How do you write a good resume when you lack job experience?

Phenomenal inquiry. I too had struggled with this vary topic. No resume should be the same. The underlying elements of what you bring to the table are, but you must think about catering your resume to the job description and responsibilities. So great to hear you are volunteering already, this will surely be a leg up upon many of your peers and competitors. My advice- while the experience is not there, it's a catch 22( each one requires the other ), but you can relate the responsibilities to your strengths. When you volunteered, did you demonstrate leadership? When you wake up in the morning, how do you allocate the time in your day to ensure everything is accomplished? Companies want to see you have successfully demonstrated the qualities that make for superior employees. Coach-ability, leadership, delegation, etc. help them see your success by picking the right words in your resume!

Chelsea,
You have mentioned several, great points of interest for your resume already. I suggest you go online and search for samples of resumes that others recommend and then use those templates to insert your valuable accomplishments. Once you have a draft completed, post it here and we'll help refine it.

www.gotresumebuilder.com
will walk you through it!

The type of resume that you should build if you don't have any work history should be a functional Resume format, emphasizing your strong points, such as:
1. Education: what classes have you taken that will help you to get the job or internship that you are looking for?
If you have taken any special Computer classes, Business or Science classes that should be noted under the EDUCATION. If there was a special class that only certain people could take or an AP Classes that should be noted.
Any other classes that you took that relates to the internship or job that you want should put down under education.
Make sure that you specify if your computer knowledge is on a PC or a MAC or both and what programs you are able to use.
2. Any Special AWARDS or ACHIEVEMENTS: This could mean almost anything from having an article published to winning a Science award, and graduating with honors, or if you have received any competitive scholarships.
3. The Internship that you were involved in for a month can be explained under JOB EXPERIENCE making sure that you put the company's name, the dates you worked and job you performed and the title of the job.
4. Are you fluent in FOREIGN LANGUAGE? Be sure to indicate both written and verbal skills. This can go under classes or if it is your native language you can specify that also.
5. VOLUNTEER WORK: This is also important when you are looking at an internship or a job. This shows skills and an interest that you might have. This can include editor of the school newspaper, Coaching or tutoring after school, working at a pet shop or babysitting. Again whatever you have volunteered for should be listed as a job with dates and where you worked and how long did you have that job.
6. COMMITTEES AND ORGANIZATIONS: if you have been involved with certain school committees name those committees or organization and if you held an office such as Treasurer or other that is important to specify. Again put the dates as to when you were involved and what you did within that committee or organization.

On your Resume after you have your name address and phone# and email, you can start out with a section on your particular Skills, making sure you list any that applies to the job or internship. You can also name a foreign language that you might know in this section. Then pursue with Education and Classes including honors and date of graduation and name of school. Move on to the Volunteer section as stated above. The Internship can go under Volunteer or Experience Sections. If it was for a particular Class then it would go under Education and Classes. Then Awards or Achievements explaining each one especially if they apply to internship. Last Committees and Organizations, What you did, if you held office, and how long did you do it (dates).

My last suggestion is to look on line under resumes and see how to set one up that might apply to you such as High School Grad or College Grad. I think that this will help you to form a good resume and obtain the internship/job that you want. I encourage you to go after that internship because I know you have lots of information and skills to put on your resume showing people just who you are and how you would be a great asset to their business or company if they hired you. Good Luck!!! If you go by the points that were suggested you might be very surprised as to what a good resume you really have.