The short answer
Keep it to one page: contact details, two lines on the job you want and what you offer, your education, then anything that shows you're reliable and quick to learn, such as school projects, volunteering, sport, babysitting or helping in a family business. Add the skills the ad mentions and proofread it twice.
Updated September 30, 2026
What employers look for in a first-time hire
Nobody hiring for a first job expects experience. They're asking three things: will this person turn up on time, can they follow instructions and learn, and will they be pleasant to work with. Your resume only has to give evidence of those.
What to include
- Contact details: your full name, phone number, email address and the town you live in.
- A short summary: who you are, which job you're applying for and one strength.
- Education: your school, the year you finish and subjects relevant to the job.
- Activities and experience: volunteering, sport, clubs, school projects, informal work.
- Skills: languages, computer skills, a driving licence, a first-aid certificate.
- Availability, if the job is part-time or seasonal: days, hours and start date.
Turn everyday activities into experience
Informal work counts: babysitting, tutoring, mowing lawns, helping at a family shop, running a stall at a school fair. Write it like a job, with what you did and how often.
Babysitting
Babysitter for two families · 2024 – Present Look after three children aged 3 to 8, two evenings a week; trusted with school pick-ups and meals
Get the practical details right
- Use an email address based on your name, not a nickname.
- Check that your phone number is correct and your voicemail is set up.
- Choose a simple one-column layout in one font. Skip colours and graphics.
- Ask a teacher, coach or neighbour if they would act as a reference, and have their details ready when asked.
Before you send it
- Read it aloud, then ask someone else to read it. Typos are the most common reason a first resume is rejected.
- Save it as a PDF named with your name, such as "Sam-Carter-Resume.pdf".
- Make sure it mentions the job you're applying for, and change that for each application.
- If you hand it in yourself, print it on clean paper and ask for the manager.
Checklist
- One page, simple layout
- A professional email address and the right phone number
- The summary names the job you're applying for
- Activities are described with what you did and how often
- Two people have proofread it