Resume Examples for Teens (With Template and Tips)

Updated October 17, 2023

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A grocery shopper pushes a cart while a babysitter holds a baby next to a list with the title "How to write a resume for a teenager" and these tips:

- Read the job description carefully
- Make your contact details prominent
- Include relevant paid, unpaid and volunteer experience
- Add only relevant sections
- Add quantifiable data when possible
- Proofread your resume carefully

If you're looking for your first job, creating a professional resume can help you make a good first impression on potential employers. To ensure it's as effective as possible, ensure your resume is well organized and includes details of your most relevant skills. Writing a great resume is much easier when you have some good examples and useful ideas to help you get started.

In this article, we discuss why resume examples for teens are important, explain how to write a resume, and provide a detailed template and two examples to help guide you when writing your own.

Why are resume examples for teens important?

Resume examples for teens are important because looking at some persuasive examples can help you with:

Formatting
Preparing the layout
Describing your skills and experience
Listing your education and achievements
Using proper language and tone

By reviewing a good example of a teenage resume, you can learn how to appeal to recruiters even if you don't have any work experience. In many jobs that are common for teens, being able to follow instructions and exhibiting enthusiasm for the role is more important than having experience. A well-written resume can help you demonstrate these qualities and get the attention of hiring managers.

How to write a resume as a teenager

When writing your resume, use these steps to show employers you have the right skills for the job. Here's how to decide what to put on a resume as a teenager:

1. Read the job description carefully

Job descriptions often list the skills and abilities that recruiters want most. Before you apply for a position, read the job description carefully. Then, use the same keywords on your resume. Many companies use software to search for particular words and phrases in resumes. Hiring managers are more likely to look at the resumes that meet search criteria, making customizing your resume for each job you apply to a useful way to make your job search more successful.

2. Make your contact details prominent

Make your contact information one of the first things people see when they look at your resume. Many people put their name and contact information in a larger font than the rest of the resume. Using it as a header can help recruiters remember your name. Also, include your city, province, phone number, and email address. Make sure your email address is professional, and include your name if possible. If you have a website or an online portfolio, include that information below your email address.

There's no need to mention your age or any other personal information that's not relevant to the job. For example, you don't have to say that you enjoy running or video games when applying for a position at a restaurant. Keeping your resume concise makes busy recruiters more likely to read all of it and remember your best qualities.

3. Include an objective

Your resume's objective outlines your goals and your long-term plans for your career. Use two or three sentences to attract the hiring manager's attention, give them a better idea of who you are, and show them you can help their organization. Adapt your objective statement to suit the job you want. This is especially important if you're applying for positions in a variety of industries, as many entry-level candidates do. For example:

"Hard-working honour roll student with excellent time-management skills and drama club, debate team, and school fundraising experience seeks an opportunity to grow their problem-solving and sales skills in a professional environment."

4. Add only relevant sections

In your resume, mention your extracurricular activities, hobbies, and volunteer work in an experience or work history section. You can also include a section for your awards and achievements, like getting a place on the dean's list or winning an academic or athletic competition. To make your resume easily readable, list your past activities or jobs in reverse chronological order. Use bullet points to describe your duties and responsibilities. You can also use them to list your skills and accomplishments.

5. Give some figures or numbers when possible

When you're discussing your achievements, include quantifiable details. For example, instead of simply mentioning that you have a high GPA, list the exact figure. If you volunteered at a local animal shelter or another charitable organization, list the name of the institution, the number of hours you volunteered, and the number of months or years you worked there.

6. Proofread your resume carefully

After you finish writing your resume, proofread it carefully to catch any spelling or grammar errors. This is especially important if you're applying for a job that includes office work or written communication with clients or colleagues. A computer program or app for checking spelling and grammar can help you find any mistakes. It's also a good idea to ask a teacher, counsellor, parent, or mentor to read your resume and provide feedback. That way, you can make sure that your resume is as persuasive as possible.

An effective teenager or youth resume template

When you write your resume, use this template to help you organize your experience, qualifications, and personal details into a format that's easy to read and appealing to recruiters:

Contact Details

[Name]
[City and province]
[Phone number]
[Email address]
[Website or online portfolio]

Objective

[Use this section to describe what you want to accomplish when you get the job]

Experience

[Job title or activity name]
[The name of the organization]
[The dates of employment or attendance]
[A bulleted list with your duties and responsibilities]

Education

[If you have a degree or you're attending university, list your degree, the schools you attended, the dates, and what you studied.]

Skills

[Include a list of your relevant skills and use bullet points to list them.]

Awards and achievements

[If you received any awards or you have any accomplishments, add them to this section with another bulleted list.]

Related: Jobs For Teens

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Resume examples for teens

Writing a resume can be much easier with some inspiration and guidance. Use these examples to get some additional ideas about what you can include on your own resume:

Example 1: Resume with work experience

Hanley O'Brian
Vancouver, British Columbia
hanley.obrian@email.com

Objective:

Enthusiastic student with an excellent academic record, friendly personality, and proven leadership skills seeking an entry-level administrative position. Hoping to learn more about using organizational and time-management skills.

Experience:

Dog Walker, June 2018—Present

Collect and walk dogs according to a regular schedule
Provide exercise and stimulation to pets according to owners' guidelines
Communicate with owners in person, via text, and email
Keep accurate records of the hours worked
Collect payment from clients weekly
Increased the number of clients by 50% in the first three months by distributing flyers and creating a social media page

Swim Team, August 2017—Present

Maintained a regular, rigorous training schedule
Competed in local and national competitions
Contributed to seven recent wins for the team
Helped the team achieve its current position as the best secondary school swim team in the province

Education:

Grade 11 student at North Glenn High School with a current GPA of 4.0

Studied many advanced subjects, including calculus, microbiology, and French

Skills:

An excellent negotiator
Able to manage time well
Methodical
Self-motivated
Fluent in English and French
Familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Can type 60 words per minute

Example 2: Resume without work experience

Jacob Smith
Toronto, Ontario
jacob_smith@email.com

Objective

Committed honour roll student involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. Seeking a customer service role that helps me learn more and leverage my excellent interpersonal skills and attention to detail.

Experience

Southside High School Debate Team Captain, January 2018—Present

Recruit and train new team members, pairing them with a more experienced debate buddy to help them learn about the rules of competitive debate
Make decisions about strategy, coordinate the efforts of the team, and help them with research
Lead brainstorming sessions and make decisions about practice times
Keep detailed records of the team's performance, the performances of competing teams, and competition judges
Won the provincial debate championships in 2019 and competed in the national event

Southside High School Debate Team, August 2017 to January 2018

Attended regular debate practices
Recorded the minutes of team meetings

Education:

Grade 12 student at Southside High School with a current GPA of 4.0