How to write a resume if you're a teenager applying for your first job

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.

What should a teenager's first resume look like?

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:

Font: Stick to clean, professional fonts, such as Arial, Times New Roman, and Calibri.
Font size: You'll want to use 10-12 points for the main text and 14-16 points at the top where you include your name.
Length: Limit your resume to a page.
Grammar: Grammar and punctuation are crucial when employers decide whether they want to continue reading your resume. Avoid emojis and slang terms, such as "Lit" or "Flex".
Bullet points: Bullet points are your friend. Use them to list your accomplishments and responsibilities.
Consistency: Maintain consistency in numbering, font, and overall style when writing your resume.
File format: Stick to PDFs, as different versions of Word may distort some of your formatting.

How to write your first 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 contact details

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 | [email protected]

Include a resume summary

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.

Add education details

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:

Advanced Placement Biology
Honors English
Algebra II

Certifications:

Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

Add volunteering experience

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

Taught mathematics and provided homework assistance to over 10 middle schoolers
Led fun workshops and games on weekends
Organized book clubs and short plays to instill joy in learning

Volunteer Camp Counselor, Springfield Youth Camp, Springfield, Illinois
June 2021—August 2021

Supervised and engaged with campers aged 8-12 years during daily activities and outings
Assisted in developing and implementing camp programs

"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."

List your skills

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:

Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Basic HTML/CSS
Fluent in Spanish

Include extracurricular activities, hobbies, and awards

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:

Awards: Winner of Chicago Young Writers Essay Competition 2024
Extracurricular activities: Head of the Springfield High Book Club
Interests: Horseback riding, writing fan fiction, swimming

Add references if required

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.

What to do after writing your resume

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:

Proofread your resume: Double-check spelling, phrasing, punctuation, and apostrophes. You can use a free grammar checker app to do this quickly.
Check the formatting: Make sure that your resume formatting is unchanged after converting your document to PDF.
Customize your resume: Applied to the local food joint "Buddy's Pizza" and sent the same resume to your local bookstore? Customize your resume by tweaking details in your resume summary, such as your skills and experiences.

Most importantly, show up on time and be professional and confident. You can also look for opportunities using job boards.

Example of a teenager's resume

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 | [email protected]

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:

Advanced Mathematics
Honors English
U.S. History

Certifications:

CPR and First Aid Certification
American Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid Certification

Volunteering

Animal Shelter Volunteer, Edison Animal Shelter, Edison, New Jersey
January 2023 — present

Maintain clean and safe habitat and environment for dogs, cats, bunnies, and other animals
Assist with adoption events and help potential adopters find suitable pets
Help staff with organizing files, publishing ads, and maintaining paperwork

Skills