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im a tenth grader at catalyst maria highschool how should i start making a resume?
my grades arent looking to good but i have gone to an after school matterss program three times and we made a mural for the wintrust bank in little village
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2 answers
Annette Goodman
Asst. Distance Learning, Career Consultant, Community Activities, Online Adjunct Instructor
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Annette’s Answer
Camilo, when I talk to high school students who say they’ve never had a job, I start by asking them these questions:
Do you wash cars or detail cars?
Do you have a paper route?
Are you in Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts?
Do you babysit or look after younger siblings/cousins?
Do you cut grass, edge lawns, or do yard work?
Do you pick up trash or volunteer for neighborhood cleanups?
Do you game? Are you a leader in a clan, or have you competed in tournaments?
Have you started tracking your volunteer hours for graduation?
If the answer is "Yes" to any of these, you don’t have an empty resume—you have the start of a professional career!
The Next Step: Attributes vs. Skills
I also challenge you to think about who they are versus what they can do:
What 5 words describe who you are? (These are your Attributes—like being industrious or charismatic).
What are your top 3 skill sets? (These are your Skills—the tasks you have learned to perform).
Do you know the difference? Attributes are your character; skills are your tools.
How to List it on Your Resume
If you’ve done these things, you have created one or two jobs to list in chronological order. Start with your education at the top, including your high school and your expected graduation year.
Here is a sample layout resume (I did for my nephew eleven years ago) to guide you:
NAME
City, State, Zip | Phone | Email
HIGHLIGHTS: > Industrious | Committed | Cooperative | Intelligent | Easy-Going
EDUCATION:
[Name of High School], [City, State]
Diploma Expected: [Month/Year]
EXPERIENCE:
Lawn Maintenance & Detailing (Self-Employed)
May 2024 – Present
Manage weekly lawn care for 5 residential properties, including mowing, edging, and debris removal.
Provide automotive detailing services, ensuring high-quality cleaning of interior and exterior surfaces.
Handle scheduling and payment collection, maintaining 100% customer satisfaction.
Childcare Provider > June 2023 – August 2024
Supervised children ages 4–10, ensuring a safe and engaging environment.
Coordinated daily activities, meal preparation, and bedtime routines.
Demonstrated reliability and emergency preparedness.
HOBBIES: > Basketball: Point Guard (9th–12th Grade). Developed teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills.
My first "informal" job (at age 16) was at Little Creek Naval Base working in the cafeteria. I cleaned tables, cleaned the bathrooms and mopped the floor. I eventually went to the bowling alley and golf course. This job taught me more about punctuality than any classroom ever could!
To my fellow professionals: What was the first "informal" job you put on your resume? Let's share some inspiration for the students in the comments!
Do you wash cars or detail cars?
Do you have a paper route?
Are you in Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts?
Do you babysit or look after younger siblings/cousins?
Do you cut grass, edge lawns, or do yard work?
Do you pick up trash or volunteer for neighborhood cleanups?
Do you game? Are you a leader in a clan, or have you competed in tournaments?
Have you started tracking your volunteer hours for graduation?
If the answer is "Yes" to any of these, you don’t have an empty resume—you have the start of a professional career!
The Next Step: Attributes vs. Skills
I also challenge you to think about who they are versus what they can do:
What 5 words describe who you are? (These are your Attributes—like being industrious or charismatic).
What are your top 3 skill sets? (These are your Skills—the tasks you have learned to perform).
Do you know the difference? Attributes are your character; skills are your tools.
How to List it on Your Resume
If you’ve done these things, you have created one or two jobs to list in chronological order. Start with your education at the top, including your high school and your expected graduation year.
Here is a sample layout resume (I did for my nephew eleven years ago) to guide you:
NAME
City, State, Zip | Phone | Email
HIGHLIGHTS: > Industrious | Committed | Cooperative | Intelligent | Easy-Going
EDUCATION:
[Name of High School], [City, State]
Diploma Expected: [Month/Year]
EXPERIENCE:
Lawn Maintenance & Detailing (Self-Employed)
May 2024 – Present
Manage weekly lawn care for 5 residential properties, including mowing, edging, and debris removal.
Provide automotive detailing services, ensuring high-quality cleaning of interior and exterior surfaces.
Handle scheduling and payment collection, maintaining 100% customer satisfaction.
Childcare Provider > June 2023 – August 2024
Supervised children ages 4–10, ensuring a safe and engaging environment.
Coordinated daily activities, meal preparation, and bedtime routines.
Demonstrated reliability and emergency preparedness.
HOBBIES: > Basketball: Point Guard (9th–12th Grade). Developed teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills.
My first "informal" job (at age 16) was at Little Creek Naval Base working in the cafeteria. I cleaned tables, cleaned the bathrooms and mopped the floor. I eventually went to the bowling alley and golf course. This job taught me more about punctuality than any classroom ever could!
To my fellow professionals: What was the first "informal" job you put on your resume? Let's share some inspiration for the students in the comments!
Updated
Karen’s Answer
My suggestion is to start volunteering if you haven't already been involved in a variety of organizations. Keep track of all the things you do and places where you volunteer. Many opportunities can involve simple things like serving meals at a homeless shelter, handing out bottles of water at a marathon, helping a student one hour a week with reading at a local school, etc.
Ask your teachers, family, friends and neighbors what possibilities are out there and don't hesitate to try new things. In addition to gaining experience for your resume, you will also be able to identify all of the skills you've gained such as team skills, adapting to various cultures, leadership skills, etc.
With every good wish and many blessings,
Karen
Ask your teachers, family, friends and neighbors what possibilities are out there and don't hesitate to try new things. In addition to gaining experience for your resume, you will also be able to identify all of the skills you've gained such as team skills, adapting to various cultures, leadership skills, etc.
With every good wish and many blessings,
Karen