How to Make a Resume for Teenagers

Landing your first job as a teenager can feel HUGE. Like climbing a mountain. But you can do it! A big part is having a good resume. A resume shows off what you can do, even if you think you don't have much experience. Don't worry! This guide will show you how to make a resume for teenagers that gets you noticed. We'll cover the basics, how to show off your strengths, and what to do if you feel like you have no experience. This is all about creating a great resume for students looking for entry-level jobs. You'll be confident in no time!

Why Do Teenagers Need a Resume?

Thinking you don't need a resume because you're just a teenager? Think again! A resume is like your personal ad. It tells employers: Who you are What you can do Why they should hire you

Even for a simple entry-level job, a good resume shows you're serious, organized, and willing to work hard. Here's why it matters:

• First impressions matter! Your resume is often the first thing an employer sees. Make it awesome!
• Show off your skills! Even little things can show you have valuable skills.
• Shows you're responsible! Taking the time to make a resume shows you care about the job.
• Helps during the interview! A resume gives you things to talk about and helps you explain what you can do.
• Sometimes it's required! Some jobs want a resume, even for entry-level work.

Essential Components of a Teenager's Resume

Every resume needs these things, no matter how old you are. Let's break each one down, with tips just for teenagers.

1. Contact Information

Easy peasy, but superimportant to get right. Double check everything!

• Full Name: Use your real name (like John Smith).
• Phone Number: Use a phone you check often. And make sure your voicemail is professional!
• Email Address: Make a professional email (like [email protected]). No silly nicknames!
• Location (Optional): City and state is fine. Some people skip the street address for safety.

2. Objective or Summary (Optional but Recommended)

This is a quick way to show off what you can do. It's great for teenagers because it helps you stand out, especially if you don't have a lot of job experience. Change it for each job you apply for!

• Objective: What you want to do in the job and what you can offer. Example: "Looking for a cashier job at [Company Name] to use my customer service skills and make customers happy."
• Summary: Your best skills and experience. Use this if you have someexperience. Example: "Student who is enthusiastic and pays attention to detail with great communication and teamwork skills. Ready to learn and help out in a busy place."

Making your first job resume? An Objective is probably the way to go for a resume for students.

3. Education

Your school is probably your biggest strength right now. Let's show it off!

• School Name: The full name of your high school.
• Location: City and state.
• Expected Graduation Date: When you expect to graduate (month and year).
• GPA (Optional): Only put it if it's good (above 3.5). If not, skip it.
• Relevant Coursework: Classes that are like the job you want. Applying for a computer job? Mention computer classes!
• Academic Achievements: Any awards, honors, or scholarships.

4. Skills

What can you do? Think about everything, even if it doesn't seem important. You might be surprised! There are two types of skills:

• Hard Skills: Things you can learn and measure. Examples: Typing speed, computer programs (like Microsoft Office), coding, data entry, knowing another language.
• Soft Skills: Your personality and how you work with others. Examples: Talking to people, teamwork, solving problems, leading, managing time, helping customers, being flexible, being responsible.

For entry-level jobs, soft skills are really important. Employers want people who are willing to learn and work well with others.

List your skills clearly. Use bullet points or a chart.

5. Experience

This is where a lot of teenagers get stuck. Don't worry if you haven't had a "real" job! Think about everything you've done. Volunteering, clubs, even personal projects can be great.

• Job Title: Even if it wasn't a formal job, give it a good title. Examples: "Volunteer Tutor," "Babysitter," "Lawn Care Assistant."
• Organization/Company Name: Who you worked for.
• Location: City and state.
• Dates of Employment: When you started and ended (month and year).
• Responsibilities: Use strong words to describe what you did and what you achieved. Focus on what you accomplished and the skills you used. Examples: "Tutored kids in math and reading, which helped them get better grades," "Took care of lawns for five people, making sure they looked great," "Babysat kids, making sure they were safe and having fun."

Try to use numbers whenever you can. Instead of "Helped with fundraising," say "Helped raise $500 for the school fundraiser."

No paid work experience? No problem! Think about these:

• Volunteer Work: Shows you care about helping others.
• Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, sports, etc. Show you can work in a team, lead, and manage your time.
• Personal Projects: Did you build a website? Make an app? Start a blog? Shows you take initiative and have technical skills.
• Babysitting/Pet Sitting: Shows you're responsible and caring.
• Yard Work/Odd Jobs: Shows you're willing to work hard.

6. Awards and Activities (Optional)

This is where you can put anything that doesn't fit anywhere else. Awards, honors, certifications, clubs, hobbies that are related to the job. This part is key to making a strong resume for students.

• Awards: School, sports, or club awards.
• Certifications: CPR, First Aid, etc.
• Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, sports. What did you do and what did you accomplish?
• Hobbies: If they're relevant to the job. Photography might be good for a marketing job.

Formatting Your Teenager's Resume

How your resume looks is almost as important as what's on it. Make it easy to read and nice to look at. Here's how:

• Keep it Short: One page is best. Employers only look at resumes for a few seconds.
• Use a Clear Font: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman are good. Size 10-12.
• Use White Space: Don't cram everything together. Give your resume room to breathe!
• Use Bullet Points: Makes it easy to see the important stuff.
• Be Consistent: Use the same font, spacing, etc. throughout.
• Proofread! Mistakes look bad. Check for spelling and grammar errors. Ask someone else to read it too!
• Save as a PDF: So it looks the same on every computer.

Tips for Overcoming the "No Experience" Challenge

Worried about not having enough work experience? Here's how to make a great first job resume anyway:

• Focus on Skills: Show off what you can* do, even if you haven't done it at a job.
• Emphasize Education: Highlight your grades and classes.
• Highlight Volunteer Work: Shows you're helpful and responsible.
• Use Action Verbs: Use strong words to describe what you did.
• Tailor Your Resume: Change your resume for each job. Show how your skills match what they need.
• Network: Talk to people about jobs. Friends, family, neighbors. They might know about entry-level jobs that are perfect for you.
• Be Enthusiastic: Show that you're excited to learn! Employers often hire teenagers who are eager to work.

Example of a Teenager's Resume (First Job Resume)

[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number] | [Your Email Address] | [Your City, State]

Objective

Looking for a summer job at [Company Name] where I can use my hard work and customer service skills to help create a great work environment.

Education

[High School Name], [City, State] | Expected Graduation: [Month, Year]

• Relevant Coursework: [List relevant courses, e.g., Math, Computer Science, English]
• GPA: [Your GPA, if above 3.5]

Skills

• Customer Service
• Communication (Written & Verbal)
• Teamwork
• Problem-Solving
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Typing: [Your WPM]

Experience

Volunteer Tutor | [Elementary School Name], [City, State] | [Month, Year] – [Month, Year]

• Tutored kids in math and reading.
• Helped kids with homework.
• Made learning fun and supportive.

Babysitter | [Family Name], [City, State] | [Month, Year] – Present

• Took care of children ages [Age Range].
• Made meals and snacks.
• Planned and supervised play.
• Kept the children safe and happy.

Awards and Activities

• Honor Roll | [High School Name] | [Year]
• Member, [School Club Name] | [Year] – Present

Conclusion: Taking the First Step Towards Your Dream Job

Making a resume might seem scary, but you've got this! This guide has everything you need to show off your skills and experience. Change your resume for each job, highlight what you're good at, and double-check for mistakes. Follow these tips and you'll create a great resume for students that will help you get your first job resume. Good luck!

This guide on how to make a resume for teenagers has covered all the basics to help you get those entry-level jobs.