Video:Tips for Writing a Teen Resume

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Transcript:Tips for Writing a Teen Resume

Hi, I’m Alison Doyle for About.com. When you’re writing your first resume it can be hard to know what to include, especially if you don’t have any or much work experience. These tips will help you write a resume that works.

Getting Started

Many teen job seekers think they don’t need a resume or don’t have anything to include on a resume. That’s not the case.

It’s easy to get started. All you need is a word processing program like Microsoft Word and a printer. Your school or library will have everything you need, if you don’t have it at home.

Sample Resumes and Templates

A quick way to get started writing a resume is to use a Microsoft Word Template. All you’ll need to do is customize the template with your information. Before you start, review sample resumes. It will give you a good idea of what your resume should look like and what you can include.

Your resume needs to include some basic education:

• Name, address and contact information
• Education
• Work Experience
• Skills

Even if you don’t have formal work experience, you can include other types of work like baby sitting or lawn mowing and volunteer experiences.

List Your Information

The easiest way to get started is to make a list that includes all the information you need on your resume.

Clean and Clear Formatting

Once you’ve added all your personal information to your resume, take the time to format it. Your resume should use a plain font, have lots of white space, and be simple and easy to read.

Your resume has less than 20 seconds to make a good impression on an employer, so it needs to be eye-catching and easy to read.

References

You don’t need to include references on your resume. Create a separate list of references to giving to prospective employers.

Take the time to create a professional resume, even when you’re a first time job seekers.

For more information on teen job searching, including where to find job postings, working papers, and how to interview check out the Teen Job Search Guide on my About.com Job Searching site.

Thanks for watching. To learn more visit us on the Web at About.com.