Student Resume Guide(2024) | Easy to Apply Templates

By doing so, you can take a step closer to your dream job by starting to gain valuable work experience as early as now. Even as a high school student or college student, you can begin honing your skills so you can prepare to become a future successful career man or woman.

It doesn’t matter what type of job you are applying for. Create an impressive resume, attach a well-crafted cover letter, and soon enough, you’ll be getting calls for an interview.

Especially if you are looking for a part-time job, there are certainly plenty of opportunities for students. You can begin learning new skills and applying relevant skills you’ve already learned in school.

There are many great part-time jobs available for college students. Some of the most popular positions include tutors, writers, telemarketers, social media assistants, nursing assistants, fitness trainers, bookkeepers, bank tellers, baristas, restaurant servers, and so much more.

You may search for jobs while considering relevant coursework. This means you can start gaining experience and earning even while you’re still in school.

How to Make a Student Resume

The college student resume example above is simple and straightforward. A high school student resume is pretty much the same, but without the college information.

Focus on skills you have, not what you don't. First internship? No worries, focus on transferable skills.

Your high school or college resume does not have to look fancy. Employers know you're new! Focus on your eagerness to learn and any relevant skills you have on your student resume.

When you feel that your resume is lacking in so many areas, especially in comparison with the student resume example you see above, you need not worry too much. Impress employers with a strong resume by using trusted resume templates or a resume builder . Ready to land your first job? Let's start with the basics: layout and structure.

The Layout of the Student Resume

The resume format for most college students and high school students who are job seekers is simple and straightforward. Allow us to reiterate that you are not expected to have resumes that are packed with a lot of skills and experience.

You can impress a hiring manager by simply creating a clean and organized high school or college student resume. Do not exaggerate information or your skills. Just be honest with everything you include on your resume.

The Structure of a Student Resume

A typical college or high school resume format depends on your profile, the job ad, or the position you are applying for.

Just make sure it has all the essential information such as your name, a header, student resume objective and/or resume summary, and contact details. Also include an education section with your expected graduation date, achievements, extracurricular activities, and other relevant coursework.

You may also add any work or volunteer experience, hard skills and soft skills, and other information you consider important.

A high school or college student resume is ideally in reverse chronological order. It shows the most recent educational attainment or experiences, if any.

Start with the Header of Student Resumes

Simply explained, the header of a resume is like a business card. It shows your name, your title, and contact information.

If you are a high school student, you can simply use that as your title. The same goes for college students unless you have advanced skills or previous work experience.

The header does not have to be fancy. Avoid adding too much information such as your exact home address, age, gender, height, weight, and other details irrelevant to the job ad. A header typically includes the following:

• Your name
• Contact number
• Professional email address
• General location
• Website or blog, if any

Example of a Header for Student Resume

CORRECT

Frances Cook College Student, Arts

+1-123-123-1234

francescook2002@gmail.com

Daytona Beach, FL

francescook.net

INCORRECT

Frances Cook College Student, Arts

Female, 19 years old

160 cm, 70 kg

+1-123-123-1234

252 W Orange St., Daytona Beach, FL

francescook2002@gmail.com

francescook.net

Twitter and Instagram: @frances.cook.rocks

Is a Photo Required in a Student Resume?

You are not required nor expected to add your picture to a student resume. In fact around 80% of employers would not see it as favourable. If you choose to add your picture, check other student resume examples to see the best type of image to use. It is best to use a professional looking picture with a neutral background.

Choosing Your Student Resume Title

In professional CVs, the resume title usually includes credentials or previous positions held by the applicant that are relevant to the job ad. In student resumes, especially if you are writing a resume for a part-time, your first full time job or internship application and you have no work history yet, you can simply write your completed coursework, what you are studying about, or your course major that’s related to the job description.

Most students would simply say high school student or college student. You can further personalize this by including what you do best. For example, if you feel like you will be doing a good job as a graphic designer, then you can include that in your title. Instead of saying you are just a student, you can write a resume title that says, “College Student, Illustrator”.

You may also write your actual college course such as “College Student, Business Administration”.

If you are a recent graduate, you may also include your most important academic achievements. For example, dean’s list or magna cum laude.

If you are still in school today, aim to become part of the dean’s list. Do some volunteer work. A student’s resume can be impressive enough to catch the attention of a hiring manager when you write a good title that stands out from the rest.

Professional Summary/Profile

The resume summary includes your best achievements, experiences, and skills. This is a short statement, typically 2 to 3 sentences long. Be as straightforward as possible.

Alternatively, career experts recommend writing a student resume objective instead.

A resume objective is best for a high school, college student, or recent graduate who do not have much experience yet. Resume objectives open up the opportunity to impress hiring managers by letting them know your passion and career goals.

Examples of Resume Objective for a Student Resume

CORRECT

Consistent college dean’s lister currently pursuing an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies. Well-versed in a range of writing styles and excellent command of the English language. Exceptional research and computer skills.

INCORRECT

I am a college student with consistently high grades looking for a vacant position in your company. I type fast and I’m great at research and using the computer.

A good resume objective example may include your goals and possible contributions when you get hired for the position.

Work Experience in a Student Resume

Employment experiences play an important role in resumes. Check out our resume examples to see how work experience is usually listed down. Your experience which allows you to put your skills into practice gives you an edge over other candidates. This can result in more interviews and eventually getting hired.

However, it is understandable that most students do not have professional experience yet. During your job search, you can look for ads that do not require experience. You can also try applying for jobs that require experience if you are confident with your skills.

If you already have internship or part-time job experiences, you may include them in this section. Alternatively, you can highlight your volunteer experience, academic achievements and extracurricular activities.

Examples of Professional Experiences Beginner/Junior Resume for a Student

Have you been volunteering lately? Do you have personal achievements that are relevant to the job post? An entry level job doesn’t necessarily require actual work experience. Highlight what you have done so far instead.

For example, high school students do not have any professional experience to write. Instead, small jobs you’ve done in the past and volunteer work can be added to your resume instead.

Education in the Student Resume

The education section of your resume includes details of your school, college, or university and your field of study. You may also include your GPA or any other relevant achievements.

Should You Start with Education or Work Experience?

Depending on your profile or what you believe is more impressive, you can start with either education or work experience on your resume. For instance, if you do not have plenty of work experience, then it’s best to start with the education section.

How to Properly List Your Education in a Student Resume

An education section typically includes the school, university or college name and location, your degree, and years of study.

Example of Education Section of a Student Resume

Below is an example of you can write your educational background on your resume. Add relevant training and certification, if available.

Skills to Put in a Resume for a Student

Especially if you do not have work history yet, the skills section of your resume gives you an opportunity to impress hiring managers. Both soft and hard skills can be added to this section.

During your job search, keep in mind the job title and description. Make sure you are paying attention to these as some skill requirements are usually indicated there. Make sure those are included in your resume if you have them.

Write skills on your resume as some companies use an applicant tracking system that will allow them to search keywords. Some of those keywords might be the skills they’re looking for. Having those on your resume will make your application easily seen and get on top of the pile.

What are the Main Skills Sought for a Student Resume?

Hard skills are measurable and can be learned through training or experience. Soft skills are what makes you the right applicant for the job. Combine both types of skills in one section or you can list them down in bullet points separately.

• Coding skills
• Photography skills
• Videography skills
• Video editing skills
• Copywriting skills
• Customer service skills
• Research skills
• Graphic design skills

• Attention to detail
• Time management
• Communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Integrity
• Problem solving skills
• Multitasking skills
• Creativity skills

What Skills for a Junior

Here are some skills a junior, current high school or college student can include in their resume.

• Computer skills
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Time management skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Customer service skills

What Skills for a Qualified Senior

For a senior student resume or a college resume, you can be more specific on the skills section.

• Graphic design skills – Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW
• Copywriting and copyediting skills
• Proofreading skills
• Coding skills
• Intermediate web development skills
• App development skills

Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Student Resume

Make your resume standout from a pile of resumes by writing an eye-catching hook. This can come as a testimonial, quotation, or even a personal description.

Example of a Tagline for a Junior Employee

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson

Sample Tagline for a Senior Level

Candidate for magna cum laude for the Paralegal Studies class of 2021.

Additional Headings for Your Student Resume

There’s no other place to start than the beginning. Most people begin their professional careers as a student. While you might not have plenty of experiences or skills right now, you will eventually earn those through time. For now, you have to make sure that your resume stands out.

Additional headings are helpful especially if you still have a lot of empty space on your resume. We aren’t encouraging you to add irrelevant details on your student resume. Rather, include more information that might help you win the job.

Computer Skills and Certifications

A lot of students have computer skills and even some certifications. You may include those on your resume. For example, the knowledge in using Microsoft Office, Google Suite, graphic design applications, and more would look great on your resume.

Interests

Should you still add interests to your resume? This isn’t necessary at all. However, depending on the job you’re applying for, as well as your profile, you can add your interests on your resume. Use your best judgment and be careful when adding this as an additional resume heading. Sometimes, adding interests may even be inconvenient for certain jobs.

Languages

Especially if you are a fresh graduate or still a student who recently studied foreign languages in school, you can take advantage of this section.

Spanish – SIELE

English – IELTS

You may add any certification you received for languages. Alternatively, you can simply add your written and spoken skill level on that specific language.

English – Native, Fluent Speaking and Writing Skills

Spanish – Advanced Speaking and Writing Skills

Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Student Resume

Write a resume that will take you a step closer to your dream job. Here are some of the key points you need to remember.

• Begin with an impressive resume header that will catch the attention of the hiring manager.
• Keep in mind the job description when writing resume objectives or the resume summary.
• Your resume objective is a great opportunity for you to let your future employer know what your goals are and how you plan to achieve them while working for them.
• List past experiences that are relevant to the job in the work experience section, even if they aren’t exactly professional or paid positions.
• Write your school, field of study, years of study, and expected graduation year on the education section of your resume.
• Include both hard skills and soft skills that are relevant to the job.

Write a Cover Letter That Goes with Your Student Resume

Truth be told, many students wouldn’t even bother writing a cover letter. Some would simply submit their resume in person while others would do it online. You should know that cover letters are very important if you want to succeed in your job application. This is another way to make your application stand out.

Your cover letter must be customized and personalized for each job post. By addressing the hiring manager directly and mentioning their company, you are giving them the impression that you are truly interested in the job.

Furthermore, the cover letter is another opportunity for you to introduce yourself and let your future employer know why you are the right person to hire.

FAQs from Students