High school and college students often need work. They might want part-time jobs because they need some extra spending money. High school students may need that money if they’re buying a vehicle or need gas money. College students might need rent or food money if they don’t have a stipend or some other cash source.
You must level up your student resume however you can if you’re doing some job hunting. You have different options, but you must present yourself as a suitable candidate, and that often means getting creative.
High school and college student resumes will likely differ in certain ways. We’ll talk about some of those right now.
College Student Resumes Often Have More Actual Work Experience
Many times, high school students hunting jobs won’t have any practical work experience. If you’re in this situation, you must add other resume features that demonstrate your responsibility and ambition. You might mention you did some volunteer work. You can also talk about the school clubs you joined or sports you played.
These demonstrate that you have outside interests and you work well with others. They’re soft skills hiring managers and company owners might like.
If you’re in college, maybe you’ve had one or two paying jobs already. If so, you can put those down and talk about your responsibilities. You should also include any former boss’s contact information, assuming you left these jobs on good terms. A little practical work experience looks great on any resume.
College Student Resumes Can Mention a Study Area
As a high school student, you might mention what you’ve learned in your classes if you feel it can help you in the job you’re targeting. Usually, though, there’s little you can say about these things, other than you’re taking the standard high school curriculum and you’ll graduate soon. You might mention if you get good grades, since that shows you’re bright and a dedicated student.
As a college student, though, you can mention your major or study area. For instance, maybe you’re studying finance and targeting bank jobs. Since there’s a natural relationship there, you should mention your classes and what you’ve learned. Classes or skills that might help you in the job to which you’re applying will always look good on a resume.
College Student Resumes Can Include a Presumptive Graduation Date
As a college student, you can also mention when you’ll graduate. For instance, maybe you’re a senior, and you’ll graduate in a few months. A prospective employer wants that information because it indicates when you can stop doing part-time status and start working full-time instead.
High school students can also mention a graduation date, but it likely won’t matter as much if you’re attending college. If you don’t have immediate higher education plans, though, mentioning a high school graduation date might make more sense.
Employers will notice these differences, but they will likely hire either high school or college students who impress them.