 Are you a proud parent of a soon-to-be job hunter? Congratulations! Seeing our teens take that first step toward independence and responsibility is always exciting. But let's face it; it can be a bit overwhelming for both the teen and the parent. Don't worry; we're here to help! One of the first things your teen must do is create a resume. Now, you might think crafting a resume for your teen should be a breeze since they haven't had much experience yet. But truth be told, that makes it a bit more challenging. The key is ensuring their experience – while limited - still shines on paper. Don't worry, though; we've got you covered! To make things easier, we've gathered some tips on a basic format to make for your teen. You'll be surprised at just how much they've already accomplished and how impressive their resume can be, even without previous work experience. Before we dive in, let's chat about the basics... What makes a teen’s resume different? It can absolutely feel like a catch-22 situation: you need experience to get a job, but you need a job to gain experience. A well-written resume is the key to bridging that pesky experience gap, even for school leavers or students who haven't had any previous work experience. It's all about demonstrating enough value and potential to land a paid job, no matter how green they might be. Now, before you start fretting about how to create a resume for your teen, keep in mind that it's going to be a bit different from yours. After all, you probably have a few more years of work experience under your belt! That means you'll need to get creative and think outside the box about what counts as 'work' experience. That's why we've created a basic layout for a teen's resume that's super easy to follow. We'll even walk you through it step by step, with clear instructions on what to write under each heading.  Contact details at the top Let's talk about the first essential ingredients for a solid resume. The standard resume format should have a clear, bold heading at the top with the applicant's name. Just below that, you'll want to include the all-important contact details:
A quick note about those contact details: if your teen has their own email address, ensure it's professional and sensible. No niche nicknames; we want to make the right impression. Ideally, it should include their name and nothing else. If not, help them set up a new email account through a free host like Gmail. Also, make sure they have a clear and sensible (!) voicemail message set up in case they miss a call. Here's a bonus tip: you don't need to include as much contact info on a resume as you used to. Date of birth, marital status, fax numbers, multiple phone numbers, and street addresses aren't necessary anymore. A more modern practice is checking in with your teen to see if they have any social media accounts and ensuring their online presence would not turn off any potential employer should they search your teen's name. Your teen can utilise their privacy settings to make sure only the intended audiences can view what's on your their social media profile. Keep it simple, keep it professional, and your teen will be one step closer to landing that job. Professional profile Let's move on to the next section of the resume: the professional profile. Now, for a teenager's first resume, the professional profile will look very different from someone who's been in the workforce for years or has a higher level of education. So, what should you include in this section? Rather than focusing on professional skills, it's an excellent opportunity to highlight soft skills that will make your teen a great candidate for the job. Some examples of soft skills you might want to mention (if they apply to your teen) include:
You could talk about where they've picked up these skills. They may have volunteered with a community group or have been involved in representative committees at school. And if they have their own car and a driver's license, this is the perfect spot to mention it. The professional profile is your chance to give a quick snapshot of your teen and highlight the qualities that will make them stand out as an awesome job candidate. Don't go overboard - a short paragraph will do the trick. You'll have the opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty details in the upcoming sections. Let's make sure this paragraph is snappy and flows smoothly, kind of like a catchy blurb on the back of a book. Skills and expertise Here's where most people start to slow down. Your teen might not have a tonne of experience or specific skills just yet, but we're going to highlight their soft skills and any relevant real-life experiences they DO have. Before we dive in, let's take a quick step back and think about the type of job your teen is applying for. It's pretty common to score your first job in one of four categories: manual labour, retail, hospitality, or care. These tasks don't usually require advanced knowledge or technical skills. Instead, what your teen needs to succeed are the soft skills they've already picked up from school, sports, and other life experiences. Showcasing these skills will make it much more likely for your teen to land an interview and the job. Here are some examples of how we can match your teen's soft skills and experiences to the job they're applying for.  A note from Adriana:
Let me tell you a little story about my own experience. Years ago, I used to volunteer at an op shop with a café incorporated into it, just around the corner from my parent’s business. It was located in the industrial area of Port Macquarie and they were always on the lookout for eager volunteers. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn some valuable work skills before I landed my first real job - I even managed to score a referee who WASN’T related to me! During my time there, I learned how to work the coffee machine, do basic food handling and prep and follow hygiene practices. I sorted stock, replenished shelves and helped customers. Add that to the importance of excellent communication, putting on a smile, and turning up on time. If I were to write a resume for a teenage 'me', those are absolutely the things I’d highlight under skills and expertise. Achievements The next section on their resume is "Achievements". You might have to think outside the box a little, but don't worry, we can still make this section shine! Think about all the awesome things your teen has accomplished outside of work. What have they done that sets them apart from the rest of the pack? Have they volunteered, won a competition, or delivered an outstanding school project? These are all achievements worth highlighting! Remember, this section is all about showing off your teen's unique talents and abilities. We've dropped a few examples here to help get your creative juices flowing:
These achievements can give employers a glimpse into what makes your teen tick and indicate what they'll be capable of in the workplace. For instance, we recently helped a teen with his resume, and his core achievement was closely tied to exceptionally strong multitasking skills. How did we show that off? By highlighting how he represented his school in top-level sports while still getting straight A's. By showcasing his ability to balance competing commitments, we were able to paint him as a mature, responsible, and all-around awesome candidate. Work history We know having a "Work History" section for someone who's never worked before seems a bit bizarre. We don't encourage stretching the truth here, but we do encourage you to think outside the box. Can you frame non-traditional activities as work experience? For example:
Why do these activities matter, you ask? Because they show how the person is already mastering the art of showing up on time, completing tasks, and being a team player – crucial skills in any workplace. Remember to highlight their school experience too! We all know your teen is still a student or has recently graduated, so mentioning their school and year level is perfectly fine. No need to stress about grades and subjects, though. Bonus tip: In the cover letter, feel free to sprinkle in a little academic bragging if it's relevant. If your teen aced their math classes and they're applying for a retail role that involves handling cash, it can't hurt to mention it. Hobbies To be honest, we always advise against including this section in a professional resume, even for a teen. If you have enough content elsewhere, we'd recommend leaving this section out. That said, every job is different, and every person is unique, so there's no one-size-fits-all approach. You're not creating a cookie-cutter resume. At the end of the day, you're trying to show why your teen is the perfect fit for the job. If their hobbies can demonstrate some valuable soft or life skills, then this section might be worth including. That’s it! But before you hit send… Don't forget to give your resume a very good spell-check and grammar check! And if you can spare the time, take a break and come back to it later. You'll be surprised at the mistakes you catch or improvements you can make when you look at a document with fresh eyes! Try reading your sentences out loud - does it sound clunky, or does it flow smoothly? Or better still, get a friend or family member to give it a once-over too! Over to you… Congrats on helping your teen create their first resume. It's a big step towards their first job and the beginning of their career journey. No matter what they end up doing, THIS resume will be the key to unlocking their first gig. If you have any questions or need some extra guidance, don't hesitate to reach out to us for support. We're here to help! And make sure to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for even more resume, interview, and career advice. Let's get your teen ready for success!
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Adriana ModersitzkiResume Writer and Carer Consultant Archives
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