If you’re planning to apply for you first job/work experience position, then one document you cannot go without is a resume. If you’ve never written (or seen!) one before, it can be a bit of an intimidating project to embark one; how much detail do you include, how many skills do you mention, what is the tone supposed to be?

We wanted to compile a few of our top tips on how to get started writing a good resume. Remember, that the best way to put a good foot forward is to always be professional in how you interact with possible future workplaces! Apply early, remain polite in all correspondence, show up to interviews on time, and always prepare.

Key Ingredients List for a Good First Resume: 

  1. Your contact details! This should include your full name, email and phone number. If you have a non-school email, you should use that. No need to put any social media handles unless you are asked for them.
  2. School Information! Next you need to tell them about what you spend most of your time doing, which is school. Include where you go to school, academic awards/achievements/GPA (if applicable), leadership positions you hold and co-curriculars that you participate in. Employers generally like to see that you have gained life experience by trying different things! It can also show them that you are effective at managing your time.
  3. Key Skills! The next section might change slightly depending on what you are applying for. Note down any key skills that you might possess that the employer/supervisor could be looking for. As a rule, most workplaces are looking for flexibility, initiative, communication skills, willingness to learn, teamwork and leadership. It is even better if you can demonstrate where those particular skills have come from (As Team Captain of Senior A Soccer at school, I have developed not only teamwork skills, but leadership). More practical skills can be mentioned here too, like coding, fluency in a language other than English, social media etc.
  4. Any past work experience! If you’ve never had a job before that’s totally fine, you have to start somewhere. But if you’ve ever been paid to work in the past (babysitting, garden work, tutoring) then you can include this here. Likewise, any volunteer work you might have completed looks excellent on a resume.
  5. References! Depending on the application, you might be asked to include 1-3 references on your resume. These should be non-family members who can vouch for you and say “Yep, Maddie would be a great pick for this job!” They could be sporting coaches, school teachers, support staff at school, acting/music/dance teachers, charity supervisors etc. 

Remember, your resume should not be packed to the brim with information when you are applying for your first ever position. You’re young! You don’t need to have years and years worth of experience to get started in the working world. Focus on how you can demonstrate your willingness to learn and grow in the position, and that you can be depended on. That’s really all an employer will ever ask of you!