How To Write a Student Resume
Writing a resume as a student can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out and your experience is limited. But the truth is, employers don’t expect you to have decades of work behind you. What they do want to see is potential, a willingness to learn, and proof that you’re organized and capable. Your resume is your chance to show that.
With the tips and examples below, you can write a student resume that helps generate interviews for your target job.
Introduce Your Skills and Strengths
Begin your resume with a short summary paragraph of what you offer. Use this section to cite your top qualifications, whether those come from your schoolwork or another area of your experiences so far.
Under the summary, add a section for your job-related skills. Mention pertinent tools or programs you know how to use, such as Microsoft Excel, Canva, or Google Drive. Soft skills like collaboration or time management can also go here, but make sure to show how you’ve used them in other parts of your resume.
Detail Your Education and Relevant Experiences
When listing your education, include your degree program, your school, the location, and your expected graduation date. Include your GPA if it’s 3.5 or higher. You can also list courses or academic projects if they pertain to the job.
Next, add any relevant work experience, even if it was part-time. Focus on what you did and the results you helped generate. Use bullet points with action verbs like “assisted,” “organized,” or “delivered.” For example: “Assisted over 30 customers daily with purchases, returns, and product questions at campus bookstore”
As a student, you may have equally important volunteer or extracurricular activities. Present them in the same structure and with the same level of detail as your work experience. You can leverage a role like club president or team captain to show leadership, responsibility, and dedication to issues that overlap with the job opening.
Edit Ruthlessly
Only include details that relate to the opportunity you’re applying for. A short, clear resume impresses more than a long, wordy resume with details outside the scope of an employer’s hiring needs.
Use a Simple, Clean Layout
When you’re done writing the text of your resume, it’s time to choose a template. Avoid ones with fancy fonts or elaborate visuals. Stick to a format that’s easy for you to edit, and easy for hiring managers to scan. Keep your sections organized, and use consistent formatting throughout. This helps hiring managers quickly find the information they need to call you for an interview.
Student Resume Examples
- College student with no work experience
- High school student
- College freshman
- High school
Emily Parker
Chicago, IL | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
High school student with consistent academic success and focus on collaboration. Proven record of coordinating with the school librarian as a volunteer to support students and daily library operations.
Key Skills
- Independent research
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Task prioritization
- Team collaboration
Relevant Experience
Library Assistant (Volunteer), Lincoln High School Library, Chicago, IL | September 2024 – present
- Helped librarian organize and catalog over 1,000 books, improving accessibility for students
- Aided students in finding resources, logging into library computers, and registering books during the check-out and return process
Education
Candidate: Diploma, Lincoln High School, Chicago, IL | Expected Graduation: June 2026
3.9 GPA | Relevant Coursework: English, Algebra II, Biology, History
Resume.org offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.