Resume Building Tips

Create a standout resume that showcases your skills and potential, even with limited work experience

Why Resumes Matter for Teens

Even as a teen with limited work experience, a well-crafted resume can set you apart from other applicants and demonstrate your potential to employers. Your resume is an opportunity to showcase your skills, achievements, and character traits that make you a valuable addition to any workplace.

Resume Quick Facts

  • Employers typically spend less than 30 seconds reviewing a resume on first pass
  • A well-formatted, easy-to-read resume increases your chances of getting noticed
  • For teens, a one-page resume is the ideal length
  • Your resume should be tailored to each job you apply for

Essential Resume Sections for Teens

1. Contact Information

Place this at the top of your resume, making it easy for employers to reach you.

  • Full name
  • Phone number
  • Professional email address (avoid nicknames or funny addresses)
  • City and state (full address is not necessary)

2. Objective Statement (Optional)

A brief statement that highlights your goals and what you can offer an employer. This is especially useful if you're applying for a specific position.

Example Objective Statements:

"Dedicated and enthusiastic high school student seeking a customer service position where I can apply my strong communication skills and friendly personality to create positive experiences for customers."

"Honor roll student with leadership experience seeking a position as a camp counselor to utilize my creativity and mentoring abilities while gaining professional experience working with children."

3. Education

As a teen, your education section may be one of your strongest assets.

  • Name of school and expected graduation date
  • GPA (if 3.0 or above)
  • Relevant coursework related to the job
  • Academic achievements and honors
  • Advanced or specialized programs

4. Experience

Don't worry if you don't have formal work experience yet. This section can include:

  • Volunteer work
  • Community service
  • Babysitting or lawn care jobs
  • School projects relevant to the position
  • Helping with family business

For each experience, include:

  • Position or role title
  • Organization or project name
  • Dates of involvement
  • Brief description of your responsibilities and achievements

Example Experience Entry:

Volunteer, Community Food Bank
June 2023 - Present

  • Assist with sorting and organizing food donations
  • Help coordinate 3 food drives that collected over 500 items
  • Provide customer service to food bank visitors

5. Skills

Highlight both hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (personal traits).

  • Computer skills (specific software, programming languages, etc.)
  • Language abilities
  • Communication skills
  • Leadership experience
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Time management

6. Activities and Interests (Optional)

Include extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, and hobbies that demonstrate valuable skills or character traits.

FORMATTING TIPS

Making Your Resume Stand Out

Do's

  • Use a clean, professional template
  • Keep it to one page
  • Use bullet points for readability
  • Proofread carefully for errors
  • Use action verbs to describe your experiences
  • Quantify achievements when possible
  • Save as a PDF to preserve formatting

Don'ts

  • Use fancy fonts or colors
  • Include a photo of yourself
  • Exaggerate or lie about experience
  • Use the same resume for every application
  • Include references directly on resume
  • Use passive language or full sentences
  • Include irrelevant personal information

Action Verbs to Strengthen Your Resume

Use these powerful verbs to describe your experiences and accomplishments:

Leadership:

Coordinated, Led, Organized, Oversaw, Managed, Directed, Supervised, Guided

Communication:

Presented, Wrote, Spoke, Edited, Promoted, Persuaded, Negotiated, Informed

Achievement:

Achieved, Improved, Increased, Reduced, Accomplished, Earned, Won, Exceeded

Helping:

Assisted, Supported, Contributed, Provided, Served, Facilitated, Mentored, Coached

Sample Resume Template for Teens

JOHN SMITH

Nashville, TN | (555) 123-4567 | johnsmith@email.com

OBJECTIVE

Enthusiastic and responsible high school student seeking a position at [Company Name] where I can apply my customer service skills and friendly demeanor while gaining valuable work experience.

EDUCATION

Pope John Paul II High School, Hendersonville, TN
Expected Graduation: May 2026
GPA: 3.7/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Business Basics, Public Speaking, Computer Applications

EXPERIENCE

Volunteer, Community Library
June 2023 - Present

  • Assist with organizing and shelving books
  • Help patrons locate materials and check out items
  • Support children's reading program by preparing materials

Youth Group Leader, St. Mary's Church
September 2023 - Present

  • Help plan and organize monthly activities for 20+ youth members
  • Assist with community service projects, including a food drive that collected over 200 items

SKILLS

  • Strong communication and interpersonal abilities
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Basic experience with social media content creation
  • Organized and detail-oriented
  • Spanish (intermediate level)

ACTIVITIES & INTERESTS

  • Member of Student Council (2023-Present)
  • JV Basketball Team (2022-Present)
  • Photography Club

Final Tips for Success

  • Tailor your resume for each job application, highlighting relevant skills and experiences
  • Have someone proofread your resume to catch any errors
  • Use a professional file name when saving and sending your resume (e.g., "JohnSmith_Resume.pdf")
  • Always include a cover letter with your resume when possible
  • Keep your resume updated as you gain new skills and experiences

Need Help with Your Resume?

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