Resume for teenager first job: a simple Australian guide

A resume for a teenager's first job does not need paid experience: use school, sport, volunteering, caring or household responsibilities to show skills you can prove. Keep it to one clear page if possible, tailor the top half to the retail, hospitality or casual role, and state exactly when you can work.

What should a teenager put on a first-job resume?

A first-job resume should include contact details, a short profile, education, relevant skills, activity evidence, availability and referees if requested. Show what you have done, not a school activity presented as paid employment.

Use professional contact details: your full name, email, mobile number and suburb. Do not add your full street address, date of birth or a photo; a suburb is enough unless an employer asks for more.

Write a three-line profile under your contact details. Say what work you want, what you do well and when you are available. For example, a Year 10 student applying to a cafe could write: “Year 10 student seeking a casual cafe role. Confident speaking with customers through school events and local sport, quick to learn and available after school on Tuesday and Thursday plus weekends.”

How do you structure a resume with no work experience?

The simplest structure is a short profile followed by sections that prove your fit for this job. Put relevant evidence near the top, because an online application may be reviewed quickly.

1. Step 1: Add contact details. Use your name, mobile, professional email and suburb.
2. Step 2: Write a targeted profile. Name the role, two strengths and your genuine availability.
3. Step 3: List education. Add your school, year level, expected completion year and relevant subjects, awards or projects.
4. Step 4: Show skills with evidence. Pair “teamwork” or “reliability” with the activity where you demonstrated it.
5. Step 5: Add experience beyond employment. Include volunteering, sport leadership, school events, work experience or regular responsibilities.
6. Step 6: Add availability and referees. Give specific times, then list a referee only if the ad asks or you have permission.

A referee is an adult who can describe how you behave and work, such as a teacher, coach or volunteering supervisor. Ask first and confirm their preferred phone number or email.

Want a quick, honest check of what a job ad asks for compared with your draft? Check your fit for free with Job Harbour before you spend time tailoring the application.

How can school, sport and volunteering become resume evidence?

School, sport and volunteering belong on a first resume when you describe the task, skill and result. Replace labels with actions: “team player” is weak on its own, while “helped organise weekly training for 18 junior players” gives an employer something concrete.

For school, use group assignments and events. A retail applicant could say they worked with three classmates to plan a stall, explained prices to visitors and packed stock. A hospitality applicant could describe serving guests at a school awards night, clearing tables and following the event coordinator's instructions.

For sport, mention the role you actually held. A netball player might show punctuality through early setup, communication by calling plays and responsibility by caring for shared equipment. A swimmer could show discipline through regular training, but should not claim customer service without a customer-facing example.

For volunteering, name the organisation, role and tasks. Helping at a community op shop might involve sorting donations and keeping displays tidy; a sausage sizzle might involve greeting customers, handling a queue and cleaning the area.

What availability should a teenager put on a resume?

Write availability as a short list of days and times, rather than only saying “flexible”. Specific availability helps an employer compare your application with the roster, while a clear limit is better than promising shifts you cannot attend.

For example: “Monday and Wednesday after 4 pm; Friday after 3.30 pm; Saturday all day; unavailable Sunday because of family commitments.” Show holiday changes too: “Available for extra weekday shifts during school holidays.”

Do not hide sport, study, exams or transport limits. Show where you can reliably work. A hospitality applicant who finishes training at 6 pm can list dinner shifts from 6.30 pm, while a retail applicant with a Saturday game can list Sunday and weekday evenings.

If an employer offers work, check the job conditions before you start, including pay rate, employment type, hours and duties. Fair Work explains that an award is a legal document setting minimum pay rates and employment conditions for particular industries and occupations.

How do you tailor a first resume for retail, hospitality or casual work?

Tailor the profile, skills and examples to the words and duties in the ad. Use the employer's language only when it is true: if the ad asks for customer service, show a customer-facing activity; if it asks for stock work, show sorting, packing or caring for equipment.

For retail, put communication and organisation near the top. A school fundraiser example could say: “Explained product options to visitors, recorded orders accurately and packed purchases for collection.”

For hospitality, highlight welcoming people and following instructions. A school function example could say: “Set up tables, served guests under a teacher's direction and cleared the room before the event finished.” Do not claim food-handling or barista skills unless you have completed training or used them.

For a general casual role, connect everyday responsibilities to the ad. Walking a neighbour's dog can show punctuality and trust; helping a younger sibling with homework can show patience and communication. The example matters more than a long list of adjectives.

Job Harbour tailors your existing resume and writes a matching cover letter for the exact ad, without adding experience you have not done.

Most large employers now ask applicants to complete an online form, while some small businesses accept a resume directly. Save a clean application copy, read every question before answering and paste the same truthful examples into the form. You can also add the free Send to Job Harbour button to open a SEEK, LinkedIn or Indeed ad in Job Harbour in one tap.

Should a teenager include grades, certificates and personal details?

Include information that helps you do the job, and leave out details that only fill space. Relevant evidence beats a crowded resume.

Include a relevant grade or subject when it supports the role, such as food studies for a cafe, design technology for a hardware store or business studies for retail. You do not need every mark. List certificates such as first aid, food safety, RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) or a white card (construction induction) only when you actually hold them and they are relevant to the ad.

Keep formatting plain: clear headings, short bullet points, one readable font and consistent dates. Proofread the employer's name, phone number and every activity. Ask a trusted adult to read it once, because a second reader can spot an error you have stopped seeing.

Use a cover letter only when requested or when it lets you explain a strong match that will not fit on the resume. In an online selection question, answer with one real example rather than copying a generic paragraph.

Where to start this week

1. Step 1: Choose one role. Save a retail, hospitality or casual ad and highlight its duties, skills and availability request.
2. Step 2: Gather evidence. Write down three examples from school, sport, volunteering or home responsibilities, with the task and what happened.
3. Step 3: Build the first page. Add your contact details, profile, education, evidence, availability and one or two approved referees.
4. Step 4: Submit carefully. Proofread the resume, complete the employer's online form and save a copy of what you sent.