This post is part of our collaboration with The Penny Pincher, we’re exploring how kids can make money during the school holidays in age-appropriate and practical ways, here, Al recounts what it was like being a parent of a child in paid theatre.
In this post from our nimbl collaboration series, we’re turning our attention to teens aged 14 to 16 who want to start preparing for future jobs.
Many teenagers at this age are ready to earn money, but they often lack formal work experience. That’s where a first CV (curriculum vitae) and a few clever volunteering opportunities can make all the difference.
Here’s how to help them build confidence, gain experience, and create a CV that gives them a head start.
Yes, especially if they want to apply for part-time work, first jobs, weekend jobs or even college placements.
Now that might sound a bit weird, after all, how does someone who hasn't actually had a job before fill out a CV for potential employers? Surely they have nothing to say?
Having a simple CV shows that your teen is serious, organised, and ready to take responsibility. Even if they haven’t had a paid job, they’ve likely got more experience than they think.
It also helps them stand out from the crowd, even school leavers can write a meaningful CV by focusing on transferable skills, volunteering and achievements. Employers want to see enthusiasm, not just experience.
Creating a CV early also gives them a chance to reflect on their strengths and consider what areas they might want to improve, a helpful step in becoming work-ready.
These strengths are known as soft skills, and they are personal qualities that enable individuals to work effectively with others and adapt to various situations. Examples include communication, teamwork, timekeeping, and problem-solving. These are the types of skills employers value most, especially in young people.
Here’s what a good first CV might include:
Name and contact information
Always include a professional email address! This is often the first impression an employer gets. I've employed many people before, and I've seen some email addresses that've immediately resulted in the application not being taken further. So, consider whether that email address truly portrays the applicant in a positive light. A Hotmail or Gmail type address is fine, but make the address relevant, eg, fred.bloggs@hotmail.com, rather than using a less relevant email address such as freddyb.lovesspongebob14758@hotmail.com! It makes sense to set up a new email address specifically for sending and receiving job-related emails. Also, double-check that the contact details are spelt correctly, and ensure that any phone number is accurate, and that their answer machine greeting is professional.
Employers often call during school hours, as that's when they work, and they'll likely get the answering machine. So, it helps if the greeting sounds polite and to the point. I've heard some terrible messages in my time! Similarly, some employers use social media to gauge a person's true character. Potential employers can legally review any publicly visible content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn to understand the candidate's character. They may check to see if a candidate presents themselves responsibly or to spot red flags, such as offensive language, bullying, or discriminatory comments.
Therefore, it's a good idea to conduct a 'quality check' on their personal profile page on their social media accounts! The employer may be recruiting for a low-level part-time job, but they often receive a large number of applications, and they will only offer work to those individuals they believe will be an asset to their business. They'll use all means at their disposal to vet the applicant; recruiting and training are expensive, so they don't want to recruit and then find out the applicant wasn't what they appeared to be.
Short personal statement
Two or three lines about their attitude, interests, and what they’re looking for. Keep it confident but not boastful. e.g. “I’m a reliable and friendly 15-year-old student looking for part-time weekend work. I enjoy working with people and want to gain experience in customer service.”
Education details
Include school name, year group, GCSE subjects (if applicable), and predicted grades. This helps employers understand their current commitments.
Skills
This is where teens can shine without work experience. Skills such as teamwork, time management, creativity, communication, and digital literacy all count. For example:
Experience
The work experience section can be challenging to complete if you haven't had prior work experience, so think outside the box. Babysitting, helping at a family shop, volunteering at a local event or sports club, it all counts, as it shows you've been trusted to perform that task, and that's half the battle, proving to someone that's never met you, that you are trustworthy enough to turn up, do the job and be a responsible member of the team!
By adding a brief note on what they learned, each point demonstrates growth and makes the CV feel stronger, becoming more purposeful and impressive, even without a traditional job.
Hobbies and interests
Why it matters: Employers understand that teenagers might not have formal work experience yet. By listing hobbies that involve teamwork, dedication, or self-motivation, your teen can demonstrate the kind of traits employers look for: reliability, passion, and the ability to persevere. For example:
These hobbies often reveal a teen's strengths and potential most clearly, and they help employers gain insight into their personality and drive beyond grades or experience.
References available on request
This is a standard line to include on a CV, especially for teens who may not have built up formal contacts yet. It shows that you're prepared to provide a reference if asked, without taking up space listing people unnecessarily.
If a potential employer does ask for references, suitable examples could include:
Encourage your teen to keep their CV clean, well-formatted and no longer than one page. A cluttered CV will be overlooked.
Your child doesn’t need a formal job to start building their CV. These options work just as well:
Volunteer in the community
Why it matters: Volunteering demonstrates initiative, commitment, and a willingness to learn, qualities that employers value.
Join school committees or clubs
Why it matters: Involvement in school activities demonstrates teamwork and time management. It also shows your teen cares about their community and has a strong work ethic.
Help out at events
Why it matters: These roles can be included under ‘experience’ and show practical ability and community spirit.
Look after younger children
These activities show maturity, patience and a high level of trust. They also demonstrate that your teen can follow instructions, handle responsibility, and deal with real-world challenges, qualities that employers value in any role.
Why it matters: Informal caregiving is a strong indicator of dependability. If someone is trusted to look after children, it suggests they’re capable of managing tasks independently and behaving responsibly, both essential traits in any job. It also helps develop crucial soft skills, such as communication, time management, and problem-solving, in a practical setting.
Create their own mini-project
Why it matters: Personal projects show self-motivation, relevant skills, creativity and independence. These are often overlooked but can stand out as relevant work experience or hands-on experience.
Forums often share real-life CVs from teens, where candidates list skills such as coding, blog writing, content creation, or even moderating online communities. These count as valuable digital skills, especially in marketing or media jobs, but even if you're applying to work in a supermarket, a role that likely has zero likelihood of you performing the same tasks, any experience you can show a potential employer, can help build up a track record of organisational skills and a 'can do' attitude, which goes a long way in an employers eyes!
These activities might not come with a payslip, but they absolutely count as experience and can, and should be described on a CV.
Once their CV is ready, encourage them to:
Even if they’re volunteering or helping family friends, tracking and reflecting on these small wins will help them build confidence and learn to present themselves professionally.
Regularly reviewing their CV helps them track their progress, keeps it up to date when a new opportunity arises, and allows future employers to see more relevant information.
Even without a formal wage, teens can use nimbl to practise managing any income they do get, from pocket money, selling things online, or doing chores.
With nimbl, they can:
Why it matters: Developing money management skills early helps teens avoid impulse spending and builds healthy financial habits for life.
And once they get a part-time job, nimbl becomes even more useful:
Getting paid is one thing. Knowing how to manage that money is a whole other skill, and one that can take years to master without help. Tools like nimbl help teens start that learning early, in a safe and simple way, and make handling their money once they have a job easier and less likely to go wrong.
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This is a collaborative post written by and first published on The Penny Pincher blog. The Penny Pincher is Al Baker – and he's brilliant at finding clever ways to save and make money. He started his blog, ThePennyPincher.co.uk, after going through a tricky time with money. Now, he shares all his best tips to help people feel in control of their money – from budgeting and bargain hunting to fun ideas for earning extra cash. Think of him as your friendly money guide, helping families make the most of what they’ve got. |