Your teen is ready to apply for a first job, summer internship, or volunteer opportunity, but they have never had a job before. What should they put on a resume? The good news is that teens do not need previous employment to create a strong first resume. School projects, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and personal responsibilities can demonstrate valuable skills employers look for.
As a parent, you can help your teen recognize these experiences, organize their accomplishments, and create a resume that highlights their strengths.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to help your teen write a resume with no work experience, what to include, and how to avoid common mistakes.
1. Help Your Teen Identify Skills and Experiences
Many teens believe they have nothing to include on a resume because they have never held a paid job. However, they may have developed valuable skills through school, hobbies, extracurricular activities, and community involvement.
Start by asking your teen:
- Have you participated in a school club, sport, or extracurricular activity?
- Have you completed a group project or presentation?
- Have you volunteered at school or in the community?
- Have you helped care for children or pets?
- Have you organized an event or helped someone solve a problem?
- Have you earned an award or completed a special project?
These experiences may demonstrate teamwork, communication, organization, leadership, and dependability.
For example, a student who participates in sports may have developed teamwork and time-management skills. A teen who helps organize a school event may have experience with planning and following through on responsibilities.
Explore our guide to [Soft Skills for Career Success] to help your teen identify the skills employers value.
👉Parent tip: Help your teen recognize their accomplishments but let them take the lead in describing their experiences.
2. What Should a Teen Include on a Resume?
For most teens applying for their first job, a simple, one-page resume is sufficient. Include the following sections:
- Contact information: Name, phone number, professional email address, and city and state.
- Resume objective: A brief statement describing the opportunity your teen wants and the strengths they offer.
- Education: High school name, location, expected graduation date, and relevant honors or coursework.
- Activities and experience: Volunteer work, school clubs, sports, projects, babysitting, tutoring, or other relevant responsibilities.
- Skills: Communication, teamwork, organization, technology, and other abilities relevant to the position.
- Awards or certifications: Include any relevant training, certificates, or recognition.
Teens with no employment history can place education, activities, and volunteer experience near the top of the resume. Encourage your teen to use clear headings, readable fonts, and short bullet points. A simple document created in Google Docs or Microsoft Word works well.
Not sure where your teen’s interests might lead? Start with our guide on [How to Map Your Career Plan] to help them explore future career possibilities.
3. How to Write a Resume Objective
A resume objective briefly explains what kind of opportunity your teen is seeking and what they can contribute.
Example:
“Motivated high school student seeking a part-time retail position. Brings strong communication and teamwork skills, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn.”
Encourage your teen to tailor the statement to the job. For example, a student applying for a summer camp position might emphasize creativity, communication, and experience working with younger children. Keep the objective brief, specific, and honest.
4. Highlight Experience Even Without a Job
Teens can demonstrate valuable skills through activities and responsibilities outside paid employment.
Here are a few examples:
- School projects: Collaborated with classmates to research a topic and prepare a presentation.
- Volunteer work: Helped organize supplies or prepare materials for a community event.
- Extracurricular activities: Worked with teammates toward shared goals.
- Babysitting or pet care: Followed schedules and instructions while demonstrating responsibility.
- Personal projects: Created digital artwork, designed a website, or completed a technology project.
Looking for more ways to prepare your teen for the future? Read our guide to [10 Life Skills Every Teen Should Develop Before Graduation].
Whenever possible, encourage your teen to describe what they did rather than simply listing an activity.
For example, instead of writing “Member of the school club,” a student might write, “Collaborated with club members to plan activities and complete group responsibilities.”
Teens should only include experiences and accomplishments that are accurate and that they can explain if asked.
5. Sample Resume for a Teen With No Work Experience
The following fictional example shows how a high school student might organize a first resume.
Jordan Taylor
Raleigh, North Carolina
jordan.taylor@email.com | 555-010-1234
Objective
Motivated high school student seeking a part-time retail position. Offers strong teamwork, organization, and communication skills.
Education
Westview High School — Raleigh, North Carolina
Expected Graduation: June 2028
Activities and Experience
School Volunteer
- Helped organize supplies for a school community event.
- Worked with other students to prepare materials and complete assigned tasks.
School Science Project
- Collaborated with classmates to research a topic and prepare a group presentation.
- Helped organize project information and meet deadlines.
Skills
- Communication and teamwork
- Organization and time management
- Basic computer skills
- Problem-solving
- Willingness to learn
Your teen can adapt this format to reflect their own education, skills, activities, and experiences.
For additional examples and resume writing tips, explore Indeed’s resume and cover letter resources.
6. Help Your Teen Avoid Common Resume Mistakes
Before submitting a resume, review it together. Check for:
- Spelling and grammar errors.
- Unprofessional email addresses.
- Inconsistent formatting or cluttered layouts.
- Exaggerated skills or accomplishments.
- Unnecessary personal information, such as a photograph or birth date.
- Information that is not relevant to the opportunity.
Keep the resume concise and easy to read. When submitting electronically, save it as a PDF if the employer accepts that format, and follow the application instructions. Remind your teen that a resume is a work in progress. They can update it as they gain new experiences and skills.
How Parents Can Help
Helping your teen write a resume is an opportunity to build confidence and independence.
- Ask questions that help your teen identify their strengths.
- Encourage them to describe what they learned from activities and projects.
- Offer feedback on wording, spelling, and formatting.
- Let them make revisions and take responsibility for the final document.
The goal is not simply to create a polished resume. It is to help your teen recognize their abilities and take ownership of their next steps.
Free Teen Resume Template and Checklist
Ready to help your teen create a first resume?
A Teen Resume Template and Checklist can make the process easier by providing a clear format and helping students identify experiences they can include—even without paid work experience.
Use the template to organize education, skills, volunteer work, activities, and accomplishments. Then use the checklist to review the resume before submitting it.
📄[Download the FREE Teen Resume Template and Checklist]
Final Thoughts
Helping your teen write a resume does not have to be overwhelming. School projects, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and personal responsibilities can all provide examples of skills employer’s value.
Start by helping your teen identify their experiences, organize their information, and describe their strengths honestly. A first resume does not need to be perfect. It is a starting point that will grow as your teen gains experience and explores future opportunities.
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