How to write a resume for your first job as a teen

You have more material than you think

A first resume is not an empty work-history form. School coursework, clubs, sports, volunteering, babysitting, lawn care, a family business shift — anything with responsibility and a result counts. The job is to present it in the structure employers expect.

The structure that works

Contact info → one-line objective → Education → Activities & Leadership → Volunteer/Informal work → Skills. Experience goes above Education only once you have a formal job to list. One page, single column, standard headings — the same parser-safe rules as any resume.

Write an objective, not a summary

This is the one case where an objective beats a summary: you have no track record to summarize. One honest line: "High school junior seeking a part-time cashier role; available weekends and after 3:30pm; reliable, quick to learn a register." Availability up front is a genuine advantage.

Education is your experience section

List your school, expected graduation year, GPA if 3.5+, and relevant coursework or projects with concrete outcomes: "Built the scoring spreadsheet used by the debate team for 3 tournaments." Treat strong schoolwork like work.

Informal work absolutely counts

Babysitting, mowing lawns, tutoring, reselling, helping in a family shop — list them like jobs, with dates and a quantified line: "Babysat for 3 families, 2022–2024; managed evenings for children aged 2–9, trusted with bedtime routines and meals." Employers read this as reliability.

Clubs, sports and leadership

Team captain, section leader, club treasurer, event organizer — each is evidence of showing up and being trusted. One bullet each, with scope: "Organized the club’s bake-sale fundraiser; 12 volunteers, raised $840."

Skills teens actually have

List concrete, checkable skills: cash handling, Google Docs/Sheets, Canva, a second language, First Aid/CPR certification, typing speed, social media content. Skip personality claims ("hardworking") — the bullets should prove those.

What to leave off

Photo, age or date of birth, full street address (city is enough), middle-school achievements once you’re in high school, and anything invented. Employers of teens check small claims easily — a made-up certification costs the job.

Availability and working papers

Many teen jobs are decided on schedule fit. State your availability explicitly, and if your state/country requires working papers or has hour limits for minors, note that you have (or have applied for) them — it saves the manager a follow-up.

Keep the file professional

Export a PDF named "Your-Name-Resume.pdf", use an email address based on your name (make a new one if needed), and answer applications from that address. The voicemail on the phone number you list should be set up and sensible.

A worked example

"Jordan Lee — Springfield, OH · jordan.lee@example.com · (555) 012-3456. Objective: High school senior seeking weekend barista role; available Sat–Sun and weekday evenings. Education: Springfield High, Class of 2027, GPA 3.7. Activities: Yearbook layout editor (led 4-person team, shipped 180-page book on deadline). Volunteer: Library homework helper, 2023–present, ~4 hrs/week. Skills: cash handling (school store), Google Workspace, conversational Spanish." Everything checkable, nothing invented.

Tailor it in five minutes

Read the posting, note what it asks for (weekend availability, customer service, teamwork), and make sure your objective and bullets mention your true matching points. Our free builder’s templates and ATS checker work the same for a first resume as for a tenth.