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The Proper Way To Include an Internship on a Resume

Whether you’re a college student looking for resume examples or wondering if it’s time to take internships off your resume, this guide has you covered.

2 years ago   •   7 min read

When you’re starting out in the workforce, or even changing to a new career, internships are the perfect way to bridge the gap between education and professional experience. But do they count as proper work experience? Where on your resume do they actually belong? And how do you know when it’s time to take them off your resume entirely?

In this guide, we’ll answer all your questions and provide you with real resume examples you can follow.

How to list an internship on a resume

Let’s start with a quick step by step guide walking you through exactly how to put an internship on a resume:

• Choose where to include your internships — either in your work experience section or in a dedicated internships section (more on how to choose between these options below).
• List the employer, their location, and the dates you worked.
• Put your job title. Aim for a more descriptive title than “Intern” so hiring managers can see what your role entailed.
• Include 2-4 bullet points listing your main accomplishments.
• List 5-10 hard skills that you picked up during your internship, education, or other work experience.
• Upload your resume to Score My Resume for a free instant resume review.

Internship resume example

Wondering what your resume should look like once you’re finished? Here’s a sample entry level resume template that features space for internships:

You can download this template — and 50+ others — from our entry level resume examples page.

Essential tips for including internships on your resume

How to make internships look good on a resume.

• Use a specific job title — for example, “Marketing Intern” rather than simply “Intern.”
• If you weren’t given a specific job title, ask your supervisor if there’s one you can use on your resume .
• If it’s appropriate for your line of work, you can list seasons rather than months or dates, e.g. “Summer 2021.” If you do this, make sure you’re using the same format consistently for all experiences on your resume.
• Don’t list everything you did as part of your internship. Stick to the most relevant accomplishments for the type of work you’ll be doing in your new job.

When to take internships off a resume

You should keep internships on your resume if:

• You’re a student or recent graduate
• You lack paid work experience
• You’re changing careers
• They’re directly relevant to the jobs you’re applying for
• You interned somewhere particularly prestigious (like Google or Microsoft)

It’s time to take internships off your resume if:

• They’re older than 5+ years
• You’ve held 2-3 professional jobs since then
• They’re pushing your resume over one page in length

Where to put internships on a resume

Generally, internships belong in your work experience section — after all, they are work experience. That said, you can also choose to separate them out into their own section if you prefer.

In your work experience section

When: This is the most common way of listing an internship on a resume, so it's a good choice in any situation. In particular, you should do this if you’re a college student with internships but no work experience applying for entry level positions.

How: Format the internship in the same way as you would any professional experience. Include the name of the company, the location, dates of employment, and your job title. Underneath, choose 2-4 accomplishments that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

WORK EXPERIENCE COMPANY NAME, New York, NY Project Management Intern, Jun 2021 — Sep 2021 - Include 2-4 bullet points in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [what the result was]

In an internship section

When: If you’ve held a large number of internships, it can be worth separating them out into their own section. You should only choose this option if you don’t have any relevant paid work experience — as you gain more professional experience, you should focus mainly on that and spend less time on other parts of your resume.

How: In this case, you should still list any relevant accomplishments. You can include less detail if you’re adding a lot of internships, but still aim for 1-2 accomplishments for each internship.

INTERNSHIPS COMPANY NAME, [Location] HR Intern, [Dates of Employment] - Accomplishment #1 - Accomplishment #2

If you’re not sure how effective your internships are on your resume, upload it to the tool below — it’ll give you a detailed review of your internships, experience and accomplishments and suggest which ones to improve.

Internship advice for every situation

Do you have questions about your specific type of internship? Here's how to go about listing internships on your resume if you:

• Interned full-time
• Had a part-time or seasonal (e.g. summer) internship
• Left your internship early
• Have an upcoming internship you haven't started yet
• Didn't accomplish much during your internship
• Interned as part of a career change

Full-time vs part-time vs summer internships

The good news is: It doesn't matter what type of internship you had. You can list a part-time or summer internship in the same way as a full-time internship. Keep in mind that:

• You should be accurate with your dates (if it was a summer internship, then something like "Summer 2022" is fine).
• You can list "part time" next to your job title if it was a part-time internship, but you don't need to. If the internship overlaps with the dates of your education, most employers will understand the situation.

Listing an internship on your resume if you didn't finish it

Whether to list an internship you left early depends on:

• How early you left. Cutting an internship short by a week or two shouldn't immediately invalidate the whole thing. Leaving an internship halfway through, on the other hand, is likely to raise more questions than it answers.
• Why you left. If you had something unexpected come up (illness, family emergency, etc.) that meant you couldn't quite finish up, that's easy to explain. If you were asked to leave your internship or you quit without notice, it's more likely to reflect badly on you.
• What you accomplished while you were there. This is closely related to the above points — finishing eleven months of a year-long internship should be plenty of time to list one or two compelling accomplishments, but if you were only there for a few weeks, you're unlikely to have achieved much in that time.

Can you list a future internship on your resume?

No, you shouldn’t include upcoming internships on a resume. Why not? Because your resume should focus on accomplishments, and you can’t list accomplishments from something you haven’t actually done yet.

What if you didn't do anything practical during your internship?

Internships are most valuable when they closely resemble real-life work experience — that is, when you had at least some actual responsibilities and accomplishments. An internship that was more passive (because you were mostly shadowing another employee or just weren't given a chance to do much) isn't going to hold the same weight.

Related : How To Put Shadowing on Resume

Including internships on a resume if you’re changing careers

Internships aren’t just for college students — they’re also useful for career changers . Starting off with an internship is a great way to get your foot in the door of a new industry, make connections, and gain relevant professional accomplishments.

Assuming your internships were recent, include them at the top of your work experience section, above any previous unrelated work experience. You should always list your jobs in reverse chronological order, so if your internships are a little older, pull them out to a separate section or include them as part of a featured education section at the top of your resume.

Internship resume examples

If you’re struggling to think of concrete accomplishments from an internship to list on your resume, here are some examples from internships in some of the most common industries.

Computer science internship resume example

MACROHARD, New York, NY Software Development Intern, Jun 2017 – Sep 2017

• Developed web scraping program in Python to help the firm download public data, including over 10,000 company descriptions and stock quotes, enriching internal data and increasing research efficiency by over 50%
• Implemented crash reporter and used findings to fix three biggest causes of crashes; reduced customer support calls by 30%
• Designed and implemented 50+ E2E tests using Selenium & Protractor, simulating each user group's actions

Engineering internship resume example

CITY ENGINEERING, New York, NY Electrical Engineer Intern, Jun 2021 – Sep 2021

• Performed analysis on product performance, provided recommendations that improved product performance by 10%.
• Assisted two engineers in developing engineering solutions, which reduced company costs by 15%.
• Ran weekly tests and validity checks on data, equipment, and software, reducing error rates by 12%.

Business and project management internship resume example

RESUME WORDED (8 employee venture-backed recruitment startup), New York, NY Business Analyst Intern, Jun 2021 – Sep 2021

• Developed an Excel macro and standardized reporting templates, resulting in efficient data collection and a 35% reduction in turnaround time
• Created knowledge base of 80 internal resources, improving employee onboarding and reducing time spent per project on administrative tasks by 40%
• Managed international stakeholders in India, United Kingdom and Hong Kong by hosting daily standups and coordinating weekly status reports

Marketing internship resume example

EXCITING COMPANY, New York, NY Marketing Intern, Jun 2016 – Sep 2016

• Led the transition to a paperless practice by implementing an electronic booking system and a faster, safer and more accurate business system; reduced cost of labor by 30% and office overhead by 10%
• Analyzed data from 25000 monthly active users and used outputs to guide marketing and product strategies; increased average app engagement time by 2x, 30% decrease in drop off rate, and 3x shares on social media

Finance and accounting internship resume example

MULTICORP BANK, New York, NY Finance Intern, Jun 2020 – Sep 2020

• Verified the reliability of the earnings predictions and having an average of 75% success rate.
• Reviewed and entered payable invoices, adjusted entries, entered inter-company transactions and assisted with administrative tasks with 100% accuracy.
• Prepared 4 budgetary presentation materials for the management team, successfully leading to department approval.

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Here’s How (and When and Why) to List Internships on Your Resume

Writing or updating your resume brings up a hundred different questions. Should you highlight this, that, or the other thing you did? How should you describe yourself, your education , and your experience?

And when it comes to listing internships on your resume, you’re bound to have plenty of specific questions. Like:

• Should you include your internships at all?
• Where should you list them?
• How much detail should you go into about each one?
• How long into your career should you keep those internships on there?
• What if you had a super fancy internship but it was kind of a long time ago?

As Muse career coach Tina Wascovich emphasizes, your resume is “the thing that gets you in the door.” And having solid internship experience on your resume can often make the difference between getting called for an interview and getting passed over—especially if you’re early in your career. So these questions matter.

But you don’t have to agonize over them or let them cause you too much stress, because we’ve got answers here for why, when, and how to list internships on your resume.

Why List Internships on Your Resume?

In short, you should include internships on your resume because they’re part of your work experience. And especially if you don’t have a slew of full-time roles to lean on, “an internship is an opportunity to show a future employer that you have worked in a professional environment,” says Muse career coach Eilis Wasserman . It signals that you’ve gained soft and hard skills as well as exposure to the working world.

People seek out internships in part to help them find jobs later, she says, whether at the same organization or another one. So why wouldn’t you want to showcase that on the first document an employer will see?

Recruiters and hiring managers “know that entry-level candidates don’t have a lot of experience,” says Dana Leavy-Detrick, the director of Brooklyn Resume Studio . “They’re looking for potential.” And internships can be a great barometer for professional potential, since they resemble the kind of work and environment of a full-time job more than your coursework or hobbies.

Although including your internships is most important for students, recent graduates, and other entry-level employees, it can also be crucial as part of a story you’re telling later on—for example, if you’re changing careers or pivoting back to an earlier interest.

When Should You Include Internship Experience on Your Resume?

There’s no hard and fast rule about when to include internship experience on your resume. But here are a few questions to ask yourself that’ll help you determine which internships to list and when:

How Recent Is the Internship?

If you’re a student or a recent graduate, you’ll most likely want (and need) to lean on your recent internship experiences on your resume, and you’ll probably keep them on there for at least a few years as you embark on your career.

The same applies if you’re not fresh out of school but recently took on an internship or fellowship position to bolster certain skills or as a first step to help you make a career pivot.

“A general rule of thumb is as you progress, your experience further back is going to become less relevant. Things you’re doing today hold more weight,” Leavy-Detrick says.

How Much Other Work Experience Do You Have?

This is a similar question to the one above but not identical. As you start gaining post-internship professional experience and entries about those jobs begin filling up your resume, you’ll have less and less space for internships.

But the number of roles you’ve had will vary. For example, say you’re six years out of college and have worked full-time jobs at three different companies since then. You’ll certainly want to include those three full-time experiences with a good amount of detail, leaving less space (or maybe none) for your past internships. However, say you’re six years into full-time work but have been at the same company the whole time. In this case, you’ll likely have more space on your resume to include some or all of your internships.

How Relevant Is the Internship to Your Next Step?

You should always tailor your resume to the role, company, and industry you’re applying for. So do the same when you’re deciding which internships to include.

For example, if you had internships doing both social media and email marketing, but you’re eager to pursue social media, prioritize including those related experiences. Or if you did a couple of marketing internships but then ended up going into operations and are now trying to pivot back to marketing, those old internships are more relevant than they would be if you were staying in operations.

In short, “anyone at any point in their life can list an internship, especially if it’s relevant to their next step or career vision or goal,” says Wasserman.

How Prestigious Is the Internship Program or Organization?

“There are some companies that the prestige of them is worth mentioning,” says Wascovich, even if your internship took place a little further back than you’d otherwise go on your resume. For example, if you got a really competitive internship at the White House or Apple or whatever the equivalent “wow” program would be in your industry, it might be worth mentioning.

If you’re trying to make a jump to a larger, more prestigious, or national or international company, it could be particularly helpful to show that you have internship experience at a similar organization.

Did Something Go Wrong at the Internship?

Hopefully, this isn’t an issue for you. But in the rare case that there was some extremely difficult situation or even a legal issue during your internship, Wasserman says, you may decide to leave it off. You don’t want to run the risk of the recruiter or hiring manager reaching out to someone there—and hearing only negative things about you.

Does an Internship Open You Up to Potential Bias?

If you worked at an organization with a certain political affiliation, for example, or interned with a hot-button advocacy group, and are concerned that a prospective employer might judge you unfairly (or even illegally), you might decide not to include that particular internship on your resume.

It’s up to you, of course. While you might not even want to work at a company where this would give a recruiter or hiring manager pause, not everyone has the financial freedom to be open and unapologetic in their application materials.

How Should You Include Internships on Your Resume?

Okay, you have a pretty good idea which internships you’d like to list on your resume. But where do you put them? And what do you actually say about your internship?

In general, you should treat your internships just like any other work experience, which means you’d list them under the section labeled “Work Experience” or “Professional Experience” or “[Industry, i.e. Marketing] Experience,” and fit them right in where they go chronologically.

The format should be the same, too. In the first line, include:

• Title: Try to go beyond “Intern” and be specific here. Was it “Graphic Design Intern” or “Copywriting Intern” or “Business Development Intern”? If you had a title that didn’t explicitly include the word “intern,” you can put it in parentheses if you want, as in “Crime Reporter (Intern).”
• Location: Write [City, State], as in “Toledo, OH.”
• Dates: When did your internship take place? You can put [Month–Month, Year] or [Season Year], as in “June–August 2019” or “Summer 2019.”

Below that, you’ll want to include a description, most likely in bullet point format—again, just as you would for any other work experience. Start with an action verb that’s relevant to the industry, try to include numbers as well as any achievements or accomplishments, and incorporate keywords from the job description for the role you’re applying for, if possible. Focus on your most substantial projects and assignments rather than on busywork you might’ve done. In other words, talk about the detailed event plan you put together more so than the photocopies you made.

“You want to show the employer what you can do for them,” says Wasserman. “Don’t just think about duties or responsibilities you had, go beyond that and be very specific about what you accomplished and achieved and what skills you developed.” So instead of “Composed tweets” you’re better off writing, “Composed dozens of tweets a day that garnered an average of 100 likes and 25 retweets.”

But don’t panic if you can’t think of giant achievements. With internships, you’re “probably not going to have a ton of accomplishments. Show the potential. Show what you learned in some way,” says Leavy-Detrick. “What functions of the business did you get exposure to?”

Examples of Internships on a Resume

An internship entry under your work experience might look like one of these examples:

Video Editing Intern, ABC Productions; Topeka, KS May-August 2017

• Edited rough and fine cuts of 18 one-minute videos
• Created an easy-to-navigate library of video graphics and templates
• Worked closely with video and marketing teams on day-to-day tasks and long-term planning

Websites Galore, San Francisco, CA—Web Design Intern Summer 2018

• Assisted senior designers to develop new web pages for four different brands using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Updated existing websites to improve user experience

Would You Ever List Internships Somewhere Else on a Resume?

There are a few other ways you can incorporate internship experience in cases where you have a good amount of other experience:

• Include just the title, company, location, and dates—without any details below—in your work experience section.
• Add a footnote at the end of your work experience section, along the lines of “Previous experience includes design internships at [Company A] and [Company B].”
• If you’re well into your career, you can mention older but significant internships under a leadership or significant accomplishments section lower down on the page or below the degree during which you completed them in your education section.

What If You Were an Intern and Then Got Hired?

If you were impressive and lucky enough to get hired at an organization where you first interned, there are a few ways to go about including both your internship and your subsequent role(s) there. You could:

• Create two separate entries, a good choice if you don’t have many jobs to list or if the two experiences weren’t consecutive.
• List it as you would two roles at one company , with two sub-entries under the company name.
• List the full-time role and mention in a bullet, “Promoted from software developer intern to full-time role,” or, “Initially brought on as an intern to support development department, promoted to membership assistant.”

How to write an internship resume (+ an example)

Your resume is an important part of securing your dream internship. See how to write an amazing internship resume with an example below.

How to write an internship resume (with an example)

Are you ready to bridge the gap between what you’ve learned in school and the real world? Do you want to learn new skills, build connections, and make your mark in your chosen industry? Internships serve as stepping stones during your professional journey and provide opportunities for personal and career growth.

Securing a great internship starts with a killer resume. Your professional resume is your ticket to the interview and your chance to impress potential employers from the get-go. That's why we've put together this helpful intern resume writing guide with six simple steps to help you create an internship resume that stands out.

From organizing your resume's structure to highlighting your most relevant skills and experiences, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we'll even provide an example resume to guide and inspire you along the way.

Whether you're a college student eager to land your first internship or a recent graduate ready to make your mark, an effective internship resume is a game-changer. Let's jump right in and start crafting a resume that opens doors to exciting internship experiences.

How to write an internship resume in 6 steps

When it comes to internships, recruiters know that you might not have years of experience under your belt. But don't worry! The key is to highlight your potential, eagerness to learn, and genuine enthusiasm for the internship. Use each resume section to show how your qualifications and skills make you a valuable asset to the organization.

Step 1: Resume heading

Kick things off with a clear and professional header at the top of your resume, including all the essential contact information (full name, phone number, and email address). Ensure your email address sounds professional — avoid any wacky or unprofessional aliases — and consider adding a link to relevant social media accounts (like your LinkedIn profile).

Step 2: Objective or summary statement (optional)

A resume objective or resume summary statement gives hiring managers a sneak peek into your career goals by highlighting specific skills that make you perfect for the internship. Tailor this section to the internship you're after. Show them how your objectives align with the organization's goals.

Step 3: Education

The education section is your chance to show off your college or university experience. Tell them your major or area of study and consider including your GPA. Don't forget to mention any cool coursework that's relevant to the internship. If you're still in the process of getting your degree, give them a heads up on when you'll be crossing that graduation finish line.

Step 4: Work experience

In the experience section, include any internships, volunteer work (a great resume builder!), or any other relevant work history. Describe the tasks you handled and any achievements you rocked in each role. Focus on those transferable skills that make you a superstar — things like teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and organization. Highlight how your previous professional experiences have set you up for success in this internship and contributed to your personal growth.

Step 5: Certifications/special projects/skills

This skills section showcases the professional certifications and specific soft skills (personal skills and abilities that can help in any job) or hard skills (technical or job-specific skills) that make you stand out from the crowd. Include any special projects or extracurricular activities that show your passion for the field, too. This is your chance to spotlight those unique skill sets and experiences that make you a true rockstar candidate.

Step 6: Awards & honors (optional)

If you've been lucky enough to receive any awards, honors, scholarships, or recognition for your academic or professional prowess, this is the perfect spot to showcase them. Highlighting your accomplishments shows your dedication and excellence and lets potential employers know you're a true go-getter.

Resume formatting tips

Let's talk about some other ways to make your internship resume shine. First off, keep it to a single page. Internships usually involve limited experience, so a concise resume works best. Be selective and focus on highlighting the most relevant information that showcases your qualifications.

When it comes to spacing, give your text some room to breathe. Leave enough white space between sections and paragraphs to make it visually appealing and easy to read. Break up the content using bullet points, headings, and subheadings to make it more organized and reader-friendly.

Stick to a legible font throughout your resume so it's easy on the eyes (aim for a font size of 10 or 11 points for the main content). You can make headings and section titles a bit larger (around 12 or 14 points) to create visual emphasis and hierarchy.

Margins matter, too! Ensure you have enough space on all sides of your resume. A margin size of 0.5 to 1 inch is standard and gives your resume a clean, professional look.

Lastly, don't forget to proofread for any grammar or spelling errors. A polished and error-free document shows your attention to detail and professionalism.

Following these tips to craft a well-organized, visually pleasing internship resume will make a memorable impression on potential employers and increase your chances of landing that dream internship.

You can also get help with formatting your resume by downloading our free internship resume template .

Internship resume example

Use this resume sample as a guide to create a resume that will dazzle hiring managers. Customize your resume based on the specific job description you are applying for.

[Your full name]

[City, state, ZIP code]

[Phone number]

[Email address]

[LinkedIn profile link]

Motivated and dedicated individual seeking an internship opportunity to gain practical experience and further develop skills in [specific field]. Committed to contributing to an organization’s success through a strong work ethic, adaptability, and a passion for learning.

Bachelor of [Degree], [Major]

[University Name], [City, State]

[Year of graduation]

Relevant coursework

• [Course 1]: [Course description]
• [Course 2]: [Course description]
• [Course 3]: [Course description]
• Technical skills: [List relevant technical skills (e.g., programming languages, software proficiency)]
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills demonstrated through [specific examples, such as presentations or publications]
• Problem-solving: Ability to analyze complex problems and develop innovative solutions
• Teamwork: Collaborative approach to working with diverse teams to achieve common goals
• Adaptability: Quick learner with the ability to thrive in fast-paced and changing environments
• Organization: Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines

Relevant work experience

[Company/Organization name], [Location]

[Position title], [Dates]

• [Responsibility 1]: [Describe your key responsibilities and achievements]
• [Responsibility 2]: [Describe your key responsibilities and achievements]

[Company/Organization Name], [Location]

[Position Title], [Dates]

[Project Name], [University/Company], [Dates]

• [Describe the project, your role, and the skills utilized or developed]
• [Highlight any notable achievements or outcomes]

Leadership and extracurricular activities

• [Describe your responsibilities and contributions]

Certifications

• [Certification 1]: [Certifying authority], [Year]
• [Certification 2]: [Certifying authority], [Year]

What about an internship cover letter?

When it comes to internship applications, a cover letter may not always be required (check the internship description for requirements) but it can make a world of difference. A carefully crafted cover letter has the power to make you shine amidst a sea of candidates and increase your chances of landing that coveted internship.

Read our tips for writing an internship cover letter , where we spill the secrets of how to write a killer cover letter that perfectly complements your resume and sets you up for success.

Which companies are hiring for internships on Handshake?

Land an amazing internship.

As you wrap up crafting your winning internship resume, remember that it's not just about the length or the formatting — it's also about showcasing your potential, passion, and unique qualities that make you a perfect fit for the internship. Tailor each section to align with the internship position and emphasize your relevant skills and experiences. With this resume as your tool, you're ready to make a lasting impression and land that dream internship.

Need help finding the perfect internship? Head over to Handshake , download our app, and create your profile. You’ll have access to the most opportunities of any job platform for students and new college grads, as well as tons of helpful advice and tips for launching your career.

Now go out there and get that internship!

Find the right jobs for you. Get hired.

Related stories, most recent stories.

6 Tips for Adding an Internship on Your Resume

Internships are invaluable experiences that can significantly enhance your resume. They provide hands-on learning opportunities, allowing you to apply your academic knowledge in real-world settings. Additionally, internships like those offered by World Endeavors will help you develop essential skills, build a professional network, and increase your employability. When done right, knowing how to put an internship on your resume can set you apart from other candidates in a competitive job market. Whether you’re a recent graduate or still pursuing your degree, understanding how to effectively showcase your internship can make a significant difference in your job search.

Where to Put an Internship on a Resume

Deciding where to put an internship on a resume is crucial for catching the employer’s attention, and an internship with World Endeavors will equip you with only the best skills through hands-on experience. Even better, it will help you uncover your true passions. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Experience Section

The most common place for an internship is in the “Experience” section. This is especially true if the internship is relevant to the job you’re applying for. Including your internship here helps emphasize its importance and relevance.

2. Separate Internship Section

If you have multiple internships or if your internships are the most relevant experience you have, consider creating a separate section titled “Internship Experience” or “Relevant Experience.” This can make your resume more organized and highlight these experiences more effectively.

Gain Real-world Experience By Downloading One of Our Program Brochures

3. education section.

If you’re a recent graduate with limited work experience, you might include your internship in the “Education” section, especially if it was a part of your academic program. This placement can help bridge the gap between your education and professional experience.

4. Skills Section

For internships that were particularly skills-focused, you might also reference them in the “Skills” section of your resume. This is an effective way to show how your internship has contributed to your skill set. Adding an internship to a resume demonstrates your commitment to furthering your skills and expertise in your field and can be a strategic way to bolster your application.

Search for the Perfect Internship Abroad Now

How to put an internship on a resume, 1. highlight relevant skills.

When considering how to put an internship on your resume, it’s essential to highlight the skills you gained during your internship. Focus on both technical and soft skills that relate to the position you’re applying for. For example, if you interned at a marketing firm, skills like social media management, content creation, and teamwork should be emphasized. This demonstrates not only your experience but also your readiness for the role.

2. Use Action Verbs

Incorporating strong action verbs in your descriptions is vital for effectively putting your internship experience on a resume. Words like “developed,” “analyzed,” and “collaborated” convey your contributions and accomplishments during the internship. This makes your resume more dynamic and engaging, helping you stand out in the hiring process.

3. Tailor Your Descriptions

To ensure your resume resonates with potential employers, tailor your internship descriptions to match the job description. This means using similar language and highlighting experiences that directly relate to the position. Understanding how to put your internship on your resume in a way that aligns with the company’s needs can significantly boost your chances of getting noticed.

4. Quantify Achievements

Quantifying your achievements is another effective strategy. Whenever possible, include numbers, percentages, or other metrics that demonstrate the impact of your work. For example, instead of stating you “assisted in social media campaigns,” say you “increased social media engagement by 30% through targeted campaigns.” This makes your contributions tangible and shows your potential value to future employers.

5. Format Consistently

Consistency in formatting is key when putting an internship on your resume. Ensure that the layout matches the rest of your resume in terms of font, size, and style. Use bullet points for clarity and keep your descriptions concise. A well-formatted resume is easier to read and reflects your professionalism.

6. Include Relevant Coursework

If your internship aligns closely with your field of study, consider including relevant coursework in your resume. This can provide additional context for your experience and demonstrate your commitment to your chosen career path. Incorporating this detail is an effective way of putting internship experience on a resume when you’re still building your professional background.

Examples of How to Put Your Internship on Your Resume

Here are some real life examples of how you could add an internship with World Endeavors on your resume:

Web and Graphic Design Intern World Endeavors, Australia June 2023 – August 2023

• Created visually engaging graphics for client websites and social media, enhancing user engagement by 25%
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop branding materials and ensure cohesive design across platforms
• Conducted user research to inform design decisions, improving overall user experience on multiple projects

Public Relations Intern World Endeavors, Australia January 2023 – May 2023

• Assisted in developing and executing PR campaigns, resulting in a 40% increase in media coverage for client events
• Wrote press releases and promotional materials that effectively communicated key messages to target audiences
• Coordinated with media outlets and influencers to maximize campaign reach and engagement

Don’t Let Your Internship Get Overlooked!

Properly formatting your resume is crucial to ensuring your internship is not overlooked. A well-structured resume can grab an employer’s attention and highlight your qualifications effectively. Remember that the valuable experience gained from an internship can make a lasting impression , so presenting it clearly is key. By following our tips above on how to put an internship on your resume, you can enhance your job prospects and stand out in a crowded field.

This blog was written by Eric Monteres Jamarr Blacke

If you would like to know more about the contents of this blog post or would like to receive information about similar experiences, then please connect with one of our advisors through the contact form.

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How to Add an Internship to a Resume (With Examples)

• When to Include Internships

When to Leave Out Internships

Where to put internships, how to add internships to your resume.

• Work Experience Section Example
• Internships Section Resume Example

In today’s competitive job market, a relevant internship can set you apart from other job applicants. This is especially true if you are a student or recent graduate with little work experience, or if you are changing careers.

Don’t hide your internship experiences at the bottom of your resume. Instead, highlight your internship experiences, and detail how they have prepared you for the job you want.

Here's how and where to put an internship on a resume, what to list, and examples of resumes that include internships.

When to Include Internships on Your Resume

You should include an internship on your resume when the internship is relevant to the job you are applying for. This is especially the case when you are a student or recent graduate with limited work experience. Internships provide you with critical experience in an industry, so be sure to include them to show your skills and abilities.

You should also include internships when you are making a career change. While you might have many years of work experience, these jobs might not relate to your new career. Highlight any internships that have prepared you for a job in your new industry.

You can begin to remove internships from your resume when you’ve developed enough work experience in your field. After about five or so years (or two or three jobs) in your industry, you can focus primarily on this work history rather than on your past internship experience.

If you held a particularly prestigious internship in your field, you might keep it on your resume for a bit longer.

For example, if you had an internship at Google or Facebook, or another important internship in your industry, keep it on your resume.

Internships can be listed in the employment history section of your resume. Or, you can create a separate section that highlights the internships you've done.

Work Experience Section: Because internships provide important work experience, you can include your internships in the “ Work Experience ” or “Work History” section of your resume, along with other jobs you have held.

Internships Section: If you have held multiple internships, you can include a separate “Internships” section on your resume. Put this section towards the top of your resume. Put your “Internships” section above your “Work History” section if your internships are particularly relevant to the job you are applying for.

Whatever you do, don’t put your internships at the bottom of your resume or in the “ Education ” section. Internships are real-world experiences, and should be given as much weight as a job.

When you include an internship on your resume, include the same information as any other job:

• Include the internship title. If possible, don’t just say “Intern." Ask your supervisor if you have a more detailed title, such as “Marketing Intern” or “Sales Associate Intern.”
• List the details. Also include the company name, location, and the dates of the internship. You can list the dates by month and year, or by the season (such as “Summer 2021” or “Spring 2022”).
• Include your responsibilities. Underneath this information, include two to four bullet points that list your responsibilities and achievements during the internship.

Focus on responsibilities that relate to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a writing job, mention how you wrote and published five articles during your internship. You don’t need to include your less relevant tasks, such as answering phones or photocopying.

If you are having trouble deciding what responsibilities and achievements to include, start by making a long list of everything you did at each internship. Then look at the  job listing  for the position you’re applying for. Circle anything from your list that  matches the skills or abilities required for the job. Highlight these particular experiences.

Also, ask your intern supervisor for advice on how to put your internship on your resume. He or she can help you highlight the most important skills and experiences for the industry and can tell you what  key terms  from your industry to include.

Make sure that you format your internships in a way that is consistent with the way you format your other work experience.

Again, internships are just as important to your career as a job, so you don't need to format them differently. This is especially the case if you include internships under “Work History.” For example, if you bold your job titles, do the same for your internship titles.

Example of Internships in a “Work Experience” Section

This is an example of a “Work Experience” section of a resume that includes two internships.

WORK EXPERIENCE

New York History Museum New York, NY Academic Programs Intern Jan. 2024 – May 2024

• Developed and ran activities for museum visitors ages 5-15 for February and April school break programs
• Wrote five articles for monthly newsletter with 5,000 readers
• Conducted research on latest curriculum standards and reported findings in presentation to Education Department

Albany History Society Albany, NY Education Intern Summer 2023

• Developed and implemented activities for museum visitors ages 4-10 related to new museum exhibit on the history of transportation
• Collaborated with Education Department to develop and run an all-day history workshop for elementary students
• Received award for Outstanding Intern of the Summer from the President of the Society

Resume Example With an "Internships" Section

Here is a complete resume that highlights the job candidate’s internship experience in a dedicated “Internships” section. Download the template (compatible with Google Docs and Microsoft Word), or read the text version below.

Resume Sample With an "Internships" Section (Text Version)

Sarah Jones Dallas, TX 75001 (555) 456-7890 sarah.jones@email.com

QUALIFICATIONS PROFILE Highly creative, trend-savvy emerging professional positioned to excel within fast-paced digital marketing environment. Well-versed in SEO strategy development, keyword research, and website optimization. 

• Superb writing and graphic design talents complemented by ability to easily build rapport within social media venues including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.
• Practical “hands-on” internship experience in segmented email campaign development and social media management.
• Technical Proficiencies : Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, Campaign Builder, Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics; advanced command of HTML and CSS.

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing (2023); GPA 3.7 Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX Betta Gamma Sigma Honor Society; Golden Key

INTERNSHIPS

MAJOR MARKETING CORPORATION, Dallas, TX Marketing Intern , April 2023–June 2023 Tasked with creating and launching daily eblasts and calls-to-action for high-velocity email campaigns. Identified target audiences, tracked unsubscribes, and monitored spam complaints.

• Honed expertise in template design, A/B testing deployment, market analytics, and lead management.
• Recognized by senior management for success in landing 89% of lead conversions.

WESTERN GEAR, Dallas, TX Social Media Intern , September 2022–December 2022 As intern for upscale clothing retailer, wrote and scheduled posts on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Took and edited digital photographs of sales items; generated and analyzed social media performance reports using Google Analytics and Facebook Analytics.

• Increased Facebook audience by more than 2,000 “likes” by actively managing user conversations and encouraging repeat engagement.
• Launched and built company’s first-ever Pinterest and Instagram sites.

DALLAS CLOTHIERS, Dallas, TX Sales Assistant , June 2021–June 2023 Concurrent with education, provided attentive customer service to clients of family-owned clothing boutique. Merchandised products and assisted clients with their selections. Operated POS system.

• Used WordPress to create new digital sales website for store.

NACE. " What Employers Seek on a Resume ."

How to Write an Internship Resume [w/ Examples]

You put in the hours studying, and you're set on a field you want to grow in.

Now, you're eager to jump-start your career with an internship that puts your skills to the test.

But as thrilling as entering the professional world is, creating a resume that reflects your abilities and enthusiasm can make it daunting.

You might find yourself staring at a blank page with no idea where you should start. How can you show the hiring manager that you’re just the right person for this internship?

No need to worry; we're here to help.

In this article, we’re going to show you how to navigate the first steps of your career journey.

We’re going to cover:

• What a Great Internship Resume Looks Like
• 8 Steps to Writing the Perfect Internship Resume
• What to Include in Your Internship Resume

Let’s get started.

Internship Resume Example

Now that’s how you write a great resume for a business or marketing internship.

Here’s what it does right:

• Uses a reverse-chronological format. This is the best format to emphasize your most recent experience and achievements, and it’s a favorite for hiring managers around the world.
• Adds relevant contact details. This internship resume example makes sure to include the most necessary contact information, including the candidate's full name, professional email, phone number, Skype username, and a link to their LinkedIn.
• Includes a resume headline. The brief paragraph positioned at the top of the resume can show the hiring manager how the candidate’s education, skills, and motivation make them the right person for the job from the get-go.
• Expands on the education section. Since the candidate is just starting their career journey, their resume focuses more on their education and the relevant courses that show they know about the field they’re aiming for - in this case, business.
• Highlights relevant skills. This internship resume lists several sets of crucial business and marketing skills while keeping the hard skills and soft skills separate.
• Organizes content with bullet points. To keep their resume concise and easy to read, the candidate uses bullet points to list their achievements, courses, and qualifications.
• Leverages optional sections. This internship resume uses sections like volunteer experience, personal projects, and additional languages that show the hiring manager the candidate’s skills and achievements beyond their education.
• Keeps the resume on one page. The candidate makes sure to keep their resume under one page long and only list relevant information that shows the hiring manager why they’re perfect for the internship.

9 Steps for the Perfect Animator Resume

You saw for yourself what an internship-worthy resume looks like. Now, it’s time to write your own!

We’ve broken the process down into easy-to-follow steps, starting with:

#1. Choose the Best Format

Before you can begin writing your resume, you need to choose a format to work with.

There are three main resume formats you can choose from:

• Reverse-chronological (also called chronological)
• Functional (also called skill-based)
• Combination (a mix of the chronological and functional formats)

For 99% of candidates, we recommend sticking with the reverse-chronological resume format for your internship resume.

The reverse-chronological format is by far the most popular of all three, so it’s what hiring managers expect you to use.

Not to mention, this format highlights your most recent achievements first, so it’s the perfect choice to show the hiring manager what you’ve been up to lately.

Here’s an example of the reverse-chronological resume format:

#2. Tweak the Layout

Once you’ve decided on a format for your resume, it’s time to focus on your resume layout .

After all, before the hiring manager reads your resume, they’re going to look at it. And if what they see is a messy, cluttered document, or a half-empty page, they might decide it’s not worth reading at all.

So, let’s look at some resume layout tips you should follow to make sure the hiring manager likes what they see:

• Adjust the margins. Ideally, the margins should be one inch on all sides of the page. This way, your resume will look well-organized, not cluttered or empty.
• Set the line spacing. We recommend you stick to the standard line spacing, which is 1.0 between text and 1.15 between double lines and after subheadings.
• Choose a professional font. You want your resume font to be easy to read but not overused. Avoid fonts like Times New Roman and Comic Sans, and instead, use something like Lora, Roboto, Ubuntu, etc.
• Stick to one page. Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, so you want to make sure yours grabs their attention from the start. Keep it to one page of only relevant information.
• Save it to the correct file format. Unless the employer specifically requests otherwise, you should save your resume as a PDF file. As a PDF, your resume’s layout is going to stay the same across any device or operating system the hiring manager might use to open it.

Or Use a Professional Resume Template Instead

Creating a perfect internship resume from scratch takes time.

You have to work on the layout, adjust the margins, and make sure the font is set to the right size, all while minding that nothing spills over to page two.

Why not skip all the hassle?

Just use any of our free, tried-and-tested resume templates .

Each resume template is created in close collaboration with designers and leading HR pros, so your resume can be professional, easy to read, ATS-friendly, and stylish.

Take a look at how one of our templates looks compared to a standard text editor resume:

#3. Add Your Contact Information

Once you’ve got your resume’s layout in order, it’s time to start filling in its contents.

This is where your contact information comes in.

All you need to do in this section is make sure everything is factually correct and professional. You don’t want to miss any interview opportunities because of a typo in your email or phone number.

Here’s what this section should include:

• Full Name (e.g., John Doe)
• Professional Title. You can match this to the exact role you're after (e.g., Marketing Intern or Business Communications Intern) or with what you’re currently doing (e.g., Business Student).
• Phone Number. Include the country code if you're applying for an opportunity outside your home country. (e.g., the area code in the USA is +1 but for France, it’s +33.)
• Email Address. Use an email that's based on your name, and avoid any nicknames or quirky jokes. (e.g., [email protected], not [email protected])
• Links. You can include a link to your LinkedIn profile or an online portfolio where you can show any relevant projects or coursework.
• Location. The city and state/country where you’re based are enough information. If you’re open to working remotely or if you're prepared to move for the internship, mention that here. (e.g., You can add “Based in Sweden but willing to relocate to Krakow for the position.” at the end of your resume headline.)

Business Student

+1 228-833-4411

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/john.doe

Paris, France

Le Best Intern

[email protected]

#4. Write a Headline

On average, hiring managers spend less than six seconds skimming a resume before deciding if it’s worth reading. 

This is where your resume headline comes in.

This is a paragraph that acts as a summary of your resume’s highlights. So, the more engaging this paragraph is, the better your chances of getting the hiring manager’s attention from the start.

There are two ways you can go about this:

• Resume Summary. A resume summary is a three to four-sentence paragraph that briefly highlights your experience and achievements. This is a great choice if you already have some relevant experience in the field you’re aiming for.
• Resume Objective. If you’re new to the workforce, a resume objective is a great choice. This provides an overview of your career goals and aspirations, as well as any relevant skills or qualifications.

So, what do these paragraphs look like in action?

Let’s start with the resume summary.

Enthusiastic marketing intern with hands-on experience in content creation and social media management, looking to leverage skills at Digital Agency X. Successfully increased social media engagement by 30% at Company Y by implementing targeted content strategies. Proficient in Hootsuite and Google Analytics.

That’s pretty good! It tells the hiring manager what the candidate’s done, what they’re good at, and why they should keep reading.

Now, let’s look at the resume objective:

Detail-oriented economics student seeking an internship position at Financial Firm Y. Ready to apply academic knowledge to real-world financial analysis and eager to gain practical experience. Strong foundation in statistical analysis and econometric modeling from coursework and university projects. Proficient in Stata and Excel.

As you can see, even without any work experience , done right, your resume objective can make you stand out from the crowd.

#5. Focus on Your Work Experience

By far the most important section of your resume is your work experience .

However, if you’re applying for an internship, you probably don’t have a lot of work experience.

Here’s the good news - hiring managers don’t expect you to. Internships are usually aimed at students and entry-level workers who are just getting started in a field, so you don’t have to dazzle anyone with tons of relevant work experience.

That being said, if you do have some work experience, you need to know how to format the section properly.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Use reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent experience and go backward.
• Use the right job title. If your last job had a quirky title like 'Digital Wizard', just use a straightforward job title like 'Digital Marketing Assistant' instead.
• Include company details. Add the name and location of your previous employers. If they’re a small business, you can also add a line describing what the company did.
• Specify the period. Use a month/year format throughout your resume to keep things consistent. There’s usually no need to specify exact dates.
• Describe your responsibilities and achievements. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs to list any relevant responsibilities and achievements. We recommend using up to six bullet points for your most recent role and fewer as you work your way back.

Those are the basics behind formatting the work experience on your internship resume.

But, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you want to go beyond the basics and make this section pop.

Here are a few more tips to take your work experience to the next level:

• Tailor to the internship you're applying for. Only include your most recent or relevant experiences. For example, don’t mention a part-time job as a pizza delivery person if you’re applying for an internship as a writer.
• Focus on achievements. Daily responsibilities don’t tell the employer anything new, but achievements can show your potential value. For example, saying you “Helped in social media campaigns” is fine, but when you “Increased social media engagement by 20% through targeted campaigns” the hiring manager can see the results.
• Quantify your achievements. Whenever possible, use numbers to show the impact you made. (e.g., “Helped increase newsletter subscribers by 300 over three months” )
• Use strong action verbs. Avoid passive phrases like “was responsible for” or “helped with” and replace them with action verbs like 'organized,' 'developed,' 'implemented,' or 'enhanced' to show initiative.

So, let’s see what these tips apply in real life:

Business Intern

Consulting Firm Y

06/2023 - 12/2023

• Completed market research and data analysis projects under tight deadlines.
• Supported the implementation of a new CRM tool that improved the efficiency of the team's data management.
• Helped onboard and train new interns, making sure they were familiar with office procedures and project tools.
• Participated in monthly client meetings and provided support in preparing presentation materials.
• Contributed to a major consulting project by collecting and analyzing customer feedback, which helped enhance the final report's insights.
• Recognized with a departmental commendation for teamwork and dedication during the quarterly review.

#6. Keep Your Education Section Relevant

Usually, we recommend keeping the education section on your resume short and sweet.

However, if you’re applying for an internship, there are a few exceptions to the rule, including:

• If you don’t have any work experience.
• If your education is directly related to the field you want to intern in.
• If you’re applying for an internship while you’re currently a student .
• If you’re in the midst of a career change and your education is more relevant than your work experience.

In each of these cases, we recommend that you expand on your education a bit more. This means you can list any relevant courses, awards, and honors – and even your GPA if it’s good.

Here’s how to list the education details on your resume:

• Degree Name. E.g. Creative Writing and Journalism
• University Name. E.g. Du Monfort University
• Location (optional). E.g. Leicester, UK
• Years Attended. E.g. 2020 - 2024

Here’s an example of how it could look on your resume:

BS in Business Administration, Minor in Marketing

University of Miami

Miami, Florida, USA

09/2019 - 05/2023

• Courses: Strategic Management, Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing Strategies, Financial Accounting
• Awards and Honors: Dean’s List (Fall 2020, Spring 2021), Business Leadership Award 2022

#7. Include In-Demand Soft and Hard Skills

Another important section on your internship resume is the skills section.

In fact, over 40% of hiring managers look at the skills listed on your resume first.

Your skills tell the hiring manager about what you can do, which tools you’re proficient with, and how much training you might need.

So, this section is a great way to show why you are a standout candidate for the internship you want.

The way to do that, though, is not by listing every skill under the sun. Instead, you want to focus on the ones that are most relevant for the internship you're applying for.

For example, if you're applying for a marketing internship, you probably don’t need to talk about your advanced Excel skills. Instead, focus on your experience with social media management tools, content creation software like Adobe Photoshop, or even data analysis tools that are relevant to marketing.

Here are a few tips on how to get this section just right:

• Highlight what the company is looking for. Carefully read the job description and look for any of the specific skills it mentions. If you have any of those skills, make sure to include them on your resume.
• Keep up with industry trends. Being an intern often means you get to learn new things, and that includes being at the cutting edge of new techniques and tools in your field. Stay updated on what the most sought-after skills in your field are, and include any that you've learned.
• Separate your soft and hard skills. Organize your skills into categories. For example, list soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving separately from hard skills like software proficiency or technical know-how. This can help hiring managers quickly find the exact skills they’re looking for.

There are tons of skills out there you might need to list on your resume, depending on your field. If you need help with where to start, check out our article with over 400 skills to put on your resume .

#8. Use Optional Resume Sections

Once you’ve gone through all these section, you might find that your resume still looks empty .

It happens, especially if you don’t have a lot of work experience. Thankfully, there are a lot of other sections you can leverage to fill up your resume.

Some sections you can use include:

• Certifications. Keeping up with the latest industry trends and enhancing your skills shows your commitment to your career development . Here, you can include any relevant certifications or training you've completed outside of your formal education.
• Projects. List any significant university assignments or independent projects you were part of. Hiring managers love candidates who do cool stuff in their free time since it shows that you're enthusiastic and proactive about your field.
• Languages. Lots of businesses operate on a global scale and have diverse teams. Being proficient in multiple languages can make you a standout candidate for roles that might need collaboration across different countries or cultures.
• Hobbies and interests. Take a moment to research the culture of the company you're applying to. Some employers appreciate a personal touch on resumes, like hobbies and interests , because they can reveal more about who you are and how well you’d fit in as part of the team.

Some optional sections, such as volunteer experience or extracurricular activities , can be formatted the same way as your work experience section. Use these sections to show off your skills and experience!

Let’s look at an example of optional resume sections in action:

EXTRACURRICULAR EXPERIENCE

Student Council Member, University Web Committee

University of California, San Diego

09/2020 - 06/2023

• Directed the redesign of the university’s student portal, enhancing user interface and experience, which increased daily student engagement by 40%.
• Organized and led usability testing sessions to gather student feedback, utilizing the insights to optimize navigation and content accessibility on the university website.
• Served as the student council's representative to the university's IT department, making sure student needs and feedback were central to ongoing web development projects.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Adobe XD: User Experience Design Udemy, 2022
• Practical UI Design Fundamentals Coursera, 2023

#9. Include a Cover Letter

Just because your internship resume is ready doesn’t mean you’re done.

Now, we know - odds are, you aren’t a writer , and writing a cover letter is the last thing you want to do.

But cover letters are still crucial for a successful application.

When you write a cover letter, you’re showing the hiring manager that you’re genuinely interested in the job and that you’re ready to go the extra mile to prove it. You’re not just sending out your resume left and right - you put in real effort.

So, including a cover letter with your internship resume can seriously increase your odds of getting an interview and landing the internship you want.

And we’re here with the right cover letter tips you need to nail it!

First, let’s take a look at what a great internship cover letter looks like:

Now, let’s look at the structure of a cover letter:

• Include your details in the header. At the very top of your cover letter, list your full name, contact information, and the job title you are applying for, just like in your resume.
• Personalize the greeting. Research the company to find out the name of the hiring manager or the department you’re applying to. This personal touch shows you’ve made an effort and helps your application stand out.
• Start off strong. Your opening paragraph should be concise and capture the hiring manager’s attention. Highlight a few of your key achievements or qualifications to make a memorable introduction.
• Expand in the body. The main section of your cover letter should delve into the details. Discuss aspects of your experience and skills that are relevant to the job, including anything you couldn’t cover in your resume. Take the time to explain why you’re a good fit for the role and the company based on the skills and experience you talk about.
• Conclude it appropriately. End your cover letter with a call to action, and express your excitement to discuss how you can contribute to the company’s goals. Remember to close with a polite closing line, like ‘Best regards’ or ‘Sincerely’.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end of our article!

If you applied everything we talked about here, we’re sure you’re going to land that internship in no time.

Now, before you go, let’s recap what we mentioned so far:

• You need the right formatting and layout for your internship resume. We recommend stick to a reverse-chronological resume format, and applying the standard practices to make sure your layout stays tidy and professional.
• Your resume only has a few seconds to grab the hiring manager’s attention, so you should write a brief paragraph in your resume header. Depending on how experienced you are, this can be either a resume summary or a resume objective.
• When it’s time to describe your work experience, focus on your achievements more than your day-to-day responsibilities. This can show the hiring manager how much you can do for their company once you’re hired, and it’s a lot more impressive than everyday tasks.
• If you’re applying for an internship, odds are you don’t have a lot of work experience, and that’s okay. You can focus on other aspects, like your education, your personal projects, or any relevant volunteer experience.
• Take the time to research what skills are in demand for the field you’re applying to. Then, list them in separate sections for soft and hard skills.
• Make sure to write a cover letter to match your resume. Try using one of our cover letter templates to create a matching application in minutes.

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Resume writing: so, can you put future things on your resume  .

Writing a great resume is top of the list when it comes to getting your next (or your first) job. It’s vital that you get this right or you’ll have little chance of getting to the next stage. You’ll have heard the standard advice: don’t make your resume too long, use lots of white space, don’t cram the page, and so on. However, there is one other thing to consider: can you put future things on your resume?

Hiring managers are picky, rightly so, and they will dismiss a poorly put-together resume. In fact, according to  CareerBuilder , “Nearly one quarter (24%) of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds looking at a resume.” That’s not a lot of time to make a great impression.

You must correct your grammar and spelling, present your resume well, and include all the right things. However, you may get extra time and attention if you put a future job on your resume.

Not only is it possible to do this, but if done correctly, you can impress hiring managers.

In this article, I’m going to look at how to write future plans in resumes. You can then add that extra touch to your resume that might make all the difference in getting you the job.

“The challenge of life, I have found, is to build a resume that doesn’t simply tell a story about what you want to be, but it’s a story about who you want to be.” – Oprah Winfrey

Should you put your future job on your resume?

While we’ve established that you can put future things on your  resume , there are some considerations before you do so:

Firstly, are you positive that your future job is impressive enough that it deserves a place on your resume? Is it a highly competitive position, for example, where you were chosen out of hundreds of candidates? Will it really make a difference in the minds of hiring managers? If not, leave it out.

Have you definitely got the job you want to include? If you’re still waiting to hear back, don’t put the job on your resume at this point. If you don’t get it and you do include it, you’re going to give a poor impression to hiring managers. Either you’ll look like you outright lied, or you’ll look like you’re trying to inflate your resume. Neither impression will get you the job.

Can you put future education on your resume? Yes, you can. Just take into consideration the points above and follow my tips below on what to say.

What about putting an internship on your resume before starting? This is a really good idea. Employers always want to see that people are willing to learn. Employers can see that you’re going to have beneficial work experience and transferable skills that they can benefit from. Adding an internship will improve your resume.

If you’re sure you’re going to include your future job, summer internship, or education, don’t worry too much if you don’t have all the details yet. In the next section, I’m going to give you some tips on how you can include this information in your resume.

“I always encourage people to learn the basics and nail the basics. Take the time to customize your resume and cover letter to reflect your qualifications, your research on the specific company and position, and how you believe you can add value.” – Kathryn Minshew

Read More: What Are the Best Stay at Home Mom Job Titles for My Resume?

How can you put future things on your resume?

When adding future items to your resume, there is a right way to do it. Ensure you follow these tips to create the best impression:

1) Be clear that this is a future position

Don’t ever lie on your  resume . You aren’t trying to create the false impression that you have already worked at this future job or taken your future education. You’re not out to say that you already have these skills and knowledge unless you already do.

When talking about a future position or education, mark this entry on your resume as “Incoming.” That way it’s clear to potential employers that it’s in the future.

You should also use “will” when writing about what you’ll be doing or learning. For example, “Will answer the telephone and provide a reception service.” Again, this makes it clear that it’s a job you haven’t started yet.

Read More: “Should I Include My Likes and Dislikes in Resume?” – All You Need to Know

2) Use your keywords

As with any other job position or education, you need to include keywords that hiring managers are looking for. Most hiring managers skim resumes rather than reading them and they’re skimming to find the keywords that are important to them.

Not only that, but  according to Capterra , “Up to three-fourths of large companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to automatically screen resumes for keywords.”

If you don’t include relevant keywords, your future position that might have made your resume stand out, won’t get picked up by this software.

3) Include start date and end date

Potential employers need to know when you will be available to start with them. It’s important to include start and end dates for future internships, education, and jobs so that they have this information.

The other reason to include dates is that it adds legitimacy to your future position. Solid dates make it seem more real and definite. However, don’t worry if you don’t know your exact dates. You can always estimate and say “September 2022 – January 2023” or “starting Winter 2022 until Summer 2023.”

4) Don’t overdo the details

Under any previous job, you’d be able to go into detail about what you contributed, what you learned, and more.

Obviously, with a future job, you can’t do that, so keep it short on  your resume .

List the job title, where it is, the start and end dates, and a few bullet points about what you’ll be doing.

Here is an example:

Incoming Publishing Internship

Simon and Schuster, New York

Spring 2023 – Fall 2023

• Will perform office duties as requested.
• Will answer the telephone and respond to email inquiries.
• Will read incoming manuscripts and summarize for the managing editor.
• Will send out acceptance and rejection responses as directed.

That’s clear enough and doesn’t claim in any way that you already know how to do those things.

Can you put future things on your  resume ? Yes. Should you? As long as you’ve gone through my checklist and included future items for the right reasons, then absolutely. Just make sure you follow my tips above and present your future position in the right way.

“Emphasize your strengths on your resume, in your cover letters, and in your interviews. It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people simply list everything they’ve ever done. Convey your passion and link your strengths to measurable results. Employers and interviewers love concrete data.” – Marcus Buckingham

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i put a future job on my resume.

Yes, you can. Including a future job on your resume is beneficial, especially if the position is not full-time. It indicates that you may be interested in another part-time work, additional internships, or other opportunities alongside the upcoming job you have already secured.

Can I list a future internship on my resume?

You can definitely include a future internship on your resume. However, it’s important to make sure that the internship is really impressive and warrant a place in your resume. For instance, if it’s with a big and well-known company or if it’s highly competitive, then it’s worth mentioning on your resume, otherwise, just leave it out. 

What are some tips on including a future job or internship on my resume?

When including a future job or internship on your resume, it’s important to follow these tips: 1. Be transparent: Clearly indicate it’s a future position, using terms like “Incoming” and phrases like “will” to convey it hasn’t started yet. 2. Use relevant keywords: Include keywords important to hiring managers to make your resume stand out and pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) scans. 3. Include start and end dates: Specify the future internship or job’s start and end dates for employer awareness and to add credibility. Approximate dates if exact ones are unknown. 4. Keep it concise: Since the job hasn’t started, avoid extensive details. List job title, location, start and end dates, and provide brief bullet points outlining expected responsibilities.

• How To Quit An Internship Early On Good Terms
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Jenny Palmer

Founder of Eggcellentwork.com. With over 20 years of experience in HR and various roles in corporate world, Jenny shares tips and advice to help professionals advance in their careers. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change.

Further Reading...

Ghosted After Salary Negotiation – What Went Wrong and What to Do About It

111+ Powerful Affirmations For Manifesting Your Dream Job

Best Ways To List Two Job Titles At The Same Time With One Employer On Resume

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Writing a stellar resume for an internship is one of the best ways to stand out during the application process. Yet what do you put in your experience section if you’ve never worked in a professional setting? What skills do you include? What do employers expect to see from a student who’s applying for an internship ? This guide will help you craft a stand-out resume for an internship, even if you have no experience. We’ll cover:

What Are Employers Looking for on an Internship Resume?

How to write a resume for an internship with no experience.

• Resume for an Internship Template

On a typical resume , employers look at your work experience to see what impact you’ve had at your past companies. But resumes for an internship are different — employers know that you’re a student and don’t expect you to have the same breadth of experience. So, what do they want to see?

Show You Can Deliver Results

“Transparently, recruitment is expensive, and companies want to hire people who are going to come in and be focused on driving results, not just sitting there taking up a seat and being a yes person,” Jeremy Grunfeld, director of student success at Forage, says. “Companies want genuine thinkers that will hit ambitious goals set for them.”

To show you’re a results-oriented person, ensure that your resume shows the results you’ve driven, whether that’s an academic project, volunteer experience, extracurricular, or independent project. 

>>MORE: No Internship? Here Are 9 Ways to Get Work Experience This Summer

“You can blow recruiters away and prove your results focus by ensuring that each of your bullet points (particularly in your work experience section) covers the following: what you did, how you did it, and what impact it had (including a metric),” Grunfeld says.

Show You Can Learn New Skills

Recruiters also want to know that you’re competent at learning new skills, Grunfeld says. “Remember, you’re still a student. You’re not expected to know everything — you’re expected to want to learn.”

So, how can you show you’re good at learning new skills and have a growth mindset ? First, prioritize your academic work and independent learning on your resume. Include an education section, your GPA, awards and scholarships, independent projects, and outside coursework, such as Forage job simulations .

Write to the Job Description

Finally, employers are looking for resumes showing that applicants have the skills and experience they want. Before starting your resume for an internship, carefully read the internship description to identify what the employer is looking for from candidates.

Typically, the company will include this information in the internship description’s “requirements” or “responsibilities” section. Sometimes, an employer will list out specific skills, like programming languages or years of experience. Otherwise, a company might say it’s looking for a “team player” or “numbers whiz,” and you’ll have to do a little interpreting to get at what it’s looking for (hint: a good collaborator and someone with math skills). 

Now that you know the three main things employers are looking for on a resume for an internship — results, the ability to learn new skills, and qualifications — how should you start writing your resume?

Forage Resume Writing Masterclass

Learn how to craft a resume that will wow employers from start to finish.

Avg. Time: 5-6 hours

Skills you’ll build: Resume writing; identifying job titles, transferable skills, and industry keywords; professional brand

Start With Your Contact Information

The top of your resume is the place to list your most important contact information, including:

• Phone number
• Email address
• City and state (no need for full address)

You can also include a link to your website, online portfolio , or any other site demonstrating your work (if you have one — it’s not required!).

Include Your Education

Next, you’ll include where you go to school, your major, your expected graduation date, and your GPA on your resume .

“The most frequent thing that students fail to include on their resume is their GPA,” Grunfeld says. “It’s vitally important. As a rule of thumb, if a resume doesn’t contain a GPA, the recruiter will assume the GPA has been excluded because it isn’t strong. Recruiters will assume the GPA is less than 3.0. If your GPA is higher than 3.0 and isn’t on your resume, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice.”

You can include relevant course names for your major and the internship you’re applying to. For example, if you’re applying for a software engineering internship, include your advanced programming courses. If you’ve made the Dean’s List, won any academic award, or studied abroad, you can include that in this section, too. 

Take Stock of Your Experience

Next, consider all relevant experiences you can include on your resume. As long as you don’t title this section “Professional Experience,” this doesn’t need to be formal work experience. 

Consider including:

• Research: Academic work you’ve done for a professor, either for payment or academic credit
• Extracurriculars: Including sports teams, clubs, arts organizations, and academic societies
• Part-time work: Even if it seems unrelated to what you’re applying for, you may have transferable skills (for example, customer service skills from working at an ice cream shop)
• Volunteering: Including community service or work you’ve done to benefit an organization without pay

On your resume, include these experiences with your position, the name of the organization or employer, and the month(s) when you completed the experience. 

Quantify That Experience

Once you’ve written down all of these relevant experiences, you can narrow it down to 2-3 experiences that are relevant to the internship you’re applying for. Next, consider your role in each of them and the results you led to. Ask yourself:

• What responsibilities did I have? What tasks did I have to do?
• What did I do to fulfill those responsibilities or complete those tasks?
• What skills did I use? 
• Who did I work with? 
• What happened after I fulfilled those responsibilities or completed those tasks? What were the results of my action?  
• What did I learn from this experience? 

Asking these questions can help you quantify your experiences, giving you results-driven summaries to add to your “experience” job descriptions.

For example, you might write something like:

• Managed three students’ overlapping schedules to organize and complete a group project one week ahead of schedule
• Created targeted outreach email campaigns to raise over $1,000 in one month for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Designed four new posters for a student theater organization to increase audience attendance by 20%
• Reduced bug frequency by 30% by programming a testing system to identify bugs before software production 

Organize Your Skills

Now that you’ve gone through your experiences, it’s time to figure out what skills you have. 

Hard Skills

Hard skills are the quantifiable skills you’ve learned, including technical, analytical , and computer skills.

First, think about what you’ve learned in your classes. What skills have your teachers taught you or graded you on? For example, did you learn programming skills in a software engineering course? Writing skills in an English class? Data analysis in an analytics course? Conversational Spanish in an introductory class? 

You can list hard skills in a “skills” section of your resume , then provide examples of how you applied them in your experience descriptions.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are skills that describe how we work and interact with others in the workplace, like conflict resolution , adaptability , and verbal communication .

According to ZipRecruiter co-founder Ian Siegel, 93% of employers say soft skills are critical when they decide who to hire. Therefore, it’s crucial to include these skills on your resume. Unlike hard skills, you don’t necessarily put these in your “skills” section, but rather these should be infused into your experience descriptions. 

Putting Skills Into Your Experience Descriptions

The best way to demonstrate how you applied your skills is to put them in your experience section. 

You don’t always need to explicitly name the skill to show how you used it, but it should be clear what impact those skills had on the experience. So, for example, instead of saying, “I used leadership skills in a writing workshop,” you could say, “I led the workshop on X to train 30 new writing mentors in the process.” The second statement still shows leadership skills and demonstrates the impact of your skills.

If we take the examples from above:

• Managed three students’ overlapping schedules to organize and complete a group project one week ahead of schedule → demonstrates time management skills
• Created targeted outreach email campaigns to raise over $1,000 in one month for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society → demonstrates email writing skills
• Designed four new posters using Canva for student theater organization to increase audience attendance by 20% → demonstrates graphic design skills
• Reduced bug frequency by 30% by programming a testing system to identify bugs before software production → demonstrates programming skills  

Include Projects and Courses

Resumes for an internship often include projects and courses to give the employer a better idea of how you’ve gained skills outside of the classroom and other non-work experiences. 

For example, you may have a blog, graphic design side hustle, or an independent coding project. Maybe you’ve completed a Forage job simulation and learned valuable workplace skills.

In this section, you’ll list the name of the project or course, then put bullets of the skills you gained or what you did underneath.

• Skip the photo: It takes up valuable space on your resume.
• Submit the correct file type: “Always submit in PDF,” Grunfeld advises. “When you submit a ‘document,’ your formatting usually gets screwed and recruiters generally aren’t forgiving. They close the resume, hit reject, and move on to the next applicant. Brutal.”
• Check your spelling and grammar: Don’t be afraid to use tools like Grammarly or ask a friend to proofread.  
• Use a simple font: Pick a font that’s clear and easy to read, especially on a computer. (Learn the best font for a resume .) 
• Keep it to a page: There’s no need to go over a page, especially for a resume for an internship when you have fewer years of experience.
• Match the aesthetic to the employer: When applying to a traditional company, like for an investment banking internship, keep your resume simple; if you’re applying to a more creative marketing company, you can add more style and color.
• Use ChatGPT as a resume guide , not a final draft: The chatbot can give you a good basic resume template, but you’ll need to customize and review it before submitting it.
• Share your interests: While it’s not required, some interns include a few of their interests at the bottom of their resume under a “skills and interests” section. Including interests can show a bit of your personality and help make a connection with the hiring manager . 

>>MORE: Find out what career is the best fit for your personality with a personality career quiz .

Resume for Internship: Template

View and download a free resume template that will help you stand out to the hiring manager.

Writing a Resume for an Internship: The Bottom Line

A resume for an internship differs from a typical one because you don’t have the same work experience as professionals, but employers aren’t looking for that experience. Instead, they’re looking for someone qualified for the role who’s results-driven and learns quickly. On your resume, quantify what you’ve worked on — even if it’s not a professional experience — and demonstrate the skills you’ve learned and how you’ve applied them. 

Finally, Grunfeld recommends only putting things on your resume that you’re genuinely proud of. 

“The content must highlight your best assets,” he says. “It isn’t a comprehensive record of everything you’ve ever done. If you don’t want to talk about it in an interview, don’t put it on the resume. ​​Your resume is a marketing document — it is marketing you.”

Looking for an internship? Learn everything you need to know to find and land one:

• How to Find Internships That’ll Jumpstart Your Career
• How to Ask for an Internship (Email Examples)
• How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship
• 25 Common Internship Interview Questions
• Ultimate Guide to Internship Application Deadlines and Open Dates

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How To Correctly Insert Future Internship/Position Into Resume

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Hey everyone,

Today I accepted a position at a BB (GS, JPM , MS) as a GWM intern.

What I am wondering is if Is it frowned upon to put this in my resume NOW, without actually starting the internship yet?

If it is not, could I get some advice on how to correctly word it in my resume? Thanks.

~ GrandJury

Upcoming Internship Experience on Resume

Users on the forum have mixed opinions regarding the question of whether or not to include an upcoming position on your resume. Generally speaking - it is wise to only put current or past experience on your resume.

User @NorthSider", a private equity associate, shared this sentiment saying:

NorthSider - Private Equity Associate: The point of your resume is to be an exhibit of experience that you have and things that you have done. Putting a future position on your resume looks a bit desperate.

User @Nouveau Richie", a corporate development associate, took the opposite perspective sharing that it was okay to share your upcoming internship experience:

Nouveau Richie - Corporate Development Associate: I would say it isn't unreasonable to include for stuff like conferences and scholarships when you're still a student, as the actual offer itself can be a signal of a competitive candidacy in some cases. That being said, you should only do it if you've already signed and it should only include three things: Name of the company Title as "Incoming [real title]" (e.g. "Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern") Start date instead of a date range: "Starting May 2013" Don't include more than that. Be understated about it.

Sample Resume Lines

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | New York, NY Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern | Starting May 2013

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I was thinking of becoming global head in about 10 years. Any way I can wriggle that into my res? Perhaps after my aristocratic middle name?

The point of your resume is to be an exhibit of experience that you have and things that you have done. Putting a future position on your resume looks a bit desperate.

Out of curiosity, what do you need a resume for if you've already accepted an internship?

BTbanker: I was thinking of becoming global head in about 10 years. Any way I can wriggle that into my res? Perhaps after my aristocratic middle name?

NorthSider: The point of your resume is to be an exhibit of experience that you have and things that you have done. Putting a future position on your resume looks a bit desperate. Out of curiosity, what do you need a resume for if you've already accepted an internship?

I understand where you are coming from. However, I've also seen some resumes in this forum before which have had "future" expected positions on them and they were pronounced OK so I didn't know if it was deemed acceptable or not.

And it is for a Big 4 leadership program/conference.

GrandJury: I understand where you are coming from. However, I've also seen some resumes in this forum before which have had "future" expected positions on them and they were pronounced OK so I didn't know if it was deemed acceptable or not. And it is for a Big 4 leadership program/conference.

I would say it isn't unreasonable to include for stuff like conferences and scholarships when you're still a student, as the actual offer itself can be a signal of a competitive candidacy in some cases. Obviously as you start to get to the point in your career when people have actual accomplishments the practice becomes pretty ridiculous, but for now it's harmless (and in fact, still possibly helpful).

That being said, you should only do it if you've already signed (in your case, it seems you have) and it should literally only include three things: 1.) Name of the company 2.) Title as "Incoming [real title]" (e.g. "Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern") 3.) Start date instead of a date range: "Starting May 2013" Literally don't include more than that, if you want to go on about what sort of things you will be learning and doing in the internship, save all that shit for the interview. Be understated about it, selling future results will make people assume you're full of shit.

In this case, should take no more than two resume lines:

If it's for a conference, I think that you can get away with putting it on there without any bullet points. But I wouldn't put it on there for interviews or any professional correspondence.

Why would you feel comfortable listing experience that you don't have yet? If you haven't completed it yet you haven't even earned it.

I have a similar issue. I've accepted an internship that will start in a couple of months but as it only lasts for a few months and I am seeking further internship opportunities afterwards, what would be the best way to go about this? This internship experience based on division and brand name will definitely bolster my chances for further internships, so in that sense I would like to bring it up but I understand the pointers coming regarding it shouldnt be on a resume as that is supposed to exemplify experience, which I do not have yet from this internship.

Perhaps mention it on a cover letter? It certainly will help me get further interviews for internships due to the nature of the work and it is what I am focused on regardless of me not knowing exactly what I will be doing and accomplishing.

trionfatore: I have a similar issue. I've accepted an internship that will start in a couple of months but as it only lasts for a few months and I am seeking further internship opportunities afterwards, what would be the best way to go about this? This internship experience based on division and brand name will definitely bolster my chances for further internships, so in that sense I would like to bring it up but I understand the pointers coming regarding it shouldnt be on a resume as that is supposed to exemplify experience, which I do not have yet from this internship. Perhaps mention it on a cover letter? It certainly will help me get further interviews for internships due to the nature of the work and it is what I am focused on regardless of me not knowing exactly what I will be doing and accomplishing.

If you absolutely must put it on your resume, put it as a single line item with no bullet points beneath it. No details other than "Expected..." I just don't think this is a great idea, given the risk that something falls through and you don't end up doing the internship.

Although the reality is that people want to hire students that are "in-demand", in theory, no one wants to hire you for something you haven't done , that's why it is somewhat strange to put it on your resume.

Yeah I understand that.

However I am certain that I will do this internship, but even on these grounds I understand the point. Therefore is it just best to mention it with one line in a cover letter for instance?

I remember seeing future internships listed in either a Columbia or Wharton resume book that was passed around here. If I remember correctly, they listed the actual start date as the start date and a one liner after the pertinent information with something to the effect of "Accepted offer (date)".

I would only do this if the offer you accepted is halfway decent or it's really going to stick out. You probably aren't going to be interviewing for many positions during your internship and if you do, they'll likely be connected to your internship in some fashion so people will be aware of the internship without the awkward resume entry.

Just think about it for a sec. This is really only useful if you're doing blind resume drops and your success rate isn't going to be that great there anyway. If you're actually networking and reaching out to people, you may not have it awkwardly listed on your resume but you will definitely mention it and if you don't piss them off you will be remembered as the kid from x school with x internship.

Definitely agree with you. I am actually planning to network and that way I will bring it up that way, but if I do not have any networking opportunity and have to submit an application online I do not know what to do. Do not want to put it in my resume, but I would like to somehow indicate it as everyone should know that it will provide me with a skillset that is pretty much identical to the work for the intern positions I will want to be applying for after this internship and should help.

Some places just close their fall intern recruiting right now for instance and feel with my current resume would not even have a proper chance for even an interview.

trionfatore: Definitely agree with you. I am actually planning to network and that way I will bring it up that way, but if I do not have any networking opportunity and have to submit an application online I do not know what to do. Do not want to put it in my resume, but I would like to somehow indicate it as everyone should know that it will provide me with a skillset that is pretty much identical to the work for the intern positions I will want to be applying for after this internship and should help. Some places just close their fall intern recruiting right now for instance and feel with my current resume would not even have a proper chance for even an interview.

If you really feel that you have no shot unless you put your expected internship on your resume, then you have nothing to lose by putting it on there. Definitely not the ideal, but better than having no shot at all.

Include future internship on resume? ( Originally Posted: 04/08/2009 )

For the resume I submit for the SA resume book, should I include a line for the position which I will be in, or just cut it off at my current PT job ending in May?

BB Bank San Francisco, CA June 2009-August 2009 group here

It seems to make sense to do so, but then the question arises what to put under it in terms of bullet points. Also, whenever I see people with future experience on the resume it strikes me a bit strange, but that might be my own predisposition.

I don't think you should put your future internship on the resume in general. The point of the resume should be to show past experience.

And especially if it's for the SA book. You all will be working at the same place. The point of that book is to give a sense of your own background and differentiate yourself a little from the other interns.

Orbit: I don't think you should put your future internship on the resume in general. The point of the resume should be to show past experience. And especially if it's for the SA book. You all will be working at the same place. The point of that book is to give a sense of your own background and differentiate yourself a little from the other interns.

Also, when summer networking (early FT recruiting) starts rolling around in August and they ask for your resume, then you should have your internship labeled.

The world has changed. And we must change with it.

why stop there, you should but your future FT position as well

Just needed a sanity check I guess; when I had to hire my own replacement, I always turned my nose at future experience on resumes, but wasn't sure about the convention for the SA book.

Why not? I've already listed my future MBA at Wharton on my resume.

I have listed my future wealth on my resume too - $G for Gazillion

Future Internship on Resume ( Originally Posted: 08/19/2009 )

I am currently updating my resume with my Summer 09 internship (I worked at a boutique IB in NY this summer). I will be a junior this year and will be recruiting for BB SA positions. I had worked at a Equity Research firm last summer and am planning to work at another boutique in the Fall part-time while doing school. I had 2 questions:

1) I am still deciding if I should work at the small no-name boutique in the Fall - I doubt I will learn anything more than I did in the summer and I do want to learn financial modeling in a greater depth, for which I am currently going through the McKinsey Book and Damodaran's samples. However, they do have a good number of active deals and I will get more exposure to the industry. 2)I am in the accounting program at my school which has a strong Big 4 recruiting program - and I ended up accepting for a Big 4 offer for the Spring. Should I mention on my resume that I would be working there (Audit) this coming Spring since I would have the experience before the summer internship? I am not sure how BBs look upon accounting internships and don't want to give them the wrong impression that I am any less interested in finance (or confused about choosing b/w accounting and finance).

Future Internship on Resume? ( Originally Posted: 12/26/2009 )

Hello. Im a sophomore applying for internships in the summer and I had a question about work experience. I basically have no work experience at the moment in Finance and the only work experience that I will have is from an internship in this spring semester at a firm. Now the thing is that would it be a good idea to put down that internship, which I am starting in early january on my resume if im applying within the next few days to all the firms for the summer? Or should i not and just talk about it in my interview (IF i get any that is). I was just worried since other than this internship I have no work exp and that might really hurt me getting an interview. Thanks!

Don't put it on your resume.

What will your bullet points be? You have nothing to say about it yet.

Focus instead on what makes you a good candidate and sell your work ethic rather than your lack of experience.

Definitely put it on there, clearly stating that it's upcoming. (On the condition that it is 100% sure that you will be working there this spring).

That just takes one line on your resume, but it makes a big difference for every employer. Good luck

From what all my career and school advisers have told me, you shouldn't put it on there. It's a hard decision because you obviously want some experience in there. I would focus on the same things flipsorry mentioned on his post. You can write one line about it explaining the internship is expected to start in the spring but since that's all you can write, you can just put in in your Cover Letter rather than the Resume. Best of Luck!

Thanks for the advice every1, really appreciate it!

Considering you have no finance experience on your resume, I would probably lean towards putting it on. However, the big mistake here is when people put these anticipated positions on their resume under work experience. It DOES NOT belong under work experience since you have not yet started your position and, hence, have not yet accumulated any experiences. Instead, put it towards the bottom of your resume in your last section (skills, hobbies, whatever) and leave it as a one-liner stating the company, position and group, start date. That keeps it clean and clear while still getting the point across. Once you start the position, however, it can go right into work experience and you can begin filling it up with experiences. Good luck.

say you've been working there for 1 week, or are in training, can you put ONE line in your experience, and then add on as you learn?!

I would say you can put it on, even under work experience, just make it VERY OBVIOUS that it is a future position. And don't make up bullet points on what you will be doing. Just one line such as "Joining in spring semester as Investment Banking intern" or something like that.

Future internship position into resume, advice on this? ( Originally Posted: 04/30/2014 )

Hi everyone, I've read through previous threads regarding including a future internship position in my resume, and it seems like people generally are torn between including it as a one-liner/excluding it. Need some advice for my situation here: Am currently a sophomore, and some fall 2014 opportunities for a 4 month IB internship just opened up for a BB . I'm interested in applying for it, but have no finance related internships under my belt currently which will probably hurt my chances quite abit. I have accepted an ER position for an upcoming summer internship though, and was considering placing it in to strengthen my resume.. thoughts on this? It'll be a one/two-liner though.

Will appreciate any help!

If you have a signed offer letter I'd include it. If not then I wouldn't.

I do have a signed offer letter. thanks, but actually something else in my mind was how much of help ER would be to transit to IB? been reading the forums

thanks for the replies, will be adding something like this: Bank Name Incoming Equity Research Intern | Starting May 2014

on a side note, should this go under work experience? or at the bottom

I would put it under work experience.

Future Items on Resume ( Originally Posted: 04/17/2015 )

So I have been reading quite a few threads on WSO regarding whether or not its a good idea to put "expected" jobs/internships on a resume. It seems that the vast majority of people on this forum would generally advise against it, however the problem I have come across seems slightly different. I have accepted an offer (for the summer) to serve as an advisor/mentor to inner city school children of low income families in Chicago. There is quite a lot more to the program but nonetheless, I wanted to know if something like this (volunteering/community service) could be put on my resume (with a note like "expected") before completing the program. A quick side note, this info would be used on a resume for applying to undergrad universities.

For an undergrad university: mention it in your essay, or under extracurricular "accepted into....program"

The most play you would want to give to something like that is, as mentioned, in the additional information section at the bottom of your resume. Just a brief mention, absolutely no bullet points or dates.

Sounds good, thanks for y'all's help

Why not ask them if you could start earlier with some sort of limited involvement? That way it is current on your resume when you apply. You have an interesting situation..... if you were applying to jobs, I'd say "do not include" -- you include accomplishments and value added..... Good luck.

BB www.bburkeconsulting.com

With the way the program is structured it would be a little difficult for me to have any early involvement, but I went ahead and put it on my app resumes, no bullets or anything just a little "expected" note

I think you can't go wrong with that. It shouldn't be the feature of your resume anyway, but a more minor supporting point, so you should be ok. I do think it may be better to list it in your narrative statement/cover letter/essay/etc. in lieu of the resume; however you risk it not being read if it's not in the resume. Just thinking in terms of screeners separated from hiring managers.

Let us know how it turns out!

-B http://www.bburkeconsulting.com

Future job on resume as placeholder? ( Originally Posted: 06/07/2011 )

So, I start work in Sept of this year, but in the meantime I will be networking / handing out my resume to family friends / contacts (trying to break into IB). I am wondering if I should put the Company name / title (takes up 2 lines) on my resume with dates as Sept - present.

Normally, obviously I would never put this on my resume, but I am tempted to just because a lot of the people I will be meeting with are VERY busy / might not remember that I actually already have an offer and this will serve as a reminder that I am simply trying to network in the meantime / switch careers come late fall..

Thoughts???

Put "Beginning September 2011".

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How to Write About Your Incoming Job on Your Resume

3 key takeaways

• Why you should list future jobs on your resume
• What kind of future job goes on your resume
• How to write future work on your resume with the Teal AI Resume Builder

When you think about a resume, you likely picture a run-down of all the jobs you've previously held. Even more than that, your resume should be a document that showcases all your work experience, past positions, skills, and education in a focused and eye-catching way.

So, what happens when you've been hired for a job or an internship but the job hasn't started yet? You might think, can you even put future things on a resume? You want to showcase that exciting role on your resume but wonder if it's appropriate. And if it is, how do you do it? Do you pretend you're already at that job? What kinds of details can you include? Do you need permission from your hiring manager to include it?

This guide offers some suggestions for getting all your jobs—even future ones—on your resume in a way that will reflect what you've done as well as what you're capable of. 

What kind of future job might go on your resume?

Especially if you're just graduating from and undergrad university or about to start an internship, putting a future job on your resume can be a good way to highlight your new role.

Future internship

For instance, if you've accepted an upcoming internship but haven't started it yet, that's an example of a future job. In fact, many college students are encouraged to apply to internships as many as six months ahead of time. That means applying in January for a summer internship. 

Traditional jobs

The same applies if you've been offered and accepted a traditional position by an employer, but the start date is delayed. This can happen if you requested a specific amount of time between your old job and your future opportunity, or if the role won't become available for a matter of weeks or months.

‍ ‍ Can I put a future job on my resume?

You might be wondering, Why would I write an incoming job on my current resume in the first place? The general answer is that you always want to have an up-to-date document at the ready. If you've received an offer and accepted it in writing, then you can feel pretty confident it's going to happen—but you never know what  other  future opportunities might become available. 

Including future work on a resume is especially wise if the future position in question isn't a full-time role. In this case, you may still be looking for part-time opportunities, freelance gigs, or even secondary internship opportunities in addition to the one you've already secured. When you have your upcoming position already listed, it can help give other potential employers a sense of your availability and also indicate your burgeoning experience in the field. 

If the job position or expected internship is especially well-reputed (say you've accepted a role as a  White House intern ) then all the more reason to showcase the future role on your resume.

If you feel unsure, ask your hiring manager or future supervisor if it's okay to include your incoming position on your resume. Chances are, they'll be glad to hear you're committed and give you the green light. 

How to write future work on your resume

It's a good idea to update your resume frequently, and also to tailor your resume for each new job as you apply. Good news—Teal can help!

Don’t forget to update your resume with your latest experience and achievement-based bullet points. The job of your resume is to get you in the door. Optimizing it will help you land interviews for the next opportunities that excite you. Teal's free AI Resume Builder can help you keep your Work History up to date and help you write metric-driven bullet points with the click of a button.

Add your future work details to your resume as soon as you secure a new role, whether you start in two weeks or six months. 

Now, let's get into some examples. How do you actually write an incoming job on your resume?

1. Look at your current resume

‍ Go to the “jobs” section. If this is your first job ever, great! If not, add it to the top of the list. This way you'll keep things in chronological order from top to bottom, and also attract the reader's eye to the top of the list. ‍

2. Add the title of your new position

‍ Will you be an intern? What kind of intern? Be specific if you can, like “editorial intern,” or “design intern,” or “graduate research intern.”

Adding the target title on your resume can help add valuable keywords for applicant tracking systems (ATS) as well as reel in future hiring managers looking for certain terms. 

Use Teal's AI Resume Builder to quickly compare the skills and keywords in the job posting to those in your resume. Make sure to add any relevant experience to your customized resume and to your application answers.

3. Add the dates

‍ This is where you'll indicate that it's a  future  job. For instance, if it's January of 2023 but your role doesn't begin until June of that year, write “Anticipated Start Date: June, 2023.”

Don't fudge the date and pretend you're already working there; it's better to be honest. If you know the start and end dates of your role (such as if it's an internship or a temporary position, then it might look like “Expected start date: June, 2023. Expected end date, September, 2023.”

4. List the details

Now for one of the tricky parts. How do you add all the details of your future job on your resume? After all, you haven't worked there yet, and you might not have a strong sense of what you'll be doing or what your major accomplishments will be. 

Our suggestion is to revisit the job description from when you first applied. Often, job descriptions will list the expected responsibilities and tasks envisioned for that particular role. You might consider pulling ideas from there and working them into the description section on your resume.

For additional guidance on how to align your resume with the target job you're after, we highly recommend taking a look at these resume examples . In addition to the actual resume samples, we've broken down some effective ways for you to tailor each individual section appropriately.

When it comes to applying for jobs, you want to show the company that you are the PERFECT fit for the role. To do this, we recommend highlighting the skills and experience you have that match the requirements of the job description. ‍

Teal's Job Application Tracker & AI Resume Builder help extract the top keywords so you can quickly customize your resume and let a company know exactly why you are applying for a specific position.

Bookmark a job with Teal’s free Job Application Tracker and you’ll see the keywords and skills highlighted automatically. Quickly review the most common keywords and make sure to tailor your application answers accordingly.

Depending on your resume format, you may include this information as 2-3 bullet points or possibly as a full sentence or two. Try to reword the descriptions a bit so you're not just copying and pasting. Either way it's fine to keep this section brief. You can always add more specifics after you've actually gotten started. 

You can play around with different formatting options in Teal's AI Resume Builder by choosing from multiple professional templates.

Listing future work can help land future opportunities

Listing a future job on your resume might seem strange, but it's a smart move. Not only will it keep you organized and on track, it will be easy to simply update to “current” or "present" once you actually start the job. 

Listing future jobs on your resume can also give you a leg up over other candidates when other prospective employers ask to see a copy of your resume. They'll see right away that you've got work lined up and that you take it seriously enough to put down in print.

What's more, adding future work to your resume helps hiring managers—and you, yourself—envision your career trajectory. Once you see it on your resume, you can start to imagine how that future will take shape. You'll be more invested, and you might even be setting yourself up for greater success. 

Take your resume to the next level. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you put a job you haven't started yet on your resume.

Yes, you can include a job you haven't started yet on your resume to reflect your most current professional status and upcoming responsibilities, ensuring your resume is up to date. It's important to indicate the future start date to avoid confusion.

How can you write future work on your resume?

To include future work on your resume, list it similarly to your other positions, but make sure to clearly indicate it is a future role. You can include the job title, the company, and instead of the start and end dates, use the word "Expected" followed by the start month and year.

User How do I write a resume for a future job?

To write a resume for a future job, focus on tailoring your skills, experiences, and accomplishments to match the job description and highlight your potential. Include a section for future roles, indicating the expected start date and relevant skills or qualifications that make you a suitable candidate for the position.

Monica Stockbridge

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Awards to Put on Your Resume

Awards to Put on Your Resume: A Guide to Boosting Your Credibility

Published on September 2nd, 2024

Let's face it: the job market is cutthroat competition. Not only are you up against applicants who hold some phenomenal skills and experiences, but also against the eyes of hiring authorities, who review at least thousands of résumés in a day. But how do you make yours stand out?

Your accolades are the best place to start. More than shiny trophies, they are actually material proof of your effort, talent, and capability for excellence. Think of them as personal endorsements—sort of a seal of approval from the very people who know best.

Why Awards Matter

• Put on Credibility: Awards, in general, just make what you claim weightier. It will create belief with the hiring manager if you have been recognized for doing good work in your field.
• Standing out from the crowd: An award is unique among hundreds of similar resumes; it makes him different-something very unique in his selling point, which makes him different from other competitors.
• More Visibility: An award can bring in the recruiters' notice. It's like a beacon that you're one of the best types of candidates.
• Confidence Booster: Awards provide added advantage in building self-esteem and raising performance during interviews. 

Knowing you have been recognized with certain achievements, you would likely show confidence in shining during the interview process. So, never look down on awards. An award is a good weapon that may enable you to obtain your dream job.

Choosing the Right Awards for Your Resume

All awards are not equal, and listing what to include in the resume will help in making this strategic choice. This is aimed at trying to find those awards which, for that particular job applied for, will serve best to expose skills and achievement.

Types of Awards to Consider

• Academic Awards: Dean's List, Valedictorian, or scholarships in case you have a high GPA.
• Professional Awards: These sometimes come from professional bodies or associations and indicate experience and expertise in the concerned field.
• Company Awards: Cover things like Employer awards, Employee of the Month, Outstanding Achievement Awards-something that makes a statement about value to your team and organization.
• Community Awards: A Volunteer or community service award shows the commitment a person has to really try and make a difference.
• Industry Awards: You could add in the awards that you received for the contribution you made to any particular industry.

Where to Showcase Your Trophies

• Create a separate section: Your awards deserve attention. This calls for creating a separate section on your resume for award highlights.
• Be Specific and Succinct: Mention the title of the award, who gave you that award, and in what year.
• Quantify the Award: When possible, quantify the evidence that the award is an illustration of your skills and accomplishments. 
• Example: If you were awarded for exemplary sales, talk about the numbers in terms of units or percentage increased.
• Tailor It for the Job: Make it fit the job, whereby you list those awards that are relevant to the job position.

Examples of Great Awards

To give you a gist of what kind of awards may raise eyebrows on your resume, here are a few examples:

Academic Achievements

Dean's List: Indicates you are one of the top performers of your class. Valedictorian: you are top of your graduating class—a tremendous honor. National Merit Scholar: An award given for outstanding academic ability and potential.

Professional awards

• Employee of the Month: This means you are a high achiever in your workplace.
• Salesperson of the Year: You have sold above expectations and showed capacity to bring revenue.
• Industry Leader Award: You are recognized as a top professional in the industry.

Company Accomplishments

• Meritorious Achievement Award: This would denote some great achievement related to your organization.
• Innovation Award: You demonstrated great initiative in problem-solving.
• Team Player of the Year: For your outstanding performance and dedication to teamwork.

Community Awards

• Volunteer of the Year: You have done so much through volunteer work.
• Community Service Award: You have put yourself out to serve the community.
• Humanitarian Award: You were compassionate and showed empathy on the job.

Industry Awards

• Best New Product: Your creativity has gained recognition from professionals in the field.
• Industry Innovator: You are an innovator in your field, effecting much-needed change and progress.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: You made an enduring contribution to your field. 

How to Shine Your Awards 

To make your awards stand long, keep in mind the following tips: 

• Be Choosy: Select the accolades associated with a job you are applying for and that genuinely reflect what you had going on. 
• Contextualize: Explain why the award is significant and how this demonstrates your abilities. 
• Outcome: Describe the good results or successes that have occurred since the award was won. 

Use strong action verbs to describe achievements; this will make your achievement section the most captivating.

Bring in the Shine of Your Awards

Remember, awards are way more than just pretty trophies that lighten up a shelf; they can be dynamic tools that help you be noticed within a very competitive job market. By placing the relevant awards on your resume, you will build up your credibility, manage to rise above the competition, and eventually get the job you have always wanted.

Remember to only highlight those awards that present your skills and achievements in the best manner. Quantify the achievements, where possible; tailor your award sections to fit the job description to which you are applying.

Ready to Take Your Resume to the Next Level?

To help you create an efficient, professional-looking resume with a minimum of fuss and bother, you might want to try using an AI-powered full-service resume builder like the one at HireQuotient. Our tool can help you craft a resume that underlines your skill, experience, and awards in a manner sure to impress the employers for whom the results will matter. At HireQuotient, you are able to build a professional-looking resume that stands out from the crowd and helps increase your chance of landing that dream job.

Thomas M. A.

A literature-lover by design and qualification, Thomas loves exploring different aspects of software and writing about the same.

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More From Forbes

5 data entry skills to put on your resume in 2024.

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Communication and presentation skills remains the most essential skill set needed by knowledge ... [+] workers, especially in remote settings

Data entry professionals, and word processors and typists are ranked among the fastest declining occupations in 2024, plummeting by 38% and 25% respectively, according to data by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics .

So do we still need data entry skills? And if so, why?

The answer is yes—but not in the way you might have imagined. Although data entry jobs are disappearing per se, the skills needed for them are essential foundations for most white-collar jobs. Additionally, some of the data-focused jobs that have emerged as in-demand in the past couple of years, such as data scientists and data analysts, require skills that, if included within your resume, would set you apart from other candidates and improve your chances of landing your desired role.

For example, adding a technical skill such as Python or Tableau to your resume demonstrates to employers that you are committed to ongoing professional development, as these go beyond the everyday typing skills that office workers are all familiar with.

This also increases the likelihood of your employer putting you forward for promotions, transferring to a new department or role for career progression, or even, in some instances, creating an entirely new position for you, relevant to the skills you have gained.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, data entry skills to include on your resume.

So, the question is, what data entry skills which are relevant and needed by employers today, should you put on your resume?

1. Communication And Presentation Skills

Out of all the skills in demand within the workforce today and especially amongst white-collar professionals, communication and presentation skills are one of the most essential. In fact, LinkedIn listed communication skills as being the number one needed skill in the workplace in its In-Demand Skills 2024 report .

Especially if you are aspiring towards leadership or management roles, you should highlight your ability to communicate information clearly and concisely, convey critical data and liaise effectively with stakeholders at multiple organizational levels, and also include any experience delivering reports and presentations in meetings.

Any experience you have in remote working will also prove advantageous because you can use this to demonstrate your skills in collaborating and sharing data with teams and clients using remote collaboration software.

2. CRM Skills

Another critical data entry skill to include in your resume is your familiarity and expertise level with CRM software. It could be a software that is industry-specific, (for example, Oracle Hospitality OPERA for hotels), or it could be Salesforce or another CRM. Gaining appropriate certifications in these software tools (for example, Salesforce Administrator) can boost your resume and you can add these to your skills and/or certificates section.

Add certifications for industry-specific software and CRMs to your resume

3. Data Analysis Skills

Data analysis is one of the most in-demand skills of 2024, being ranked as the number one most-needed technical skill by Springboard in their 2024 State of The Workforce Skills Gap report . Analytics was also included in LinkedIn's round-up of in-demand skills for this year.

Whether you work or desire to work directly in data analytics or not, it helps to have this listed on your resume, as data analysis skills can be an asset in several roles, such as:

• Digital marketing manager
• Social media marketing manager
• Social media marketing coordinator
• Sales manager/director
• UX/UI designer

4. Advanced Excel Skills

Whether your organization uses Google Sheets or Excel, having an advanced knowledge of Excel can be helpful to your career and align you with more job opportunities of listed on your resume. You can also include any advanced training or Microsoft Excel certifications you have received in your resume's certifications section as well.

With advanced Excel skills, you can take tables of data from a CRM and analyze them, create tables or other visual representations for report-writing and presentation purposes, and undertake analysis to recognize patterns, trends, and themes.

5. Critical Thinking Skills

Finally, adding critical thinking is another must-have skill to add to your resume. After all, being able to manage and input data is not enough if you don't know how to act on your analysis. Forming conclusions and making data-backed decisions from the array of data you have available, takes data entry skills to an entirely new level, and enables you to not only make sense of the data, but actually put it to good use and transform business operations—a skill needed in leadership and management roles.

Learning advanced Excel skills is useful, even if you use Sheets

If you can do all three—arrange and enter data, compare and analyze it, and form conclusions based on the data findings presented—you will be an asset to any employer. Including the above five skills on your resume, alongside examples of them in practice, will help you to secure your dream job.

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How to Explain Job Hopping in an Interview

• Emma Waldman

Use your resume as a roadmap to explain your values and decision-making to future employers.

As job hopping becomes more common and less stigmatized, why do some hiring managers (and media outlets) still perpetuate the stereotype that millennial and Gen Z workers are disloyal to their organizations? When we look closely at the motivators behind job hopping, there are several factors to consider — beyond disloyalty. Since the pandemic, work-life balance, mental health, flexibility, and competitive salaries are top-of mind for young workers. If you’re one of the many job hoppers struggling to explain the multiple roles you’ve held in the past, there are a few ways to approach this predicament. Should a potential employer ask about the “job hopping” areas of your resume, try to think of it as an opportunity. It’s a chance to help your interviewer better understand your motivations while highlighting what you’re looking for long term.

Last month, I met my friend for coffee, where I was introduced to a popular term used in the world of HR: frequent applier. My friend, let’s call her Joy, is the head of hiring at a DC-based consulting firm where she often receives resumes from “frequent appliers,” or applicants who’ve held multiple jobs over a short span of time and apply to a series of new roles in rapid succession. This practice is more commonly known as job hopping.

• EW Emma Waldman is an Associate Editor at Harvard Business Review.

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