examples to guide you

Now that we've covered the basics, here are 32 good examples of objectives for resumes categorized by job title and different professional situations, like career pivoting and entry-level positions. Use these examples as a guide, and don't forget to inject your own personality and core information.

General resume objectives examples

1. career change.

Copywriter with five years of experience, now transitioning into the UX Writing field, looking to leverage my writing and content creation skills to create digital experiences that drive business growth. Strong background in content strategy and data-driven decision making.

Find UX writer jobs on The Muse »

2. Relocation

Experienced customer service representative relocating to New York in July, seeking employment with an established customer support agency. I bring my strong communication skills , conflict resolution and customer retention ability developed in seven years working in the industry.

Find customer service jobs on The Muse »

3. Entry-level

Creative marketing graduate seeking a social media assistant entry-level position at a fast-growing marketing agency. My goal is to apply my strong storytelling and creative writing skills to create impactful content for clients and foster professional development.

Find marketing jobs on The Muse »

Compassionate and enthusiastic elementary school teacher with four years of experience teaching young students. Seeking to leverage my creative ideas, multitasking and organizational skills to create a safe and stimulating environment where children can play and learn.

Find teacher jobs on The Muse »

Registered nurse with three years of experience in patient care , currently specializing in pediatric nursing. Seeking to join the Grey Hospital nursing team and bring my knowledge of patient care and my critical thinking skills to foster a safe and empathic environment for patients.

Find registered nurse jobs on The Muse »

6. Journalist

Seasoned journalist seeking a News Reporter position at the USPN channel. I bring my five years of experience working on live television, interviewing sources, gathering and reporting information in fast-paced environments.

Find journalist jobs on The Muse »

Seeking a litigation paralegal position at The Law Group. I bring my three years of experience in conducting legal research, processing legal documents, and witness preparation for deposition and trial.

Find lawyer jobs on The Muse »

8. Architect

Experienced architect relocating to Houston, Texas in August. In my 10 years of experience in the architecture industry I was able to work both in industrial and residential projects, holding high proficiency in AutoCAD and Photoshop.

Find architect jobs on The Muse »

9. Real estate specialist

Passionate and proactive real estate specialist with solid experience in lease negotiation and facility management. Looking for a similar role to manage a real estate portfolio, implementing strategies to improve profitability and cost effectiveness.

Find real estate jobs on The Muse »

10. Waiter/Waitress

Seeking a waitress position at a local, family-led restaurant where my two years of experience in customer service and hospitality industry would contribute to create an exceptional experience to customers, guests, and clients.

Find waiter/waitress jobs on The Muse »

Resume objective examples for tech professionals

11. software engineer.

Software engineer with 5 years of experience in the banking industry, pivoting to the customer service industry to foster professional growth. Deep knowledge of object oriented programming, experienced with Java, C++, C#, Ruby, Python, and relational database schema design.

Find software engineer jobs on The Muse »

12. Software developer

Computer science graduate seeking an entry-level position as software developer. I bring my experience with Git, Java, and Python, as well as strong documentation abilities and communication skills .

Find software developer jobs on The Muse »

13. Data scientist

Experienced data scientist, seeking a senior position in the e-commerce industry. My goal is to leverage my ability to write complex and efficient SQL queries to extract data and translate business needs into analytical frameworks.

Find data scientist jobs on The Muse »

14. SEO analyst

SEO analyst, passionate about SEO and digital audience growth. 7 years of experience with site migrations, SEO analytics tools (Google Search Console, Chartbeat, Google Analytics, and SEMRush), reporting and sharing data insights, and making data-driven decisions.

Find SEO analyst jobs on The Muse »

15. UI/UX Designer

Mid level UI/UX Designer, seeking employment in a fast-growing tech startup. Solid experience with user-centered design principles, knowledge of responsive design, strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Find UI/UX Designer jobs on The Muse »

Examples of resume objectives for creative jobs

16. content writer.

Results-driven content writer with two years of experience writing for blogs and websites. Skilled in SEO, creative copywriting, and storytelling, looking forward to applying my skills and creative ideas to help XYZ build an engaged audience.

Find content writer jobs on The Muse »

17. Graphic designer

Creative graphic designer seeking an entry level-position in the education industry. Proficient with InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, and After Effects, quick learner with strong time management skills.

Find graphic designer jobs on The Muse »

18. Video editor

Outcome-oriented video editor, proficient with Final Cut, After Effects, Adobe Premiere, and Photoshop. Seeking employment in the entertainment industry where I intend to apply my extensive experience in storytelling and project management to create engaging stories.

Find video editor jobs on The Muse »

19. Social media manager

Experienced social media professional, seeking a manager position at a high-growth company. I bring my in-depth knowledge of social media strategy and five years of agency experience creating content that is engaging and exciting to the community.

Find social media manager jobs on The Muse »

Resume objective examples for administrative roles

20. front desk.

Highly energetic tourism and hospitality graduate, looking for a front desk clerk position. 1.5 years of experience in customer service. Strong time management and organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to learn quick and adapt in fast paced environments.

Find front desk jobs on The Muse »

21. Receptionist

Looking for a receptionist position in the real estate industry. Three years experience in customer-facing roles, communication and leadership skills, ability to work with tight deadlines focusing on all aspects of a task or project.

Find receptionist jobs on The Muse »

22. Administrative assistant

Seeking an administrative assistant role in the healthcare industry. I bring five years of experience in customer service, advanced Excel skills, and ability to multitask to perform my duties in a timely and efficient manner.

Find administrative assistant jobs on The Muse »

23. Human resources

Human resources graduate, looking for an entry level human resources generalist position with ABC company to apply my strong verbal and written communication skills , analytical abilities, and proficiency in Microsoft applications to provide hands-on assistance to the HR team.

Find human resources jobs on The Muse »

24. Logistics

Logistics supervisor seeking a manager position at AABB company. I bring my extensive experience in global logistics operations and project management to enhance supply chain and logistics efficiency and achieve cost-effectiveness.

Find logistics jobs on The Muse »

25. Executive assistant

Seeking an executive assistant role at XYZ company. I'm an experienced professional with strong interpersonal skills, ability to multitask, and attention to detail to provide timely and high quality administrative office support to senior level leaders.

Find executive assistant jobs on The Muse »

26. Office manager

Experienced administrative assistant seeking an office manager position in a fast-paced work environment to apply my written communication skills, time management, prioritization, and planning abilities and provide exceptional service and foster professional growth.

Find office manager jobs on The Muse »

Resume objective examples for sales jobs

27. sales assistant.

Problem solver and team player sales professional, seeking a sales assistant position in a challenging work environment. I bring my experience supporting high acquisition organizations, willingness to learn, and winning team spirit to support sales teams.

Find sales assistant jobs on The Muse »

28. Sales manager

Dynamic sales manager seeking employment in the pharmaceutical industry to develop strategic sales plans and achieve revenue and market share objectives. Two years of experience in pharmaceutical sales plus three years of experience in general sales, excellent communication and leadership skills.

Find sales manager jobs on The Muse »

29. Cashier

Recent high school graduate looking for a cashier position at a company with a culture of recognition and excellence. One year of experience in retail sales, strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills to represent the company in a professional manner.

Find cashier jobs on The Muse »

Examples of resume objectives for finance careers

30. banking.

Seasoned relationship banker looking to secure an investment banking analyst position at Bank of America. 15 years of experience in the banking industry, advanced knowledge of banking transactions, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to develop and expand relationships with stakeholders.

Find banking jobs on The Muse »

31. Accounting

B.S. graduate in accounting seeking an entry-level accounting associate position to use my growth mindset, desire to learn, and organizational skills to ensure financial goals are achieved and foster professional development.

Find accounting jobs on The Muse »

32. Financial analyst

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) looking to secure a senior position in a competitive and results-driven work environment. 10 years of experience in financial analysis in banking and technology industries, advanced Excel and SQL skills, and ability to articulate analysis outcomes and relevant insights.

Find financial analyst jobs on The Muse »

Key takeaways

Resume objectives aren't the favorite of most recruiters, but they still serve a purpose. If you're career pivoting, relocating, applying for your first job, or have a diverse professional background, an objective statement can help the hiring manager understand your career goals and how they align with the job opportunity.

However, in other circumstances, using a resume summary might be more appropriate. (Here are 20 resume summary examples to make writing your own easier .)

Top 10 High School Graduate Resume Objective Examples You Can Use

If you are a high school graduate searching for job, you will be able to increase your chances of getting one if the objective statement of your resume or CV is compelling enough to get the recruiter to read your resume.

When you are able to get an employer to read your resume, then you are sure that they would get what you are offering; and if your offering is good enough you will get a favorable response from the employer.

To stand a good chance of your high school graduate resume succeeding in getting you an interview, It is important that you work on the objective statement since it is the first thing the recruiter sees.

This post will help you to learn how to create an effective resume objective when you need to make a resume for a high school graduate position.

To make a great resume that gets you an interview with an employer/recruiter, it is important to learn about various resume statistics before writing your resume. According to novoresume, these resume statistics will give you helpful insight into the prevailing HR trends, guide you in making the right decision about your job hunting, and in creating an effective resume.

The Secret of Making a Compelling Objective for a High School Graduate Resume

If you want your objective statement to quickly catch the attention of the employer, you must make sure it contains what the hirer wants to see.

And what does the employer want to see?

Employers usually have a list of requirements they would want applicants for the job they are advertising, including jobs for high school graduates, to have before they are considered for an interview.

This list of requirements is commonly published with the job description that informs applicants on what the role is about.

Therefore, to make a career objective statement that immediately makes a great impression on the prospective employer when they start reading your resume, you will need to study the list of requirements for the position; to first be sure that you meet the requirements.

If you do have what is required for the job, you can then craft your objective to communicate the fact that you have what is needed to succeed on the job.

You can do this by highlighting a few of the most important parts of the requirements in your objective. This will significantly improve the impact it will have on the employer.

Now, let’s see some examples of high school graduate resume objective statements that you can study or copy in writing your own:

10 Sample Objective Statements for a High School Graduate Resume

1. A hard-working high school graduate seeks the job of Maintenance Assistance at Burger King. Bringing strong physical fitness to remain standing for long hours at a time, carry and lift up to 45 pounds of items, and to bend, stoop, kneel and reach frequently; strong ability to apply basic tools and read and communicate effectively in carrying out the function of keeping both the inside and outside of the store clean.

2. A talented high school graduate with exceptional ability to crawl into tight confined spaces through 11” X 15” openings, climb several stories of stairs and vertical ladders, and to perform stretching, twisting motions, and bending desires to work as a Loss Control Inspector at XYZ Insurance Company, to help in carrying out risk assessment and regulatory inspections on equipment that have been insured.

3. A self-motivated high school graduate with five months experience in data entry seeks the job of Data Entry Clerk at XYZ Inc. Coming with experience working with PC and common software, including MS Word, Outlook, and Excel; exceptional attention to detail and ability to key data into various warehouses, to ensure complete, accurate, and accomplished entries in a timely manner.

4. A high school graduate and Certified Nursing Assistant with previous experience working as a nursing assistant seeks to be hired as a Patient Care Technician at XYZ Medical Center to contribute in providing top quality direct patient care. Possess strong positive attitude towards people and ability to apply basic math skills in reading, writing and recording data; profound ability to prioritize tasks and strong attention to detail.

5. A gifted high school graduate with previous working experience with children in a psychiatric-mental health setting seeks to join the team at XYZ Health Center where strong communication skills and ability to successfully complete crisis intervention and CPR trainings within 3 months of employment with be maximally utilized in assisting nurses to effectively monitor and observe both physical condition and behavior of patients.

6. A detail-oriented and organized high school graduate looking for the job of Shipping Clerk Team Lead at XYZ Inc. Bringing strong PC skills, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, as well as handle multiple tasks effectively simultaneously to providing quality assistance in coordinating workflow, equipment, and resources to enhance order fulfilment functions.

7. Desires the role of Phlebotomist at XYZ Healthcare Center to provide outstanding service to both inpatients and outpatients: drawing arterial, micro, and venous blood specimens and transporting test requests and specimens to the laboratory and retrieving completed test results to patient locations. Bringing exceptional skills in performing arterial punctures and venipuncture, ability to carry out basic arithmetic calculations and to read and follow written instructions.

8. A talented high school graduate with good computer experience seeks to work as Admitting Clerk-Rehab at XYZ Medical Center; to apply strong customer service skills and ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of personalities in providing top notch guest and public relations service, and in scheduling patients to the rehab location.

9. A self-motivated high school graduate with two years customer service and healthcare experience desires the job of Info Desk-Customer Relations at XYZ Inc. Coming with strong knowledge of computers, ability to work effectively independently and with other personnel; and exceptional memorization skills, to proving outstanding assistance to both internal and external customers.

10. A high school graduate with two years kitchen experience desires to work as BOH Supervisor at XYZ Catering Services to provide knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly service that surpasses customers’ expectation. Possess strong ability to work under minimal supervision, communicate satisfactorily in verbal and written forms, perform basic mathematical calculations, and maintain total knowledge of all prices, special items, quality standards, and menus.

You can improve your chances of getting your desired job as a high school graduate by starting your resume or CV with a well crafted and compelling objective statement.

You can learn to write such resume objectives by studying the examples provided in this post. You are also free to use any of the given samples in your resume (with necessary modification) that very well describe your skills, abilities, knowledge, and/or experience.

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