LIFE

 

 

Congrats! If you’re reading this article, it means you’re already on your way to getting the internship or job of your dreams. But before you can do that, you need an awesome resume. We know, we know: It's *majorly* intimidating. After all, you’re only a teenager, so what even are you supposed to put on a resume? What if you've never had any job at all?

Truth is, it’s all in the way you spin it. Applying for a music-related internship? List your solo with the church choir. Want to score a part-time gig? Tell your potential employer about your awesome Etsy shop. Even if you feel like something isn’t a big deal, you can definitely list it in a way that makes you seem like the ideal candidate for whatever you're applying for.

Another thing to remember? Sometimes it’s not what you did that impresses the people looking at your app, but what you gained from it. Being a tour guide at your middle school, for example, doesn’t directly correlate to a job at the mall or an internship at your local vet. But if you took charge, know how to work with people, and are good at retaining information...well, you can probably see how that would make an employer want to hire you, right?

Now that you've got the idea, time to get down to the actual construction of the resume. There are tons of templates out there—try a basic one that lets your work speak for itself, then add the following:

On the top of the page, list your full name, address, and a phone number and/or email address where you can be best contacted. (Remember, don’t give this info out to strangers, just trustworthy employers.)

Example:

Judy Jones

123 Main Street

(222) 222-2222

Next, list your education: where you go to school, and any awards or honors you might have received.

Example:

Education:

ABC Middle School, diploma anticipated 2014, GPA: 3.5

Honor Roll: 2012, 2013

Perfect Attendance: 2013

Now, list your work experience and a brief description of your responsibilities. Even if it’s just babysitting or dog walking, work experience shows that you are responsible and hardworking. If you have someone you frequently babysit for, ask them if you can include them as a reference. This means that your possible future employer can call the person you babysit for so they can share what an awesome babysitter you are! If you have multiple job experiences, list them all as well as any notable accomplishments or responsibilities. You want to seem as qualified as you can.

Example:

Work Experience:

Dogwalker 2012-present

Employer: Jane Smith, (111) 111-1111

Duties: walking dogs once a day, picking up after dogs, exercising dogs, etc.

Don’t worry if this is your first job and you have no experience whatsoever. After all, everyone has to have a first job. If this is the case, make sure to put down any volunteer work you do in the community. This could be something as simple as being a part of student government in school or just participating in a charity 5K.

Example:

Volunteer Experience:

5K Charity Walk for Cystic Fibrosis - November 2010, 2011, 2012

Lastly, add a little bit about your interests and skills, especially ones that are relevant to the job you’re trying to get. If you want to work at a bakery, talk about how much you love to cook in your spare time. If you want to be an assistant coach for the local basketball team, talk about how much you love to play and watch b-ball. Don’t be afraid to brag a little! If you’ve won an award for your skills, let your possible future employer know.

Example:

Interests and Skills:

Basketball (won MVP in 2012)

Reading

Photography

You should be all set to turn in your resume! Just don’t forget these hints:

+ Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Helvetica—nothing too hard to read.

+ Make sure you’ve given your resume to a parent first for them to read through. That way, you can avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.

+ Resumes should be one page, tops. If it’s too long, cut something out.

Do you have a resume? What tips can you share with first-time resume makers? Let us know below!  

by Maddie Howard | 2/1/2016