How High School Students Can Build a Strong Resume

Overview:

This article from CareerWise by CERIC 13 resources to help high school students create a strong resume – CareerWise explores how high school students can effectively create a strong resume that reflects their unique skills, volunteer experiences, extracurricular involvement, and personal interests. It emphasizes the importance of identifying transferable skills and building self-awareness, offering practical guidance for students transitioning into the workforce or post-secondary education.

Objectives:

  To help students recognize and articulate their transferable skills.

  To provide strategies for building a resume with limited work experience.

  To encourage self-reflection and career exploration in secondary students.

  To support educators and counsellors in guiding resume development.

Instructions:

Educators/Counsellors: Use this resource during career readiness workshops or guidance sessions.

Students: Read the article and complete the following tasks:

Identify 5 skills you currently have and where you gained them.

Draft a resume using a tool like myBlueprint.

Share your resume with a peer, mentor, or educator for feedback.

Optional: Incorporate into a Portfolio or Student-Led Conference presentation.

Key Highlights:

  Resume building is a skill that starts early.

  Transferable skills matter more than job history.

  Volunteering, school projects, and hobbies can demonstrate key strengths.

  myBlueprint and teacher-led support help students organize and showcase experiences.