resume for college students for internship

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5 College Student Internship Resume Examples for 2024

College Student for Internship Resume

• College Student for Internship 2
• College Student for Internship 3
• College Student for Internship 4
• College Student for Internship 5
• Resume Writing 101

Taking a deep breath after seeing the perfect-looking web developer job ad, Dahlia Mathers pulled up her old resume. Having built some solid IT experience debugging software and troubleshooting networks, she was ready to make her next career move with a web developer internship . . . as soon as she celebrated her impending graduation in computer science, that is!

But her college student internship resume needed an update: Dahlia wanted a layout that aligned with Coursera’s vibe to show her enthusiasm for an internship there. Plus, she learned that writing an effective cover letter could be the touch her application needed.

Now, after referencing our time-tested resume examples , Dahlia is sporting a post-interview smile with her new start date! If you’re seeking your own college student internship, we’re confident our resume layouts and cover letter examples can help you, too.

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College Student for Internship 2 Resume

College Student for Internship 3 Resume

College Student for Internship 4 Resume

College Student for Internship 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• College Student No Experience
• Current College Student
• College Graduate
• Grad School
• College Student

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Experience Sections

While the types of skills you include will directly depend on which type of internship you’re applying for, balance and clarity are always helpful! Recruiters want to see that you have what it takes—plus a little something extra that sets you apart.

If you’re going for a more technical role (like just about anything within the realm of computer science), it’s especially important for you to be precise about your hard skills. That means each list item should be both professionally relevant and specific.

So, avoid generic skills or terms that could apply to just any field, and focus on honing your presentation to show more in-depth abilities that specifically qualify you for that internship. Don’t pitch your cooking skills for an IT internship!

Check these out:

9 top college student internship skills

• RESTful APIs
• Algorithm Design

Sample college student internship work experience bullet points

Some applicants get a bit uncertain about this part, so let’s go over a few ways you can show recruiters how you’ve put your skills into action.

Plenty of people already have some job experience that’s at least somewhat relevant to the internship they’re hoping for. List it if you have it! It isn’t “backwards” to go from a job to an internship if you’ve just graduated or decided to switch to a more specialized field.

Use any previous jobs, other internships, or even volunteer projects that relate to your career goals and demonstrate your abilities. And always measure your impact! You need quantifiable data like time measurements or budget savings to back up your achievements and prove that you’ve already made a difference.

Here are some examples:

• Performed bug fixes by utilizing JavaScript proficiency to reduce glitches by 11%
• Updated software on computers and performed basic maintenance on office devices to save $12.3K+ in repair costs
• Streamlined work flow by implementing a ticketing system and grouping similar issues together, reducing time to complete inbound requests by 3 days
• Build a scraper in Python to structure data on thousand of publications, using the Natural Language Toolkit library to improve abstract searches for research publications by 14%

Top 5 Tips For Your College Student Internship Resume

• Since you’re applying for an internship, it can be especially helpful to include other relevant courses within or alongside your degree in your education section. Don’t forget any independent classes you’ve taken—especially if they lead right up to your internship!
• Keep your skills list tidy and organized by arranging your skills in groups. So, if you’re applying for a software-related internship: List Python-related skills together, name JavaScript tools in succession, and so on.
• If applicable, make sure you’re upfront about your graduation date on your internship application. You don’t want to confuse recruiters—or wind up biting off more than you can chew to avoid passing up an opportunity for much-needed internship experience!
• Some people really can’t resist including a bold color or two on their resumes, but you really want to keep this to a minimum. Stick with just one color, use it sparingly, and ensure that everything is still highly readable. Show recruiters that you’re already professional and polished for your internship!
• When you pick your resume template, go for one that puts your greatest accomplishments front and center. But don’t be afraid to leave a little breathing room, too—it’s better than your resume looking crowded or filler-heavy. When you’re applying for an internship, you want all emphasis to rest on your qualifications.

Yep, and it’s easier than you might think! Refer to the internship description for phrases and keywords that stand out as good examples of team culture. Reflect these in your resume with a few tweaks to your wording or skill choices to show how you’re already the ideal intern.

Keep it to just one page! Preferably slightly less—don’t feel pressured to fill the page. Just stick with your highest achievements from college and your most impactful qualifications.

Just like your color usage, your font choices should be understated. Think “clean, modern, and readable.” Recruiters can only spend a few seconds skimming your college internship resume, so make it easy for them to see the good stuff at a glance!

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

• Internship Resume for College Students: Examples & Guide

Featured in:

Internships are very important if you are a student. They provide you with the opportunity to learn practically what you have learned theoretically at your university.

You get to experience the real work done by employed professionals.

Taking an internship is an investment in your future as you meet people from your field of study and get practical experience,

Moreover, by taking this step, you are also paving a way to landing a good job after you graduate.

You may conclude that finding an internship is very important for you as a student, so let us dive into the first thing you need to do to this end – making a resume.

A resume is vital in this situation as it represents the first impression your potential employer will have about you.

In the following sections, you will first find several examples of resumes for internships in various fields of study.

Then, you will read some guidelines for writing one that will impress your desired employer.

Also, you may use our resume builder for an easier finish of this task.

Resume for Internship at Vivint Smart Home

Resume for Internship in Magellan Health

Resume for Internship at The Surge Institute

Resume for Internship at Google

Resume for Internship in AAA Northeast

Resume for Internship at Societe Generale

You can see from these examples that it is not so hard to write a resume.

And with our resume builder, this is even simpler.

As its name suggests, it is a brief description of your skills and qualifications which make you suitable to do a certain job.

Nevertheless, writing a good resume involves knowing some tricks which will help you show yourself as a serious and professional candidate for the internship of your choice.

Let us take a look at every section and see how to write them the best.

PERSONAL INFO SECTION

This is the place for some basic information about yourself. As you could see in the examples, there is no need for too much information.

An employer needs to know your full name, email, address, phone number, and social media profile(s).

Tips on Writing Your Name and Email

As you want to show that you are professional, you should write your full name without any nicknames given to you by your friends.

Mark Richardson

Mark ‘biker’ richardson.

The same goes for email addresses. You should use a permanent email (mind that it is strongly advisable not to use temporary emails) with your name and surname.

[email protected]

[email protected], tips on adding a photo.

Whether you will or will not add a photo depends on you. However, it is important if you choose to add it, that it is a businesslike shot. It should be taken without other people next to or behind you.

It should be a headshot ideally, but never a full figure. You should wear business clothes and smile lightly. Avoid informal photos.

Note that the resumes in the UK and the US are sent without photos.

Tips on Adding Social Media Profiles

It is advisable to have a LinkedIn profile as this is a professional network where you can make business contacts. If you have it, include it in your resume. If you do not have it, we suggest that you make it.

If your field of interest is connected with using other social media sites, such as Instagram, Flickr, etc., feel free to add those as well. But remember, these should be mentioned only if there is a good reason.

If you choose to do that, you ought to be careful not to post material which is not appropriate for a potential employer to see.

SUMMARY SECTION

This section consists of several sentences that describe you and your qualifications for the internship position you want to obtain. You should mention your most important achievements, projects, or awards. Note that you will write all of them below, in the rest of your resume. Here, choose what will show you in your brightest light.

This part is one of the first things your potential employer will read. You should make it brief, informative, and eye-catching, so that they want to continue reading your resume and, later, talk with you as well. It is a very useful trick to use the words or phrases mentioned in the job description.

Even though you probably do not have much practical experience, there is no need to worry.

You are applying for your internship in order to gain experience. Just highlight why you are a great candidate for your position.

Mention some hard and soft skills you have – you will read more about these in the sections about skills. You may also mention your passions and hobbies, but only if they are connected with the internship.

Ideally, there should be several items mentioned in this text:

• Your field of study
• Most important projects or achievements
• Most important skills

Here is an example of a summary:

“Second Year Physics student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology with experience in working on several university projects. As a mathematically-minded and dedicated person, I will add substantial value to the internship role at Tesla Inc. My organizational skills and significant knowledge in the field of physics will ensure that I contribute to your company’s performance.”

EDUCATION SECTION

Students do not have much experience, therefore they have their education to emphasize in the resume.

This part of your resume is the most significant one, as it is the indicator of your qualifications for the internship position you are applying for. It is strongly advisable to make this section as perfect as possible.

This section should include the following points:

• Information about your university: the name of your university, the school/college you are attending, and your field of study. This will give the hiring manager an idea of what is the best position for you in the company.
• More information about your studies will give an air of professionalism to your resume. You may include the relevant coursework – the attended courses which are in line with the desired internship.
• Honors and awards should be included, even clubs and other extracurricular activities if being a member of them had you acquire skills which you can use in your work.
• GPA : It is a good practice to include your GPA, as numbers are a direct and intuitive way to rank candidates. Of course, if your grades are not very high, it would be a good idea to omit this.

As this is the most important part of your resume, be advised to fill it in with as many details as you can. Still, bear in mind that you should only write relevant details. Writing too much irrelevant information may repel the hiring manager.

WORK EXPERIENCE SECTION

If you haven’t had a job before.

Let us take a look at this from a different perspective. As a student, you may not have formal work experience, but you have probably worked on some projects during the course of your studies.

You may change the title of this section to “Major Achievements” or “Major Projects” and fill it with the projects you have done or participated in as part of your courses.

You may think that these projects should be written in the education section.

Thematically, yes.

However, if you do not have any work experience whatsoever, extracting pieces of information about university projects to a separate section will create an impression of you having experience in the field of interest.

This may be a trick that will grant you the desired internship.

If you want to add more detail here, you may include special information about each project, such as your role and duties, the results and achievements that concluded the project, and any other relevant information.

Take a look at one example:

Heritage High Newspaper

Reporter | May 2016 – May 2017

• Covered the national mathematics competition held at University of Michigan, resulting in a boost to the number of student volunteers for the next competition held locally
• Interviewed contestants and professors with regard to the organization of the contest and other activities during their stay at the university campus
• Wrote articles for the university newspapers based on the interviews
• Led a team of 5 journalists in covering the competition thoroughly

If You Have Had a Job Before

If you have had any jobs in the past, list them here. You should not add many details for the jobs which are not related to your desired internship.

Nevertheless, it is good to have the hiring manager to see that you are a responsible and serious person.

You can add some other works here:

• Volunteer work
• Nonprofit work
• Any other past internships and practices

SKILLS SECTION

There are two types of skills which you should mention in your resume: hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are those related to particular professions, those that are teachable and measurable, such as computer programming, machine operation, typing speed, knowledge of foreign languages, etc. When you write about your hard skills, be as detailed as possible.

• Programming languages: Python, C#, Java; Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, Angular
• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access
• Programming knowledge
• Microsoft Office

Soft skills , also known as interpersonal skills or people skills, are hard to quantify. They show how you cooperate and communicate with other people. Examples of soft skills are flexibility, leadership, teamwork, time management.

You should include both sets of skills in your resume. Though, as a student, you are still learning many of them, you have surely acquired plenty while you were doing school and extracurricular projects or activities.

You should pay special attention to the description of the internship. Do not forget to mention the required skills in your resume if you have them. But be careful not to jam all of them in the skills section as it may seem insincere and a copy-paste work. Spread the required qualities throughout your resume.

It is also important to be sincere. If you do not possess a certain skill, avoid writing it. You may write something else instead. And always have in mind that you may be asked to explain how you acquired a certain skill.

When choosing which of them to write, think about your past jobs, volunteer work, or projects where you had to use or learn the skill you are listing. The following interview may include questions about them, so you should be prepared.

After you have read this, we hope that you understand how to write a great resume which will blow the mind of the hiring manager and get you the internship position that you want so much. You can use our resume builder for creating it easily.

We wish you the best of luck, and we hope that you land this internship!

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Student Internship Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

Kick-starting your career with an internship? Your student internship resume is the key to unlocking that door. But in a sea of skilled candidates, how can your resume bubble to the top?

This guide is your lifesaver. Packed with useful tips, concrete examples, and handy samples, we'll help you line up your talents and skills in a resume that's hard to ignore. Keep reading to learn the answers to the following questions:

• Which resume format is best for interns?
• Why write a resume summary as an intern?
• What skills should an intern include on a resume?
• How do you describe work experience as an intern?
• How can an intern accurately include education on a resume?

Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.

1. What is the best format for your intern resume

Whether you are currently working as an intern or are applying for an internship position, the first decision you must make for your resume is which format to use .

Internships are often seen as a transitional role to help you build professional experience either while you are still a student or after you have graduated. As such, employers may not be looking for a plethora of work experience, but rather educational credentials and academic skills that qualify you for the job.

Below is a breakdown of the 3 main types of resumes and when to use them:

• Reverse-Chronological: The reverse-chronological resume focuses mainly on work experience, listing your most recent job first and working backward from there. This format is best for applicants who have relevant experience in the field of the internship they are applying for.
• Functional: The functional resume removes the focus from work experience, placing it instead on education, skills, and unpaid experience. This format is often the best-suited for interns, as it provides the best opportunity to highlight academic experience and achievements.
• Hybrid: The hybrid resume spreads the focus of the document out evenly between all sections. This makes this format a good option for interns who have a mix of both professional and academic experience.

2. How to write an appealing intern resume summary

A resume summary is a short statement at the beginning of your resume that helps introduce an applicant to the employer reading the document.

As an intern, writing an effective resume summary is a great way to help your resume stand out from the competition. When written well, this summary can make your resume far more memorable and eye-catching, boosting your chances of landing the position.

To help illustrate how to write a good resume summary, here is a weak example followed by a correction and explanation:

Incorrect intern resume summary example

Recent College Graduate seeking an internship position within the FinTech space. Highly knowledgeable of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Skilled at working with large teams of developers and designers, helping to create a new smart product that won a major competition.

Why is this incorrect?

In this example, the applicant is too vague when discussing their experience and accomplishments. Rather than skirting around specific details, they should strive to include more exact information, such as what competition they won or specific examples that show they are knowledgeable in machine learning and AI.

Corrected intern resume summary

Recent Graduate with a B.S. in Information Systems and Computer Science. Passionate about artificial intelligence, with 3+ years of experience working in collaboration with other students on faculty-led technology projects. Served as a professor’s assistant in creating a new Smart Watch that won first place in the 2021 Innovation in STEM competition.

Why is this correct?

In this example, the applicant offers exact details about their academic credentials and experience working with AI. Additionally, they include key insights into their interpersonal abilities by describing their collaborations with students and professors. The summary wraps up with a bang by detailing the award-winning product they helped a professor create.

Try our AI Resume Writer and have your resume ready in minutes!

3. what are the best skills to put on an intern resume.

No matter what internship position you are applying for, it is important to include both hard and soft skills on your resume.

Hard skills refer to your learned abilities, like software development or bookkeeping. These are the skills that should be as specific as possible for the internship you are applying for, as they will often be a qualifying factor in the eyes of employers.

Soft skills refer to your ability to understand the people and world around you. Without soft skills present on a resume, it can be difficult for employers to get a true sense of your personality and working style.

With this in mind, here are 10 examples of both hard and soft skills for Interns:

The best hard skills for your intern CV

• Bookkeeping and accounting software
• Computer skills (typing, presentations, etc.)
• Office software (Microsoft Office 365, Google Suite, etc.)
• Graphic design
• Telecommunication
• Data analytics
• Foreign languages
• Office management
• Technology skills

Effective soft skills to put on your intern resume

• Willingness to learn
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Self-confidence
• Collaboration
• Organization
• Verbal and written communication
• Critical thinking
• Active listening

4. How to best describe your work experience

Typically, an applicant who is applying for internship positions will lack an extensive work history – hence why they wish to work in the role of an intern.

However, even if you have work experience that is not directly related to the position you are applying for, you can still use this experience to showcase your transferrable skills and work ethic. Additionally, you can help yourself stand out more by including specific accomplishments from previous roles.

Here is an example of a work experience entry from an intern resume

Sears, Salt Lake City, UT Customer Support Agent August 2019 to June 2021

• Provided accurate and in-depth information and assistance to customers calling about making returns and receiving refunds.
• Improved overall customer satisfaction rating from 75% to 96% by helping to implement a new incoming call script and conflict management process.
• Received the Employee of the Month award for 4 consecutive months, from March 2021 to June 2021.

Find out your resume score!

5. How to accurately include education in your intern resume

As an aspiring intern, you are likely looking for a position within your field of study. This makes it highly important to list your education correctly . In some cases, it may even be beneficial to include relevant coursework if it is relevant to the internship position.

If you are still in the process of completing your diploma or degree, then it is also essential to indicate within your education section when your expected date of graduation is.

Here is an example of a well-crafted education section on an intern resume

Boston University, Boston, MA B.S. in Communications

• Ongoing, Expected Graduation: May 2024
• Introduction to Broadcast Journalism, Completed Spring 2021
• Diversity in Communications, Completed Fall 2021
• Advanced Topics in Human Virtual Representation, Currently Enrolled

6. How to include customized extra sections in your intern resume

When creating an intern resume, it's essential to include relevant sections that highlight your qualifications, experiences, and skills. Adding extra sections can provide additional value and make your resume stand out.

One effective extra section to consider is "Projects and Internships." In this section, you can showcase notable projects you have worked on or internships you have completed, highlighting your practical experience and demonstrating your ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Here's an example of how to list an extra section in your intern resume

Projects and Internships

• Digital Marketing Intern, XYZ Company (Summer 2022): Assisted the marketing team in developing and implementing social media campaigns, resulting in a 20% increase in online engagement and a 15% growth in website traffic.
• Web Development Project: Created a responsive website for a local non-profit organization, incorporating modern design principles and optimizing user experience through intuitive navigation and mobile compatibility.
• Research Project on Renewable Energy: Conducted independent research on renewable energy sources, analyzing their environmental impact and presenting findings to a panel of faculty members.

7. Top job resources for aspiring interns

As an intern on the hunt for the perfect opportunity, it helps to have a few handy resources tucked up your sleeve. Here are some platforms widely acknowledged as top-notch spots to find internships:

• LinkedIn: Networking is everything, and LinkedIn stands tall as the go-to platform. Not only can you easily search internships, but with robust tools for connecting, creating a profile, and showcasing achievements, you enhance your visibility to potential employers.
• InternMatch:  With a user-friendly interface and vast categories, InternMatch helps aspiring interns like you find tailored opportunities across industries.
• Glassdoor:  Known for its company reviews, Glassdoor also hosts a robust job and internship search engine. The added insight about company culture and review is a valuable bonus.
• WayUp:  Designed specifically for students and recent grads, WayUp offers a thoughtful blend of internships, part-time jobs, and entry-level positions.

Remember, while these resources can significantly aid your internship quest, nothing beats a well-written resume and a proactive approach. So, get searching and start applying!

Student Internship Resume FAQ

As an intern, you're not expected to have as much work experience as a seasoned professional, so it's perfectly fine if your resume is shorter. One page is typically sufficient for a student internship resume.

Absolutely! If you’re newer to the workforce, your extracurricular activities can demonstrate transferable skills, leadership qualities, and commitment to your field.

If you have notable gaps, focus on the skills and experiences you've gained during those times. Included any relevant activities or self-improvement endeavors you engaged in.

Usually, it's not necessary to include references on your resume. Employers would generally ask for them separately during the application process.

An objective statement can be beneficial on an intern resume. It can succinctly express your career goals and why you’re a good fit for the internship.

Martin Poduška

Martin is a resume expert and career advice writer at Kickresume. In his five years at Kickresume, he has written hundreds of in-depth, painstakingly researched resume advice articles and, as chief editor, he has also edited and revised every single article on this website. Tens of thousands of job seekers read Martin’s resume advice every month. He holds a degree in English from the University of St Andrews and a degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Amsterdam .

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Intern resume...is that even a thing?

Who makes resumes in college, you might wonder? BOORRRRINNNGGGGG!

We know. Resumes will probably not figure in the priority list while you are in college. And why would it, when there's a ton of interesting stuff going on just about everywhere?

But much like the fabled ant and the grasshopper story, being reckless or just plain lazy when it comes to making your student internship resume will lead to a brutal summer wherein you are jobless while everyone else is busy with their internships in exciting growth ventures and gravity-defying corporates.

But don't worry. We'll help you draft the perfect resume for college.

Our 2022 Guide to Internship Resume containing Internship Resume Examples and tips on Intern Resume Format will make sure you don't have to spend days and weeks on your laptop staring at a blank piece of document.

With a detailed step-by-step process outlined in the points below, making an intern resume and an internship resume will be a breeze.

Why do you need an Internship?

Isn't slavery dead, you wonder? Why would you spend your time working for someone else for free when you can better spend it bingeing on Netflix?

Well, slavery is indeed dead, but it's a bit more complicated than that.

Anyone up-to-date with the trend knows that there's a huge gap in the skills which a typical graduate possesses and which are required by the industry in general. Consequently, a significant majority of graduates often find themselves without a job right after they graduate.

And when you couple that with unpredecented levels of debt (USD 1.4 trillion in total in the US alone), the students find themselves in a deplorable condition where they are in a crushing debt but don't have the means to do anything about it.

Short of changing the education system from the ground up and designing the curriculum in a way which bridges the skills gap, what can the individual student do at his/her level to make sure that they don't fall into the same trap?

In such cases, internships can play a game-changing role.

While there exists a lot of avenues when it comes to paid internships, because of the cutthroat competition out there, not many can claim to successfully bag one.

Which again brings us back to the same question: why work for someone for free?

To which we ask a counter-question: you spend your college years emptying kegs and bingeing on Netflix and come placement season, your resume is full of...full of what exactly?

What are the chances of getting a job right after graduation if the only thing on your intern resume is a 1-month stint wherein you flipped burgers or assisted the college librarian? And how will that fare against your classmate who did a grueling 3-month internship in a top firm?

Enough said.

Sure, the chances of landing a paid internship are slim, but in the long run, it's going to benefit you in ways more than one. A half-decent internship will beef up your intern resume and exponentially increase the probability of companies rushing to bag you.

In addition to that, internships are a brilliant way to bridge the skills gap we talked about earlier. No amount of lectures and theoretical knowledge can prepare you for the real world than a single day of an internship will.

Say you just entered college and are eyeing a particular industry or job profile - graphic designer for instance. A short stint as a graphic design intern will tell you more about the nuances of the profile than countless hours and days of Googling will. And when college gets over, you'll be better prepared to decide if you want to pursue that as a career or not.

You get to understand how workplaces work in general and you'll have a substantial idea of the real world so you can prepare yourself even before you enter. You'll have a taste of what slogging in a job tastes like.

And guess what? Recruiters will know that too. Any hiring decision is costly (in terms of money, time, and resource) and a company would rather invest their resources in someone who they think will be able to withstand the workplace environment and deliver.

And if that's not reason enough, here's another - networking. A few months in an internship will arm you with contacts that you can leverage months and years down the line.

Your college seniors or professors can vouch for the importance of networking in any sector or profile, and if you're a college student with a network of high-profile corporate professionals, you're already ahead of the game boy!

How will an Internship Resume help?

Now that you know the importance of an internship, how do you go about getting one?

You don't think you'll just walk in and find recruiters waiting for you, right?

The key to a good internship is a good student internship resume or an intern resume.

The nuances which go into making a standard resume will extend to the intern resume as well but to a somewhat lesser degree. While we'll pick apart the entire internship resume section by section, there are a few things that might benefit you before we proceed.

As tempting as it is, you'll be better suited to have an intern resume that you customize as per the requirement of the vacancy you are targeting - instead of having a generic resume that you are sending anywhere and everywhere.

We know, we know. Unpaid internship, and now customized internship resume for each vacancy? That's quite a drag, we agree, but it's going to reap you major dividends. The competition is intense, be it for internships or full-time profiles, and just so we didn't make it clear, let us reiterate it one more time:

You only get one shot.

Since internships are for a limited duration, and they are seasonal (in almost all cases), recruiters are usually bombarded with applications in one go. If for any reason whatsoever, your application is rejected, you don't get another chance.

Hence, it's of critical importance that you can judiciously utilize the one opportunity which you have in such a way that you don't have to send your student internship resume elsewhere.

One advantage, or a bargain if you may, that an internship resume might have over a standard resume is the reduced level of complexity. An internship resume is not filled with work profiles, simply because there aren't any. There are no multifarious sections that will make you pull your hair.

But that is not to say that making an intern resume is easy. It has its own set of nuances that you need to consider before you go about making the perfect intern resume for that dream internship that you are targeting.

Before the Intern Resume - Checklist of items before you begin with your Resume for College

Here's a checklist of factors that you might want to consider before you proceed with your internship resume:

Introspection

A lot of students will not bother reviewing their options - maybe because they don't even know if they have any. And it makes sense: why not jump at the first opportunity which presents itself?

But think about it: if you spent hours and days working on your resume for college, wouldn't you want to be sure that you are getting the bang for your buck?

An internship is a perfect laboratory for you to identify and realize if a profile/industry that you always admired from afar is as satisfying as you think. A favorable or not-so-favorable experience in an internship can determine your view of that industry for the rest of your life.

For that reason alone, you must have absolute clarity on what you want. You must ask some sincere questions to your inner self before you proceed with any decision: - What are your hobbies and interests? - Is there an industry that you think might be a perfect fit for you but you are still unsure about? - What kind of work culture would suit you? Do you see yourself in a corporate setting or a startup venture?

Location is a major factor. Are you limited by physical location or not? Are you looking for any or all internships in a particular location near you, or are you open to moving? If that's the case, are you looking for an internship in a specific profile or industry, irrespective of the location where it might be? Have you factored in all the costs, monetary and otherwise?

Will moving to a different city/country for your internship benefit you in the long run? Who knows if the company which you are targeting also offers dorm-style living arrangements for their interns?

Once you've achieved a certain level of clarity, proceed by researching everything there is to know about the company and the internship.

Find out if the company or sector which you are targeting is even looking for interns in the first place. Get to know about their recruitment process and their interview methodologies. Do they ask to include specific details in their internship resumes?

What is the typical duration of the internship? Is it a fixed internship or is there a possibility of engaging you after you leave as well? Most companies also reserve the right to send Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) to their most high-flying interns. Check out the parameters for those and see if it's something you might be interested in.

Read reviews online to understand if your illusions regarding the profile/company/industry differ from the ground reality. Even if you find that your targeted company is offering no internships, call a representative to make sure of the same and then drop off your internship resume.

Most companies, when called upon to fill in vacancies, usually turn to their existing database before engaging in a fresh outreach. And how sweet would it be if they do so and find your internship resume on top of the intern resume pile?

Online Research for finding internship avenues will typically include scouring the net on any or all of the following:

LinkedIn : Don't just abandon your profile there. Try to secure recommendations from your Professors. Add skills that are relevant and which might get you more traction. Demonstrate your volunteer work, achievements, and extra-curricular accomplishments. Most large organizations (as opposed to start-ups and small businesses) will resort to LinkedIn for fulfilling their internship requirements. So if that's what you are looking for, a stellar LinkedIn profile is your safest bet. [Btw, we at Hiration also offer professional services when it comes to revamping your LinkedIn profile. Head on over to the website for more!

Glassdoor : In addition to listing out internships from multiple sources (online and offline), Glassdoor's main attraction is that it allows users to search companies based on salaries, reviews, and descriptions of interviews and the recruitment process. Since it aggregates data from users, the figures are broadly accurate (more or less) when it comes to larger corporates. But for smaller companies and in cases where very few users report data, the outcome is not that favorable.

Internships.com : Probably the biggest source of internships primarily because it's free to post listings on its portal. Moreover, it includes social media integration wherein it gives you a list of your Facebook friends who are/were associated with a particular company.

Internmatch.com : A slightly modified version of internships.com, it allows employers to post up to 10 listings for free. With a database of listings sourced from 30,000 companies, it specializes in internships and entry-level jobs.

Idealist.com : Specializing in the non-profit sector, Idealist includes both paid and free internships around the world.

Once your research has taken off, it's time to tap into your network and see what you can extract from there. Your network might typically include: Career Center at your School/College: Not only do most vacancies first posted there, but the good folks over at most Career Centers also lend a hand in creating or proofreading your intern resume.

Professors/Faculty: Most Professors that we know want nothing more than to genuinely help anyone and everyone who approaches them for help. If you earnestly ask the Faculty members for help, you'll undoubtedly get some valuable insights.

Senior/Alumni Students: Your immediate seniors will always be one step ahead of you, so our advice is to leverage that. Additionally, their internships are fresh and their insights will be more relevant to you than anyone else's.

Resume Experts @ Hiration: If none of that works out, our Resume Experts will be at your service 24x7! Just shout out in the comments below or visit our website in case you have any doubts pertaining to your intern resume.

Perseverance

Lastly, nothing beats more than perseverance. If you've zeroed in on a company or two for which you'd be willing to give your heart and soul, start cold calling them.

What if they are not looking for interns? Doesn't matter. Drop-in your internship resume anyway. A lot of companies rely on their existing database first whenever they want to fulfill their hiring requirements, and it wouldn't hurt if your internship resume is just there for them to peruse in such a situation.

Be an avid follower of the company and its initiatives. Keeping yourself up-to-date will benefit you sooner or later. Maybe there's an event or a job fair happening nearby in which the said organization is participating. Well, what are you waiting for?

If anything is stopping you - ranging from anxiety to just plain laziness - just ask yourself: what's the worst that could happen? You'll not get the job? But if you are sitting on your butt, it's going to happen anyway!

Drafting the Perfect Internship Resume for College - How to Begin

What's the difference between an internship resume and a college resume.

Before you get down to the nitty-gritty of it, let's clear a few things:

• Don't compare your intern resume with a professional who has had years of experience. A simple Google search will give you thousands of resume samples and layouts, and assigning that as a benchmark for yourself will give you nothing but anxiety.

You are still in college. Your experience in the real world is, in all probability, limited. The objective is to showcase that in the best possible way and not instead get drowned out by other internship resumes and give up altogether.

• Recruiters won't be expecting you to have extensive professional experience. That's the major difference between an internship resume and a regular college resume.

Your end goal is the college resume which you'll finish after graduation. The objective of the internship resume is to pack your final college resume with enough relevant experience that gives you an edge over others.

But even if the internship resume is just a means to an end, it doesn't mean that you can compromise on the quality of the same.

You can check out our guide to Resume Layouts to get an idea of how to proceed. Our advice: stick to a traditional reverse-chronological format for your college resume.

Contact Information

We wouldn't have included a section on Contact Information for your Internship Resume if we didn't think it was important.

But we've often seen people make the silliest of mistakes even when it comes to something as basic as adding their contact details to their internship resume. And when people with 10-15 years of professional experience can commit these mistakes...

Oh well. So if you are a college student who messed that up as well, we'd recommend you to not be too hard on yourself. Instead, read on.

• Name, Contact Number, and Email: Sure, that's basic stuff. But are you sure your email isn't [email protected] or [email protected] ? You are not in high school anymore. In case you don't have a professional-looking email id, now's the perfect time to go and make one.

You don't want to be applying for jobs after college using an id like [email protected] , y'know?

Address: Don't include your entire residential address even if you are applying for internships in the same city. Just the area and postal code will do. Drop your current location in case you are open to internships outside your city, or you can include the same with a caveat stating that you are willing to relocate.

Misc. (Skype, LinkedIn, Blog/Portfolio, etc.): Include your Skype handle only if a telephonic round will be a part of the recruitment process. Companies usually specify the same in the Job Description in case it is.

A Skype handle only makes sense if you're locating. In case you are applying for internships in the same city, mentioning Skype will not add any value.

Include your LinkedIn only if you think it will bolster your application. If you last updated your LinkedIn months/years ago, you can refrain from including it in your resume for college.

You can showcase your portfolio or provide links to your blogs, but only if there's relevance between that and the internship which you're targeting.

For instance, if you are targeting a Finance internship but you also maintain a blog in which you document all your favorite recipes, do us a favor and don't include it on top along with the rest of your contact details.

Do that only if it's relevant, or if you think it will complement your application in any way. In all other cases, you can add a separate section of Hobbies or Interests at the end and include all such points there.

One major area in which a standard professional resume differs from an intern resume is the Education section.

Or more specifically, the order in which this section appears in your student internship resume.

Since recruiters won't expect your internship resume to be filled with multiple job experiences, you can lead the internship resume with your Education section. But even then, there isn't a single way to go about it.

Let us clarify that through an example:

University of Berkeley BA Economics (Hons.) Expected to graduate in '19

On the face of it, there's nothing wrong with this. It's just...perfectly average.

But you don't want perfectly average, do you? You want to knock 'em out of the park. Also keep in mind that in the absence of a Professional Experience section, your Education section becomes the most critical section of your student internship resume.

List out anything and everything that you have done to date and categorize them broadly into Education, Co-curricular Activities, and Extra-curricular Activities.

An example will clear that right out.

EDUCATION Bachelor of Economics (Honours) | University of Berkeley May ‘11 – Jun ‘14 • Selected out of 10,000+ applicants to receive an additional 30% scholarship owing to a stellar academic & work profile • 1 of 5 to be shortlisted out of 120+ applicants for a 1-year internship with the Microsoft Strategy team post-graduation • 1 of 3 mentees to be selected out of 80 applicants by US’ top investor Jack Welch, former Chairman & CEO of General Electric • Secured 1st Rank in a batch of 80 for Micro-Economics (96%) and Mathematics (86%) EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • Event Head | University of Berkeley Led a team of 25 members across 10+ colleges to develop a unique brand positioning & boost y-o-y participation by 15% Strategized marketing by liaising with the Core Cultural Committee for UoB’s largest official annual cultural fest with a 1000+ footfall Championed the debating event as Director Coordinator to execute marketing, tie-up with colleges, reach out to the volunteers, etc. Conducted personal college visits to coordinate with individual Debating Society Presidents, develop interest & enhance participation • Head, Organizing Committee, National Seminar | University of Berkeley Led 30+ members to host a delegation of 100+ eminent academicians like Noam Chomsky & leaders from Morgan Stanley • Awarded Bronze at the Vocal Music Festival across California & secured a top 10 rank at the American Idol Season 10 • Selected as a core committee member of the economics debating club & collaborated with The Economics Club of Harvard • Executive Member – Core Committee, Music Society | Core member, Football and Swimming team | Community School, San Francisco*

Get it? Merely mentioning you will receive a so-and-so degree will put you on par with thousands of other applicants who are doing the same. The snapshot above is how you break free from the competition.

Nothing will be too big or too small for this section. Since it's only your Education experience, recruiters aren't expecting anything flashy as well. But before they decide whether or not to invest in you, it'd help if they know you showed some level of initiative too.

You can additionally provide a breakdown of all the modules and coursework across the duration of your degree. This will help in case you are looking for internships in the field of your major.

You can customize what you include here based on where you are applying. For instance, there might be some academic projects which you completed but which are only relevant for a few specific profiles.

A Section-wise Breakdown

Intern resume summary/objective.

This section will go at the top and will be a game-changer, whether you like it or not. We've seen a lot of students spending countless hours working on just this one section but still not getting the results.

Are you also one of them? What do you think is going wrong? What is it that you can do better?

Let's start with the difference between Resume Summary & Resume Objective. How do you tell which one to use?

Whenever we come across people who can't figure out the distinction between the two, we like to distort a famous JFK saying along the lines of 'Ask not what the company can do for you but what you can do for the company.'

Many people mindlessly start working on the Resume Objective section without bothering to find out if that's even needed. Place yourself in the shoes of the recruiter: what will you do with an applicant who is sending you a list of all the things that s/he is looking for?

Something like this.

> Dedicated Finance major looking for an engaging internship to enhance skills and gain experience.

And what if there's another candidate who details the skills that s/he possesses, only to explain how they can be used to achieve organizational goals?

Something like this:

Dynamic and detail-oriented English major looking to leverage his stellar communication skills as an Intern to create engaging and SEO-driven content for large-scale conglomerates. Demonstrated ability to efficiently work in teams as a zonal-level lacrosse player at the University of Berkeley.

Who will be prioritized? Whose internship resume will end up in the 'Awwyeaaah' pile? The latter of course.

Try to convince the recruiter how you'll play an instrumental role in helping them achieve their goals. Merely sending a bucket list of items that you are looking for won't serve any purpose.

That's the major difference between an Intern Resume Summary and an Intern Resume Objective section. You should ideally be targeting the former. The skills that you possess will remain constant in both cases, but the emphasis should be on the needs of the recruiter, not your own.

You can check out our in-depth guide on the Resume Objective section for more insights on how to optimize this section as per your requirements.

Professional Experience

Our first advice would be to not get overwhelmed by the resumes that you see online. Most of them are standard professional resumes and nowhere related to what you are looking for.

Even the recruiter knows that your internship resume won't be a powerhouse of profiles. They know that you're looking for internships so that you can beef up your internship resume, and not the other way around.

Consequently, you can include all odd jobs which you have done to date, which might or might not be related to the internship profile which you are targeting. The idea here is not to look like you were born for this internship. The idea is just to showcase a certain level of initiative from your end.

Besides odd jobs, you can additionally add your experiences in the non-profit sector, or any voluntary work which you might have done previously.

As you are done with internships, you can gradually add them to your resume to convert your internship resume into a standard college resume.

Since the internship resume will not exceed one page, you can spruce up the points you frame using action verbs. Check out our guide on Power Verbs for more tips on jazzing up your student internship resume.

The objective is to transform your previous job roles, and your resume in general, from a responsibility-based one to something more aligned towards achievements.

Key Skills section in an Internship Resume

Like in a standard professional resume, the Key Skills section in a resume for college will play a crucial role in getting you those shortlists that you deserve.

Most people tend to fall on either extreme of the spectrum: either they'll miss the Key Skills section altogether or they'll relentlessly stuff the internship resume with keywords. Both of these options won't cut it.

The biggest and most underrated source of relevant keywords is the Job Description, and it's surprising how often it is excluded from the entire internship resume writing process. You MUST NOT send in your internship resume without consulting the Job Description once, to check if the skills which the recruiter is looking for have been catered to or not.

Prioritize your leadership and professional skills (project management, team management, stakeholder management, etc.) over soft skills (coordination, communication, etc.). Try to establish a cause-effect relationship to explain how the skills that you possess can help you achieve organizational goals (which can be better catered to in the internship Resume Summary section)

To gain better clarity on how the skills that you have incorporated can help you get shortlisted, you can check out this great resource . It analyzes the Job Description against which you made your internship resume and gives you an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) score, along with instructions on how you can optimize your college internship resume further.

For a greater understanding of the role which the Key Skills section plays in your internship resume, check out our comprehensive guide on Resume Key Skills .

Additional Sections in your Resume for College

Many college students/freshers struggle to reach the end of the page for their internship resume. They'd rather incorporate junk points and add unnecessary fluff just so they can stretch the internship resume to 1 complete page and get a false sense of accomplishment.

But in the macro picture, that strategy often backfires.

To avoid that, keep the requirements of the recruiter in mind before you take a call on what to add and what to avoid. Additionally, a bit of research can go a long way in customizing your resume for college to your target profile.

For instance, if the organization that you are targeting has an unofficial lacrosse team that plays with teams from other corporates, and if you also indulged in that sport in school/college, you can go ahead and mention the same in glowing letters.

That's an example of a relevant key skill that specifically targets the organization of your choosing. But that won't happen in every case, right?

For all other cases, it helps if you can quantify your achievements and provide detailed information around the same. The idea is to showcase your skills in all arenas and to convince the recruiter that if you excelled in, say, A, you also can transfer those skills to excel in B.

HOBBIES: Photography, music, traveling, reading books

Most internship resumes, especially student internship resumes, are flooded with Additional Sections along these lines. They add zero value to your internship resume in general and your application in particular. Students prefer to take the easy way and stuff their internship resumes with fluff points and sections like these to stretch the document to one page.

Don't. Do. That.

Now take a look at this:

HOBBIES Photography: Owner and administrator of ZYX Photography Page on Facebook with 7k+ likes Travelling: Visited 6 countries in the last 1 year and documented my travels on my travel blog (insert link) with average traffic of 50k users/month

You are going a step beyond what's expected and detailing how you excel in those hobbies. A recruiter reading this will instantly conclude that you'd also be able to transfer these skills in the workplace to help him achieve organizational goals.

In addition to the Hobbies section for your student internship resume, you can add more sections around Projects, Publications, or Extra-curricular Activities. The idea is to stay relevant and keep the requirements of the recruiter in mind at every step of making a resume for an internship.

The Final Touch: What to do before sending your Resume for an Internship?

Since in all probability, you'll be sending your resume for college for the first time, there are a few things that you can keep in mind before you do. Any slack when it comes to these factors will lead to outright rejection.

It sure would be unfortunate if you spent all those hours working on the perfect resume for college but due to something so insignificant, you are out of the race, right?

Here it goes.

Proofread We cannot stress this enough. A single typo or error in your 1-pager internship resume can spell doom. And why shouldn't it? If you can't write a 1-page document, about yourself , without errors, why should the recruiter think you'll excel in other work?

A lot of intern resumes are trashed even before they land on the table of a human recruiter because the ATS screens all intern resumes for errors. An extra 10 minutes spent proofreading your internship resume will automatically place you above a lot of those candidates.

Customize Nothing is more futile than spending countless hours on your resume for college and blindly sending it anywhere and everywhere.

Tweaking your student internship resume a bit, depending on the target job role and the organization, will mean so much to the recruiter. Given the sheer volume of intern resumes that they process daily, they can find out if you made the effort to tailor your college internship resume according to the job role, or whether that application was selected out of 20 others and you just hit 'send resume'.

File Format More often than not, the JD will specify the format in which the recruiter wants your intern's resume. Stick to that.

In the absence of any instruction, you can send a .pdf format with minimal formatting along with a .docx file, just to be sure. A lot depends on the ATS that a company deploys to parse and process internship resumes.

Make sure that you don't go overboard with the formatting when it comes to the resume for an internship. An ATS is designed to parse only basic text - while extensive formatting might look jazzy on paper, it's going to be useless if your intern resume is going to get tossed in the bin because of that.

HIRATION PRO-TIP: while we are it, do us a favor and don't name your internship resume file as, well, 'Internship Resume'. Your file will land in a folder with hundreds of other intern resumes, and a title like that won't help. Keep it basic with something like 'Name_Internship Resume'.

Subject Line for emailing your Intern Resume We'll keep this short. For any internship resume queries, a rule of thumb is to place yourself in the shoes of the recruiter.

While submitting your resume for college, what kind of subject line will ease the recruiter's burden the most?

Keep It Simple Silly. The objective here is to be short but precise. You can go with 'Application for Finance Intern - FirstName_LastName' or something along those lines. You're fine as long as you've mentioned your name and the purpose of sending the email in the subject line.

Cover Letter That's the last thing that you can do to dramatically increase your chances of getting a shortlist. A personalized cover letter addressed to the recruiter will work wonders for your application.

You can refer to our comprehensive guide on writing a brilliant cover letter for the same.

ATS Optimization for your Internship Resume

Keywords. Keywords. Keywords.

But that doesn't mean blatantly stuffing your intern resume with them. Any HR worth his/her salt won't take more than 10 seconds to figure out if you're guilty of that - and if you are...bye-bye cruel world.

Scan the Job Description to get an idea of the keywords which are on top of the recruiter's priority list, and make sure you organically place them on your resume for an internship.

When it comes to assigning the priority order for keywords, professional skills will come before soft skills. And while we are at it, don't lie. Mention only those keywords which you think you can justify at the time of the interview, or during the internship itself.

Remember, your goal is not to get shortlisted. It's to bag that sweet little internship - and that includes the interview as well.

Sanitizing your digital presence

Gone are the days when internships were assumed to be light and carefree. Companies approach all interns as potential employees - which means they are put through the same recruitment criteria.

And that typically includes verification of your online presence. Sanitizing Facebook, being a personal social network, is optional - just make sure there's nothing too incriminating.

It's LinkedIn that counts. Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile before you send out your internship resume. In addition to that, you can have a blog or a portfolio where you showcase your best work. That will only add more brownie points to your application.

Internships can be a rewarding experience and can set you up on the path to professional success - provided you lay the foundations of the same during college.

An internship may look futile, and make an internship resume even more so, but the truth is, in the present scenario, a few stellar internships while you are in college will do wonders for you down the line.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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How To Create A Student Resume For Internships

Julia de Raadt

Head of research and lead admissions expert, table of contents, resume for internships, steps to create a student resume for an internship, the takeaway.

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

An internship offers college students a unique opportunity to learn in a professional corporate environment. Landing an internship exposes you to roles and responsibilities that can build your goal-specific skills. Whether your position focuses on people, projects, or technology, an internship can prepare you for your future career goals. 

That said, getting your first internship with limited to no experience is the first step. This post will give you insight into how you can create a student resume for internships.

As a student, you might not have work experience to speak of yet. Therefore, a student resume for internships focuses primarily on your education, strengths, and interpersonal skills. Creating a student resume can be challenging, and you might struggle to include enough information this early in your education. However, you can use this opportunity to showcase your strengths and personality traits that make you unique. 

Remember, companies offering internships are well aware that students may or may not have any work experience at all. Therefore, you can include unique experiences or volunteer work that helped you develop specific skills necessary for the internship you wish to apply for. There are various resume examples for students that can help you get started. 

To begin writing a resume for an internship, you can add the following to any work experience you may have: 

• Your education
• Extracurricular activities
• Volunteer experience
• Exceptional skills
• Any achievements 

Once you have gathered all of the above-mentioned information, it is time to create your resume for internships. 

The following steps will help you write an impressive student resume for internships in an industry of your interest. 

Step#1 – Consulting with the Resources

The format of resumes varies by industry. For instance, a graphic designer will have a very different resume from a data scientist. To tailor your resume, you must seek advice from your professors, career counselors, family, and friends to help create a draft. You can ask people in your network if they have any connections in the industry you wish to work for. Various counseling services for student internships can help you create a resume and explore available opportunities. 

Step #2 – Writing Your Objective Statement

When writing your objective statement, you must consider employers’ needs. The best way is to go through internship descriptions from different employers and take notes on which of those skills and strengths you possess. 

Do not forget to add key terms, skills, and phrases that highlight your skills ideal for the internship you are applying for. You must also include your career goals and how this internship is going to help. Another important word of advice here is to customize your objective statement for each internship application. This is a great way to highlight your skills for each company’s requirements and ensure that you take some time to personalize your materials. 

Step #3 – Highlighting Your Strongest Suits and Work Experience

Always remember to mention your best qualifications and skills as a student or recent graduate. Even when you do not have work experience directly related to the internship you are applying for, mention it in a strategic manner. 

For instance, if you have worked in a retail store, it demonstrates that you possess a strong work ethic, can work in a fast-paced environment, have sales skills, and can work as a team player. Each of these skills are desirable!

On the other hand, if you have no work experience but have volunteered for an organization, mention it as one of your strongest selling points. This will help show that you have some exposure to working in a professional setup.

If you wish to know how your resume measure up compared to other students at your education level, you can get a holistic analysis of your skills through Empowerly Score . This score evaluates your academics, written essays, and extracurricular activities and gives you a score highlighting the strengths that set you apart from other applications. 

Step #4 – Adding Your Extracurricular Activities

Adding extracurricular activities and involvement in students’ clubs and societies is a good idea. For instance, managing your college’s social media page, writing blogs, etc., can help show your strong writing, editing, attention to detail, and tech-savvy skills.  Like with other experiences, be sure to talk about what you’ve learned and the skills you’ve acquired.

Step #5 – Creating a Clean Resume for an Internship

Remember, companies offering internship opportunities are not expecting you to have a lot of experience. Therefore, you do not need to write a full-scale resume. Creating a one-page, clean, straightforward resume with your extracurricular activities and achievements will do just fine. 

Make sure to write a resume in a clean format, especially when submitting it online. That means proofreading and double-checking your punctuation. Many employers run incoming resumes through an application tracking system (ATS) to automatically screen-out resumes that do not meet the company’s minimum criteria. Creating a complicated resume may result in the ATS finding it unsuitable. 

It would be a great idea to search for a service provider partnering with different employers in various sectors to increase your chances of bagging an internship. 

Whether you are a student trying to create a resume for an internship or applying for college admission, knowing your strongest assets can help you highlight your unique skills. Empowerly can help you assess your preparedness via a simple quiz. 

The Empowerly Quiz is a shortened version of the full-length Empowerly Score with fewer inputs and gives a broad result on college preparedness. The Empowerly Score is only available to students in the Empowerly Portal — it’s a separate form that assesses your overall college application profile and offers detailed recommendations for improvement.Once you have the score, you will be able to customize your resume and focus on your best selling points. Consult Empowerly today !

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How to Write an Internship Resume [w/ Examples]

Internship Resume Sample for 2024

Are you required to present your resume to secure an internship and have conflicted feelings about how your resume should look for such an internship?

Are you scared that you’d be over or under-qualified?

Do you fall into the above categories or more that hinder you from getting your resume to the appropriate places? Then this article is written especially for you.

Sample of Resume for an Internship Application

Writing resumes can be a very tricky affair because your resume is basically an introduction to your employer. So you can be rest assured that first impression matters. Prior to receiving your resume, the recruiter or employer has no knowledge of who you are or your previous achievements as grand as they might be, so always aim not to impress but to express.

The recruiter will probably be more interested in getting to know who you are as a person than the things you’ve achieved and there’s a very high probability that it is not a lot given that you’re applying for an internship anyway.

A recent study conducted shows that the average recruiter takes a look at a resume for no longer than six-seven seconds and will only look for any longer period of time if the six-second glance was worth it.

So kindly look inwards and try to come up with a way to establish a relationship between you and the recruiter in less than six seconds. You’re most probably wondering how on earth it’s possible to do that sort of thing. Well, it is and you’ll learn just how to do it right here. 

The first thing to do while writing that resume is to look at your previous experiences and check if you’ve done anything related in any way at all to the work you’re currently trying to apply for. 

If you’re applying for an internship at a digital marketing agency, then you should be looking out for any experience in a field such as social media management. Look for times where you have handled any social media account for any brand, even if it’s a personal one and turn it into a corporate experience.

While writing your resume for an internship, you can be rest assured that the recruiter or company does not expect you to have serious professional qualifications and your current qualifications are only expected to boost your academic or career goals, hence you can totally include all those skills you gained on your own and show willingness to gain more skills.

• It should perfectly highlight your strengths and be appropriately structured.
• There is absolutely no need for preambles so you should go straight to the point and make the position you’re applying for very obvious.
• Avoid errors and make your resume very easy to read.
• Above all, make sure that your resume isn’t more than one page .

Reiterating the above, the recruiter does not expect you to have tons of experience but that does not give you the permission to fill up your resume with generic information as it sends a very bad message to the recruiter about you.

Also, keep it in mind that your recruiters are looking for someone who has skills that are honed personally through practice and very willing to learn.

Skills such as; the ability to work under pressure and meet target deadlines, a very high level of creativity, impressive communication skills , hard work and exceptional leadership abilities.

It is very common while writing a resume for internships to see many students stressing or having a meltdown because of their GPA.

If you’re in that category, then you need to take a step back and desist from giving yourself a high blood pressure because, in actual fact, recruiters in most cases usually do not take the school GPA into cognizance or let it determine if you deserve to be recruited or not.

Although always make sure to include your academic qualifications as poor as they might be on your resume because for someone in your stage, you might not possess enough field experience and as I said before, even recruiters do not expect you to.

Recruiters are usually more interested in relevant work experiences so kindly focus more on that.

On your resume, there are basic things that should attack your recruiter first, and one of them is your ' Professional Summary ' which is where you tell your recruiter what you have got to offer in just a couple of sentences.

Always make sure that you do not turn in a resume without a professional summary as that’s the best way to let your employer know what you’re good for or at.

Your resume should be tailored to fit the position you’re applying for, as this gives the recruiter the idea that you’re already a nice fit for their company even long before you’re offered a position. 

You should also never forget to include all the awards and honors you’ve received as little as they might be, they go a long way in creating a lasting impression in the mind of your employer and give you an edge of credibility over other resumes.

 With all the above insights, you should be well on your way to securing that dream internship, without an atom of doubt that you can be absolutely sure of.

Related Resume Examples

• No Experience Resume
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Suggested Readings:

• +150 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume
• How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship
• Strengths & Weaknesses for Job Interviews

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How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship? (+5 Real Internship Cover Letter Examples)

• Julia Mlcuchova , 
• Updated March 20, 2024 8 min read

Trying to figure out how to write a cover letter for an internship ? Look no further!

POV: After weeks and weeks of searching for the right internship opportunity, you've finally found it. But, at the end of the posting, there's a single short sentence that takes you aback:  “Please, attach a cover letter to your application .”

Although some consider cover letter writing to be a relic of the past, it still holds its rightful place in the professional world. 

Because a well-written and persuasive cover letter can sometimes make up for the lack of work experience on your resume . And if you're trying to apply for an internship , this is probably your case, too. 

So, continue reading this article and learn: 

• What is a cover letter for an internship;
• Whether you need to attach a cover letter to your internship application;
• How to write one in 7 steps;
• 5 real-life internship cover letter examples .

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is a cover letter for an internship?

Do you need a cover letter for an internship, how to write a cover letter for an internship in 7 steps, 5 real-life internship cover letter examples, key takeaways: how to write a cover letter for an internship.

Generally speaking, an internship cover letter is a formal document that accompanies your resume when applying for an internship. 

When it comes to its content, a cover letter for an internship falls somewhere between a traditional cover letter and a motivational letter . 

• A traditional cover letter , used by job applicants with years of experience, is supposed to underline some of the candidate's most relevant and impressive skills, qualifications, and work achievements . 
• A motivational letter , used mostly in academia, aims to communicate one's passion for the subject, their motivation, and personal goals . 

Hence, a cover letter for an internship combines the purpose of the traditional cover letter (convincing the recruiters that you're the right person for the job) with the tone and strategy of the motivational letter (writing about personal motivations and goals).

A truly successful internship cover letter should answer the following questions:

• Who are you? 
• Why are you interested in this particular internship?
• Why are you the best fit for this internship?
• What do you want to gain from this internship?

Absolutely! 

In fact, you should always attach a cover letter to your internship application , even if it isn't explicitly required from you.  

Why, you ask? 

Well, consider this: Internships are crucial stepping stones towards your dream career. And they're also incredibly competitive. A single internship opening can be answered by tens of applicants at a time. 

But how can you stand out from a crowd of equally inexperienced candidates? Certainly not by your non-existent professional accomplishments, right? 

When companies look for interns, they don't expect you to have a ton of real-life experience. They aren't looking for a “finished product,” but for someone with a genuine desire to learn and enthusiasm for the job. 

And these two are your weapons of choice!

How can a cover letter for an internship help you?

Apart from the reasons mentioned above, your internship cover letter is also responsible for: 

• Conveying first impression. Usually, recruiters will read your cover letter before looking at your resume. So, it's the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to them in a memorable way. 
• Showing your efforts. Next, taking the time to craft a thoughtful cover letter shows that you're willing to put in that extra effort to stand out from the rest of the candidates. 
• Highlighting your communication skills. Also, a well-written cover letter demonstrates your ability to articulate your thoughts clearly and professionally. 
• Showing your professionalism. When you walk into a room, it's polite to introduce yourself and shake everybody's hand. This is exactly what a cover letter does! To attach one to your application is a common courtesy.

Now that you're familiar with the whats and whys , let's have a look at how to write a good cover letter for an internship step-by-step. 

For example : Application for [name of the internship] internship – Surname.

Then, place your contact information (your name; professional email address; phone number; link to your website / portfolio / social media accounts if relevant) directly into the header .

If you know the recipient's name, address them by “ Dear [full name] ,” or “ Dear Mrs/Mr [last name] ,”. If you don't know who to address the cover letter to , address it more generally to “Dear Hiring Manager,” .

In the first paragraph of your cover letter , start by stating your name and where you studied (including your current degree and year of study). Proceed by explaining how you came to know about the internship and what are your motivations for applying to it.

Since you don't have much work experience, you can talk about your academic achievements; relevant coursework; dissertation project; extracurricular activities; volunteering; membership in relevant societies, etc.

The closing paragraph of your cover letter should reiterate your desire to get the specific internship, express gratitude to the recipient for their time and consideration, and include a final call for action (i.e. "I look forward to discussing the next steps during an interview." )

Finally, based on how you greeted the recipient of your cover letter, you can sign off with either “ Yours sincerely ,” or “ Yours faithfully ,” . If you addressed the recruiter by their name, sign off with the former; if not, use the latter.

Don't feel like writing your internship cover letter by hand?

Let our AI cover letter writer create the first draft of your internship cover letter!

Undoubtedly, the best way to learn something is to look at specific examples . And that's exactly what we're going to do right now! 

Below, we've prepared 5 internship cover letters written by real people with the help of our cover letter templates .

And, each of them is accompanied by our internship cover letter writing tips that you can implement into your own cover letter! 

FYI, you can use each of these examples as the first draft for your very own internship cover letter – simply click on the red button and start personalising the text (or let AI handle it).

#1 Philips Marketing Intern Cover Letter Sample

Internship cover letter example:.

This cover letter sample was provided by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

What can you take away?

• Eye-catching header.  Firstly, the header is visually clearly separated from the rest of the text. This makes the recruiters notice it immediately. Plus, the contact information of the company is also featured in the left-hand corner - just like it would be on an actual letter.
• Research the company before applying. Notice sentences like: “ I really like and relate to what Philips stands for … ” and “ Furthermore, it is very appealing that Philips operates on an international level… ”.This shows that the candidate’s done a thorough research of the company's philosophy and structure.

#2 Warner Bros. Public Relations Intern Cover Letter Example

• Share a personal story. This can help you establish a sentimental connection between you and the company. Show them that for you, working for their company means more than any old internship.
• Name-drop a referral. Now, this is a little bit of a cheat code. But, if you happen to know about anyone who has worked/currently works for the company, slip their name into your cover letter.

#3 University of Massachusetts Boston Intern Cover Letter Example

What can you take away  .

• Write about what you want to gain from the internship. It shows that you're not there just to have something to put on your resume; but that you’re motivated by the idea of gaining actual industry knowledge and skills.

#4 Audit/Tax Summer Internship at CohnReznick Cover Letter Sample

• Mention any relevant academic activities. If you're wondering how to write a cover letter for an internship with no experience whatsoever, this is your way to go! For example, notice how this candidate noted all of his relevant courses, skills, association membership, and competition participation.
• Focus on transferrable skills. Especially when your study programme doesn't necessarily fit the internship opening to a T. Instead, focus on any transferable skills you've picked up. 

#5 Intern at NBC Cover Letter Sample

• Keep your opening and closing paragraphs short and sweet. As you can see in this example, it helps keep a certain visual harmony of the overall document. And, despite the length, both paragraphs do exactly what they're supposed to. Besides, recruiters might be discouraged to read the rest of your cover letter if your introductory paragraph is too long.

To sum it all up, an internship cover letter is a formal document that you submit together with your resume when applying for an internship. Its content should be something between a traditional cover letter and a motivational letter.

Its purpose is to introduce yourself to the recruiters in a more personal way than the resume allows. 

The main things you want your internship cover letter to communicate are:

• who you are,
• why you're interested in this opportunity,
• what make you the best fit for the internship, 
• your motivation (your long-term professional goals),
• your desire to learn (what you want to gain from the experience).

To write a truly impactful and persuasive cover letter, we recommend following these 7 key steps: 

• Specify which internship you're applying for in the subject line.
• Include your contact information in a header.
• Address the recipient appropriately.
• Introduce yourself & your motivations in the opening paragraph.
• Elaborate on why you're a good fit and what motivated you in body.
• End your cover letter with a confident closing paragraph.
• Finish off with a polite sign off. 

Finally, if you feel that the examples provided in this article aren't enough, you can always find more in our cover letter database . 

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

You are here, students: are you looking for a summer internship.

Did you know that the  University of Iowa Pomerantz Career Center has more than 4,500 paid summer internships currently posted on Handshake? 

Don’t miss out. Now is a great time to polish up your resume and apply for opportunities! To browse postings in  Handshake , click on jobs, then filters and select "internship" under job type and "paid" under compensation using the term summer. If you need help, stop by the career center for peer advising drop-in hours that are available Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Do you have an internship this summer or fall?

It’s time to talk to your academic advisor about internship course registration. Don’t wait. Late registration fees for summer begin June 24.  Learn more about your options and steps for registering.  

If you’ve already landed a summer internship with a non-profit or government organization, you may be eligible for a  Hawkeye Experience Grant , which allows students to apply for up to $4,000 to help defray the cost of a summer experience. Internships abroad, research, creative, and community engagement experiences may also be eligible. Applications are due on April 17.  View a recorded info session  to learn more.  

Be a career-ready bystander 

Prepare for your internship by completing harassment prevention training.  Enroll now . 

What is it?

• Free training via ICON
• 90 minutes total, in 4 sections
• Convenient option to learn about dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace
• Make your workplace safe for you and your colleagues
• Learn about resources for UI students
• Be prepared for your career
• Add to your resume  

Career Center academic courses

The Career Center offers a variety of 1, 2, and 3 s.h. courses to develop your career and leadership skills. Search course subjects “CCP” and “LS” on MyUI when creating your schedule for fall 2024. 

Interested in building your leadership skills and knowledge? Be sure to check out the following Career Center course offerings for fall 2024:

• LS:1020 Intro to Leadership
• LS:2002 Career Leadership Academy Pt 1   *in-person and online options available
• LS:2020 Women in Leadership
• LS:2022 Leading from the Margins

 Did you know you can pursue a  Certificate in Leadership Studies ? Check it out!  

  Are you exploring majors and careers?  Might as well get credit for it and learn how to make a plan that involves what’s best for you and your future! Both in-person and online options available. 

• CCP:1300:0001   Major and Career Explorations Aug. 28 – Oct. 9, 2024 2:30 – 4:20 p.m. on Wednesdays 211 EPB  
• CCP:1300:0EXT Major and Career Explorations Aug. 26 – Oct. 11, 2024 Arranged time, asynchronous online

The center also has sections that start in the second half of the semester. Please  search for CCP:1300 on MyUI  for more information. 

Third and fourth year undergraduate students who would like to enroll should email Lisa McKirgan at  [email protected]  to request special permission.

About the Pomerantz Career Center 

The centers' team of career coaches and peer advisors are eager to assist as you explore and prepare for exciting career opportunities ahead, whether it's student employment, internships, post-grad jobs, or grad school. It's never too early to get started! To learn more about the services offered by the Pomerantz Career Center, visit  careers.uiowa.edu/ . 

The University of Iowa  College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  offers about 70 majors across the humanities; fine, performing and literary arts; natural and mathematical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and communication disciplines. About 15,000 undergraduate and nearly 2,000 graduate students study each year in the college’s 37 departments, led by faculty at the forefront of teaching and research in their disciplines. The college teaches all Iowa undergraduates through the college's general education program, CLAS CORE . About 80 percent of all Iowa undergraduates begin their academic journey in CLAS. The college confers about 60 percent of the university's bachelor's degrees each academic year. 

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Off Campus Community: NBCUniversal Resume/Interview Workshop

Join NBCUniversal as they share a virtual event only for CSU Students!

Daniel Carlos and 2 other Early Career Recruiters want to share an overview of our internship program, provide insight on our application process, and share tips on how to stand out for our upcoming Academic Year Internships. These applications will go live on April 8 th , and they hope to connect with students so they can prepare to submit their applications in a few weeks.

They have planned to host any and all CSU students to our Virtual Event via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, March 27 th , 2:00 – 3:00pm PST. The link to join is here:

NBCU + CSU .

Meeting ID: 223 143 546 880 

Passcode: bCRhdJ 

Download Teams | Join on the web