example personal statement for 16 year old

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How to write a CV for a 16-year-old (with examples)

6 min read · Updated on April 18, 2024

There's a first time for everything, so make sure your first CV is a real corker!

The potential world of work experience - a scary prospect or something to relish? It needn't be a trial to get your first job CV shipshape, ready for a Saturday job or an exciting apprenticeship opportunity. We have all you need to know about how to write a CV for a 16 year old right here, right now. And with four CV examples for 16 year olds at the end of this article, you'll be well on your way to mastering the skill of putting together a comprehensive and informative teenager CV that highlights your skills and gets you noticed.

Can a 16-year-old even have a CV?

Of course. You've got your own experiences and skills to proclaim… and your pocket money just isn't enough any more for all the things you want to explore. Plus, securing a job at this stage in your life will teach you so many more new skills to add to your CV at a later date.

This is probably the first template for a CV that you've ever had to compile. But first, you want to make sure it's worth doing. A CV, or Curriculum Vitae to give its full name (which translates from the Latin as “course of life”), is a document that details a person's career and qualifications. Still  relevant today , a CV is generally required when applying for jobs.

If you live in England, it's required by law that you remain in some sort of  education or training until the age of 18. In Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can enter the world of work from leaving school at 16, depending on when your birthday falls.

Grab their attention

What is it about TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat that appeals? They're engaging, informative, eye-catching, and fun to read. So let your new 16 year old CV be the same! Whoever's reading your CV is looking to be impressed and heartened by your efforts at creating an amazing teenager CV. So don't disappoint!

Choose a  fitting CV template for a 16 year old that is clear and clean with no tables or boxes, taking guidance from the CV examples for 16 year olds below. A one page CV is enough at this stage.

Then crack on with the personal profile, which sits under your contact details at the top of the page. This is often called the “Professional Profile”, but as you're likely to have little or no experience, it's best to title it as “Personal Profile”. Check out the profiles in the CV examples for 16 year olds that are included in this piece for inspiration, using them as a guide to hone your own profile with your key assets and attributes.

Next comes your education and qualifications . Not surprisingly, this is probably going to be your biggest selling point and thus, the most significant feature of your teenager CV. Keep it in list form, detailing grades of recent qualifications, such as GCSEs, the school, and year completed - or state “ongoing” if you're still in the process of taking them.

Shout out about your experience

If you do have some experience, whether that's two weeks work experience in an office or voluntary work at a local charity shop, then shout about it. Info on this should be placed under the education section. List the name of the company you worked for, your job title - even if it was Intern - and the dates. Then offer up bulleted points of your responsibilities , using active verbs and including any achievements, to set you up for  finding a part-time job .

How do I write a CV for a teenager with no experience?

Drafting a CV for a teenager with no experience can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What on earth can you put on a document designed to show off career and work experience when you have none? Don't worry, there are ways and means of creating a great CV for a teenager with no experience by approaching it from a different angle.

You'll have gained lots of skills from school and extracurricular activities without even knowing! You need to identify these, focus on them, and translate them to the page. What are you like in a team? Have you supervised others? Have you organised anything or solved problems? Perhaps you're a people person or have a knack for coming up with great ideas. Whatever key skills you focus on, you need to elaborate on the relevant ones and explain how these would be beneficial to the job in hand.

Think of the interests and hobbies you've done for a while. Have you undertaken something like a Duke of Edinburgh award or similar? These types of activities often involve organisation, team work, effective communication, and problem solving. Were you Prefect or Sports Captain at school? These show leadership capabilities as well as flexibility, time management, and collaboration. What about anything you've achieved under your own initiative that relates to the job you're gunning for? This can include research and reading, visits, and online courses, while proving you're ace at self management and also IT literate.

Check out the CV examples for 16 year olds below, especially the specifically-written CV for teenagers with no experience..

Applying for an apprenticeship?

How are your experiences, key skills, or knowledge going to benefit an apprenticeship? Tell them about things you've done outside your studies to further develop your knowledge. Try to think about things that not everyone else is doing, so that you stand out from the crowd.

CV examples for 16 year olds

Listed below are four CV examples for 16 year olds. These cover a range of options and styles. Note how two of the CV examples for 16 year olds are written in the first person, a more informal approach. The other two good CV examples for a first job are crafted in the more formal third person, a style adopted for most CVs. Depending on your character and personality, pick the teenage CV template that suits you the best.

Recommended reading:

What is a CV headline? (with examples)

• How to add volunteer work in a CV (with examples)
• How to write a graduate CV

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See how your CV stacks up.

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Cv example for 16 year olds.

Table of Contents

If you are 16 and looking for your first job then this will need to fit around your education and what you would like to do when you start a career. The school-age for leaving is still 16 years of age but it is recommended that you stay in education or do some further training at this stage to help progress your chances of getting a long term job and gaining some skills through the experience.

At 16 you will usually only have your school days to reflect on, so it is important to go through the skills that you have learnt during school and any hobbies or extracurricular activities you have done outside of school.

Don’t know how to mention your hobbies and extracurricular activities in a best way, then we are here for help with our reliable CV writing services.

Remember also that you have other skills and qualities through your time at school such as being organised, working to deadlines, working with others etc so it is important to think how these would fit into the role that you are looking to apply for. Read how to start writing an academic cv .

Related : Student Cover Letter

Name Surname Address Mobile No/Email

PERSONAL PROFILE

I am a responsible person who is keen to begin a career in (what – plumbing, electrician, gardener etc). During my days in Education I have (what have you learnt, studied that could be relevant to the career you want to have?)

I have learnt how to work with others in group projects and how important it is to allow people to be able to talk and have their say. I work in an organized manner and always like to get my work done in plenty of time and not leave anything to the last minute.

I am keen to continue learning and would be happy to learn new skills at the same time as gaining practical experience.

University, College, School – For all include titles/subjects and qualifications.

List your schools and subjects and Grades in order of most recent first EG: GSCE’s subject and Grades:

SCHOOL GCSE SUBJECT GRADE

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Date to Date or To Date – JOB TITLE – Where?

You will only have an employment history if you have done any part-time work such as a paper round or Saturday job whilst you have been at school.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Computer skills – MS Office, Excel, Outlook, Social Media? Anything relevant.
• What else have you done through school that could be relevant. This will largely depend on what you are hoping to go onto to do? If you want to be a plumber and do an apprenticeship then maybe you did some work experience working alongside a plumber?

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

• What do you like to do outside of work?
• Available on request – use your Headmaster/mistress or any college or work experience.

Best CV examples for 16 year olds – How to write

Although it can be difficult to write a CV for a 16-year-old, you can still do so by using CV examples for 16 year olds . Because drafting a CV can be intimidating and requires little to no experience. Despite obstacles for inexperienced candidates, you can still highlight your qualifications in a formal document called CV.

Also, to look for an apprentice CV example , follow here.

If you are currently looking for your first part time job, you most likely have never had to prepare a teenager CV before and are unsure where to begin. When completing job applications, your teenager CV is crucial, and writing one can be easy. Fortunately for you, we’ve put together this helpful guide to assist you in creating the ideal CV for 16 year old that will guarantee you land that job.

What is a CV?

A CV is an essential first step in finding a job. Employers can see more than just your past accomplishments. It displays your abilities to them. Consider it an introduction to one of the world’s most remarkable and employable individuals, and that is you. One of the finest methods to market yourself to employers is your CV.

It provides you the chance to demonstrate to them in a page or two how qualified, skilled, driven, and prepared for work you are as well as how you differ from the competition. It’s a fantastic option for job applicants who have a limited amount of work experience. You are free to use a CV template, but a CV template may be more beneficial if you have little work experience because it allows you to highlight your education, abilities, and interests.

Recommended: Graduate CV Examples

Why is it crucial for 16-year-olds to have a cv?

A CV submission demonstrates professionalism, planning, and tenacity. Most students need to be made aware that even with minimal employment experience, they have enough information for a teenager CV. For instance, in the CV for 16 year old example teenagers would list their volunteer work, interests, extracurricular activities, academic honors, and applicable course work.

You can discover a lot about who you are and your many interests from all of these situations. A CV for 16 year old still at school UK can help demonstrate language skills if seeking a volunteer role that requires an interview, a part-time or Saturday job, or both.

How to Write a CV by utilizing a CV template

Employers can learn about your soft skills, interests, and past accomplishments through your teenager CV. When you’re searching for a job, you distribute it. They are excellent to bring to employment fairs, and if you are applying for a position online, you can frequently submit your teenager CV.

You need to learn how to best discuss your social activities and interests at the best way. 

If a potential employer likes your CV, they might invite you to an interview. Your CV is your chance to convince potential employers that you’re a good fit for the position and that you can support any claims you make. You must enter some meaningful information and personal data about yourself in a CV that is included in a CV example for 16 year old, as mentioned below.

• Your Complete name
• Contact details: name, number, and email
• Personal statement
• Essential competencies
• Schooling: The location, duration, and academic results of your studies.
• You might provide the projected grades if you have not received your results.
• Working knowledge

How to Write a Personal Statement for Your First CV

A CV personal statement summarises your career path and also what you hope to give recruiters in terms of your goals and achievements in one or two concise sentences. You will only possess a little to say if you have significant work experience. But you can still discuss your abilities. Reading the parts below will teach you more about how to discuss talents in your initial CV.

A strong CV personal statement is packed with passion and details, not meaningless platitudes like “detail-oriented, timely, and trustworthy.” To draw the reader in, place it at the beginning of your cv. Concentrate on your most significant accomplishments that are pertinent to the position or accomplishments that reflect maturity and a strong work ethic, such as achievements in sports or a hobby. You should also include a CV goal that outlines the value you can add to the organization.

How should your first CV be formatted?

Your name will be listed first, accompanied by your contact information. Add your home and email addresses, as well as your phone number. Be sure to enter a professional email address. Creating a new official email address for your first job quest might be a good idea.

In this part, you can list your high school and college and any independent courses you’ve attended, including online programs or workshops. Your schooling is listed below in reverse chronological order. If your grades are reasonable, please mention them.

Use technical talents pertinent to the position, such as software packages and computer languages, as well as transferrable qualities like communication and collaborative ability. Ensure that the position you’re applying for matches your skills. Because you probably will have little practical experience as a teenager, you must demonstrate your abilities in this part.

Include specific examples of your contributions, such as aiding a colleague or performing well over and above the call of duty. Furthermore, this section needs to be also arranged in reverse chronological order.

Instead of discussing what you intend to get from the position, focus more on what you can provide. Here, you must briefly describe yourself, your top qualifications and talents, and the position you are seeking. The summary is crucial since it functions as your sales presentation and is what employers will notice first.

Supplementary sections

You might include a section outlining your language abilities, the honors you have received, your interests and hobbies, or even your business endeavors. If additional sections are required, you can include them. The content of these sections should suit your needs.

Learn here how you can write a CV. For example – A creative cv

Structure your CV with the Job Title and Job Description

The reader must quickly determine whether it is worthwhile to read more about you and whether you are a suitable fit for the job title and job description. Your CV’s structure matters since it must leave a positive first impression. It should be well-organized with clearly defined parts that are simple to scan.

Since bullet points are more efficient than paragraphs for organizing content under each area, each section title should be bolded or capitalized to make it stand out. To accomplish this, ensure the document has lots of white space and isn’t overly text-heavy.

Generally speaking, focus and highlight your most current and pertinent product first. You can move education farther down the list if you haven’t completed high school or college and your abilities or experience are more applicable to the position.

Meanwhile, you can also explore how to create cv for internship here.

Helpful Advice for 16 year olds on how to write a CV

Create an auxiliary cover letter.

Before the employer reviews your CV, you can use the cover letter to describe why you are applying and highlight your most important qualifications. This could help you leave a positive impression.

Select a sophisticated style

There are several available templates, but choose one that is clean, simple to use, and attractive. Your initial CV should adhere to a style and layout highlighting your education and talents while complementing your work history in bullet point.

Use a legible font

The reader, who is also your potential employer, should be able to understand the text of your CV. There are many typefaces available, but selecting one with a professional appearance is ideal, such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman.

Adapt your CV to the position

Write about everything you’ve done or are doing now and how it relates to the position you’re applying for. While it may be tempting, it is advisable only to include pertinent information on your CV rather than listing everything you’ve ever done.

Think about what you can provide

Since an employer wants an individual who can execute the work well and bring it to the position, this will be significantly more efficient. Consider what you can provide instead of what you intend to gain from the position, and emphasize this across your CV.

Mention your interests and hobbies

It’s a good idea to mention on your CV that you played on a varsity team and are dedicated to your sport or pastime. They exhibit beneficial transferable qualities like cooperation, commitment, and goal setting, which employers enormously respect.

Specify your education and experience

Self-managed learning demonstrates initiative and commitment to your improvement, which is a terrific quality to emphasize. You can add valuable skills you’ve acquired online or in-person classes you’ve taken, like a first job and aid course, to your CV in addition to your formal education section, either in a separate area called “Curriculum and Certifications” or “Career Development” or as a portion of your “Training” section and own skills.

Also, read our helpful guide on strength based interview questions .

Demonstrate your unpaid work 

Include any experience that demonstrates your work in the industry you’re seeking, such as assisting out with a family-owned business, excellent customer service, voluntary work, postings, apprenticeships, etc. Include any roles you’ve held if you have minimal to no paid employment, as this is quite significant.

Comprise languages

If you speak many languages, you should mention this in the “Languages” area. If you are vying for a high-paying career or a front-facing position where you will be assisting people, having anything additional like this will make you stand out.

Insert citations

You can list professors, assignment managers, athletic team coaches, or anyone else who has collaborated with you professionally. The recruiter can verify your expertise and competence by asking for references. Before including their contact details in your application, interact with prospective referrals and let them know that you will be doing so. Next, you can explore 16 year old cv examples UK here.

Sample CV template for 16 year old

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: [email protected] | Phone: | Address: 

CV Personal Statement

Helpful and friendly secondary school pupil with [ number of years ] years of volunteer experience. Aiming to utilize my [ relevant skills ] to fill your [ position name ] position and help achieve [ Company’s Name ] ‘s goals.

Work or Volunteer Activity

Most Recent Job Title | Company Name | Location

Start Date–End Date

• Include a bulleted list of your best accomplishments related to the experience
• Quantify your experience by adding complex numbers (like percentages, hours worked, and relevant data) to your bullet points (e.g., Handed out 150+ booklets to children and parents respectfully and professionally at the 2021 UK Scholastic Book Fair )
• If you need to gain work experience, name this section’ Volunteer Experience’ and provide your volunteering details instead.

Earlier Job Position Title | Company Name | Location

• Use past tense verbs to describe the experience if you’re no longer working or volunteering in that role (e.g., Improved, created, assisted )
• Provide more background details by being as specific as possible (e.g., mentioning the actual names of software, equipment, or tools you used)

Secondary School Name | Location

School Leaving Date (or Expected Leaving Date)

• If you’re writing a school leaver CV or have no work or volunteer experience, put your education section first (under your CV personal statement)
• Name your school and list your GCSE grades
• If you took a vocational equivalent to GCSEs, such as an NVQ or BTEC, provide your results
• Use a bulleted list to mention 3–9 interpersonal skills you’re proficient in
• Read the job advert closely and list the skills they mention (but only if you have those interpersonal skills)
• Add hard skills which are learned from formal training or schooling (e.g., knowledge of social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram or professional tools such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)
• Note soft skills that relate to your personality and work ethic (e.g., teamwork, time management, and communication skills)

Additional Experience

• Add other relevant sections for your hobbies and interests or other languages you speak besides English

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I write a CV at 16?

Numerous 16-year-olds don’t yet have previous jobs or may have a little expertise, but there are different things you may highlight in a CV to demonstrate your abilities. Considering CV templates for 16-year-olds, there still are alternatives to emphasize your talents in a cv.

2. Is hobby & interest mandatory in UK format CV?

Your job application will be strengthened, and you will be more likely to get an interview if you include your passions on your CV. It makes you stand out as a unique person and encourages the recruiter to consider you rather than just a resume of your prior career, present yourself as a whole person with list of your previous employment.

3. How to create an ATS-friendly resume?

To develop an ATS-friendly CV that will breeze through and wow the prospective employer, abide by these rules and guidelines.

• Do only apply for roles for which you are qualified.
• Only submit numerous applications to the same company.
• Include the appropriate keywords.
• Make Sure to Contextualize Your Keywords.
• Try to avoid fooling the ATS.

4. Is a cover letter essential for 16 years old?

Yes, a cover letter is a brief letter you write to an employer conveying your enthusiasm for the job you’re seeking and outlining your most robust qualifications. Your cover letter is a crucial initial approach to companies, positioned before the CV.

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Home » CV Templates » CV for teenager: free CV template for a 13, 14 or 15 year old with example content

CV for teenager: free CV template for a 13, 14 or 15 year old with example content

CV template details:

• CV ref: #128
• File size: 17kb
• File format: .docx (Microsoft Word)
• File name: CV-template-13-14-15-year-old.docx
• Fonts required: Times New Roman
• Price: Free download

About this CV template:

This basic CV template in Microsoft Word is perfect for a 13, 14 or 15 year old teenager looking for some formal work experience or voluntary work experience. Use the template together with the guide which explains what information to put in each section.

Click here to view a preview of this CV template (PDF)

Click here for our CV editing guide

Don't like this CV template? Find another:

Review this cv template:, text preview of this cv template:.

This is a text-only preview - download the formatted Word file using the link above.

123, The Street, Nottingham NG1 234

07984 182182 ~ [email protected]

Objective statement

I am a 14 year old student looking for part time work at the weekends. I am a determined individual having recently completed my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award which has taught me that achieving goals requires hard work and dedication.

Work experience

NB: These are just examples to help you use non-conventional experience on your CV. Don’t worry if you don’t have quite as much to include!

ABC Accountants (2017)

During the school holidays this year I worked for 2 days each week at my father’s business, an accountancy firm. Tasks included typing, filing and taking post to the post office.

Young Entrepreneur Scheme (2016 – 2017)

I have taken part in my school’s Young Entrepreneur scheme for the last two years. This involves making items from Fimo to sell and running a stall every break time. Each year we have raised over £1,000 for local charities.

St John’s Ambulance, 2016 – 2017

I have been a St John’s Ambulance cadet since I was 13 and I regularly attend the local football team’s matches to provide first aid support alongside the St John’s Ambulance team.

Browns Café, Nottingham Auctions (2014 – 2017)

For the past three years I have helped my mother to run the food and drinks cafe once a month at the local Auctions. This involves serving customers, taking payment and giving change.

ABC Academy,   Nottingham

2013 – 2017

NB: If you do actually have your GCSE grades back, include them here. Alternatively you might include a predicted grade, as long as you make it clear that it is predicted and not final.

123 Primary School, Nottingham

2007 – 2013

• I am able to deal with the public effectively thanks to my experience as a St John’s Ambulance cadet and running a stall with my mother. These experiences also show that I am reliable and trustworthy.
• I am a good communicator and a competent leader – I now teach first aid to other young people, and I also head up our school debating team each Wednesday.
• I have a very good level of numeracy, achieving As for most of my maths assignments.
• I am IT literate with a typing speed of 45wpm and the ability to use most basic software packages to an intermediate level (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

Hobbies and interests

I love football and I play on the local five-a-side team every Thursday evening. I am also a brown belt in Aikido and attend classes on Monday evenings.

Template details:

Here’s a full preview of page one of this CV for teenager job applicants:

And here’s page two:

How to write a CV for teenager job applicants

This guide will help you create a cv for teenager-suited roles..

Whatever role you’re hoping to land, you’ll likely be asked to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) when applying. For teenagers, if you have work experience, your CV layout should be:

Personal details

Personal statement.

• Hobbies & interests

If you DON’T have work experience, the ‘Skills’ section replaces this section so the layout is as follows:

We’ll explain what goes into each of those sections below:

If you apply for a part time job, prospective employers need to know how to contact you. At the top of your CV, you need to include:

• Email address – try to use one that looks reasonably professional. If your email is [email protected], you could get a new one for job applications (e.g. [email protected])
• Phone number
• Age – ordinarily it wouldn’t be necessary to include your age. However, if you’re under 16, it’s important that you tell prospective employers so they can make sure the job is suitable for you. They may also need to check that you are covered by their insurance.

DON’T specify personal data such as: your religion, your nationality or ethnic origin, or your gender. These are not relevant and may lead to discrimination .

This is a brief section (approx. 3 lines) that tells the hiring manager who you are, what you have to offer, and what you are looking for. Here are some examples:

“I am a 13 year old student looking for a part time job on Saturdays. I am friendly, reliable and hard working, and I give my very best in everything I do. I have a keen interest in Maths and Physics, and I achieve exceptional grades for all my assignments. I have also achieved a brown belt in Aikido and a Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do.” “I am a 14 year old student looking for part time work after school and/or at the weekends. I am a determined individual having recently completed my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award which taught me that achieving goals requires hard work and dedication.” “I am a 15 year old hard-working student looking for part time weekend work. I am a very focused individual who works hard and puts a lot of effort into everything I do, as evidenced by my predicted GCSE grades: currently 4 As, 4Bs and a C.”

It’s really important to think about what the employer is looking for and to tailor every CV you send out to the specific job. The personal statement is a great place to tell potential employers in a few lines how you meet the requirements of the job advert. An effective personal statement highlights your skills in relation to a particular job post.

If by chance you have completed any work (including volunteering), you should have a section in your CV entitled ‘Work Experience’. For formal work experience, you need to include:

• Place that you worked
• Dates that you worked there

You then give a short description of your role. For example:

“I volunteered on Saturday mornings at Oxfam which included: working on the till, sorting through stock, putting new stock out, tidying displays.”

If you did more casual / non traditional types of work experience such as babysitting, you don’t need to present this type of experience in a formal way. See our example CV for ideas of what you could write.

When thinking about whether you have any work experience, consider:

• Have you done any voluntary work?
• Do you have your own website?
• Do you regularly bake for a local cause?
• Do you make something to sell?
• Do you help with sports coaching?
• Do you babysit?
• Do you walk anyone’s cats or dogs for money (your own don’t count!)?
• Do you help care for an older person?
• Have you made money washing cars or mowing people’s lawns?

Most people of your age won’t have work experience, so don’t worry if you have nothing to put here – simply leave this section out.

There are two types of skills : hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills

Hard skills are very definable and measurable – such as typing at a certain speed, or the ability to use a certain software package (e.g. Microsoft Word). You can easily test whether someone does or does not have a particular hard skill.

If you can type quite well and it is relevant to the job, take an online typing test to find out your speed. Typing speed is written as ‘WPM’ – words per minute. A speed of 35 – 40 wpm with reasonable accuracy is generally acceptable; while 55 wpm is highly desirable for jobs where typing is central to the role.

IT literacy is relevant to many jobs – even working in a shop. You usually state if you can use Software packages such as Word along with an indication of how accomplished a user you are (basic, intermediate, advanced).

Soft skills

Soft skills are less definable and measurable – they include skills such as good communication or the ability to work well in a group.

If you’re applying to work in a shop or cafe for example, these skills are important to your employer:

• Good customer service – friendly, likeable, going out of the way to help people
• Good communicator – so you can help people who have questions
• Attention to detail – so you can spot when things aren’t right
• Numeracy – as you’ll be handling both money and goods
• Reliability – they want to know you’ll show up for your shifts
• Trustworthiness – as again you’ll be handling both money and goods
• IT literacy – to use any in-store systems

Most of the above skills are SOFT skills with the exception of numeracy which is a HARD skill.

It’s very easy to say you have a certain soft skill – as many people do on their CV – but it’s far more powerful if you can offer proof that you have that skill. You might not be able to offer evidence of everything the employer wants/needs but you should try and cover as many as you can, keeping things brief and to the point. Here is an example of how you could match the above list of skills to evidence that you have a particular skill:

• I am able to deal with the public effectively – I have been a St John’s Ambulance cadet since I was 10 and regularly volunteer providing first aid cover at local football matches.
• I am reliable and trustworthy – I regularly help my Mum when she runs stalls at the local Church to raise funds, serving customers who make purchases.
• I have a very good level of numeracy – I achieve As for most of my maths assignments.
• I am IT literate – I have a typing speed of 45wpm and the ability to use most basic software packages to an intermediate level (Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

You can see how much more convincing the above list is than if you simply write ‘Good communicator’ or ‘trustworthy’ in a list.

• You need to provide a list of your schools and the dates you attended. It is not absolutely necessary to include primary schools.
• If you are in year 10 or 11 (or you have started your GCSEs in year 9) it is advisable to give predicted grades, or actual grades if you have taken any exams early.

Hobbies & Interests

• This section is often overlooked (even by adults) but it’s a great opportunity to tell the employer about positive hobbies you have which reflect well on you as a person.
• Fitness, sports and other active hobbies tend to be favoured by employers. They show you are active and healthy.
• Anything that shows an interest in culture or the local community will also look favourable (for example, involvement in a Drama or theatre group).
• Leave off anything which isn’t really of interest to an employer such as your favourite music or the fact you like ‘films’ ‘going to the cinema’ or ‘seeing friends’.

If you are at school, you should give a teacher or tutor as one of your references.

The other reference should be someone who knows you, but not a family member or school friend. A person of professional standing such as someone who runs an activity that you attend would be a good choice.

We hope you’ve found our example CV for teenager job applicants and accompanying guide helpful. Ready to write your own CV? Download a completed CV template above – we’ve included examples of what to put in each section.

You may also find the following CV examples, templates and guides helpful:

Here are some other helpful templates and examples when writing a CV for a work experience placement:

• All student CV templates and guide
• Full guide on writing a CV with little or no experience (lots of examples)
• Apprenticeship CV example
• Example of a CV for a student in university
• School leaver CV template
• Alternative student CV template
• Work experience CV
• Skills based CV
• CV for a part time job (skills based)

Q: Can I get a part time job?

This section explains what the law says about teenagers working and how many hours a teenager can work..

Children aged 13 or older can get a part time job in the UK (the only exception for younger children is for those working in television, theatre or modelling – although a performance licence will be required).

You can’t work full time until you reach minimum school leaving age, at which point you can work up to 40 hours a week. The minimum school leaving age depends on which area of the UK that you live in – click here for more info .

If you’re under 16:

• Unfortunately you won’t be entitled to National Minimum Wage . When you reach 16 you’ll then be entitled to at least £4.55 per hour.
• You won’t pay National Insurance so your employer does not need to pay you through their PAYE scheme, unless your income exceeds your Personal Allowance

In addition there are quite a lot of rules to be aware of if you are under 16:

• You cannot work during school hours
• You cannot work before 7am or after 7pm
• You are not allowed to work for more than one hour before school (unless local bylaws permit it)
• You cannot work for more than 4 hours without taking a minimum 1 hour break
• As you might expect, you cannot work in pubs, betting shops and any other places specified by local bylaws
• You cannot do work that may be harmful to your health, well-being or education
• A maximum of 2 hours on school days and Sundays
• A maximum of 5 hours on Saturdays if you are aged 13 to 14, or 8 hours if you are aged 15 to 16.
• a maximum of 5 hours on weekdays and Saturdays
• a maximum of 2 hours on Sunday
• a maximum of 8 hours on weekdays and Saturdays
• You must have a 2 week break from work during the school holidays every year
• A permit to work may be required by local bylaws – check with your local council

Local bylaws list the jobs that children can’t do. If a job is on this list, a child under the minimum school leaving age can’t do this work.

To check if there are any relevant local bylaws that apply, contact your Local Council’s education or education welfare department.

Originally published 22nd December 2017. 

Jen Wiss-Carline has been a Senior Manager and Consultant for several sizeable companies which included dealing with all aspects of staff management and recruitment. She is also a Solicitor and Chartered Legal Executive, having been admitted as a Fellow in February 2006.

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CV personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your CV.

Your CV personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your CV – and it’s aim is to summarise the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your CV in full.

In this guide I have included 17 CV personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

CV templates 

17 CV personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our CV profile examples instead.

Graduate CV personal statement (no experience)

Although this  graduate has no paid work experience, they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

Graduate CV personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in digital marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the digital marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

School leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and school work-placements, to strengthen this student CV further.

    Top tips for writing a CV personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

School leaver CV personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call centre alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their GCSE results, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their A level results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this profile can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student CV personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant A level studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic CV personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their CV’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within universities.

School leaver CV personal statement with and sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organisation.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate CV personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organisational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate CV personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their work university work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their CV personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student CV personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student CV personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student CV personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal profile.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘ improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship  CV personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal profile by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

Graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarising some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their university placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your CV contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this CV is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your CV

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own CV – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a CV personal statement?

Cv personal statement or cv profile, personal statement format, what to include in a cv personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your CV which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your CV is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a CV profile?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your CV… but there are 2 main differences

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (graduates, school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A CV profile tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my CV profile writing guide , or example CV profiles page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your CV, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimising the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your CV is opened.

We have a Word CV template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your CV or resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text colour simple , ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews , I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional CV templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your CV is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites , look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree, A levels or GCSEs. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• School/college Uni work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your CV , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g . A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

CV personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our school leaver CV example , our best CV templates , or our library of example CVs from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!