CV example for a 16 year old with no experience

What a first CV at 16 should look like

One page. That is the whole rule on length. A shop manager or café owner reading a pile of CVs from students wants to know four things quickly: who you are, when you can work, whether you will turn up, and whether you can be trusted with customers and money. Callum's CV above answers all four without a single paid job on it.

Use this order. Your name, mobile number, a sensible email address and your town go at the top. Then two or three sentences about yourself. Then your school and grades, then anything you have done that looks like work, then activities, skills, and a short line on when you are free. You do not need your date of birth, a photo, your full address or a list of hobbies that says "socialising with friends".

What to write when you have never had a job

Nobody expects a 16 year old to have a work history, so the question is what goes in its place. Anything where someone relied on you counts. Think through this list and write down everything that fits, then pick the three or four strongest:

• Volunteering, such as a charity shop, food bank, animal rescue, church or mosque, or helping at a local event.
• Babysitting, pet sitting, dog walking or washing cars for neighbours.
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Scouts, Guides, cadets or St John Ambulance.
• Sports teams, especially if you coach younger players, referee or help run the club.
• Roles at school: prefect, school council, peer mentor, open evening helper, library monitor.
• Work experience in Year 10 or 11, even if it was one week.
• Responsibilities at home, such as looking after a younger brother or sister after school, or caring for a relative.

For each one, write what you actually did, not what you were. "Volunteer" tells the reader nothing. "Served customers on the till and cashed up at the end of the day" tells them you can do the job they are hiring for. Start each line with a doing word: served, helped, organised, looked after, trained, planned.

GCSE grades: achieved or predicted

If you have your results, list them with the numbers. Put English and Maths first, because many employers look for those two. A line such as "English Language 7, Maths 6, plus seven more at grades 8 to 6" is fine if space is tight. GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 are level 2 qualifications, which is the level many job adverts mean when they ask for "good GCSEs".

If you are still in Year 11, write "predicted" next to each grade and be honest about them. A manager will not check your predictions, but a teacher giving you a reference might mention them, and you do not want the two to disagree. If you are now in Year 12 or at college, add what you are studying, whether that is A levels, a BTEC or a T level.

Two or three sentences about you

The short paragraph under your name is called a personal statement or profile. At 16 it should say what year you are in, one or two things you have done, and what job you want. Keep it plain. Words like "hard-working", "reliable" and "passionate" appear on nearly every student CV, so they do not stand out. Show them instead: turning up to the same Saturday shift for a year proves reliable better than the word does.

Change the last sentence for each place you apply. A supermarket wants to hear that you are happy working on the tills and filling shelves. A café wants to hear that you are fine with a busy counter and cleaning down at close. It takes a minute to change and it shows the manager you wrote the CV for them.

Say when you can work

This is the line students forget, and it is often the first thing a manager looks for. Weekend jobs are filled around rotas, so write down exactly which days and times you are free, and whether you can do more in the school holidays. If you have a regular commitment, such as a Sunday morning football match, say so now rather than at the interview.

References from a teacher

Most employers want one reference. At 16 the best person to ask is a teacher who knows you well, such as your form tutor or head of year, or the manager where you volunteer. Ask them first, and tell them what job you are applying for. You do not need to print their contact details on the CV. "References available on request" is enough, and you can hand the details over when you are offered the job.

Handing your CV in to shops and cafés

Plenty of supermarkets and big chains only take applications through their websites, so check the careers page first. Independent cafés, local shops, hairdressers and restaurants will often take a printed CV over the counter. Go in at a quiet time, mid-morning on a weekday in the holidays or late afternoon, not at lunch or on a busy Saturday. Ask if the manager is in, and if not, ask for their name so you can follow up.

1. Print a few copies on plain white paper and keep them flat in a folder.
2. Dress neatly, as if you were starting a shift there.
3. Say one sentence: who you are, that you are looking for weekend work, and that your CV has your availability on it.
4. If they say they are not hiring, ask if they will keep your CV on file.
5. Go back or phone a week later and ask if they have had a chance to look at it.

Save a PDF copy as well, named something like "Callum Reid CV.pdf", for online forms and email. SimpleCVBuilder's free plan gives you one CV with no watermark, which is all you need for a first job.

Pay, your age and your National Insurance number

From April 2026 the National Minimum Wage for workers under 18 is £8 an hour, and the rate rises to £10.85 from age 18 to 20. The rates change every April, so check GOV.UK before you accept an offer, and remember that an employer can choose to pay more than the minimum.

You will need a National Insurance number to be paid. Most young people are sent theirs in the three months before their 16th birthday, as long as they live in the UK and a parent or guardian claimed Child Benefit for them. If yours has not arrived, a parent can help you find the letter or apply for one.

A note for parents helping with a first CV

It is tempting to write it for them. Resist. A manager will ask your son or daughter about everything on the page, and it needs to sound like the person who walks in. The most useful thing you can do is remind them of what they have done (they will forget the school fair, the neighbour's dog and the Year 10 work placement), check the spelling, and make sure the email address is one they check and not something from Year 7.