resume for 16 year old example

Resume For a 16-Year-Old

In This Guide:

Sample resume template for a 16-year-old, resume formatting tips for a high-schooler, what to write instead of experience, key takeaways.

If you’re reading this, you’re likely a teenager looking for a job! It can be difficult to build a resume and find a job when you have little to no experience and are just entering the workforce. But don’t worry, this is a guide to help you find your way!

In this article, you’ll learn:

• how to build a professional resume;
• what to put on it when you have little experience ;
• and some examples to help you imagine what your resume could look like.

Below is a sample resume template to help guide you in building your own. Your resume should look something like this when you complete it:

Amanda Smith

Phone: 808-707-0404 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amanda_smith05

I am a responsible and reliable sophomore striving for real-life work experience and a place to grow my familiarity and confidence in the workforce. I thrive in a team environment but also exemplify self-sufficiency on designated tasks. I hope to help a business be more successful through my determination and enthusiasm.

• Sophomore at Adams High School with As and Bs
• Taking Spanish, English, Calculus, World History, and Biology
• Reliable punctuality
• Excellent communication
• Time management
• Attention to detail

Hobbies and Interests

• Reading books of all kinds and expanding my horizons
• Hiking in nature to get back to my roots and experience the outdoors
• Watching documentaries to learn more about the world

Other Activities

• Weekly volunteering at animal shelters
• Part of a reading group for kindergarteners after school

Keep these tips in mind when making your resume. Following these guidelines ensures a professional and legible resume.

• Choose the best format Chronological formats are the easiest to write and easiest to understand.
• Adjust page margins to the appropriate length Make sure the margins aren’t too big or too small to avoid an awkward appearance.
• Choose a professional font Don’t go with Comic Sans or something funky, stick to Times New Roman or something simple.
• Keep it one page Keep it short and sweet so employers can easily digest it.
• Save as PDF Save as a PDF so your formatting stays the same across platforms.

Below are some suggestions for filling in your experience on your resume. Many teenagers don’t have loads of job experience, but you can supplement with the following subjects:

• Education Include bullets with classes, extracurricular activities, student memberships, studies, and anything relevant to your education.
• Hobbies and interests Anything that will showcase your relevant skills should go in this section.
• Actual skills Try to match the skills to the job description and draw from previous experience.
• Volunteering Mention any volunteering you have done to exemplify your enthusiasm and spirit.
• Extra sections Mention language skills, personal projects you’ve done, or other relevant activities.

Here are the key takeaways for 16-year-olds building a resume:

• Include anything that shows your positive character
• Highlight your relevant skills
• Express your enthusiasm for employment
• Display all contact information prominently
• Use a helpful resume builder

• Resume Guides

40 of the Best Work At Home Jobs

Do resume templates work, 2024 resume statistics from over 12 000 us-based job-seekers, how to write a modern resume, what did microsoft's marketing manager learn from enhancv, background check for employment: what does it show and how to know if you passed.

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Examples
• Resume Templates
• AI Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

• Knowledge Base
• Free Resume Templates
• Resume Builder
• Resume Examples
• Free Resume Review

What should a 16-year-old put on a resume?

If you are a high school or a college student struggling to make your first teen resume, you're not alone.

Generally, resumes showcase a candidate's professional experiences and skills.

However, as are a teenager applying for their first job, the basics for building a resume are slightly different.

For instance, a teen resume has an objective section instead of a resume summary.

Read on to learn more about teen resumes and related FAQs like the following:

• What is a teen resume?
• What sections should you include in a teen resume?
• How to create the header of a teen resume?
• How to create the objective section of a teen resume?
• What skills should you add to a resume for teens?
• How to write the work experience section in a teen resume?
• How to add education experience on a teen resume?
• How can you add certifications on a teen resume?
• Which additional sections can you add to a teen resume?

What is a Teen Resume?

A teen resume is a page-long document that showcases the best of your academic achievements and skills.

Whether you're applying for your first-part time job or college interviews, and internships, having a resume supports your application as it makes it easier for recruiters to see all your information in one place.

A teen resume is different than a professional resume as it focuses on academic achievements, volunteer work, projects, and extracurricular activities rather than work experiences.

According to the relevance with the job profile you're targetting, you can include the following volunteer work experiences in teen resumes:

• Volunteer work at animal rescue shelters
• Art museums
• National parks
• Political campaigns
• Food pantries
• Retirement homes
• Habitat for humanity
• Organizations like Red Cross
• Local libraries and
• Community blood drives

Also read: How to write a resume with no experience?

What Sections to Include in a Teen Resume?

First things first, you must compile all your information in a single file to streamline the process of building a teen resume.

Once you have all the information in one place, you can pick and choose which information you want to include in your teen resume, based on the job description.

Ensure to present this information in different sections to increase the readability of your resume by giving it a crisp and professional look.

Listed below are the must-have sections in a teen resume:

• Personal Information
• Internship/Volunteer experience (if any)
• Awards and Achievements
• Certifications

Extracurricular Activities

• Additional Information

Also Read: What are the different sections to add to a resume? .

Teenage Resume Header

The header is the topmost part of your resume which is the first thing that the recruiters will see.

Your teen resume header must always be your full name in the largest font size of 14-16 points.

If you have a middle name, you can initialize it like so - Mary J. Blige

Ensure that you don't go with generic resume headers like "CV" or "Resume."

Recruiters already know that the document is a resume. What they don't know is who it belongs to.

Thus, it makes sense to write your name as the header of your teen resume.

Also Read: How to write a perfect resume header in 2022?

Teen Resume Personal Information

Right after the header, you must create a section for your personal information.

This section must include the following details:

A Reachable Phone Number

Ensure that it is a contact number on which you are available at all times.

Write your country's International Subscriber Dialing (ISD) code and a plus sign (+) before the number.

A Professional E-mail Id

E-mail addresses with names like '[email protected]' not only sound unprofessional but can also cost you your chances of getting shortlisted for the job.

So make sure that your e-mail address sounds professional. Preferably, one with your full name like [email protected]

Mention the city and state of your current location - not your hometown (if they are different).

Also, you don't need to provide details like your street address and zip code of your current location.

LinkedIn Profile Link

Provide a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile or an online portfolio if you have one.

In case you don't have a LinkedIn profile, consider making one as it can be beneficial for networking and finding job opportunities.

Profile Title

A profile title in your teen resume is the name of the profile you are applying for.

A few examples of profile titles that you can add to your teen resume are - industrial relations counselor, criminologist, dietician, etc.

Also, your profile title should be the second-largest text in your resume with a font size 12-14 points .

Also Read: How to write the contact information in resume in 2022?

Teen Resume Objective

Although the objective and key skills sections must be placed at the top part of your teen resume, it must be written only after writing the other sections so that you have a clear understanding of what your core skills and objective are.

When writing your objective section, don't write about your expectations from the company and the role.

Instead, write what you can provide to the organization as an ideal candidate.

Your objective statement must show how you could benefit the company with your skills and knowledge.

Highlight the skills that can fulfill the requirements of the role you're targetting and emphasize your proven track record of academic achievements.

Also Read: How to write a resume objective in 2022?

Key Skills for Teen Resume

The skills section of your teen resume must list the core skills that you possess in terms of the job description and requirements.

For instance, if you are applying for the job profile of an assistant, it must showcase skills like:

Remember to always refer to the requirements listed in the job description of the listing to understand which skills you must list in your resume (as long as it stands true to you).

The listed skills must be backed by your academic qualifications, volunteer or internship experiences, or academic projects that you've been a part of.

If you possess technical skills like proficiency in programming languages and familiarity with using specific tools or software, you can create a separate section under your key skills and list them.

Given below is a snapshot of the key skills and technical skills sections in a resume:

The following are some other examples of key skills that you can add to your teen resume according to your qualifications:

Also read: How to write a resume skills section?

Volunteer/Internship Work Section

Instead of a professional work experience section, your teen resume can have a volunteer or internship work experience section.

And depending on the relevance of it, you can either have the education section or this section before the other.

You can list your internship/volunteer experience using the reverse chronological format with the following details:

• Name of the Organization
• Location (city & state)
• Starting & completion dates
• Your designation
• The duties you performed

Also, here are some best practices you must follow to present your work experiences:

• Avoid writing in bulky paragraphs and use bullet points
• Begin your sentences with a power verb like managed, assisted, organized, etc. to create more impact with your one-liners
• Highlight the keywords in your bullet points
• Quantify your achievements and use figures whenever possible
• Use the cause-effect relationship to build your one-liners as shown in the following example:

Scheduled 10+ meetings every week by coordinating with clients and senior management to ensure smooth operations Assisted in making travel arrangements for 15+ clients who were traveling to the city on company business

Also Read: How to craft the perfect internship resume for college students in 2022?

Teen Resume Education Section

You need to leverage your fresh education to show your potential through your teen resume.

This section must present your college and high school qualifications along with some details about the coursework.

Write the name of the school/university, the name of the degree, along with the location and dates of enrollment & graduation.

If your GPA is higher than 3.5, you can mention that as well.

Also Read: How to write the education section of a resume in 2022?

Teen Resume Certifications

If you have taken up extra certification courses or training that is relevant to the job you're applying for, you can list them in this section.

Adding certifications to your teenage resume increases its value and helps you stand out from the crowd of applicants.

Provide the following details while listing your certifications:

• Name of the certification course
• Name of the certifying institution
• Dates of enrollment and graduation

Also Read: How to list certifications on a resume in 2022?

Additional Information for Teen Resume

Furthermore, to provide extra details about your academic experience and qualification, you can include additional sections like the following to your teen resume:

As teens don't have work experience to put on their resumes, you can list academic projects that you've been a part of.

Academic projects include the significant projects that you did in school or college.

To list your projects, use the format given below:

Name of the project | Dates of the project One line description of the project Projects objectives, your role, and the outcome of the project

Also Read: How to showcase projects on a resume in 2022?

Awards & Achievements

The awards and achievements section will include any major awards or certificates you received for exceptional academic performance or for participating in quizzes, sports, projects, etc., at the school or college level.

You can also include awards or recognition that you may have received for your volunteer work or internship.

Follow the given format to list your awards & achivements:

< Name of the Award > | < Reason for getting the award > | < Name of the awarding institution > | < Dates >

This section will mention all the extracurricular activities that you took part in at school or college.

It could be anything from being a part of the basketball team or leading the eco-club or becoming the captain of the soccer team.

Extracurricular activities showcase that you possess teamwork, communication, and leadership skills.

If you speak multiple languages, list them in your teen resume as it can be an asset if you are planning to work in the service, tourism, and sales industries.

Also read: How to write an entry-level resume in 2022?

Key Takeaways

• You should start every point with a power verb in your teen resume internship/volunteer experience section
• Quantify your achievements wherever possible
• Use bullet points instead of bulky paragraphs in your teen resume
• The font size for your teen resume body should be between 10-12 points, as these font sizes are easily readable
• Use professional fonts like Ariel, Helvetica, and Tahoma to write your teen resume
• Ensure that your key skills match your work experience and the profile you're applying for
• Customize your teen resume according to the job description of the role you're applying for
• Write the objective and skills section after writing the other resume sections
• Your objective statement should focus on how you can benefit the organization with your skills and knowledge

If you want to build a stellar teen resume, use Hiration's resume builder which is powered by AI. You can also write to us at [email protected] .

Share this blog

Subscribe to Free Resume Writing Blog by Hiration

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox

Stay up to date! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox

Is Your Resume ATS Friendly To Get Shortlisted?

Upload your resume for a free expert review.

• Get the Job
• Resumes and CVs
• Applications
• Cover Letters
• Professional References

Professional Licenses and Exams

• Get a Promotion
• Negotiation
• Professional Ethics
• Professionalism
• Dealing with Coworkers
• Dealing with Bosses

Communication Skills

Managing the office, disabilities, harassment and discrimination, unemployment.

• Career Paths
• Compare Careers
• Switching Careers
• Training and Certifications
• Start a Company
• Internships and Apprenticeships
• Entry Level Jobs
• College Degrees

Growth Trends for Related Jobs

How to make a resume for a 16-year-old.

Although teens typically do not have an extensive work history, those who are applying for internships or part-time jobs may be called upon to supply a resume. Creating a high school resume that highlights relevant coursework, extracurricular activities and volunteer work, as well as any employment history, will help a high school student impress prospective employers.

Organize Your Data

List your extracurricular activities, including clubs, organized sports, academic groups, and volunteering. Identify the activities in which you hold a leadership roles.

Summarize your involvement in organizations outside of school, such as scouting. Employers will be impressed by the commitment required to remain involved for many years and demonstrate upward progress.

Compile information about your special education or training. For example, list certifications in first aid or CPR, as well as any additional coursework you've completed outside of school.

Create the Resume

Begin the resume with your contact information: name, mailing address, telephone number and email address.

Add an "Objective" heading and summarize your desired position in one sentence.

Create a heading for education, and list the name of your high school, its address and your expected graduation date. List any classes that pertain to the job position (computer classes or math classes, for example), as well as any awards or recognition you have earned. Include your GPA only if it is at least 3.0.

Add a “Work Experience and Volunteering” heading next. Make a bullet-point list of your previous jobs and volunteer work. Includes the name of the employer, the dates of employment, and a summary of your responsibilities and achievements.

Position a “Qualification Summary” heading next. In a few short sentences, summarize your qualifications and explain how you meet the requirements of the job or internship.

Do not place references on a resume. Compile a list of references on a separate paper and furnish this to a prospective employer upon request.

Proofreading is important to writing an effective resume. Ask someone else to read your resume and look for errors before you submit it.

Related Articles

How to write good resume if you've never worked before →.

How to Write a Perfect Resume →

How Should a Teacher's Resume Differ From a Regular Resume? →

How to Write Personal Information on a Resume →

Resume format for many jobs →.

What Needs to Be on a Job Resume? →

Kathryn Hatter is a veteran home-school educator, as well as an accomplished gardener, quilter, crocheter, cook, decorator and digital graphics creator. As a regular contributor to Natural News, many of Hatter's Internet publications focus on natural health and parenting. Hatter has also had publication on home improvement websites such as Redbeacon.

monkeybusinessimages/iStock/GettyImages

• Job Descriptions
• Law Enforcement Job Descriptions
• Administrative Job Descriptions
• Healthcare Job Descriptions
• Sales Job Descriptions
• Fashion Job Descriptions
• Education Job Descriptions
• Salary Insights
• Journalism Salaries
• Healthcare Salaries
• Military Salaries
• Engineering Salaries
• Teaching Salaries
• Accessibility
• Privacy Notice
• Cookie Notice
• Copyright Policy
• Contact Us
• Find a Job
• Manage Preferences
• California Notice of Collection
• Terms of Use

How to Write a First Job Resume for Teens

Even with no work experience, teens can still make an effective resume. See a sample teen resume.

How to Write a Resume for Teens

A well-written resume can be a key to success when looking for a first job or applying for a scholarship or competitive academic program. Even with no “real-world” work experience, you can still make an effective resume as a teen. Here are eight tips for writing a first-time resume or a first job resume as a teen. See a sample teen resume below.

Getty Images

Know the Purpose

Identify the goal of the resume. A resume to get a job as a lifeguard has a different purpose than one for getting a philanthropic academic scholarship. Review the job description or qualifications and make a list of the essential requirements and preferred requirements.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Career Success

• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Best Skills to List on Your Resume
• How to Ace a Job Interview
• How to Answer Top Interview Questions
• Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Negotiate Your Salary
• How to Ask for a Leave of Absence
• What to Wear to Work
• How to Call in Sick
• How to Quit Your Job
• How to Write a Resume

The essential requirements, or must-haves, are fixed or firm prerequisites such as: “Must have a clean driver’s license” if applying to be a delivery driver; or “Must have a GPA of 3.5” if applying for a specific academic program. These requirements are usually not flexible, and your resume should show that you meet them to be considered.

Preferred or ideal qualifications are nice to have, but may be flexible or could be satisfied a different way. A preferred qualification might be written as “Previous retail experience preferred” or “Applicants with volunteer work in social justice preferred.” If you have the preferred qualifications, be sure to include those qualifications. If you don’t have an exact preferred qualification but something similar, you can include it in your resume.

For example, while you may not have retail experience but have volunteered multiple times at the local thrift clothing store , that work can show you are interested in clothing and have some experience with a retail environment. The addition of similar experience is useful if it helps to make you more qualified than someone else who has no preferred or similar qualifications.

Choose a Simple Document Format

You can start with a blank document or use a resume template on Word or Google, but be sure to select one that is simple, without graphics, tables or other complex formatting styles. Often those templates do not load correctly or clearly into the Applicant Tracking Systems that are used as databases of candidates. Complex templates can also be difficult to update later. Most ATS do best with Word documents when submitted online via a posting portal.

Each resume section except for your contact information and your summary can have a title to separate it. You can use something as simple as: "Education, Experience, Skills" to designate each area. All caps, small caps, bold or just a little color and/or an underline can be effective ways to add some style to the section headings while still having a clean, easy to read appearance. A teen resume should almost always be one page, in 10-11 point font with standard page margins.

If emailing a resume, a PDF version works. If you're bringing it in-person, you can use anything that results in a professional and easy to read format on a clean, unfolded piece of white printer paper.

Professional Contact Information

In the body of the resume – not in a header – include your name as you would want it on a paycheck, your best contact phone number and a professional email address. This is not the time to use [email protected]. Instead, use an email address that is a combination of your first and last name or something else that is simple and professional. Be sure it is an email address that you check multiple times a day – including spam and clutter folders. You do not need to put in your full address, but having your city and state can be helpful if you are applying to a local neighborhood opportunity. For a more competitive or business-related opportunity, you can include a link to your LinkedIn profile, if you have one.

Summary or Objective Statement

Sometimes a resume may become separated from the pile of similar applicants. To ensure that the reader knows your target or goal in submitting a resume, include a statement of purpose. For example: “High school junior targeting a full-time summer job as a lifeguard. Able to start as of June 1 and available to work full time until Aug. 15. Can work part time during the school year.”

For many teenagers, your education is often your most significant accomplishment and qualification so far. List your school, your grade level and include additional information such as relevant classes. For example, you can list having an A in biology if you're applying to a biology program or your three years playing lacrosse if you are applying for a coaching job in your town's parks and recreation department. If you have a 3.0 GPA or above, you can include that too. You can also include any certifications or other training that is important for the role, such as CPR or a lifeguard certification.

Experience – whether it's paid, unpaid, part-time , full-time or on a volunteer basis – can do a lot to add to your credentials. Include any experience that shows you have done similar work, but also include any experience that shows you are reliable, trustworthy, hardworking or interested in the type of business or industry. To an employer, a candidate who has been hired or managed by someone else seems “less risky” than one who has never held responsibilities outside of the home or school. Some examples could be volunteering each week at the church nursery, watching your neighbor’s cats every time they go out of town or helping the drama teacher to set up and clean up after every performance at the high school.

Add Other Relevant Content

Some additional sections you can include are: skills , technology tools, awards/achievements, sports, clubs, hobbies and interests. The key here is to limit these to only things that will add value to your credentials. No need to include that you love playing Minecraft if you are not applying to a video game camp as a group leader, for example.

Review Your Work

Proof and edit online, print it out and proof it again. Then, ask a couple of other people – adults or people who have a vested interest in your resume representing you well – to review it too. You would much rather catch an error with a trusted contact than to miss out on an opportunity because of an autocorrect mistake.

When built correctly from the start, your resume can continue to evolve without much effort as you add more to your qualifications. See a sample teen resume below.

Sample Teen Resume

Robin Student

955.555.5555 | [email protected] | Danville, CA | linkedin.com/in/robinstudent

High school junior targeting a full-time summer job as a lifeguard. Able to start as of June 1 and available to work full time until Aug. 15. Can work part time during the school year.

• Washington High School, Class of 2022
• CPR and Lifeguard certification.

Experience:

• Swim team co-captain.
• Volunteer at Unity Church as a summer camp counselor.
• Babysitter for neighbor's toddlers.
• Can help others learn swimming techniques.
• Helpful and enthusiastic.
• Punctual and follows instructions.
• Girl Scouts.
• Community garden volunteer.

Tags: resumes , Applying , high school , teens , money , personal finance

About On Careers

Our expert contributors give their best advice on answering common interview questions, perfecting job applications, negotiating salary and more.

Find savvy job advice from the brains behind top careers blogs and websites, including Robin Madell, Robin Reshwan and Hallie Crawford.

RECOMMENDED

Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get investing advice, rankings and stock market news.

See a newsletter example .

You May Also Like

13 signs you may be facing a tech layoff.

Jamela Adam and Janica Ingram April 11, 2024

Why You Feel Disengaged at Work

Robin Madell April 8, 2024

9 Sites for Legit Remote Jobs

Robin Madell April 3, 2024

7 Best Technology Jobs in the U.S.

Jamela Adam March 26, 2024

What Are Soft Skills?

Hallie Crawford March 25, 2024

11 Best High-Paying Business Jobs

Jamela Adam March 21, 2024

8 Best Finance Jobs to Pursue

Jamela Adam March 19, 2024

14 High-Paying, No-Degree Jobs

Jamela Adam March 14, 2024

The 15 Best Jobs That Help People

Jamela Adam March 12, 2024

25 Jobs That Pay $80K or More

Jamela Adam March 7, 2024

16 Best Jobs for High School Graduates

Jamela Adam Feb. 29, 2024

15 Best Jobs You've Never Heard Of

Jamela Adam Feb. 27, 2024

What Is the 'Act Your Wage?'

Robin Madell Feb. 23, 2024

20 Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance

Jamela Adam Feb. 22, 2024

15 Jobs to Consider for a Career Change

Jamela Adam Feb. 14, 2024

What Is Shift Shock?

Robin Madell Feb. 7, 2024

10 Best Part-Time Jobs to Pay the Bills

Jamela Adam Jan. 26, 2024

10 Best Jobs That Allow You to Travel

Jamela Adam Jan. 22, 2024

Best Jobs That Pay $100K or More

Jamela Adam Jan. 18, 2024

What Is Rage-Applying?

Robin Madell Jan. 12, 2024

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• CV and Cover Letter
• How to write a CV for a...

How to write a CV for a 16-year-old (with examples)

6 min read · Updated on October 25, 2022

There's a first time for everything, so make sure your first CV is a real corker!

The potential world of work experience - a scary prospect or something to relish? It needn't be a trial to get your first job CV shipshape, ready for a Saturday job or an exciting apprenticeship opportunity. We have all you need to know about how to write a CV for a 16 year old right here, right now. And with four CV examples for 16 year olds at the end of this article, you'll be well on your way to mastering the skill of putting together a comprehensive and informative teenager CV that highlights your skills and gets you noticed.

Can a 16-year-old even have a CV?

Of course. You've got your own experiences and skills to proclaim… and your pocket money just isn't enough any more for all the things you want to explore. Plus, securing a job at this stage in your life will teach you so many more new skills to add to your CV at a later date.

This is probably the first template for a CV that you've ever had to compile. But first, you want to make sure it's worth doing. A CV, or Curriculum Vitae to give its full name (which translates from the Latin as “course of life”), is a document that details a person's career and qualifications. Still  relevant today , a CV is generally required when applying for jobs.

If you live in England, it's required by law that you remain in some sort of  education or training until the age of 18. In Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can enter the world of work from leaving school at 16, depending on when your birthday falls.

Grab their attention

What is it about TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat that appeals? They're engaging, informative, eye-catching, and fun to read. So let your new 16 year old CV be the same! Whoever's reading your CV is looking to be impressed and heartened by your efforts at creating an amazing teenager CV. So don't disappoint!

Choose a  fitting CV template for a 16 year old that is clear and clean with no tables or boxes, taking guidance from the CV examples for 16 year olds below. A one page CV is enough at this stage.

Then crack on with the personal profile, which sits under your contact details at the top of the page. This is often called the “Professional Profile”, but as you're likely to have little or no experience, it's best to title it as “Personal Profile”. Check out the profiles in the CV examples for 16 year olds that are included in this piece for inspiration, using them as a guide to hone your own profile with your key assets and attributes.

Next comes your education and qualifications. Not surprisingly, this is probably going to be your biggest selling point and thus, the most significant feature of your teenager CV. Keep it in list form, detailing grades of recent qualifications, such as GCSEs, the school, and year completed - or state “ongoing” if you're still in the process of taking them.

Shout out about your experience

If you do have some experience, whether that's two weeks work experience in an office or voluntary work at a local charity shop, then shout about it. Info on this should be placed under the education section. List the name of the company you worked for, your job title - even if it was Intern - and the dates. Then offer up bulleted points of your responsibilities , using active verbs and including any achievements, to set you up for  finding a part-time job .

How do I write a CV for a teenager with no experience?

Drafting a CV for a teenager with no experience can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What on earth can you put on a document designed to show off career and work experience when you have none? Don't worry, there are ways and means of creating a great CV for a teenager with no experience by approaching it from a different angle.

You'll have gained lots of skills from school and extracurricular activities without even knowing! You need to identify these, focus on them, and translate them to the page. What are you like in a team? Have you supervised others? Have you organised anything or solved problems? Perhaps you're a people person or have a knack for coming up with great ideas. Whatever key skills you focus on, you need to elaborate on the relevant ones and explain how these would be beneficial to the job in hand.

Think of the interests and hobbies you've done for a while. Have you undertaken something like a Duke of Edinburgh award or similar? These types of activities often involve organisation, team work, effective communication, and problem solving. Were you Prefect or Sports Captain at school? These show leadership capabilities as well as flexibility, time management, and collaboration. What about anything you've achieved under your own initiative that relates to the job you're gunning for? This can include research and reading, visits, and online courses, while proving you're ace at self management and also IT literate.

Check out the CV examples for 16 year olds below, especially the specifically-written CV for teenagers with no experience..

Applying for an apprenticeship?

How are your experiences, key skills, or knowledge going to benefit an apprenticeship? Tell them about things you've done outside your studies to further develop your knowledge. Try to think about things that not everyone else is doing, so that you stand out from the crowd.

CV examples for 16 year olds

Listed below are four CV examples for 16 year olds. These cover a range of options and styles. Note how two of the CV examples for 16 year olds are written in the first person, a more informal approach. The other two good CV examples for a first job are crafted in the more formal third person, a style adopted for most CVs. Depending on your character and personality, pick the teenage CV template that suits you the best.

Recommended reading:

What is a CV headline? (with examples)

• How to add volunteer work in a CV (with examples)
• How to write a graduate CV

Related Articles:

What File Format Is Best for Your CV? Pros + Cons

How to choose the best CV paper

Professional CV Writing Service Cost 2024

See how your CV stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & CV tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

CV template for 16 year old + examples

Leaving school and entering the world of work is an exciting challenge.

You want to land yourself a good well-paying job, but you’re going to need a strong CV first.

Knowing how to write a CV and what information to include in it can be tricky when you’re 16 years old, so I’ve put together this guide which has a CV template and some example CVs to help you.

16 year old CV template (no experience)

• 16 year old CV template (with part-time work experience)

What is a CV?

How to write your cv.

CV templates 

This is an example CV of a 16 year old who has left school and has no work experience.

16 year old CV template (with some experience)

This is an example CV of a 16 year old who has some part-time work experience working in a shop.

So, you’ve been told that you need to write a CV if you want a job, but what the hell is a CV anyway?

A CV (short for curriculum vitae ) is simply a written document that contains lots of work-related information about you; such as your education, qualifications, skills… and experience (if you have any yet)

You send your CV to employers when you apply for jobs, and they read it to decide whether or not you are suitable enough to be invited to an interview.

Your CV is often the only thing an employer will have to judge you on, so getting it right will really help you to get more interviews and land better jobs.

It’s probably one of the most important documents you will ever write in your life.

Who reads your CV?

When you apply for a job online, your CV will normally be reviewed by one of two people;

• Recruiters and

Hiring managers

These are the bosses within the employer’s organisation who are looking for somebody to work in their team or department – They are the person who you will end up working for if you get the job. For example if you apply for a sales assistant role in a shop, the hiring manager could be the shop manager or supervisor.

These are the middle-men who help hiring managers to find the right people for their jobs. It’s their full-time job to review CVs and applications, and pass on the best ones to the hiring managers to be considered for an interview.

So, if you want to land job interviews, your CV must impress these people.

Now that you’ve seen some good example CVs, I will show you step-by-step how to write your own interview-winning CV.

Structuring your CV

For most young people, this will be the best way to structure your CV , so that you are giving employers the information they need, in the order they would like to see it.

• Contact details – At the top of the CV so they don’t get missed
• CV profile – Your introductory paragraph

Core skills and achievements

Hobbies and interests.

(And if you have any work experience, you can add that too like the example above)

Formatting your CV

When formatting your CV, you need to ensure that it;

• Looks professional so that employers take you seriously
• Is very easy to read so that busy recruiters and hiring managers don’t have to spend too much time reviewing it

So how do you do this?

• Keep the CV short and sweet – 1 page long is fine if you have no experience – 2 pages if you have some work experience to add.
• Make the text clear – Use a simple font like Arial or Tahoma and keep the colour scheme basic, like black text on white
• Break text up as much as possible – using short sentences and bullet points (this makes it easy for readers to digest the info on the page)
• Divide the CV sections clearly – with bold heading and borders to make navigation easy

What writing software to use?

It’s best to write your CV using a word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs because they are easy to use, and the most commonly accepted format for CV across the globe. They can also be saved into PDF format to restrict readers from editing.

Quick tip:  If you struggle with spelling and grammar, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder

Now, let’s take a detailed look at each section of your CV, and how to write it.

(If you prefer to learn visually, you can check out my video guide here instead)

Name and contact details

Head the top of your CV with your name and contact details, so that readers know who you are, and how to reach you.

Never hide your contact details at the bottom of the CV, in case they are missed!

All you need to include is:

• Telephone number
• Email address (use one that looks professional – no silly nicknames)

You don’t need to include your date of birth or full address – they aren’t needed at this early stage of the application.

Your CV profile

Start your CV with a powerful profile (sometimes called a personal statement ) which is a short paragraph that introduces you, and summarises all of your most impressive skills and knowledge.

The purpose of the profile is to catch hiring managers attention and quickly show them that you are a good candidate for them.

The type of information you should include is:

• Education  – Grades, subjects, courses, awards
• Hard skills  – Numeracy, writing, languages, IT system experience etc.
• Soft skills  – Communication , team work, adaptability, personal skills
• Your objective  – e.g. You want to work in finance, or you want to become a lawyer (you should also write about this in your  cover letter )

Quick tip: Research the types of jobs you are applying for, before you write your CV, by looking at lots of similar job adverts online. Make a list of the things they are looking for in candidates, such as skills , qualifications, interests etc. Then try to include as many of these things as you can in your profile and throughout the rest of your CV.

To ensure that recruiters and hiring managers don’t miss your most important skills and impressive achievements – add a bullet pointed section like this to put them in.

Here, you can show off any skills that are highly relevant to the jobs you are applying for, or anything really impressive you have achieved in school, or in your personal life.

For example, you may want to highlight the fact you were a school prefect, or captain of the hockey club.

Employers will be keen to see what you have achieved as a student , so use your education section to show them.

Include details such as:

• Which school you attended and the dates you attended from and to
• Which subjects you studied and your exam results (GCSEs, A levels)
• Any clubs you were a member of
• Any awards you received
• Any sports you played
• Any extracurricular activities you took part in
• Volunteer work you did through school

Work experience

If you have any work experience, such as a paper round or part-time job in a shop , then add it to showcase the valuable skills you have picked up.

Use a structure like the role in the example CV above and list the contributions you made to the employer, showing how you helped them to run their business.

If you haven’t got any work experience, don’t panic. We all have to start somewhere, and there’s plenty of ways to prove you have valuable skills and experience without it.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

If you have little or no experience, your hobbies can provide you with a great way to showcase some important workplace skills.

Some good hobbies to include are:

• Sports – Playing individual or team sports can demonstrate teamwork, communication, leadership, coordination and more
• Clubs – Being a member of a club like scouts or a book club proves dedication, motivation and can involve lots of other skills
• Volunteering – supporting a charity or business can require lots of workplace skills like dealing with customers and working to deadlines
• Accomplishments – If you’ve run a marathon or raised money for charity, it proves you are hard working and will look great on your CV
• Career-related interests – If you have any interests that are closely related to the jobs you are applying for, you should definitely include them. E.g. if you are applying for writing jobs, and you write your own blog, that’s a perfect way to highlight relevant skills.

You can also check out my video on how to add hobbies and interests to your CV…

Writing a CV as a 16 year old

Writing your CV when you have little or no experience can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

If you follow the steps above and focus on showing employers that you have the skills and knowledge they need – you should easily be able to write a winning CV.

Once you’ve written your CV, you must work hard applying for plenty of jobs on job websites, and also by searching out companies and sending them direct emails to ask if they are hiring.

You won’t get a reply from every application you make, so just be patient and persistent, and you will soon land that job!

Good luck with your job search!