Students & Career Changers · Entry-Level (0–2 yrs)

First Job / High School Graduate Resume

This sample shows how a recent high school graduate can use part-time work, school activities, and community involvement to make a first resume concrete. Put customer-facing skills, reliability backed by examples, and any relevant training where employers can spot them quickly.

Resume check

What recruiters and tracking systems look for. A guide, not a prediction.

100 / 100Complete

100%
  • Contact20 / 20
  • Summary20 / 20
  • Experience30 / 30
  • Skills20 / 20
  • Education10 / 10

Contact details

Put these at the top; recruiters and tracking systems look for them first.

Optional. In the US, UK and Canada resumes usually have no photo.

43 words

One job per paragraph; start each achievement on a new line with “-”.

10 skills

Separate skills with commas, for example: Excel, SQL, project planning.

More sections

Projects, certifications, languages or anything else that supports your application.

Training
School & Community

Alex Morgan

First-Time Job Seeker

  • alex.morgan@example.com
  • +1 555 0100
  • Denver, CO

Summary

Recent high school graduate with two years of part-time experience in grocery retail and recreation. Comfortable serving customers, processing cash and card payments, and keeping shared spaces organized; completed American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED training and speaks English and Spanish.

Experience

Store Associate at Cedar Mile Market, Denver, CO (2025 – Present) - Processed cash and card payments for 35–50 transactions per shift using a POS register, then balanced the drawer at close for an accurate shift handoff. - Restocked 4–6 aisles each shift by checking shelf labels and backroom inventory, helping keep high-demand items available during evening hours. - Answered product and checkout questions in English and Spanish, resolving routine issues or referring requests to a supervisor. Recreation Aide at Summit Fieldhouse, Denver, CO (2024 – 2025) - Prepared courts and common areas for 3–5 daily programs using opening and safety checklists, so scheduled groups could start with spaces ready. - Logged equipment loans and returned items to labeled storage after each shift, helping staff locate supplies for the next day's activities.

Education

High School Diploma — Juniper Trail High School, Denver, CO (2025)

Skills

  • Customer service
  • POS systems
  • cash handling
  • stock replenishment
  • inventory counts
  • English-Spanish communication
  • facility setup
  • safety checks
  • Microsoft Excel
  • First Aid/CPR/AED

Training

• Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED, American Red Cross • Training completed: 2025

School & Community

• Honor roll, Juniper Trail High School (2024–2025) • Volunteer, Juniper Table Pantry: sorted donations and prepared grocery bags for distribution • Student council event volunteer: set up tables, checked in guests, and returned supplies

How to write a First-Time Job Seeker resume

Lead with education and availability

For a recent graduate with little paid experience, put the high school diploma near the top, followed by relevant skills and experience. Include your expected work schedule or summer availability only when it helps answer a requirement in the posting. Skip an objective statement; use a short summary to name the kind of work you can do, such as customer service, stocking, or food preparation.

Show what a shift involved

Replace vague claims like “hard worker” with the tasks an entry-level employer needs covered: transactions per shift, aisles stocked, guests checked in, or rooms prepared. Use numbers you can explain, and keep them modest. If you do not know an exact count, give a reasonable range or describe the routine and tools you used, such as a register, checklist, or inventory sheet.

Include only earned credentials

List a current First Aid or CPR/AED course by its exact name and issuing organization, and renew it when it expires. Food handler requirements vary by state and employer, so list a card only if you have completed the required training. Put certifications in their own short section; do not present school honor roll or informal online lessons as professional licenses.

Use school and volunteer evidence

If paid experience is limited, include school activities and volunteer work that show relevant tasks: event setup, donation sorting, guest check-in, or record keeping. Give each entry a role, organization, dates if known, and one concrete contribution. Leave out unrelated clubs, personal details such as age or a photo, and references unless the employer requests them.

Common keywords

Skills and tools often listed for this role. Use only the ones you have, in the job advert's wording. Click one to copy it.

Action verbs

AssistedProcessedRestockedCountedOrganizedResolvedMaintained

Questions about this role

How long should a first job resume be?

For a high school graduate with limited experience, one page is usually enough. Use a clear order: summary or skills, education, paid or volunteer experience, and relevant training. Include a second page only if you have substantial relevant experience, projects, or credentials that add useful evidence for the job.

What should I put on a resume with no work experience?

Start with your education and relevant skills, then add school projects, clubs, sports responsibilities, volunteer roles, or family work if you can describe specific duties and results. Use the experience section for unpaid roles too, labeled accurately. Do not invent a job title or claim paid employment you did not have.

Should I include my high school GPA or honor roll?

Include GPA when it is strong and relevant to the employer's stated criteria; there is no universal cutoff. Honor roll can be a brief education detail, especially for a first resume, but it can move off as paid experience grows. Do not include test scores or coursework that does not support the role.

Do I need a food handler card or CPR certification?

It depends on the work and location. Food service employers and local or state rules may require food safety training, and some recreation or childcare employers may prefer or require CPR/AED training. Check the job posting and applicable local requirements, then list a credential only after earning it with its correct name and issuer.