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It’s finally summer, and you’re on the lookout for fun jobs to learn new skills and make some extra cash. But before applying for jobs, you’ll need a resume ready. How can you come up with a resume with experience to show? How do you format it, and what sections can make the resume more interesting?
This guide walks you through the process of writing your first resume, with plenty of fun examples.
A resume should contain your relevant personal information and reflect your skills and accomplishments. At your age, employers aren’t looking for pages together of work history, achievements, and so on — they’re looking for teenagers who show up, know their responsibilities, and get the work done on time. Most of what’s to learn, you’ll learn on the job.
Follow these tips when writing your resume:
One important rule before you begin: keep your resume short and to the point by limiting it to a page. That said, let’s review a step-by-step process for writing your first resume.
Include your name, email, phone number, and town and state. This helps employers maintain a record and reach out to you if needed. You’ll need to use a professional email address. No, “cooldude2000@” doesn’t work. Also, avoid adding your parents’ or guardians’ details to your resume. Let’s look at an example.
John Doe
123 Main St., Springfield, IL 62704 | (217) 555-1234 | john.doe@example.com
A resume summary gives the employer a quick overview of your achievements and what you’re looking for. Keep it between two and three lines. Here’s an example of a teenager’s resume summary when applying to a local bookstore:
A resourceful and book-loving teenager with excellent organizational and communication skills. Head of Springfield High Book and Art Club. Seeking the role of a library assistant at Bookers’ Den to help with shelving, clerical work, assisting customers, and organizing book events.
Include your school’s name, location, the year you expect to graduate, and relevant coursework. If you’re applying for jobs requiring computer skills, such as basic programming, and you have relevant certifications (for example, from a coding boot camp), it helps to include this as well.
If you’re a recent graduate, you can also include your cumulative GPA. But do this only if you’re applying to internships or entry-level jobs that ask for it. Here’s an example:
Springfield High School, Springfield, Illinois
Expected graduation year: 2025
Relevant coursework:
Certifications:
Don’t worry if you have no prior experience. Your volunteering activities count. Were you a summer camp counselor last summer? Add that to your resume. Have you cared for patients at a hospital or medical center? Don’t forget to include this in your volunteering section. Employers value the experiences you bring. Remember that the skills you gained when volunteering, such as teamwork, communication, empathy, and leadership, are vital to the jobs you’ll be applying for.
For each of your volunteering experiences, add the start and end date and three core responsibilities. If you have prior work experience, you can include it at the beginning and then continue to add volunteering activities below it. Here’s an example:
Volunteer tutor, Springfield Community Center, Springfield, Illinois
September 2022–May 2023
Volunteer Camp Counselor, Springfield Youth Camp, Springfield, Illinois
June 2021—August 2021
“A resume should contain your relevant personal information and reflect your skills and accomplishments. At your age, employers aren’t looking for pages together of work history, achievements, and so on — they’re looking for teenagers who show up, know their responsibilities, and get the work done on time. Most of what’s to learn, you’ll learn on the job.”
In this section, you can list your hard and soft skills. If the job requires computer skills and you’ve worked with different software before, you can include relevant details here. Or, if you’re applying to a popular food joint and are fluent in multiple languages, state this here. For soft skills, include those that align with your personality traits.
Ideally, focus more on technical skills. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to demonstrate your soft skills, and “time management” and “organizational skills” can sound too generic. Here’s an example:
You can include a section at the end of your resume where you mention your extracurricular activities, your interests, and any awards you’ve received. Be honest — no one’s judging. Here’s an example:
References aren’t compulsory, but some jobs require them. Having three references handy can be helpful. Your teachers, coaches, or mentors would be happy to write one for you. If you’ve previously worked, ask your ex-employer to provide you with one. It’s best to avoid references from family members and friends.
Congratulations — you’ve completed the first draft of your resume, and you’re ready to apply for a job. But wait, follow the tips below before going any further:
Most importantly, show up on time and be professional and confident. You can also look for opportunities using job boards.
Here’s a resume template that covers all the sections mentioned above. You may also use templates available online and feed in your details to create your resume.
John Doe
123 Main St., Edison, NJ 62704 | (217) 555-1234 | john.doe@example.com
A resourceful and animal-loving teenager with experience in animal handling and safety. Head of Edison’s art club. Seeking a part-time opportunity as a store team member at WaggyTails to manage inventory, guide pet customers, and conduct promotional events.
Education
Edison High School, Edison, New Jersey
Expected graduation year: 2025
Relevant coursework:
Certifications:
Volunteering
Animal Shelter Volunteer, Edison Animal Shelter, Edison, New Jersey
January 2023 — present
Skills
Awards and hobbies
What about after graduation? Look for career advice here.
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