Resume Tips for Teenagers

1. Start by creating your subheadings

You’ll begin with a blank page, and before you share the details of why and how you should be hired, break the blank page into a set of four subsections. Title these sections “Summary”, “Education”, “Experience” and “Skills”.

2. Lead in with a strong summary

At the top of the page, just under your name and contact information, you’ll introduce yourself to employers and provide a sense of your background and goals. Imagine walking into a room and shaking hands with a potential employer. What will you say in this moment? Probably something like: “My name is Chris and I’d like to work for you as a (fill in the blank). I’m the one you need because I can (fill in the blank), I’m great at (fill in the blank) and I’m willing to (fill in the blank). I want this job because I’m interested in a long-term career in (fill in the blank.)” Find a way to deliver this message in three or four lines of text. Keep your words brief, clear, and relevant.

3. Education is key

Since you’re young and you don’t have a long track record of work experience just yet, you’ll need to show that you care about school and you take your education seriously. If you haven’t graduated from high school, share the name of your school, your GPA if it makes you proud, any AP or advanced courses you’re taking, your intended college major, and any awards you’ve won or honors you’ve earned. If you are writing a resume for a college application, see our tips on writing a high school resume for college applications.

If you’ve finished high school, share your graduation date and any information you can about your college enrollment or completed courses. See how to write a high school graduate resume for tips and tricks from career advice experts. 

4. Sell your experience

Again, if you can’t claim that you’ve held a similar job in the past, you’ll have to demonstrate your readiness by describing other aspects of your life. For example, if you’re looking for a job at a dog kennel, describe your experience as a pet sitter for your neighbors. Describe how you’ve worked to train your own dog. Describe any other work you’ve done with animals and any opportunities you’ve had to work with customers or the public. Do you participate in any clubs or extracurricular that fit the bill? Share them in this section.

5. Tailor your skills section to the job

Before you create a list of your special skills, think carefully about your employer. What might they need or find useful? No matter what they’re hiring you to do, most employers want to know if you have any special computer skills, foreign language fluencies, or familiarity with the equipment used in this workplace. If you know how to handle a band saw, a cash register, a cow milking machine, or a pizza oven, your employers may want to know. They’ll also want to know about your artistic, athletic, and leadership skills. Share this information here.

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Keep your resume short and clear, and proofread every line carefully. Use the tools available on My Perfect Resume to make a winning impression on your potential employers.