Whether you're trying to land a prime summer job or looking for part-time work after school, your job hunt is likely to be more successful if you have a well-written resume ready to present to potential employers. Here are 10 teen resume tips to help you fine-tune your resume:
1. Include Your Full Contact Information
This should include your first and last name, full address, and a telephone number where you can be reached. Make sure the email address that you list is one you actively use so you don't miss an important response message.
2. A Clearly Stated Objective
Your objective is where you state why you're seeking a position with that particular employer. If, for instance, you're looking for a summer job, you could say something like "I am seeking to gain some valuable work experience by securing a position with [insert business name] this summer."
3. Highlight Relevant Educational Achievements
For teens, relevant educational achievements are likely to center around high school. Potential employers expect this from teen employees, so it's alright to include things like your GPA and some of the classes you're taking that may be relevant to the job.
4. Broaden the Definition of Employment Experience
If you've held any previous jobs, go ahead and include that information. If you haven't, however, you can still include things like odd jobs and babysitting to show that you have some experience with responsibility.
5. Unpaid Experience Also Counts
For instance, if you've babysat for younger brothers and sisters without pay, go ahead and include that as experience. Volunteering or participating in community projects can also be included.
6. Limit Your Resume to a Single Page
It's not likely that an employer is expecting an extensive resume from a teen. Keep your paragraphs simple and use bullet points where appropriate to make your resume easy to read.
7. Have a Good Idea of What Your Duties Will Be
Do a little research and develop a good idea of what duties you're likely to be performing if you get the job. This information will allow you to focus on related traits and any relevant experience in your resume.
8. Don't Exaggerate or Embellish
If you don't have a lot of experience, that's perfectly OK. Employers hiring teens don't expect a long list of qualifications and achievements. Be honest about your qualities and emphasize positive traits and you should end up with an appealing resume.
9. Tailor You Resume to the Desired Job
A resume for a landscaper, for example, should focus on experience you have working outdoors. A resume for a retail outlet, on the other hand, would get better results if you mention your computer skills (to be able to help with inventory) and people skills.
10. Get Permission to List References
Make sure you have permission to list somebody as a reference on your resume. It's not a good idea if someone has no idea what your potential employer is talking about if they call to verify a reference.
Finally, the most important of all teen resume tips, in addition to the ten already listed, is to proofread. There's nothing worse than going through the effort of putting together an impressive resume only to have a potential employer toss it because of grammar and spelling errors.
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