High School CV—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

You read Catch-22 in English class last year—now you’re living it.

Why?

You’re writing a high school CV to land your first job or internship—but don’t have any experience to show.

The main point:

Your high school CV should wow recruiters and prove you’ll succeed at the job—even without any work experience.

Whether you’re a high school student or a high school graduate, you’re about to learn how to make a high school CV so good they’ll think you’re the valedictorian.

In this guide:

• A high school CV sample to land your first job.
• How to use a high school CV template to perfect yours.
• How to write a high school CV that gets interviews.
• What skills you need to list.

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Looking for other student CVs? See our guides:

• University Application CV

• University Student CV

• Entry-Level Positions CV

• High School Graduate CV

• Internship CV

• Scholarship CV

• Student CV

• Teen CV

• No Experience CV
• High School CV
• University Graduate CV
• Graduate School CV

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our CV Examples.

High School CV Template You Can Copy and Use

Let’s get started on a high school student CV that’ll help you escape from your catch-22:

1. Choose the Best Format for a High School Student CV

Think of writing your CV like a take-home test:

The standards for getting an A are higher—

You need to do your research, use powerful language, and customise your CV for the job you want to land.

It won’t be easy—you only have 7 seconds to not flunk off the bat.

That’s how long it takes recruiters to scan your CV and decide whether they should invest more time on your application.

To pass the eye test, make sure your CV isn’t cluttered.

Here’s how to make your CV format crystal clear.

High School CV Format

• Pick a visually appealing CV template or a free Google Docs CV template. 
• Go with the standard reverse-chronological format. It’s the standard format all recruiters favour.
• This CV format highlights your experience or key achievements by listing your latest position at the top and the others below.
• Choose CV fonts like Cambria or Times New Roman in 10-12 pt. You want to come across as professional and show you’ve done this before.
• Embrace white space by using 1-inch margins.
• Don’t overwhelm the recruiter with information not targeted to the position you’re applying for. Do so by limiting your CV lengthto one page.
• Separate your CV sections. Go with: Header, Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, and “Additional.”

Expert Hint:Don’t save your CV as a Word doc. Convert it to PDF to ensure your layout works on all software and devices.

2. How To List Contact Information on Your High School CV

You’ve passed the eye test. Now the easy part—listing your contact information.

It should be simple, right?

Wrong. It’s easy to screw up.

But—we have your back. Just follow these tips:

Name (& Subtitle, Optionally)

Start with your first name followed by your last time. To add a little depth, think about putting a subtitle below your name to brand yourself, such as “Highly-Motivated High School Senior”.

Mailing Address

As a high school student or recent grad, you’re likely to stay local. The plus side—companies want local hires for tax purposes and commute times. Look at the job offer and see if it’s best to add. If you go door-to-door handing in your CV, make sure to add your address.

Email address

We don’t live in the Stone Age. Everyone uses email, so this is crucial to add in your CV. But it’s important to come off professionally by using a Gmail account (jill.kikorskio@gmail.com) as opposed to one you made in middle school (angelvixon247@hotmail.com).

Phone number

List your personal mobile phone number. It’s best not to add other numbers on your CV template for high school students. Who has a house phone these days anyway?

LinkedIn URL

You’re just a high school student, so using a premier professional networking platform wasn’t on the table for you. Well, now is the time to impress by creating one—you’ll need it sooner or later so why not start early? Here’s how: Use LinkedIn Like a Pro: Hot Tips for Students and Recent Grads

Social Media

Most teenagers live on social media. But adding your social media addresses to your CV can only hurt your chances if they are filled with your spring break photos or memes. So add Behance if you’re a creative and forget about FB, Insta or Twitter. Plus, remember to check your online presence for any disturbing content. Employers might google you.

Blog or Website

Maybe you have a blog, website, or online portfolio? Great, add the URL to show off your hard work. But make sure it’s hyperlinked on your PDF version so the employer is just one click away. 

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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3. Write a Catching High School CV Objective

The basics are done. Now’s the time to hook the recruiters.

What’s the best way to make your CV stand out?

A pitch-perfect high school CV objective.

It’s a short paragraph at the top of your CV that explains what skills will make you a good fit and what you’re hoping to achieve for the company.

Use:

1. Anadjective (compassionate, enthusiastic, determined)
2. Title (Student)
3. Highlight your accomplishments as a student
4. What you hope to achieve for the company

Take a look at which high school CV objectives work and which ones do not:

High School Student CV Objective—Example

See the difference?

Use the bad example and you’ll be expelled from the applicant pool.

The good example gets to the point—it details the hard work you put in as a student and shows you are knowledgeable in the industry you are applying. Plus, it makes an offer to help achieve the company’s goals.

The bad example reads generic and provides no value to the recruiter. It doesn’t even use the name of the target organisation—you get the feeling the CV is being spammed around to all companies within a 30-mile radius.

Expert Hint: Finish other CV sections before you write the objective. It’ll feel like you’re reading a SparkNotes version of Crime and Punishment.

4. Turn Blah Education to a Reason to Hire You

You’ve been in the halls of a school your entire life.

It’s where you’ve achieved some of your greatest accomplishments, whether it’s acing your AP or Honours courses, heading the debate club, or earning a high GPA.

The education section on your high school CV is where you can show this off.

Start by listing your school name and expected graduation date.

But then:

Highlight your biggest achievements as a high school student.

List any AP or Honours courses you attended under relevant coursework—extra brownie points if it connects with the position you’re applying to.

Put your GPA (if it’s higher than 3.5) on your CV since this is the first job you’re applying for or if you’ve recently graduated.

And don’t forget about your memberships, especially if they were academic-centred.

Take a look at how this candidate made her education section on her high school CV shine with her biggest achievements—and one that is just blah:

High School CV Example—Education

You get the difference. 

The bad example just lists a high school and graduation date. Not a slacker, but nothing to be proud of.

The good example shows the high school student excelled during her time in high school. 

It signals to the recruiter that you didn’t just get by in high school but you achieved and grew—two values much appreciated in the workplace.

Expert Hint: Ifyou don’t have much job experience for your high school CV, make your education section longer. Don’t forget to show your clubs, affiliations, and memberships. Treat it like your glossary yearbook page.

5. How To Describe Any High School Working Experience

Here’s the core issue—

You don’t have any job experience but it’s needed for a position you’re applying to.

You’re doomed, right?

Not so fast. 

Think about any seasonal or temporary work experience you might have. It could be part-time, volunteering, or freelancing gigs. 

If you do have relevant working experience, here’s the best formula to use.

How to write a job description for a high school student:

1. Don’t skim the job ad—read it thoroughly.
2. Highlight the skills you gained from previous working experiences.
3. Think of how you can wow employers with those skills.

Check these high school CV job descriptions out:

High School Student Job Description for CV [Sample]

You see who gets an A+ here.

But—what if you don’t have any work experience to show? You spent the majority of your time excelling as a student and didn’t have the ability to do any freelance, part-time, or full-time season gigs.

Don’t worry.

You’re not expected to have relevant working experience if you’re applying for your first job out of high school.

Just skip this section and highlight your skills more in the next section of your high school CV.

More on that in the next chapter.

6. How To Put Skills on a High Schooler CV

Without the work experience, you’ll need to show you have the relevant skills to be a top-notch employee.

And you know you have the talent.

But—

The hundreds of other high school students out there have talent as well. What’s worse, you don’t know which CV skills to put.

Well, we’ve got you covered.

Start by making a master list of basic skills you have. Here are a few to consider putting on your high school CV:

High School Student Skills for a CV

• Writing Skills
• Technical Skills
• Marketing Skills
• Management Skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Project Management Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Active Listening Skills
• Computer Skills
• Effective Communication Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Creative Thinking Skills
• Leadership Skills

Fair warning, though:

Don’t overload your high school CV with a massive skill list. You need to cater your skills to the position you’re applying to.

The job ad is the master cheat sheet for you to use. Read the responsibilities and duties section and try to find the most relevant job skills needed for that position.

Then, see which of your skills match the job ad. Choose 4-5 skills and highlight them in your skills section.

Check out a good and bad example below:

Example of a High School Student CV Skills

Don’t forget—your high school student CV should be packed with useful keywords. It’s one way your CV will pass the ATS CV-scanning test.

Wait—what’s this ATS I’m referring to? 

It’s a software tracking system that recruiters use to weed out applicants whose CVs don’t match for the position they are applying to. If you don’t have the right keywords for the position, then you’ll likely to land in the reject pile automatically.

Use the skills section as a way to bypass the ATS software. It’s a great place to match these CV keywords. But don’t forget to do the same in other sections as well.

Follow these simple steps to ensure you’re using the proper CV keywords:

Find CV keywords from the job listing and sprinkle them in your skills section. If you’re applying for a receptionist position, then use CV keywords like: MS Office, typing speed, and multi-tasking.

Use 25-30 CV keywords. Don’t overload your CV with them.

Expert Hint: Make the skills section read like it’s a one-page summary of a Tolstoy novel. No need to add all the fluff— list only those skills which are relevant to the job ad.

7. Load Your High School Student CV With Other Sections

Here’s the golden secret:

Every high school student has the same CV sections above.

Want to stand out?

Add one or two bonus sections to get recruiters to notice you:

Certifications

If you don’t have the life or work experience, then official certificates are one way to boost yours. Only choose relevant ones, such as a Microsoft Office certificate.

Awards

Were you a student of the month? Voted best friendly high school student? Awards show your achievements as a high schooler in a valuable way. It highlights how you were above other high school students. Show it here to wow job recruiters.

Volunteer Experience

Many high schools require their students to volunteer over the summer. Did you spend your summers taking care of senior citizens? Well, list it here! It counts as job experience

Language Skills

You’ve spent several years taking German, Spanish, or French, right? Why not list in your language skills section? Your second language could be what gets you a foot in the door for your first position.

Extracurricular Activities

The more you can show off your experience during high school, the better. And this is the place to do it. List the clubs you participated in, such as student government, the student newspaper, or any other academic clubs to boost your profile above other candidates.

Look at this great example of extra sections for a high schooler:

High School Student CV Template—Extra Sections

You see how the first high school CV samples show key skills.

Expert Hint: Don’t forget a high school student cover letter. Most jobs require a cover letter—and it’s where you can give more details about your passions and interests (here you can find a comprehensive list of interests).

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

You want a high school CV to land in the interview pile. Here’s what you do:

• Go with the high school CV template from the beginning. It’s got everything you need.
• Showcase your achievements with a captivating objective. Highlight these throughout all other CV sections.
• Detail your educational background. Don’t forget to add relevant awards and classes you took, along with the school name, city, state, and when you’ll graduate.
• Highlight your skills. Refer to the job ad and add relevant hard and soft abilities.
• Write a high school cover letter. Let your passion and interests shine in this cover letter for your first job or internship.

Got questions on how to write a great high school student CV with no experience? Not sure how to put high school on a CV? Need to learn more about writing CVs? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

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