OnDeck Career Lab • Guide
The Modern High School Resume
Turning “No Experience” Into a Real Application.
Most students think a resume starts when they get their first job. It doesn't.
If you've managed a school project, shown up for a sport all season, babysat siblings, helped at a family business, or kept a club running behind the scenes, you already have material worth putting on a resume. The real skill is translating that life experience into employer language.
What they're actually scanning for
Employers usually want to know four things fast:
- Can this person communicate clearly?
- Do they show up and follow through?
- Can they work with other people?
- Do they have any skills that match the role?
That means your resume should not read like a diary. It should read like proof.
The Common Mistake
Avoid writing like this:
- "Responsible for helping with school events."
- "Worked on group projects."
- "Babysat kids."
That is not enough. It tells people what you did, but not how well you did it or what skill it shows. Turn every activity into Leadership, Reliability, Communication, Organization, Problem-solving, or Initiative.
Your resume only needs five sections
1. Header
Full name, phone number, professional email, LinkedIn (if updated).
2. Summary or objective
Optional, but helpful if you have little experience. Keep it to 2 lines.
3. Education
School name, graduation year, GPA (if strong), relevant coursework.
4. Experience
Jobs, volunteering, babysitting, family business, club leadership, projects.
5. Skills
Hard skills, soft skills, software, languages, certifications.
The Golden Rule
"If you spent hours on it, committed to it, and learned a skill doing it, it belongs on your resume. You just have to prove the outcome."
Translating Real Life
Clubs
Clubs are experience when you show impact.
Instead of: Member of Student Council
Try: “Helped plan and promote school events for a student council team of 12, contributing to increased student participation.”
Babysitting
Babysitting is real work.
Instead of: Watched kids
Try: “Supervised children ages 4–10, managed routines, meals, and activities, and maintained a safe, structured environment.”
Class projects
School projects can become resume bullets when they have a clear outcome.
Instead of: Did a marketing project
Try: “Led research and presentation work for a marketing class project, creating a final deck that earned top-class feedback for clarity and strategy.”
The Strong Bullet Formula
Action verb + what you did + result or skill
Strong verbs to use
Led, Organized, Managed, Created, Coordinated, Supported, Improved, Built, Communicated, Scheduled.
Weak verbs to avoid
Helped, Worked on, Did, Was responsible for, Assisted with.