Katie writes:
I am currently a high-school student who desperately wants a part-time job for after school and weekends. My mom says it’s okay, as long as I keep my grades up. I want to impress people when I apply for jobs, so even though I don’t think I need one, I want to develop a resume. Can you give me some pointers?
The Career Doctor responds:
I think it’s great that you are seeking a part-time job, and I’m glad your mom gave you permission to do so. There is a lot of evidence that shows teens gain a greater perspective on working, on careers, and on time-management skills by working part-time while attending school. But I also agree that school should be your main focus, so don’t let your work interfere with school or attaining the grades you need.
While you do not technically need a resume to find a part-time job, it is helpful to do so for two reasons. First, you will stand out from all the other teens who apply for the same jobs because the vast majority of them will NOT have resumes. Second, a resume is a document you will need the rest of your working life, so you might as well learn some good habits now on how to develop a resume.
The basic elements of a teen resume include: contact information, job objective, education, and experience. If your resume is not a full page with these elements, you can also include these optional elements: skills and community service.
Do not use a template to develop your resume unless you are just not comfortable starting with a blank page.
Remember to keep your resume focused on your objective (obtaining the part-time job), and always, always spell-check it and have at least one other person proofread it for errors. It might also be useful to have a parent or other adult critique your resume and make suggestions for improving it.
For more detailed help, we now have a teen resume writing worksheet published on Quintessential Careers.
