What should a 17yo's CV look like? DD is after a summer job

[KatyMac]

DD is looking for a summer job - what should her CV look like?

She keeps downplaying everything she has done & said an employer won't want to know that (I organised a show & made money for charity, I helped out at dance classes)

I said anything that is true & makes you look good is worth writing down -a bunch of GCSEs just makes you look like everyone else looking for work

What do people think?

Any relevant experience that demonstrates a business skill should be on the CV. So the dance show and raising money for charity - that shows an ability to work as part of a team, show initiative, etc. So rather than just say oh I raised money for charity say what business/ work skills you demonstrated

She should give a brief description of the show and her duties. CVs should flaunt you but not be braggy yet still interesting to read. "I helped out at dance classes" doesn't sound very exciting on paper. "I volunteered at ballet (or whatever style) dance classes for a group of 10 young children (for whoever) and organised the main show" sounds better. She should list how money was raised but again keep it brief. This generally leads the interviewer to ask questions which allow you to add on more info

They will be interested.

It shows that you are comitted to something & are hard working.

My first Saturday job was in a shop. My bias said he had loads of cvs. He only interviewed the ones who had

Decent gcses (he wanted someone for 2 years so someone less likely to drop out of a levels)
People who had done something constructive in their own time (I played an instrument & did Amdram)
People who had taken part in no compulsory stuff at school (prefect helping at events etc) shows you can work with people.
He told me that he picked me because I'd put that I helped out at my dads work in the holidays.

So far I have (yes I know she should be doing it but we are at least sitting together and arguing about it)

Technical Support Assistant XXX Theatre, May – Aug ‘14
Duties: General duties, running errands, basic prop management, basic lighting skills, cable management.

Event assistant XXX Festival, Aug ‘14
Duties: General duties, assisting with childcare and catering. Helping with setting up the festival and admin.

Class assistant XXX School of Dance
April ’13 to date
Duties: Demonstrating, assisting the teacher, taking the register, recording fees, helping children with clothing and shoes.

Creator & Producer ‘XXXXXX’
Oct ’13 (unpaid)
Raising over £700 for the XXX Foundation
Duties: Planning, arranging & co-ordinating acts and advertising

Skills: Good standard of English and Maths
Good communication skills
Good organisational skills
Basic childcare
Basic cooking & cleaning
Basic IT skills

Does that look reasonable?

That's quite impressive she's got some valuable work experience there.

That does look impressive!

But do teens really have to have a CV now for a summer job?

I see adverts in the windows of local shops/cafes saying looking for Saturday assistants, or whatever - would they need a CV for that sort of thing?

She has GCSE results on there, too, somewhere, to evidence her 'good standard' in math English?

What about contact (reference) name+phone number next to each of her previous jobs?

I think full years ,so not Oct '13 but Oct 2013 would be expected.

I think it's fine to get her noticed for most summer jobs, says that she has initiative, is hard-working & has organisational skills.

She could put a phone number for all except the Charity show - I don't know who could reference that

She has her 9 GCSEs & 2 BTec on there, where she went to school, the college she is at & the college & course she is starting next Sept

Her age is against her - except on a minimum wage basis as she won't be 18 until the autumn

She is applying for jobs advertised - but also cold calling on employers and leaving a CV & covering letter starting the dates she is available

We live very rurally so she will have to travel to get work

I guess having a CV might put some employers off - It's unlikely she will find anything tbh

the employer WILL want to know all that! It differentiates her from 'I sit on my arse playing games on my phone and have no domestic, organisational or social skills' which will be quite a few of her competitors.

If she can write a 1 paragraph cover letter about what she wants, hand that in with CV, she'll knocker their socks off.
Does she have a moped, I think? Good to state 'I have my own independent transport'.

It's funny that - she believed you guys rather than me

we have written stuff on the internet. It must be true.

A simple CV is not difficult.
I think it's unbelievable that such a thing is not taught at school. I discovered when DS1 was 16 that he had no idea how to write a CV. You can get a template on line to get an idea. It should be no more than one side of A4.
I helped both DC to write one and they update and tinker it to suit whatever application they are making. Some employers specify no CVs, in which case you can use it to form the basis of the part of the application where you have to write about yourself.
DS2 has a casual job for the local authority which he should be able to pick up again in the holidays when he goes to uni. Well worth looking on council website for casual jobs. These can be useful as they can say yes or no to work. DS will not be working during exam period but is then available all summer. They wanted to know whether he could travel between sites and he was creative in saying that he had transport mum will drive him.
We are also very rural, he is learning to drive now he is 17.

Next employ 16 year olds. My DS worked with them during their manic sale last summer. It was an online application and telephone interview. He got kept on after the sale on a temporary basis and was made permanent part time staff in February. He loves it. The money is good. He gets paid to wear a smart suit and if he goes to a uni near a Next store he can transfer to thAt store during term time.

That's interesting about Next - we don't have one very near but she might see if she can get there.

I know Specialsubject

Hopefully it will work - anyone what to look at them both? (She has 2 one for ordinary jobs & one for entertaining jobs) If so PM me.....

Has she tried Bewilderwood yet, Katy? They do a lot of seasonal hiring & all he performance experience would be ideal.

We would hire her based on what out have written! :)

My dd is 16. She had a temporary job with next over Xmas/New year and got really good pay (7.50ph).

She's now getting 6.50 ph at McDonald's, she's only doing clearing tables/sweeping up and is enjoying it. She's done four full days this week but will be doing weekends and one evening a week once she's back at school. She's doing A levels and she's done volunteer work for the last two years.

She is so excited about applying for Bewilderwood - we never even thought of that

The journey is a bit tricky but I guess she will bike it

Would you like her Playdough? She eats a lot!!

McDonalds? probably no good if you're rural though especially with late shifts.

If she can get as far as McDonalds - Next is on the same site; so it might be possible

a lot of people rubbish McDonalds but my friend's Saturday job was McDonalds and she did really well. Learned a lot of key skills and was made up to supervisor.

I had a friend at college who worked there and he told us all about how he had to clean everything all the time - even ceiling tiles & above them

dd is not a fan however - mainly on nutritional grounds (dancers diet = pizza & pasta pretty exclusively plus chocolate!)

She is busy filling in her Bewilderwood application - tbh the jobs described could have been written for her & she would be suitable for most customer facing jobs even if she doesn't get the 'event' dressing up one she wants

She spent hours on her application & it was sent late last night - she had acknowledgement this morning - but they did say they won't contact he if they decide not to proceed -which I think is hard on an applicant

She is thinking about other jobs as she must be realistic

I think, for a 17 year old that CV looks pretty good. I had a similar conversation with my dd about her CV !

In terms of looking for jobs keep a look out for cards in shop windows - lots of the big high street shops advertise this way. I have seen cards in Fat Face, Boots, River Island, Monsoon, White Company etc. Also look out for shops or cafes or pubs being refurbished. Ds got a job as a waiter in a local pub when he was 17 when the pub reopened after a big refurb. Summer playschemes for school children sometimes employ 17 year olds too, especially if they have experience with children as your dd has.