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How to Write a Resume When Your Education Level Ended in High School

Job seekers who don’t have any education beyond high school might feel down on their prospects for getting a job, but they shouldn’t. There are lots of great jobs out there for folks with this level of education.

That being said, these job seekers can do themselves a massive favor by writing a good resume. A resume is a chance to package your credentials in a compelling way for potential employer. It’s also an opportunity to show you can be organized and communicate effectively through a well-written document.

If you don’t have any education beyond high school and you’re currently looking to put together a resume, consider the following tips.

Write a ‘Career Objective’

Most high schools provide a general education and unfortunately, there aren’t many job that ask for a broad base of general knowledge. Including a Career Objective section in your resume gives you the chance to highlight specific skills and career ambitions in the mind of a hiring manager.

Your Career Objective section should connect the skills you have with what the employer is asking for in its job posting. For instance, if you took some skilled trade classes in high school, you should mention that you want to pursue career opportunities that are both technical and creative in nature.

Emphasize any relevant experience

Young job seekers may not have much experience to go on. However, including any relevant experience in your resume can go a long way to getting you that job. Once again, the experience you include should relate to the job for which you are applying. For instance, if you mowed lawns one summer, you should include that experience to show you are a self-starter who is willing to work in challenging conditions.

Be sure to include any work experience that shows off leadership, customer service, critical thinking and work ethic.

Education details

While you don’t have a long and storied educational background, that doesn’t mean you have to run from it. In the Education section of your resume, be sure to include all activities or classes that might seem valuable in for the job you’re seeking. For instance, if you took a computer programming class or two, it shows you’re not afraid of technical work. If you played sports, it shows you can be dedicated and committed.

Include hard and soft skills, with any examples

Companies want to hire staff members who have both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical abilities used to do a job, while soft skills are attributes like communication ability that can be applied in any position.

Include only skills that you can claim to be proficient in and back up your claims with specific examples. This is particularly important for soft skills. For instance, if you claim to have leadership ability, give an example of when you provided leadership, including the outcome.

At Career Concepts, we regularly assist people with a limited educational background. If you are currently looking for a new job, please contact us today.

Blog published date

Aug 15, 2018
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