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How can I 10th grader who is working to get better grades, build a resume?
How can I 10th grader who is working to get better grades, build a resume?
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Liam’s Answer
At your age your resume is not going to be filled to the brim of work experience, and that's ok. What you want to do is any job that you have had be more specific for length of time and tasks you did on that job. For example, I put down a month and year for what time I was at a company, and unless they are doing a full background check, I just put the year I was at a company. My resume is stretching 20yrs back. For yours, do start date and end date, connect it with your school start date and end date. Add in activities you do as well and try to create a picture of the kind of things you do in your spare time as well.
Example: Attended school Sept 2024 to June 2025, June 2025 two weeks at STEM camp, July 2025 worked at temp job as laborer, Attended school Sept 2025... etc
Gaps stand out more so try to fill them up with anything a job might want. Maybe you go on vacation June to July with your family and there is no time for work or school. How about doing an online class in the meantime and logging that? You don't have to finish (or wreck your vacation) just watch an hour a day and put in that on your resume.
The last part is to get references on your resume. You don't have a long history and you might live in an area where people don't know you or anyone in your family. Then how will they know if you can do the job or not? Your references. Get people who you might think are impressive to vouch for you that are working professionals not at your school or in your family (use them though if that's all you have). When your potential employer calls or emails them make sure they are normally in a good position to talk and explain who you are. Make sure to tell your reference that they should be expecting a call from possible employers so they are able to set aside time and talk to them.
Other than that there really isn't much else. Keep your resume up to date, as in every 3 months just update the dates so you can get it to an employer quickly. Make a .pdf file and a paper resume. Remember that if you are submitting a resume online your resume will be scanned so make sure your resume doesn't have columns of information or graphics. Lastly if you are going into trades, try to get a helper position with a contractor or laborer. They will be more impressed that you moved bricks all summer for a stone company rather than made it to manager at a fast food place. Make friends while you are there as well, add them to your resume!
Places with free classes for time gaps -https://www.coursera.org/ https://www.khanacademy.org/ https://www.udemy.com/ https://www.edx.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
A good guide to making a resume, a little advanced but the same points apply - https://www.youtube.com/live/JxNp01jim24
Example: Attended school Sept 2024 to June 2025, June 2025 two weeks at STEM camp, July 2025 worked at temp job as laborer, Attended school Sept 2025... etc
Gaps stand out more so try to fill them up with anything a job might want. Maybe you go on vacation June to July with your family and there is no time for work or school. How about doing an online class in the meantime and logging that? You don't have to finish (or wreck your vacation) just watch an hour a day and put in that on your resume.
The last part is to get references on your resume. You don't have a long history and you might live in an area where people don't know you or anyone in your family. Then how will they know if you can do the job or not? Your references. Get people who you might think are impressive to vouch for you that are working professionals not at your school or in your family (use them though if that's all you have). When your potential employer calls or emails them make sure they are normally in a good position to talk and explain who you are. Make sure to tell your reference that they should be expecting a call from possible employers so they are able to set aside time and talk to them.
Other than that there really isn't much else. Keep your resume up to date, as in every 3 months just update the dates so you can get it to an employer quickly. Make a .pdf file and a paper resume. Remember that if you are submitting a resume online your resume will be scanned so make sure your resume doesn't have columns of information or graphics. Lastly if you are going into trades, try to get a helper position with a contractor or laborer. They will be more impressed that you moved bricks all summer for a stone company rather than made it to manager at a fast food place. Make friends while you are there as well, add them to your resume!
Liam recommends the following next steps: