Meet the New Resume: Skills Kids Can Build Before Age 13

Most resumes don’t begin until high school. But what if a child’s strongest life skills are already forming before age 13?

Today’s parents aren’t just thinking about screen time limits or grades, they’re thinking bigger. They're asking: What life skills will my kid have by the time they hit their teen years? And in an increasingly gig-based, AI-driven economy, the answer has to go beyond memorization and test scores.

At Minor Chores, we believe every child deserves a head start, not just in money, but in mindset, independence, and soft skills that translate into lifelong confidence. The resume of tomorrow starts with what kids do today.

📄 Resumes Are Changing, And So Are the Skills That Matter

In a world where AI can write essays and search engines answer trivia, soft skills are rising in value. According to the World Economic Forum and numerous education researchers, traits like communication, adaptability, initiative, and time management are more predictive of success than raw knowledge.

The earlier these skills are practiced, the stronger they grow. And for kids, there’s no better proving ground than real-world experience—especially when that experience comes from running their own small business.

Minor Chores isn’t just a chore app, it’s a launchpad for micro-entrepreneurs under 13. And it turns everyday tasks into opportunities to build what we like to call “pre-resume power skills.”

💪 What Can Kids Add to Their Real-Life Résumé?

Here are just a few of the skills kids build by using Minor Chores—and how they translate into real-world experience:

These aren’t just “cute chores.” These are experiences they’ll draw on forever, whether they’re applying for their first summer job, pitching a high school project, or running a business one day.

🧠 Why Starting Early Makes All the Difference

Researchers at Cambridge University found that most money habits are set by age 7. But the same applies to independence, effort, and even confidence. The earlier a child experiences ownership over their time and money, the more likely they are to carry those habits into adolescence and adulthood.

That’s what makes Minor Chores different: it doesn’t just teach skills, it creates the environment for them to emerge.

When kids take on real responsibilities, communicate with neighbors, and experience both wins and setbacks, they learn in a way no classroom can replicate. These moments become the foundation of their personal work ethic and entrepreneurial mindset.

💡 What This Looks Like in Real Life

Let’s take Ava, age 11.

She wants to buy her own skateboard, $65.

Instead of asking her parents, she sets up a weekly recycling pickup route with the Minor Chores app. She prints flyers, messages neighbors, and sets her own Saturday schedule. At first, she has one customer. Then three. Then five.

By week four, she’s halfway to her goal. She’s created a service, maintained relationships, dealt with scheduling conflicts, and she’s keeping every dollar she earns.

What’s on her pre-teen resume now?

✅ Organized a recurring neighborhood service
✅ Managed communication with five paying clients
✅ Reached a savings goal in one month

It’s not just a story, it’s experience.

📝 Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait for “Real” Work

Resumes aren’t about age. They’re about experience. And experience doesn’t start at 16 or with a first job application. It starts when kids feel empowered to take action.

Minor Chores gives them that chance.

By helping kids run their own service-based business, from booking to communication to completion, we’re not just giving them ways to earn money. We’re giving them practice for the life they’re going to build.

It’s not just chores. It’s not just extra cash.

It’s a head start on the skills that matter most.