When entering the workforce for the first time as a teenager, you experience a predicament whereby employers will only hire you if you have work experience but unfortunately can’t get work experience unless someone takes a chance on you. However, curating an effective resume will help make that first job more attainable. The following article highlights tips, tools and templates for resume development that can be used by high school students and those who support them.
Algorithmic Writing Assistance on Jobseekers’ Resumes Increases Hires (MIT Sloan Working Paper)
This research study demonstrates that job seekers whose resumes were enhanced using algorithmic writing assistance saw better outcomes. Key findings:
- Resumes improved with AI guidance resulted in approximately 7.8% more job offers
- These users also earned higher starting wages (~8.4% more)
- Employers perceived the improved writing and clarity as helpful for assessing qualifications rather than a sign of dishonesty.
First-Time Resume Writing (University of Toronto Mississauga)
This guide published by the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus is designed for students who have little to no substantial work experience and have never created a resume before. The guide walks through a sample template that includes components like projects, extracurricular activities, awards, skills and work experience.
High School Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (Cappex)
Written in a way that feels as though you’re talking to a friend, this article walks students through every step of creating a resume. The article includes questions that prompt critical thinking and proposes helpful suggestions and advice for each section it explores.
High School Resume – Examples and 25+ Writing Tips (ResumeLab)
This guide is divided into the different sections that make up a resume, with useful tips to help students showcase their strengths even when they don’t have work experience. The guide uses a friendly, supportive voice and includes good and bad examples of how to execute the advice given.
How to Build a Resume – Indeed
For anyone that prefers a visual video format guide, the link to this indeed article will provide exactly that. It’s a YouTube short presented by a career coach who gives quick tips on building a resume, which is followed by detailed text underneath the video.
How to Use ChatGPT/AI to Build and Improve my Resume
This is a practical guide (updated July 16, in 2025) that explains how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to assist in drafting, refining and tailoring resumes. It includes example prompts such as:
- “Help me write a resume for a high school student
- “How can I make this sound more professional or impressive?”
The resource emphasizes using AI as a helper and not a replacement for creating your own resume. The article highlights the importance of personalizing and fact-checking AI-generated content.
How to write a High School Student Resume – The Balance Careers
This article highlights skills high school students are likely to have as well as the benefits of each skill in its applicability to college admissions and part-time jobs. After students get ideas for relevant skills they can share on their resume, they may find it useful to peruse these tips for writing your first resume.
Resume & Cover Letter – Youth Employment Services (YES) Canada
This resource offers step-by-step guidance on what a resume and cover letter is and, what to include based on skills, experience, age and the specific job you are seeking to get. Beyond resume building tools, this site offers tips on effectively applying for jobs, acing interviews, training and certifications, and more.
Resume Summary Examples for Students (Glassdoor)
This article focuses on a specific part of a resume: the summary. It provides details on how to write a strong summary and what to include in it, as well as examples specific to high school students.
Student editions: How to write an awesome resume (Randstad)
This article suggests that when it comes to entry-level positions, employers are looking for marketable skills rather than a long list of prior work experiences. That’s why this confidence-boosting article focuses on helping students see the value in their existing skills and experiences, providing advice on how to identify their skills and strengths as well as examples to help prompt students to recognize what they have to offer.
Templates
20+ High School Resume Templates (Zety)
This page offers more than 20 downloadable resume templates designed specifically for high school students. To make things easily searchable, Zety provides a name and short description of what each template design has to offer.
High School Resume Templates (Canva)
Known for being a design tool, Canva also offers high school students a plethora of resume templates they can easily customize for free.
High School Student Resume Example (Resume Genius)
This resource offers a downloadable resume sample and a free resume-builder tool that guides students through the process of creating (or uploading) their resume. Once students select one resume template from the multitude available, the tool asks them questions with pictured tiles to help populate their resume in a simple, easy and visually inviting way.
