An internship resume, just like other resume, is the most crucial document in the job hunting process.
Writing an impressive internship resume can be nerve-wracking and tricky, especially if you are a fresher.
To make things easier, we bring to you a master guide to writing an internship resumes with tips, format and samples.
Read this blog to discover how to write an effective resume to land an internship.
How to write an internship resume?
Since writing an internship resume is crucial to all job seekers trying to join the workforce, here is a detailed outline of things to do while drafting a resume for internships.
Doing a little homework and preparing in advance is always a good idea, especially when working on a resume for an internship. Here are some things to keep in mind before you start drafting an internship resume
1. Make a list of companies where you want to apply
Tailoring internship resume for each application is the right way to go. But before you do that, make a list of companies where you want to send internship applications.
Start by making an excel sheet and list the shortlisted companies with internship related details.
Some things to keep in mind as you make this list of companies are:
- Company reviews and ratings
- Core domain of the organization
- Whether interning with this company will help you progress in your career
- Scope of learning with the internship
- Stipend
2. Review job descriptions
Once you have shortlisted the companies, it is time to assess the job description.
It is one of the most crucial steps before draft your resume. A job description can provide information about the skills and responsibilities that can help you land the opportunity.
With job description, you can easily understand whether the internship is suitable for you, but the best thing about this is that you get keywords to add to your resume that can get you shortlisted.
Confused?
Adding ATS (Applicant Tracking System) keywords on a resume is significant as many companies use the ATS software that helps companies find the best candidates based on their keywords.
It helps the tracker scan several resumes and rank candidates based on the closest keyword match, making it easy to identify the best person for the job/internship.
Additionally, job descriptions can help you find the most relevant skills and qualities required for the position, making your resume impactful and increasing your chances of getting hired.
Review the job description to find the following things:
- Hard and soft skills
- Requirements from the candidate
- Desired education background
- Duration of internship (Especially if applying for a summer or winter internship)
3. Research the organization and draft your resume accordingly
Now that you have sorted things out at your end, it is time to understand your target company better.
Before drafting internship resume, spare some time to research the company you are planning to join. This will help you understand whether you are aligned with the mission, vision and values of the company.
If it does, you can build your resume highlighting the same values and use this information in your internship resume, cover letter, application letter, etc.
But the big question is how to find unbiased and authentic information about a company?
The answer is simple!
Companies like AmbitionBox offer reviews and ratings of a company by the employees and can offer unbiased and extensive company insights.
You can also check out the company website, social media handles, and customer testimonials.
Format internship resume
Keep your resume short
Recruiters get many resumes, and sifting through them is almost impossible. So make sure your resume is not too long and keep it as brief as possible. Your resume should be no longer than 1-2 pages.
Keep it clear and concise
Stuffing your resume with lengthy and cluttered sentences is a big no-no while drafting a resume. Keep your sentences short and use bullets and paragraph breaks to keep them clean and easy to understand.
Font size
Avoid using too large or too small font sizes. The font on the resume should be between 10-12 points, and the margins should be a minimum of 0.5 inches on all sides.
Grammar check
Submitting a resume with grammatical errors can leave a negative impression on the recruiters, reducing your chances of being hired even before your resume gets serious consideration.
Keep these rules in mind to avoid grammatical mistakes:
- Do not talk about yourself using first person pronouns on the resume
- Talk about current positions in the present tense, and the past events in the past tense
- Use simple, easy-to-understand words; avoid jargon and short forms
- Check your resume three times before sending it to the recruiters
What to include in a resume for an internship?
While the format resumes are the same for all kinds of job applications, each varies in its own way.
For instance, the resume of an experienced person will focus more on relevant experience, and that of a college student will look at their academic and co-curricular achievements.
Here are some aspects on how to add internship section in resume.
Personal details
All resumes start with the personal details of the candidate.The personal details include the name, email, ID, contact no., and postal address.
You can also consider adding your social media handle if it is relevant to the position you are applying form but make sure that it highlights your professionalism and showcases work that adds value to your resume.
Career summary/Objective
The career summary, or objective, is a brief description of your profile and career goals. Here, you can write about the significance of the said internship to your long-term career plans.
Since this is the first field on your resume that a recruiter will check, make sure you utilize it well. The best way to attract recruiters to your resume is to include the ATS keywords in your career summary.
This way, you will be able to highlight the most relevant traits to the recruiter in the first cursory read.
Your career summary should not be more than 2-3 lines and must include skills, qualities, and qualifications relevant to the internship.
Education details
The next thing to be added to your resume is your educational background.
Since most people applying for an internship do not have experience in the field, any work experience you have may or may not be relevant, making education qualification the most crucial aspect of an internship resume.
The best way to attract the attention of recruiters is to add a brief but detailed paragraph about educational qualification and your experience with it.
Make sure you mention the name of college, GPA, and the start and end date of the course.
Also, add the scholarships, certifications, extra-curricular activities, areas of interest, and thesis or dissertations you may have worked on during your degree.
List your skills
Technical and soft skills are the main point of attraction for recruiters as they try to find the best candidate for their organization.
For the unaware, technical skills are all about the specialized knowledge you have about your field, while soft skills are general skills used in day-to-day life.
You can read more about this in our blog Hard Skills V/S Soft Skills.
Both skills play a crucial role in your hiring process as they highlight strengths in resume.
Use the keywords from the job description to find the skills you have in common with the ones the recruiters are looking for in their ideal candidate, and use these ATS keywords.
Tip: List the technical skills first, followed by the soft skills.
Work experience
Adding work experience on a resume for an internship is optional since most people applying for an internship are the ones who are trying to venture into a new field. So, even if you are an experienced professional, your experience may not be relevant for the internship.
If you feel you have any relevant experience, add it to your resume along with details about it.
If you are a fresher, include previous internships, freelance assignments, short-term assignments, or volunteering experience.
If you are an experienced professional looking for a career switch, you may list your work experience, preferably the ones that used skills that are transferable to this internship.
Achievements
While writing an internship resume, include your academic acheivements as they back up your ability to perform and bring forth your unique talents and specialization.
So, add your achievements to this section of your resume. This section can also include academic projects, dissertations, and other projects.
References
Listing references on a resume is optional, but it can add real value to an internship resume as it allows the recruiters to find people who would vouch for you and can confirm that you would be a good fit for their organization.
You can add references of professors, mentors, employed friends, seniors, or anyone who has any credibility professionally.
Include the name, designation, organization, contact number, and email ID of the reference to make it easy for recruiters to reach out to them.
You can also read our blog on How to list references on a resume.
Also, read Pro tips to get your CV right.
Internship resume template
Before we get to internship resume samples, here is a template that will help you understand the different aspects of drafting a resume:
-
Personal details
(This is where you will include your name, contact no., email ID, and address) -
Career objective
(This is a brief paragraph consisting of of your most relevant experiences/achievements, career goals, and skills. Should have 2-3 sentences only) -
Work Experience
(Mention work experiences, or in this case, use this space to share any prior experience you may have, like summer internships, volunteer experience, dissertations, positions held in college departments, etc. ) -
Skills
(List the most relevant hard and soft skills for the internship you are applying.
Read the article 8 important skills to make your resume stronger
-
Education
(List the details of graduate, post-graduate, certifications, and other relevant degrees along with percentage, the start, and end date) -
Achievements
(Use this space to share awards, prizes, scholarships,, or recognition you may have achieved in your college or school tenure. )
Internship resume sample
Here are a few internships resume samples to help you get started.
Sample internship resume 1
Tanmay Sharma
37-A, Model Town,
New Delhi- 110009
987654321
XYZ123@gmail.com
Objective
Passionate student working toward earning a Major in Journalism at XYZ University, Looking to use and develop my skills and expertise in a role that challenges me and offers growth opportunities.
Work Experience
Editor, XYZ Weekly
(Apr 2018- May 2019)
- Worked as a content editor for the college magazine
- Planned social media calendar for the Instagram and Twitter handles of the magazine
- Contributed to writing announcements and made efforts to make sure maximum readership
Skills
- Content writing
- Social media handling
- Eye for detail
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- Troubleshooting
Education
BJMC,CVF College, U University
(2018-2021)
78%
MA Journalism, XYZ University
(2021-Current)
Achievements
- Elected the Vice President of the department at CVF College in the year 2019
- Organized inter-college seminars with a footfall of 1800 people
Sample internship resume 2
37-A, Phase V,
Mohali
140055
987654321
XYZ123@gmail.com
Objective
Hard-working MBA student looking to use earned skills in an internship to expand knowledge at an organization that fosters and promotes growth. Proficient at accounting, business aptitude, and taxes with the proven ability to form good interpersonal relations.
Work Experience
Intern, TRW Corp
(Nov 2018-Jan 2019)
- Data entry for record keeping and analysis
- Assisted with filing, recording, and maintaining data
Skills
- Book-keeping
- Data analysis
- Data-entry
- Negotiation
- MS-Office
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving
Education
B.Com (Honors),TBY University
(2017-2020)
74%
MBA Marketing,XYZ University
(2021-Current)
Achievements
Treasurer for the commerce department at TBY university in the year 2019
Conclusion
Internships offer the first glimpse into the corporate world and equip you with hard skills and office etiquettes that can help you go a long way.
Drafting an impressive Internship resume can help you start better and gain opportunities that can add real value to your resume and can hone your skills further.
With the above details and samples, we hope you can build a strong internship resume and get hired by the top companies.
To seek professional help, check out Naukri’s Resume Maker.
To explore internships at Naukri, click here.
All the best!