It’s time to write your resume for teens, even without formal experience. This article will show you how to step into the world of professionals with best teen resume examples.
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert
Beginning a professional journey as a teenager is like stepping onto an uncharted path. You’ve got dreams and passions, but you lack the work experience that could accelerate your career growth.
Fear not. We’re here to guide you through the resume-writing entanglements so you can transform your first teen resume into a captivating story about potential and talent—even if it’s a teenager resume with no work experience
This guide will show you:
How to write a resume for teens that lands interviews.
Teen resume examples with no work experience.
Tips for an impressive teen resume written by experts.
Best resume templates for teens to help you get started.
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George
Energetic high school student passionate about environmental sustainability, seeking a position at GreenTech Solutions. Looking to apply my strong research skills and innovative thinking to support the company's commitment to eco-friendly technology. Successfully designed and executed a recycling awareness campaign in the local community, resulting in a 20% boost in recycling participation.
Experience
Intern
Eco Impact, Wilmington, CA
October 2023–February 2024
Conducted in-depth research on sustainable practices and technologies and introduced a new waste reduction initiative.
Played a pivotal role in developing educational materials on eco-friendly living, increasing community awareness by 25%.
Collaborated with a dynamic team to organize and execute successful community events, strengthening a sense of environmental responsibility among participants.
Cocreated social media campaigns that resulted in a 30% uptick in followers and grew environmental awareness in the online community.
Key Achievement:
Designed and implemented a recycling awareness campaign, leading to a 20% growth in recycling participation in the local community.
1. Organize All the Information with the Right Formatting
Preparing an impressive resume for teens takes much more than mentioning your school exploits and cool hobbies. Above all, it requires organizing the data in the right order, so your resume reads well and puts you in the best position to get the job. You’re not just a teenager; you’re a career-starting rock star.
Here are the key formatting tips before beginning with your teenager's resume:
Set the right resume format. The reverse-chronological layout would be best if you have relevant experience, like internships or projects. Without such, start your resume with an education section.
Pick one of the recommended resume fonts. The ideal font size for body text will be between 11–12pts, while your resume headings can be 2–4pts bigger. When writing a resume for the first time, navigating the worn trail is always best.
Apply 1-inch margins for the entire document to maintain a polished appearance.
Mind the right resume length by prioritizing the most relevant information for the job you are applying for.
Organize your resume sections. Place a header followed by the resume objective, experience, education, skills, and additional information. With no single experience, list education first.
Consider the correct file type for your resume output. While recruiters generally prefer PDFs, ensure the job posting doesn’t state something else.
By applying these formatting practices, your teen resume will not only reflect your most prominent attributes but also showcase your professionalism and attention to detail.
Expert Hint: Besides the above formatting tips, consider adding a touch of personality to your resume. Whether it's a subtle use of color or a well-balanced font pairing, a dash of individuality can make your resume more appealing.
2. Write a Teen Resume Objective that Drops Jaws
How to lure employers into studying your resume for teens? With a strong resume objective. Get this right, and you conquered half the battle. If tempted to write a teen resume summary, just don’t—unless you already have some significant working experience under your belt.
Use:
One adjective (hard-working, energetic, enthusiastic).
Job title (internee, high school student, etc.).
How you’ll help (e.g., to support the company's commitment to eco-friendly technology).
Best 2–3 accomplishments (designed and executed a recycling awareness campaign, resulting in a 20% boost in recycling participation).
These resume objective templates for teens distinguish right from wrong:
Teen Resume: Examples of Objective Statements
Can you spot the difference? It lies somewhere between clarity and precision. While the good example is specific and focused, the bad one is vague and uses a less professional tone. Just imagine you’re a recruiter and take your pick. Which one you choose?
Expert Hint: Got writer’s block? Write your objective statement last. It’s easier to summarize when the rest of your resume for teens is in the bag.
3. Emphasize Your First Work Experience on Your Teen Resume Template
Don’t panic. We know you're writing a teenager's resume with no work experience. Recruiters know that as well. But the reality is, you’ve got work experience even if you have never had a paid job.
Here are some examples of work experience you can add to your teenager's resume for the first job:
Part-time jobs: Mention any former part-time gigs. Teenagers tend to gain their first work experiences through retail or food service jobs. They help them develop sought-after skills like customer service, teamwork, and time management.
Volunteer work: Demonstrate your commitment to community service or other social engagement. These might be charity events, social initiatives, supporting local foundations and organizations, and more.
Freelance work: Did you take the initiative to develop your skills and talents? You may have completed an independent project or helped a small business, proving self-initiative and independence.
Internships: Internship opportunities equip you with essential skills and knowledge for your future job. They expose you to a specific industry or field, allowing you to gain crucial insights and learn from experienced professionals.
Extracurricular Activities: Extra activities like school clubs and sports teams contribute to sharpening your skills. They particularly emphasize your ability to make connections and collaborate with peers.
Don’t have even that experience for a resume for a teenager? Read the job offer twice. Then, identify the skills they want you to have. Finally, consider how you can prove you have those without a professional background.
Below, you’ll see teen resume examples with internship experience. It doesn’t mean it’s all in vain if you lack such. Just reflect on the moments in the past when you succeeded as a talented teenager and condense these highlights into the bullet points on your resume.
Teenage Resume: Examples of Relevant Experience
See the difference in the level of detail? A good example instructs how to write detailed descriptions and underscores the candidate’s impact using power words. The bad one lacks key achievements. Its laconic descriptions won’t prove the candidate’s involvement or initiative.
4. Craft Your Teen Resume Education Section Like It Was Yesterday
Alright, it's time for your secret weapon. As a teenager, your academic journey can give you extra points in the recruitment competition. Already threw a graduation cap? Write about it in your resume’s education section.
Check these teen resume examples:
Teenage Resume Examples—Education Section
Swimming is excellent, but a recruiter won't connect the dots if you don’t delve into specifics. Recall concrete accomplishments, or think about skills the swimming enabled you to develop. What about dedication or determination?
Expert Hint: Don’t have much teen resume work experience? Make your education section as long as you need to. List groups, clubs, and positions as if they were jobs.
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
5. Showcase Your Teen Talent by Building a Strong Skills Section
Once done with the previous parts, you’ve already gotten some tedious work out of your head. But your teenager's resume isn’t just a list of grades and first job attempts. It’s also where your personality gets noticed.
The skills section is ideal for showcasing your most valuable traits that correspond with the job description. Here’s how to approach your teenager's resume skills list using expert teen resume examples:
Teenager Resume Examples—Skills
The most noticeable difference between the two? The language. You won’t convince recruiters by using generic, everyday phrases. Instead, implement a solid narrative to highlight your level of proficiency as well as impeccable communication style.
As a teenager, you may feel like your skill set is limited, but focusing on transferable skills can open up new possibilities. Teenagers have the opportunity to cultivate a diverse array of valuable transferable skills across academics, work, and personal development.
Expert Hint: Employers believe you can do what you’ve already done. The better your resume for teen jobs fits the job ad, the higher your chance of getting hired.
6. Add Some Extra Flair to Your Teenager's Resume With These Extra Sections
How to further expand on that personal story on a single sheet? Use extra resume sections to add value and turn a regular resume document into a powerful one.
Don’t have ideas for extra engagements you could include? Check this list one by one:
Honors and Awards: Showcase your victories with pride, whether winning competitions or earning accolades.
Activities: Mention some extra activities that fill your spare time but still relate to your desired role.
Associations: Tell about your memberships and other commitments contributing to your professional and personal development.
Certifications: Stack up any certificates that will extra-proof your knowledge. Certificates show you’re already in an excellent position to kick off your career.
Interests and Hobbies: Let your personal passions shine, especially if they align with the job. Developing eco-friendly DIY projects or reading about sustainable practices? Describe those for which you have a severe zeal.
While the bad example won’t immediately remove you from the recruitment process, it will fail compared to the previous one. Don’t put yourself at risk of losing that job opportunity. Keep your resume entries focused and informative, so no one doubts your potential.
Expert Hint: Should you learn how to write a cover letter for teenage resumes? If you want to double your chance of getting hired, say yes. Talk up your best accomplishments that fit the job.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Start with the teen resume template up top. It puts your first job milestones in a form that wows employers.
Keep your teenager's resume formatting in check. Mind the right order of sections (depending on your background), pick a classy font, and strive for high readability.
Whether it’s the work experience or education section, pack every bullet point in your resume for teen jobs with top accomplishments that match the job offer.
List special extras that prove you’ll dig in and do the work. Employers live for well-rounded workers.
Send a teen cover letter. Stuff it with evidence you’ll do this job really well.
Got questions on how to write a great teenager resume with no experience? Not sure which achievements should you put on a resume for teens? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.
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Marta Bongilaj is a career expert and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. She's a member of the National Career Development Association and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. She has a vast marketing background, which helps her give relevant advice on bringing out candidates’ strongest points and making their resumes a compelling read. In her articles, she underlines the importance of showcasing the most prominent skills, experiences, and qualifications in a resume to stand out in increasingly competitive job markets. Marta provides on-point tips on how to promote one’s candidature efficaciously at every career stage. Holding a philology degree, she believes that concise, persuasive language lies at the core of a successful resume. If you seek advice on marketing yourself to employers, no matter your recruitment stage, you’ve come to the right place.