how to prepare resume for internship

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.

5 Steps to Writing the Perfect Resume for an Internship (Plus an Example!)

Let’s say you’re looking to land that ideal summer internship . You’re browsing job boards looking for open roles, and what looks like a dream opportunity pops up. You nod your head at every bullet on the posting, getting excited about what responsibilities you’ll get to take on—shadowing a senator! Writing columns for a local newspaper! Working with an engineering team to build a rocket for launch!—and fantasizing about one heck of a summer you’re going to have.

Then you look at the application: Please submit a resume.

OK, you have an idea what a resume is—a list of your professional skills and experiences. But from what you can gather, you don’t have much to offer in this realm. Maybe a couple summer jobs working as a server or camp counselor? A few relevant courses or class projects? A general understanding of Excel?

Don’t panic—first of all, it’s completely normal, and common, to find yourself with little to put on your resume as a student or recent graduate. Secondly, even the bit you have can make for a great resume! Here’s how to go about crafting yours from scratch—from coming up with what to put on it to organizing and editing it in a way that’ll impress a hiring manager.

Step 1: Brainstorm

The first thing you should do, once you’ve found a role (or several) you’d like to apply for, is to dig into the requirements and responsibilities. “Use the job description for the internship as your guide” to figure out what to include on your resume, advises Chelsea C. Williams , Founder and CEO of College Code and a career coach on The Muse. What skills are they highlighting—both hard skills, like Excel or Wordpress, or soft skills , like time management or written communication? What words are they using to describe the ideal candidate? What experiences, work history, or general background or interests are they looking for?

Then, separately, jot down what you bring to the table. A few things to consider including are:

• Your educational history (your major, your GPA, classes, research work, big projects, study abroad programs, honors, or awards)
• Summer, part-time, or on-campus jobs
• Volunteer work
• Student organizations, clubs, or sports

Start by creating a master list of everything you’ve done that could be relevant to a job—any job. Then, once you have that list, narrow down the items that feel most relevant and applicable.

The idea isn’t to nix stuff that is a far cry from what you’d like to do in a professional setting. Being a waitress, for example, may not seem relevant to a marketing internship at first glance. But if the role calls for someone who can multitask or be a team player, you may find that a lot of your experience in the service industry does apply.

“One time a student—an English major—I was working with got a paid remote internship in New York because the hiring manager was impressed she was a crew trainer at McDonald’s; they valued her leadership ability and hard work ethic,” says Muse career coach Eilis Wasserman .

The same thing goes for being an athlete or running the debate team—again, it’s not technically a “job,” but a lot of the soft skills you’ve developed could easily factor into an internship.

The key is to make sure whatever you’re including shows some sense of “involvement, work ethic, and accomplishments,” explains Wasserman. What wouldn’t fit into this category? Things like: vacations, non-educational school trips, or social events that were purely for fun. If they show a bit of your personality or come with a unique story related to your career ambitions, save sharing them for your cover letter instead.

Step 2: Create Your Sections

At the very top (and preferably in a bigger, bolder font) you’ll need to add your contact information —which should include your name, your phone number, your email address, and any relevant links , like your LinkedIn profile or personal website , if applicable.

“If you’re a student, include your .edu email instead of other emails,” Wasserman recommends. “School emails are often seen more favorably among employers.” Plus, it tends to be a more professional address than your personal one ([email protected]? Probably not ideal).

Wasserman suggests that anyone who’s still in school or recently graduated should have their education at the top of the page. You’ll likely organize your resume in this order:

• Education and Awards
• Work and Leadership Experience
• Skills and Interests

You have the option to remove or add sections of your own, too. If a lot of your past is filled with volunteer work , you might decide to break that out into its own category titled “Volunteer Experience.” Or maybe you aren’t involved in clubs and don’t need an entire section on “Activities.” Go ahead and cut or condense if it feels natural or saves you from going on to another page—no one will hold it against you.

By the way, templates will be your best friend in getting organized. Check out some of our favorite Google Docs resume templates that you can copy and start personalizing instantly.

Step 3: Fill in Your Information

When you start adding jobs and activities to your resume, you’ll want to put them in reverse chronological order—most recent to least recent. If some happened at the same time, put the most relevant one first.

Wasserman adds that “if you are beyond your first year in college, I would recommend not including any high school information unless [it’s] very relevant to the internship position” and boosts your reputation as a hard worker. Your high school grades? Not as relevant. Your senior summer job as a retail salesperson? Might be.

Let’s break down what to write in each section:

Your Education

Besides the obvious—your school, your major, your degree, your graduation year, and your current GPA (note: if your GPA isn’t great, you may want to leave it off )—there are several other things you can add to your education, if you decide not to make them their own section.

Like, for example, your Dean’s list awards, or your study abroad program, or any other honors or honorable mentions you’ve received as a student. If you’re scraping the barrel for ideas, you could even add a bullet listing “Relevant Coursework,” where you provide the titles of classes you’ve taken or are taking that could be applicable to the internship. This is also a great option if you’re pursuing a role outside your major and want to highlight relevant skills.

Read More: How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume

Your Experience

“Having an experience section does not only mean ‘paid experience’—that is a common misconception among students,” says Wasserman. She explains that when you don’t have a lot of actual jobs to include, you can fill this section with anything from service opportunities to community or club involvement to independent studies. If you played a crucial role in an organization or initiative—maybe you had a leadership title or organized a bunch of events—that’s definitely worth including in this section versus in your activities section, because it’s more like a job than a hobby.

Don’t worry too much about how relevant your experience is—like I said earlier, paid jobs that are outside your dream field are almost always worth including, especially when applying for an internship. Whether you babysat for a professor, served drinks at a local bar, or swiped people into the library, just doing work for a paycheck shows work ethic, drive, and plenty of understanding of the working world and the soft skills needed to be successful.

Read More: How to Spin Typical College Side Jobs Into Legitimate Work Experiences on Your Resume

Your Activities

A lot of school clubs and outside activities make for great resume material, and just as many don’t. It all depends on what’s already on your resume up until this point, what exactly your role was in these activities and what you got from them, and the kinds of internships or industries you’re looking to break into.

If a club or activity was a major part of your college experience (but you weren’t a leader in it), it’s important to include in this section not just to showcase your personality but to show commitment. Same goes for activities where you made a big impact or earned some sort of award or recognition. For example, being a member of a singing group for four years in a row says a lot about you, your values, and how you spend your time. Spending one semester on the intramural frisbee team doesn’t.

Also consider adding in activities that could help you relate to the company or team. If you’re involved with the theater scene, and you’re applying to a role where the hiring manager is a graduate of your school and also did theater, keeping that fact on your resume could spark conversation when you go to interview .

Your Skills and Interests

When you’re still in school, this part of your resume probably won’t be all that long. That’s OK! The hiring manager merely wants to see if you bring any skills to the table that aren’t highlighted or clear in the rest of your resume.

Do you speak a second (or third) language? Did you teach yourself to code? Are you surprisingly good at a specific application? It’s important to be honest about what skills you’re actually proficient in and could contribute effectively to an internship—taking one semester of Spanish doesn’t exactly qualify you to talk to clients in Madrid.

I’m also a fan of including a short “Interests” or “Hobbies” section if you have room. This is the place where you list the things that aren’t job-related experiences (things like crafting, hiking, or reading) but tell the hiring manager more about you and your personality.

Read More: Every Question You Have About Putting Skills on Your Resume, Answered

Step 4: Put It All Together

What does all this look like? Take this sample resume for an internship and use it as an example for how you could write your own (or view it here ). Tina Ford, hypothetically, is a sophomore applying for internships at nonprofit organizations.

Step 5: Edit and Refine It

Now that you’ve dumped everything onto paper, it’s time to look it over and make sure it’s in tip-top shape. First, is it truly tailored to the internship you’re applying for? “Try to look at your resume through their eyes—what information will be most relevant to a hiring manager? What will convince them that you are the best qualified candidate to fill their position?” says Wasserman.

Make sure everything fits on one page —it’s cleaner and neater this way, and realistically, you’re not experienced enough to have a lengthy resume.

Finally, give it one last review to clean up any stray errors. Proofread, spell check, ask a friend to read it through. Because yes, spelling a company’s name wrong or including the incorrect phone number can affect how a hiring manager reads your resume (not to mention whether they can properly contact you).

At the end of the day, you’re just starting out in your career, and hiring managers know that—so they don’t expect your resume to be gleaming with accomplishments or robust skills. If yours is well-organized, shows initiative and work ethic, and demonstrates some sort of passion for your desired industry, you’ll easily convince an employer to bring you in for an interview.

“While resumes are important and they should be flawless and professional, they are just one piece of the equation when it comes to internship hiring,” adds Wasserman. “It is the person behind the resume that matters the most.”

How to Write a Resume for an Internship (With Template)

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Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

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

Image credit: Canva

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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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Internship resume examples & templates

Internship - Key components writing examples

Choosing the right resume format for an intern, include your contact information, make use of a summary, outline your work history: you’ve got more than you realize, include the relevant key skills that make you a great intern, detail your education, pick the right resume layout and design for an internship resume, what type of salary you can expect as an intern.

To get an internship, you need to make an approach like a seasoned pro, and that starts with an excellent internship resume. You’ve already taken the first step by thinking about an internship, which shows you’re a go-getter. 

Whether you’re in high school or college , an internship is a great way to give you a leg up in your choice of profession. It all begins with impressing the recruiter enough to get an interview. 

How? With a resume that clearly states who you are and the foundation skills you want to build on.

Resume.io is here to help with job-winning resources for success. That includes more than 500 occupation-specific writing guides and corresponding resume examples , plus field-tested templates and builder tools to help you create both resumes and cover letters.

Resume guide for an internship resume

This resume writing guide, along with sample resume sentences specifically for internship candidates, will set your candidacy apart from the pack. You'll learn how to:

How to write an internship resume

• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your internship experience
• Listing your education
• Picking the right resume design/layout

Although you are still in school, you have the material to create a strong resume that will plant you firmly on your career path. 

Resume formats contain standard sections, but they also contain some that are optional, depending on the career you seek and your achievements and skills.

Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Now, let’s focus on optional resume information you should consider that will showcase your talents. All of this data shows the internship coordinator that you will add value to the program.

• Include languages . If you speak more than one language , that can be a big advantage. Many companies are multinational and can use employees who can communicate with others around the globe.
• Mention extracurricular activities . Carefully consider whether you can point to an achievement in these activities, or link it to a skill your potential employer would appreciate in an internship candidate.
• Add hobbies . This section can add a little personality to your resume, but it can seem as though you are merely trying to fill space. If your hobby is related to your chosen field , consider adding that information in the skills section of your resume.

Don’t forget the ATS

An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is a system used by companies to collect and track job applicants. If you’ve ever applied online to a job, chances are you’ve put your information into an ATS. 

Why does this matter? Well, while the ATS is mostly a giant filing cabinet, there are advanced systems that use algorithms to help filter or sort through resumes based on how well their resume fits the job. For example, the internship job posting might require:

• Previous internship experience
• Working toward a college degree
• Communication skills

To ensure your resume makes the cut, you could include the following in your resume summary: “Engaging and driven college student working toward computer science degree. Previous experience interning at Google and eager to leverage excellent communication skills in a summer internship.”

Learn more about creating an ATS friendly resume .

In cases such as internships, where knowledge and skills are just as important as where you have worked — if not more so — a functional resume may be your best bet. It offers greater flexibility to emphasize your most relevant strengths in a section labeled “Experience.” 

The most commonly used reverse chronological resume format is designed as a straightforward way for job candidates to organize their experience and qualifications below employer headings and dates; in order from most recent to earliest. But for an internship, a functional or hybrid format may be more suitable, depending on the nature and relative importance of your employment history. 

A hybrid, or combination, resume format offers even more versatility. Job seekers can integrate chronological and functional elements in the most applicable manner. 

The format you choose should depend on the type of job and industry, and how best to present yourself as an ideal match. 

Our resume builder offers dozens of options in all three formats. You can see what completed designs look like in our resume examples .

A distinctive resume header can visually set you apart from other intern candidates. It enhances the reader-friendliness of your document while also readily identifying who it belongs to. 

It also displays your contact information prominently so recruiters can readily get in touch to arrange an interview.

Here’s what to include:

• Full name & title . List your first and last name. Use the title of the role you are pursuing. Try not to fall back on “artist.” Mimic the exact title from the job description.
• Professional email address . Use a clean format like [email protected] . Don’t use a quirky, unprofessional email address.
• Phone number . List a number where you can be readily contacted, with a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location . List only your city and state . Don’t list your street address or zip code. It’s both outdated and unsafe. Note ' Willing to Relocate ' here if applicable.
• Portfolio . If you are a coder, web designer or artist , showcase your talents with a portfolio you can link to in your internship resume.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth : Not necessary.
• Personal details : Marital status, social security number, passport number , etc.

Tony Sanders

[email protected]

(425) 807-3212

Bellevue, WA

22 Snowdrop Circle

Bellevue, WA 98008

Your summary is the perfect opportunity to show you have the right combination of knowledge, drive, and personality to succeed in the internship. Your resume may look similar to many other applicants, but the message in your summary is unique to you. Also known as a profile or personal statement , your summary allows your resume to stand out.

This is your chance to get a little creative and give potential employers insight into who you are and why you’re the best candidate for the internship. Add 2-3 sentences to differentiate yourself and show your knowledge of your chosen field.

Analyze the internship job description. Once you have a firm grasp of exactly what skills the employer wants, use this resume section to explain your expertise or positive qualities using action verbs that tell what you have done or are able to accomplish. 

For more ideas and inspiration, check out these writing guides and resume examples from the related education category:

• College student example
• High school student example
• Marketing intern example
• Computer science internship example

You can find adaptable internship resume example summaries below:

Hardworking and enthusiastic student seeking to gain knowledge of social media marketing and use my advanced communication skills to effectively serve your company in an internship position. Dedicated and committed to becoming a dependable and valuable team member. 

Hardworking and enthusiastic college student working towards a B.S. in Marketing. Seeking to use my superior knowledge of social media marketing and my advanced communication skills to effectively serve your company in an internship position. Dedicated and committed to becoming a dependable and valuable team member.

Hardworking and enthusiastic college student working towards a B.S. in Marketing. Seeking to leverage my knowledge and experience from my prior marketing internship to effectively contribute to your company. Adept at social media marketing and using advanced communication skills to achieve marketing objectives. Dedicated and committed to being a dependable and valuable team member. 

Experience means more than just jobs in your field. You can describe work that points out your relevant skills. Don’t forget those resume keywords ! The focus of your life so far has been your education. 

As you make the leap into the workforce, this resume section will fill out. In fact, although it is hard to believe now, one day, you will be trying to pare this down instead of beefing it up. But even as an intern, you probably have more experience than you realize. 

Recruiters looking to hire you for an internship understand that you will not have vast experience. They do want to know, however, that you are responsible, serious about your work, and have interpersonal or technical skills .

It would be ineffective to list your actions in a generic way. View an example:

• “Did a research project on how work affects student grades”
• “Mentored other interns”
• “Communicated effectively”

Use resume bullets with action verbs and see how they can enhance the education content of your internship resume:

• “Wrote research paper that involved surveying 50 students and analyzing data to test my hypothesis that too much outside work drives down student grades.”
• “Mentored and coached fellow intern peers, providing training on data analysis and use of Tableau.”
• “Leveraged excellent communication skills to partner cross-functionally and with leaders, earning positive feedback from manager.”

Take a look at the intern employment history resume sample below:

Sales Associate at Gary's Department Store, Bellevue  September 2018 - May 2021 

• Maintained positive consumer relationships.
• Provided excellent customer assistance at all times.
• Ensured all communications were consistent with the store brand.
• Used superior information technology skills on a daily basis.

Office Assistant at The Harkins Group, Seattle  June 2017 - August 2018 

• Worked to increase office productivity by maintaining an organized environment.
• Used advanced software programs and helped to maintain strong communication among colleagues.
• Maintained the office schedule and prioritized tasks.
• Effectively used my management skills to complete all front desk operations in a timely manner.

Assistant Dog Trainer at Gracelane Kennels, Norwalk  November 2016 - May 2017 

• Helped dogs to assimilate in their new environments.
• Maintained a proper environment, conducive to the health and happiness of each and every dog.
• Cared for each dog, ensuring proper medications and procedures were administered.
• Prepared new kennels for incoming dogs and thoroughly cleaned vacant kennels.

How to write an internship resume with no experience

Sample experience categories you may want to list on your resume for an internship can include a previous internship, even if it’s not in the same field as the one you are seeking. High school or summer jobs you have had, whether babysitting , retail , or working at a fast food restaurant , tell an employer something about yourself as a worker. 

Volunteer work , even if it was required by your high school for graduation. If you used skills relevant to your career, list them on your resume.

Personal projects such as: a blog that highlights your thinking or writing; a programming challenge or hackathon; an amateur theater project; or a website you developed with friends. 

These are perfect ways to show alternative experience on an internship resume.

Do not  fluff up this section in an attempt to fill space on your resume. Human resources professionals and recruiters can easily spot drastic exaggerations or overplayed achievements. 

You will tailor this section to the internship you want. Each employer wants something a little different, so ensure your resume reflects that. As a student, you are just beginning to develop hard skills , so soft skills will play a large role.

Make a list of all the skills you have. Put them down, even if they seem irrelevant. This will be your master list, and brainstorming will give you a baseline from which to choose the most important qualities as you adjust your resume for each internship opportunity.

Our resume builder shows a variety of key skills you can select. You also have the option to write in your skills. 

This is what the skills box looks like in our intern resume template. 

• Interpersonal Communication Skills
• Excellent Work Ethic
• Advanced Technology Skills
• Teamwork Skills
• Honesty and Integrity
• Motivated Attitude

Give an example on your resume of a time you had to use a particular skill and the result of using it. In fact, your skills should be found throughout your resume and only briefly highlighted in this section.

In your work experience section and professional summary, you’ll want to highlight your:

• Teamwork skills by describing your role in completing a project and how you collaborated with others
• Decision-making/problem-solving skills by explaining how you helped resolve an issues or challenges (don’t forget to document the outcome)
• Verbal communication skills by describing ways you communicated with the person in charge and positive recognition you received
• Role-related skills by describing your experience with tasks required in the particular role. For instance, note your social media talent for a marketing internship or your coding skills for a developer role
• Technical chops by detailing the relevant systems and software you’re familiar with. Include both industry-specific tools and general business systems, like Google Suite.

Classes in your chosen field have already given you both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. In this section of your intern resume, explain how your education up to this point makes you a great candidate. 

College classes in your major are the perfect preparation for internships. Look through your course descriptions and syllabi for examples of transferable lessons or skills . If relevant, you can include specific college courses you’ve taken for your major.

While the bulk of this section will detail your academic experience, you can also include other courses or certifications. For example, if you’re studying computer science and have taken side courses in a particular coding language, you can add that here. 

If you’ve joined any business associations for your industry, or even relevant school clubs, those may also make sense to include. Running the marketing club may have provided you with the skills for a marketing internship, while being part of your college’s chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management looks great on an HR internship resume. 

Then, highlight keywords and projects you have completed that are directly related to the internship you seek. Your academics are your current career, so treat them as such. Analyze the internship description for skills and highlight the important keywords to include on your resume.

Bachelor of Marketing, University of Washington, Seattle  August 2017 

• Passionately pursuing a marketing degree, while working to enhance my skill set and industry experience.

High School Diploma, Franklin Academy, Bellevue  September 2013 - June 2017 

• Earned my high school diploma and graduated at the top of my class.
• Worked to maintain my Honor Society membership for all four years.

A well-designed and formatted resume document from applicants with little or no professional experience can actually put you miles ahead of others seeking the same position. 

When it comes to layout, design and formatting choices, you’ll want to keep your resume looking clean and simple, without sacrificing visual appeal. After putting time and effort into crafting your resume text, it's important to ensure the document is easy to read. 

Choose fonts wisely. Use boldface, type size, and fonts to draw recruiters’ eyes to the most important information on the resume.

Use color sparingly. A splash of color is fine, but too much is distracting and looks unprofessional.

Resume.io's field-tested resume templates can make it easier to create a job-winning resume. Choose one of our four resume design categories: modern, professional, simple, or creative. 

But before you settle on a template, consider what the presentation says about you as a candidate. Is the internship for a serious company in a traditional field with a formal image? Or do you think your potential employer would appreciate a more modern resume ?

Internship text-only resume example

Employment history

Internship job market and outlook

The job market for interns has shifted a bit in recent years. When the economy is booming and companies are actively seeking talent, they’re often more likely to have a robust intern program. After all, talented interns are the talented employees of tomorrow. 

However, when the job market hits a lull and companies have fewer hiring needs—or even find themselves laying off staff—they often pause their internship programs or bring on fewer interns.

Overall, companies with high demand are likely to continue hiring interns, while those in hard-hit industries may not have a need. In general, internships are most common during summer months when most students have a break from courses, but you may also be able to find internships that take place during the academic year.

Because internships vary between fields, there is no standard compensation. In fact, some internships don’t even offer pay—unpaid internships historically offered college credit in lieu of compensation—although this is becoming more and more rare. 

Paid internships may pay an hourly wage or a salary, depending on the type of work. According to Glassdoor , the estimated average intern salary is $48,300 per year. Interns typically do not work year-round, so their estimated pay would be prorated accordingly.  

Key takeaways for building an internship resume

To impressively showcase your talents, think carefully about the order of your resume sections and put your most impressive ones first; highlight your outstanding classwork and achievements, and tailor your skills to each internship.”

Internships offer training, mentorship, and new skills that will help you enter your chosen field. However, with little or no experience, your resume needs to shine. 

By using our online resume builder , you can save yourself time and take the margin of error out of your resume creation.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

How to Write the Perfect Resume for Internships

Updated: July 23, 2024

Published: August 09, 2023

Securing an internship is a crucial stepping stone towards launching a successful career — and it starts with this daunting task: writing a resume.

Although you're just starting out and likely applying to several positions, it’s crucial to think about how you can stand out from the crowd.

Your resume serves as a gateway to opportunities, allowing potential employers to gauge your skills, qualifications, and potential.

Crafting the perfect resume for internships requires careful consideration and a keen understanding of what employers seek. There’s good news, too. Companies value intern potential more than just experience and technical skills.

The experience that you already have can communicate volumes (even if you have minimal relevant experience in this particular industry).

And we have examples , actionable advice , and templates to give your resume the glow-up it deserves. Let’s get you your dream internship!

How to Write an Internship Resume

Trends in intern resumes, 9 internship resume best practices.

Internship Resume Samples

While you'll also need a cover letter, your resume often plays the biggest role in the candidate vetting process.

The objective of your internship resume is simple: You need to sell yourself to hiring managers enough to be called for an interview. Writing a resume for an internship is more straightforward than you might think.

Follow these steps whether you’re writing a high school or college student internship resume.

Prefer to watch? Here’s a tutorial on how to make a resume for internships.

Contact Information

Let’s start with an easy win: your contact information. This section should include:

• Your name and geographical location.
• Phone number.
• Email address.
• LinkedIn account.

Make sure that your email address makes a good first impression. You should use your school email address or something professional, like “[email protected].”

While you’re at it, check your voicemail message. Make sure that it sets the right tone just in case you miss a phone call offering an interview.

When writing the contact information section of your intern resume, ensure you:

• Keep it brief.
• Make it professional.
• Check for typos.
• Leave off your LinkedIn account.
• Have an unprofessional touchpoint via email or voicemail.

Resume Objective Statement

Your resume objective statement is the elevator pitch of your intern resume.

Sometimes referred to as a candidate summary or objective statement, this is the place to introduce yourself and is prime real estate to show potential through your organic interest .

“Organic interest is really important to employers today,” said Emily Szopinski, head of learning at Talanta . “If I put you in a job that you don’t care about, you’re not going to do it as well as someone that does. And you might have more technical skills, but the person who has an organic interest is self-driven to be better at what they’re doing because they like it.”

Emily shared this resume objective statement template:

The sections we reviewed are like the baked layers of a cake, and these resume writing process best practices are the icing and sprinkles that will make your experience sound irresistible.

1. Differentiate yourself.

A single job opportunity can attract dozens to thousands of applicants. While a resume is brief, there’s actually a lot of opportunity to differentiate yourself from other applicants.

This is particularly true in the work experience section.

“Copying and pasting a job description from a past job is not going to be impactful enough because it’s not demonstrating your individual impact, ability, and aptitude ,” said Brad W. Minton.

“Since employers are looking for what potential interns have the capability to do, they’re trying to read between the lines and see what you’ve already done that can be translated into what’s going to happen next.”

Action item : Customize your work experience to specifically explain the impact that you had in the role instead of listing your responsibilities.

2. Make experience relevant and specific.

Professional experience isn’t the only valid experience to include on your internship resume. Volunteer work and odd jobs can share insights that are just as valuable as professional work when they’re positioned correctly.

This comes down to establishing relevance.

Understanding the relevance of your experience shouldn’t be guesswork for the hiring manager. Draw the connection for them, then demonstrate your effect by quantifying your impact .

“Use numbers and percentages to quantify your accomplishments whenever possible,” said Ibukun Amosu, founder of The Intern Place .

“This gives the hiring manager a clear picture of your impact and also shows that you understand the importance of data.”

Data Analyst Internship Resume Example

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CVs & Résumés

• Jul 26, 2022

Guide to Writing an Internship Résumé (with Example)

Getting ready to apply for an internship? Use these steps to create an impressive résumé that will get you ready!

Nikki Vivian

Careers Coach and Writer

Reviewed by Melina Theodorou

Writing a résumé when you are just starting out might seem like a difficult task. If you’re applying for an internship, you might be wondering how you are going to sell yourself without any experience to show. But don’t worry; internships are a valuable first step in your career and employers know that, and are not expecting you to have much, if any, professional experience.

Writing an internship résumé is about skilfully showing your transferable skills , strengths and educational qualifications to demonstrate that you will be a valuable employee. Take some time to think about your achievements, within and beyond of education, your best qualities, and anything you can demonstrate your suitability for the internship role.

Our guide is here to walk you through the process and help you create an impressive internship résumé.

What to include

Resumes are subjective so there really isn’t any ‘right’ per say to create one. That said, there are some important factors to consider as well as sections that must be included if you want to hit the mark and impress employers as an applicant.

Your résumé should include the following sections:

• Header : This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people don’t include a proper header . Having your name and contact details at the top of your résumé is imperative.
• Summary/Career objective: This is your introduction to present yourself and why you are the ideal candidate in around three to five sentences. Summarise your goals and most relevant skills and strengths here.
• Education: This is important when you have little experience. List your educational qualifications starting with most recent first, along with any relevant projects, coursework and awards.
• Skills: This is an important section. List the skills and qualities which are most relevant to the internship with a short description.
• Experience: Experience doesn’t have to be paid. Use this section to mention any volunteer work , projects and any part time jobs even if they don’t seem directly relevant.
• Additional sections : You may have some further sections that are relevant for your application. These could be projects, awards, languages, publications, interests or similar and will be unique to your situation. Add whatever you think is the most relevant to the role.

How to write an internship résumé

Now you know which sections to include in your résumé, take a look at our top 10 tips to help you write the best internship résumé you can, covering everything an employer will be looking for:

Step 1: Tailor your résumé to the role

Your résumé is your way of showing that you have everything it takes to be selected for the internship you’re applying for, so it must be highly tailored to that role . A general résumé that you can send out to everyone just won’t cut it. Each résumé that you send should be tweaked so that it shows your interest in the specific role and company, and clearly outlines why you have everything they are looking for in an intern.

Look at the job description, check the company website and use the essential criteria for the role to make sure you cover all points. If they are looking for someone who is innovative, you need to have that in your résumé. If they want a good leader, include examples to demonstrate that you have this ability, and so on.

Step 2: Research the company

Doing some thorough research on the company you’re applying to will help you tailor your résumé and will give you a good idea of what is important to them, so you know what to focus on. There will be clues about work culture, mission statements and how employees are valued, as well as details about the application process and beyond.

Step 3: Write a strong career objective

Think of this part as your sales pitch. This is your chance to tell the reader that you are the person for the job. In around three sentences, you need to translate who you are, your strongest assets, relevant educational achievements and any relevant experience or attainments, whilst also getting across your career aspirations and goals.

Your summary is the door to the rest of your résumé. The employer will only read on if your career objective catches their attention , so spend time on this and make sure it is confident, professional and tailored.

Step 4: Highlight your achievements

A mistake people often make on their résumé is to list what they have done (duties and responsibilities) instead of what they have achieved. An employer wants to know what you have done that puts you above another candidate so don’t be afraid to demonstrate your accomplishments.

Achievements can be slotted into any section, and can span across education, experience, skills, extracurricular activities and anything else you’ve included. You may even want to include an achievements section if you are drawing from many walks of life.

The key with achievements is to use action words and to make sure they are measurable where possible. You may find the STAR method helpful: it stands for situation, task, action, result. You can use this to make sure achievements are clear by outlining the overall event, the task you were given, your own specific action and the result.

Step 5: Focus on your education

At this stage in your career, your education is crucial because it is the main factor an employer will use to determine your motivation, skill level, dedication and passion. Make sure to make yourself stand out by including relevant coursework, modules and projects, as well as any awards you have won, conferences you have attended and publications.

Step 6: Use your experience

When it comes to experience, don’t think you can only include relevant paid employment. Any experience is valuable when it comes to showing your transferable skills, business acumen and work ethic. Include any volunteer work you have done and absolutely include part time jobs.

Remember that experience can also come from extracurricular activities such as captaining a sports team, being a member of a society, fundraising, helping at an event and even ad hoc jobs such as helping in a family-run business, delivering leaflets or babysitting.

Step 7: Cut the fluff

Your résumé needs to be short and concise. There isn’t endless space so make that what you include is valuable and leave out any fluff. People often fill their résumé with buzz words such as “highly motivated”, “passionate” and “target driven” but if you don’t have evidence to back this up, it really is just words. Make sure everything in your résumé has a purpose and that any claims are evidenced will real life examples.

Step 8: Utilize keywords

To really tailor your résumé effectively, consider the keywords you’ll use. Go through the job description and company website and underline the words and phrases that they use and make sure to add them to your résumé. These are the words they will be searching for so using them will align you with the company and optimise your résumé for applicant tracking system screening.

Step 9: Get an opinion

If you want to be sure that your résumé is where it should be, seek the opinion and feedback of those in the know. If you have a network of people, such as professors, and professionals in the same industry, ask them to review your document and advice you on what else should be included once you’ve written it.

Step 10: Proofread

This might seem obvious, but it is a step that is often skipped. Once you’ve completed your résumé, proofread it before submitting. You may have created a great résumé, but if it is riddled with grammatical errors, it will not create the impression you’re aiming for.

For an insight into how to pull together everything we’ve discussed, check out this example.

This is an ideal résumé for an internship as it distributes the focus so that experience isn’t where you are immediately drawn.

The summary clearly outlines skills and experience as well as making the career focus apparent and the education section is comprehensive, including modules, awards and extracurricular activities as well as the name and outline of each course.

The owner of this résumé has added some sections to really highlight how they stand out including languages, interests and qualifications which build on the standard sections in a positive way.

You’ll notice that it is highly achievements-focused with measurable results added in percentages, rather than just listing duties under the experience section.

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Key takeaways

Internships will help you gain valuable experience but you will find that you have so much else to offer if you take the time to really focus on what you’ve achieved in other areas of your life. At this stage, education, transferable skills and an ability to tailor your résumé to the internship you’re applying for is key.

By pulling together all your achievements, strengths and skills, you are outing yourself ahead of the competition and you will also many examples to elaborate on when you land that internship interview!

Finding an Internship

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5 Internship Resume Examples to Jumpstart Your Career 

Internship Resume

• Internship Resumes A-N
• Internship Resumes M-Z
• Write Your Internship Resume

You’re a motivated professional who is eager to get into your ideal profession. You’re organized, timely, and know how to exceed exact specifications to wow employers.

Is your resume template capable of getting your career off to an excellent start?

Many internship candidates apply to roles without a ton of experience in their desired field. We’ve done the research to help you stand out with our internship resume examples that’ll help you showcase your skills successfully in today’s job market.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Highlighting interests in reading, blogging, and video production on this resume all work together to create an impression of a budding journalist that’s earned a competitive internship.

Accounting Internship Resume

• As Teddy does, show how you applied lessons learned at the workshop and how that has been a life-changing moment in your personal and career journey. Take a moment to tell the details of these stories when writing a cover letter .

College Internship Resume

• Weaving in examples of laboratory software you’ve used is more likely to land you a research assistant internship than simply listing relevant coursework.

Engineering Internship Resume

• Holding a leadership position in a technology club is a great accomplishment to highlight as an aspiring engineering intern.

Software Engineer Internship Resume

• Your career objective is an opportunity to demonstrate your passion for the field and your admiration for the company you’re applying to. While here, state your mission and how it aligns with the employer’s long-term plans.

Related resume examples

• Engineering
• Grad Student
• College Student

Use the Job Description to Your Advantage for Your Internship Resume

Every internship you apply for will come with a unique set of skills the company is looking for in applicants. Therefore, using a mix of skills you possess from education and previous work experience, like team collaboration and problem-solving, and what is emphasized in the job description will be ideal.

Many internship candidates wonder about what mix of hard and soft skills they can list. Ultimately, it comes down to the position you’re applying to. Jobs in technical roles like finance will want to see as many of your technical abilities as possible, such as budgeting. However, something more customer service-oriented would benefit from soft skills like communication.

Need some ideas?

15 best internship skills

• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Microsoft Office
• Workflow Documents
• Inventory Monitoring
• Inbox Sorting
• Problem-Solving
• Team Collaboration
• Efficiency Improvement
• Independent Research
• Office Administration
• Writing & Proofreading
• Task Prioritization

Your internship work experience bullet points

Many internship applicants won’t have a ton of work experience. However, this section is still important since hiring managers will want to know how you’ll apply your top skills to their workplace.

Try to pull as many relevant examples as possible from your previous work experiences or education in this section. For instance, jobs that involve customer service or data entry are usually very applicable. You can also include relevant projects you completed in school to provide more depth and career-specific examples.

Hiring managers will be really impressed if you use metrics within your examples to showcase what you’ve achieved. Let’s take a look at some popular metrics internship hiring staff love to see.

• Efficiency: As an internship candidate, you bring a fresh perspective. Showing how you can perform tasks more efficiently can be a great way to stand out.
• Satisfaction scores: Internships often involve working with customers or improving their experience, so this is always a good metric to include.
• Accuracy: Many internships involve data entry or organization tasks, so emphasizing how you perform accurately is a great idea.
• Sales revenue: Every business revolves around sales, so applying any experiences where you increased sales will make you stand out as an internship candidate.

See what we mean?

• Managed social media for a school publication, creating engaging posts in Canva to increase follower counts by 39%.
• Created learning opportunities for technology-focused workshops within the school as an EngageTech leader, resulting in a 53% increase in STEM class engagement.
• Collaborated with a student team on an innovation challenge to develop a sustainable solution that reduced energy costs for a community center by 21%
• Maintained accurate lab records, including experimental procedures, data logs, and quality control documentation, that adhered to regulatory standards with 98% compliance.
• Facilitated training workshops on database navigation and research strategies that grew attendance by 34%

9 active verbs to start your internship work experience bullet points

3 tips for creating an internship resume without much work experience.

• Any higher education or certificates you’ve completed are meant to prepare you for your field of choice. Therefore, you should use it to your advantage in internship resumes. For instance, what you learned about general ledgers in an accounting class would be great to include in a financial internship resume.
• A resume objective can help you display additional relevant skills you possess that aren’t accurately represented in other experiences. For instance, a few sentences about how you’ve maintained a 3.91 GPA in your marketing classes and have two years of customer service experience would be great for a sales internship.
• Any relevant hobbies & interests can also contribute to your skills and passion for a desired field. For instance, if you’re applying for a culinary internship, your time as a member of your school’s cooking club would be great to list.

3 Internship Resume Tips for Applicants with Some Experience

• Focus on jobs that are the most recent and most relevant to the position. For example, a previous job working at a nursing home would be much more relevant than your prior position as a shoe sales clerk if you’re applying to a nursing internship.
• Experienced internship applicants should list their most recent experiences first. It’ll be the most relevant to using current business technology or having applied skills you’ve gained from your education.
• Even if you have a lot of experience, hiring managers simply want a brief overview of your skills to make an easy decision. For instance, if you’re applying to a supply chain internship, keeping a focus on your key logistics planning skills to narrow the information down is a good idea.

Some internships may list the cover letter as optional. However, you should still include one. Try to use your internship cover letter to show how you connect to the company or how you’ll apply your key skills in the position. For example, a company focused on sustainability will enjoy hearing about how you were the head of your school’s waste management program.

You can make your resume stand out by using measurable examples and relating as much of your prior experience as possible to the position. For instance, using metrics in process improvement and efficiency would be great to include when applying for a project management internship.

A resume objective is a great idea if you don’t have much experience in your desired field. It’ll help you stand out by listing a few sentences about your most relevant experiences right away, like achieving high customer satisfaction scores or maintaining a great GPA in your core classes.

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Blog Resume Help How to Put an Internship on Your Resume

How to Put an Internship on Your Resume (With Examples)

Internships are a great addition to any job seeker’s resume. Learn how to put an internship on your resume and when to list them with our guide and examples.

As featured in *

1. Format your internship experience correctly

2. choose the right section for your internship experience, 3. use action verbs to showcase your performance, 4. quantify your accomplishments, examples of internships on resumes, additional resources.

Internships offer a valuable opportunity to gain some real world work experience and develop important professional skills that will make you a competitive candidate for your next job.

You should put an internship on your resume if:

• You’re a current student or recent graduate
• You have minimal work experience
• Your internship experience is highly relevant to the job you’re applying for

Here’s how to list your internship experience:

For each internship you’ve held, include the following information:

• Name of the company or organization you interned for
• Your position title
• The start and end dates of your internship

Here’s an example:

VERTIAS STRATEGIES, New York, NY Research Intern, November 20XX — present

• Produced reports and crosstabs to present recommendations for company data acquisition
• Assisted senior staff to clean and upload approximately 10 new datasets a month
• Streamlined our data analysis process, reducing polling data processing time by 5%
• Used SQL to parse data and produce reports
• Guided clients towards strategic decisions using political knowledge and data-driven insights

JERSEY CITY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, Jersey City, NJ Information Desk Assistant, August 20XX — May 20XX

• Greeted hospital patients and visitors and guided them to find the department, examination room, or patient room
• Processed and distributed mail and newspapers to patient rooms
• Took patients in wheelchairs to their desired locations

If you have one or two jobs to list on your resume, you can add your internship to the work experience section, like this:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Elite Events Event Planning Intern July 20XX – October 20XX

• Coordinated logistics for 20+ corporate events, ensuring a satisfaction rate of 19 events
• Managed vendor relationships, negotiating discounts and saving $5,000 on event costs
• Assisted in designing event marketing materials, increasing attendee registrations by 300

Great Valley Co-op Stocker and Cashier January 20XX – May 20XX

• Stocked and organized merchandise, ensuring optimal product placement and inventory levels for over 500 items
• Operated cash register and handled transactions for an average of 100 customers per shift
• Provided excellent customer service, resolving issues and answering questions for 50+ customers daily

If you have multiple internships but no formal work experience to list yet, then you can create a separate “Internships” section. Here’s an example of what that looks like:

INTERNSHIPS

Biomedical Research Intern Health Innovations Lab June 2023 – September 2023

• Analyzed data from clinical trials, contributing to a 12% increase in study efficiency
• Assisted in preparing research findings for 3 scientific publications
• Conducted laboratory experiments, improving sample processing speed for 200 samples

Environmental Science Intern Green Horizons Institute February 2023 – May 2023

• Conducted soil and water quality tests, improving data accuracy for 15 samples
• Assisted in the analysis of ecological impact reports for 5 major projects
• Collaborated with a team to develop a new sustainability initiative, reducing waste by 500 pounds

If you haven’t gotten your first job yet but you have a combination of other experiences like volunteer work, projects, and coursework, create a “Relevant Experience” section and put your internship experience there along with your other experience.

Here’s an example:

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Sacramento City Health Department Public Health Intern October 20XX – March 20XX

• Conducted surveys and analyzed data from 500+ participants to assess community health needs
• Assisted in planning and implementing public health outreach programs, increasing participation by 150 people
• Supported the development of educational materials, reaching an audience of over 500,000 residents

Healthy Communities Coalition Public Health Education Volunteer June 20XX – November 20XX

• Facilitated health education workshops for 100+ community members
• Conducted surveys and gathered feedback to assess the effectiveness of public health programs
• Assisted in distributing health resources and promotional materials

If you’re years into your career and are struggling to fit your relevant experience on one page, you should omit your internships and use the space to highlight accomplishments from your full-time positions.

The bullet points you list under each internship need to communicate your duties and accomplishments to managers in a clear, concise way.

So, begin each bullet point with an action verb that clearly describes what you did in your internship.

Action verbs clearly express what actions you took and center you as the proactive doer. For example:

• Contributed
• Coordinated
• Collaborated

Avoid using passive verbs like “tasked with” or phrases like “responsible for” and “in charge of” because they express your actions indirectly and don’t sound as impressive as action verbs.

Here are some examples of how to use action verbs to effectively describe your internship experience:

Use action verbs

• Developed a social media strategy that increased engagement by 25%
• Analyzed financial data for 12 client accounts, identifying key trends and insights
• Created content for marketing campaigns that reached over 50,000 users

Avoid passive phrases

• In charge of social media strategy
• Tasked with analyzing financial data and identifying key trends and insights
• Responsible for marketing campaign content

Use numbers like percentages, dollar amounts, and time you spent on a project to make your internship bullet points more specific. Adding metrics shows hiring managers the impact you made in your internship, and helps them understand what you’re capable of accomplishing.

Add numbers whenever you can to make your bullet points more impressive. Here’s what that looks like:

Reduced customer service response time by 40% Saved $5,000 on event costs through effective vendor negotiations Resolved 50 customer queries daily Coordinated logistics for 10 events

Here’s an example of how to list an internship on a digital marketing resume :

Relevant Experience

Digital Marketing Intern, 20XX — 20XX American Heart Association (Dallas, Texas)

• Developed 12 editions of the AHA monthly newsletter
• Continuously updated the company website with relevant medical news
• Wrote and edited copy for brochures and pamphlets for patients

Here’s an example of how to list a computer technician internship:

Work Experience

Computer Technician Intern, 20XX — 20XX Asus (Berkeley, California)

• Performed 30+ computer repairs and maintenance checks per week
• Assisted in regular installations and system updates
• Applied troubleshooting tactics and predictive maintenance practices to reduce downtime by 12% across the board

And, here’s how you can list a legal internship on your resume:

Legal Intern, 20XX — 20XX Shelley Ingram Law Office (Columbia, Maryland)

• Developed hundreds of polished legal documents, including briefs and memos, to aid court affairs
• Coordinated 40+ hours of trial exhibits to support litigation proceedings
• Enabled legal team to take on an additional 5 cases per quarter by significantly contributing to research efforts and preparing essential legal paperwork

If that was helpful, check out some of our other resources for students and early-career professionals:

• 9 internship resume examples and templates
• How to write a resume with no experience
• How to make a resume for your first job
• College student resume
• How to write an undergrad resume
• Recent college graduate resume
• How to list relevant coursework on a resume (with examples)

The best resume templates for 2024

One of the best ways to make your resume is by filling out one of our free resume templates. All our templates are designed by experts and free to download for Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

Nathan Soto

Content Writer

Nathan Soto is dedicated to providing practical guidance to job seekers, particularly those navigating nonlinear career paths. He believes in empowering individuals to present their professional accomplishments with authenticity and strength. Nathan graduated from the University of Nevada with a double B.A. in French and Music. Currently based in Taipei, Taiwan, he also excels as a Mandarin–English translator and English language coach. Nathan’s articles and career advice have been featured on multiple platforms, offering insights into resume writing, interview preparation, and personal branding.

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How to Write an Internship Resume: 3 Examples & Guide

Doing an internship can give you a head start on the job market. However, some internship opportunities have more prestige than others. Landing these require effort beyond academic achievements— you need an internship resume that makes an impression on anyone reading it.

Top Insights:

• Resumes with previous internship experience have a better chance of landing a prestigious opportunity.
• An effective education section of an internship resume goes beyond internship requirements to prove the applicant’s knowledge and skills.
• Key skills that employers usually expect from interns are communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

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See three inspiring intern resume examples that you can copy and personalize to match your background:

Internship Resume Example for Engineering Jobs

Engineering Student

(222) 333-4444

[email protected]

Resume Objective

Enthusiastic and detail-oriented engineering student with a strong academic background and practical experience in aerospace and mechanical engineering. Seeking an engineering internship at StarFlight to leverage my technical skills, analytical abilities, and passion for space exploration.

Core Competencies

• Aerospace Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• CAD Software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD)
• MATLAB & Simulink
• Data Analysis
• Problem-Solving
• Project Management
• Team Collaboration

Work Experience

Research Assistant

The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

September 2023–May 2024

Key responsibilities:

• Supported research projects focused on propulsion systems and aerodynamics.
• Utilized MATLAB for data analysis and simulation tasks.
• Fabricated and tested experimental models in a wind tunnel.
• Contributed to the publication of research papers.

Key achievement:

• Implemented a streamlined data analysis pipeline utilizing Python and R, reducing processing time by 40% and increasing the reliability of research outcomes.

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Expected Graduation: May 2025

• Relevant Coursework: Orbital Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Aerospace Structures, Control Systems, Spacecraft Design
• Projects: Designed a small-scale satellite as part of a capstone project; conducted a comprehensive analysis of its structural integrity and thermal properties.

Relevant Engineering Projects

Capstone Project: Small-Scale Satellite Design

• Developed a satellite prototype focusing on structural integrity, thermal properties, and communication systems.

Aerodynamics Research Project

• Conducted wind tunnel testing to analyze the aerodynamic performance of various airfoil designs.

Additional Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Programming Skills (Python, C++, R)
• 3D Printing and Prototyping
• Technical Writing and Documentation
• Public Speaking and Presentation

Certifications

• Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA)
• MATLAB Fundamentals Certificate

Volunteer Work

STEM Outreach Volunteer

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

September 2022–June 2024

• Organized workshops and presentations to inspire high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields.
• Assisted in hands-on activities and demonstrations related to engineering and space exploration.

Personal Interests

• Space Exploration
• Model Rocketry
• English (Native)
• Spanish (Fluent)

What makes it work:

• This sample resume for internships is well-suited for engineering students.
• It features relevant experience that proves this applicant is a good fit for an engineering internship.
• Each section provides information about the candidate’s academic strengths as well as interpersonal qualities.

Internship Resume Example with No Experience 

Joseph Anchor

Environmental Science Student

(111) 555-4444

[email protected]

Detail-oriented environmental science student with a strong academic background and practical experience in conservation and natural resource management. Seeking a federal internship at the National Park Service to leverage my analytical skills, fieldwork experience, and passion for environmental stewardship.

• Environmental Science
• Natural Resource Management
• GIS & Remote Sensing
• Ecological Fieldwork

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

University of Oregon

Relevant Coursework: Conservation Biology, Environmental Policy, GIS and Remote Sensing, Ecology, Climate Change Science, Natural Resource Management

Relevant Academic Projects:

Nature Reserve Management Plan

• Developed a comprehensive plan addressing invasive species control and habitat restoration.
• Conducted field assessments and stakeholder consultations to inform management strategies.
• Utilized GIS software for spatial data analysis and habitat mapping.
• Developed a GIS-based habitat suitability model, improving the accuracy of species distribution predictions and informing conservation strategies.

Ecosystem Restoration Project

• Participated in the restoration of a degraded wetland ecosystem.
• Monitored vegetation and wildlife recovery through regular field surveys.
• Collected environmental samples for laboratory analysis.
• Programming Skills (Python, R)
• Field Sampling Techniques
• Certified GIS Professional (GISP)
• Wilderness First Aid Certification

Conservation Volunteer

Oregon Coast Nature Conservancy, Tillamook, OR

• Organized community clean-up events and conservation workshops.
• Assisted in habitat restoration projects and wildlife monitoring activities.

Personal Projects

• Running a website dedicated to nature trails in the Pacific Northwest, with 15,000 monthly visitors.
• Running a local birdwatching club and organizing bi-weekly birdwatching excursions.
• It’s a resume for an internship with no experience, so the education section follows the core competencies part.
• Despite a lack of experience, this sample resume features detailed information about the applicant’s academic experience, including research projects and relevant coursework, as well as additional sections to prove they have the required knowledge and skills.

Internship Resume Example with Work Experience

River Aspen

Accounting Student

(444) 333-4444

[email protected]

Highly motivated and detail-oriented accounting student with a solid academic foundation and practical experience in financial analysis and reporting. Seeking an accounting internship at Audit Corp to apply my analytical skills, proficiency in accounting software, and passion for financial integrity.

• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Accounting
• Financial Analysis
• Critical Thinking

Accounting Intern

Harris & Sunn, San Diego, CA

June 2023–August 2023

Key Responsibilities:

• Assisted in preparing financial statements and reports.
• Conducted account reconciliations and ensured the accuracy of financial data.
• Supported the month-end and year-end closing processes.
• Assisted with internal audits and compliance checks.

Key Achievement:

• Streamlined the account reconciliation process, reducing time spent on reconciliations by 25% and improving data accuracy.

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Knauss School of Business, University of San Diego

• Relevant Coursework: Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Taxation, Auditing, Corporate Finance, Financial Statement Analysis
• Projects: Conducted a comprehensive financial analysis of a Fortune 500 company, providing insights on financial health and performance.
• Accounting Software (QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle)
• Programming Skills (Python, SQL)
• Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
• Microsoft Excel Certification

Volunteer Tax Preparer

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program, San Diego, CA

January 2023–April 2023

• Prepared tax returns for low-income individuals and families.
• Ensured compliance with IRS regulations and provided tax-related guidance.
• This accounting intern resume example belongs to an applicant who has already completed one internship.
• The previous internship is described in detail to highlight the candidate’s knowledge and experience.
• The information included in additional sections is relevant to accounting internships.

How to Write a Job-Winning Internship Resume

Completing an internship can give you a 12.6% higher chance of getting invited to a job interview. And that’s just one of the benefits! Here’s another one: creating an internship resume will also allow you to learn the principles of resume writing . The sooner you know how to write a resume targeted at a specific position , the quicker you reach your career goals.

1. Start with Analyzing the Job Ad

Let me show you an ad for an engineering internship:

We are looking for engineering students who approach problems with curiosity and enthusiasm, as well as treat them as learning opportunities. A successful candidate:

• Effectively uses prototyping abilities, programming skills, and engineering knowledge to produce results.
• Is proficient in mechanical engineering, with a foundational knowledge of aerospace engineering.
• Demonstrates the ability to collaborate and coordinate team projects requiring analyzing large amounts of data.
• Pursues a BS/BA in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or applied science engineering with an overall GPA at or above 3.0.

And here’s a short bio of the student who got this internship:

Ali Leigh is a dedicated engineering student at the University of Illinois, majoring in aerospace engineering. She has hands-on experience working as a research assistant, where she helped improve propulsion systems and aerodynamics. Ali is skilled in using CAD software like SolidWorks and AutoCAD, and she’s great with MATLAB and Simulink for data analysis and simulations. She’s passionate about space exploration and has worked on projects like designing a small-scale satellite. Ali also volunteers in STEM outreach, inspiring high school students to explore engineering. She’s set to graduate in May 2025 and is fluent in Spanish.

Now, this might surprise you: the first draft of Ali’s internship resume was pretty bad . That was their personal introduction:

I’m Ali Leigh and I’m an aerospace engineering major. I’d like to gain practical experience in a real-life aerospace laboratory setting.

The description of her relevant experience also wasn’t great:

• Supporting research projects
• Analyzing data
• Contributing to research publications

That wouldn’t land them the internship position she wanted. Luckily, Ali knew they needed support in creating the application, so they decided to use ResumeLab’s resume builder to write a tailored internship resume. Here’s how you can do it, too:

1. Write a Resume Profile That Shows Your Strengths

Recruiters usually scan, rather than read, a resume. The most common gaze pattern is F-shaped, and that’s why you must make the upper half of your internship resume so convincing that it will entice the recruiter to read the rest of the document.

The best thing to catch their attention? An impressive resume profile . Its job is to introduce your academic background, highlight your strengths, and show the value you can bring to the organization.

What makes this profile for an internship resume effective?

• It features resume keywords that appeared in the internship advertisement.
• It mentions Ali’s academic strengths as well as positive personality traits that make her a good candidate.
• It highlights the skills that the organization can find useful.

The most fitting type of profile for an intern resume is the resume objective , as it focuses on knowledge and skills. However, if you already have several achievements from university or a previous internship, you can also try writing a resume summary .

Expert Hint: Counting on landing a paid internship? NBER’s report shows that these are most common in the following occupations: architecture, engineering, construction, and sales.

2. Show Your Core Skills and Competencies ASAP

Follow your introduction with a core competencies section. The purpose of this part of a college student's resume for internships is to show that your knowledge and skills align with the position's requirements. While the NACE report from 2023 shows that the three essential skills for interns are communication skills , teamwork, and critical thinking , remember that the exact list must reflect what’s in the advertisement—it will help to make your intern resume ATS compatible .

What makes this section good?

• The list combines soft, technical, and hard skills .
• It uses keywords from the internship advertisement.

This section doesn’t need to list all your hard and soft skills —you can make an additional skill section later to feature other relevant qualities. 

3. Add Relevant Experience to Your Internship Resume

OK, but what’s relevant experience ? These are any paid or unpaid activities you’ve done that match the internship position you’re pursuing. They might include regular work experience as well as volunteer work, part-time work, community service, research experience, etc.

The key to making your experience section effective is focusing on the results of your work instead of on your duties. See how Ali did it:

What makes it effective?

• Each bullet point starts with an action verb to catch the reader’s attention.
• The descriptions provide specific information about Ali’s areas of expertise and skills they used.
• The section includes a key achievement that follows the Problem-Action-Result formula for extra impact.

Be equally specific when describing your relevant experience on an internship resume.

What if you’re writing a resume for an internship with no experience? I recommend the following:

• Make a list of all activities you’ve done since high school and consider whether any of those can be considered relevant. Even supporting a family business can show you’ve got transferable skills such as time management or communication.
• Consider volunteering to gain some experience. You can even do that remotely, as many charity organizations offer online volunteering opportunities .
• If you truly can’t find any experience to show on your intern resume, skip the experience section and focus on describing your education in as much detail as possible. I’ll talk about that in the next chapter.

Expert Hint:  Studies show that having a previous internship experience can improve your chances of landing a second internship by 30%. So if you haven’t interned yet, I recommend trying to gain some experience in unpaid internships—that will boost your chances of beating the competition for more prestigious opportunities the next time.

4. Make the Education Section Shine

Most internships have specific educational requirements. The education section of your internship resume must not only show that you match those but also exceed them. Listing your degree, major, school name, and graduation date—these are only the basics. To make it more impressive, you can add:

• Your GPA (it might also be required in the internship ad)
• Relevant coursework , especially if your degree isn’t directly related to the internship you’re pursuing.
• Academic or research projects that showcase the practical application of your professional knowledge and interpersonal skills .
• Your thesis, dissertation, or published works
• Scholarships and awards
• Extracurricular activities, such as fraternity or sorority involvement, club membership, volunteering

See how Ali described their academic performance:

What makes it great?

• This education section includes both essential information and additional input that adds value to an intern's resume.
• Selected additional sections describe activities that are relevant to an engineering internship.

Expert Hint: Is your GPA far from perfect? Don’t worry, there are plenty of internship opportunities that don’t require a high GPA score. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Safety program is eligible for students with a GPA equal to or higher than 2.0.

5. Choose Extra Sections to Add Value to Your Internship Resume

You’ve completed the essentials. Now, time to pick a few extra resume sections that can help your application stand out. They’re also great for filling space on a resume for internships.

I recommend the following categories:

• Foreign languages , along with indicating your proficiency level.
• Additional skills that you couldn’t fit anywhere else.
• Volunteer activities that weren’t a part of your education setting.
• Personal projects or interests , such as writing a blog about local traditions when you’re pursuing an internship in a cultural institution.
• Certifications and licenses (always check if any of those are required for the internship)
• Publications: for example, it’s worth mentioning any works published in print or online if you’re applying for an internship in journalism or media.
• Awards and honors: winning competitions not only shows that you’ve got expert knowledge but also highlights dedication.

Here’s why they’re great:

• Additional skills and certifications mention specific software that’s often used by engineers.
• Volunteer experience highlights Ali’s initiative and dedication to the subject.
• Personal interests and languages are mentioned very briefly so they don’t occupy too much space.

You don’t have to pick that many additional sections for your internship resume. I strongly advise creating the essential sections first and then seeing how much space you have left on your template for extra information.

You can learn about writing the contents of your resume for internship positions in more detail by studying these guides:

• How to Make Your Resume Stand Out
• How to Write a College Student Resume
• What Is the Best Resume Format?

If you’ve got enough info for now, scroll to the next chapter to learn about the visual aspects of an intern resume.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now .

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Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now .

Make Your Internship Resume Template Look Irresistible

Just like academic essays have specific visual requirements, your internship resume template must also follow certain guidelines. Luckily, you don’t have to be skilled in graphic design to create a resume that looks professional.

A resume for an internship doesn’t have to be highly aesthetic. Just keep the structure organized and easy to follow. Make each section distinct using headings, list information with bullet points, and don’t skip white space. Mariusz Wawrzyniak Career Expert

If you want to save a lot of time, I recommend using a free resume template or an online resume builder. They’ll handle all formatting matters for you. Of course, if you’re experienced with Word or Google Docs, you can create your own internship resume template. Just follow these tips:

• Set up the layout of your resume: It’s best to follow classic resume designs rather than unusual ones. Select a popular resume font , create a header with your contact information, and decide if you want to add color to headings or, rather, keep everything black and white.
• Limit the length of your resume to one page: Unless you have truly extensive experience, there’s no need to exceed that limit.
• Make it memorable: Think about adding subtle resume icons or progress bars in the skills section. However, don’t overdo the visuals unless you’re applying for an internship in a creative field.
• Ensure ATS compatibility: To make sure your template is ATS friendly, save your resume as a PDF file , and then copy-paste the contents to Notepad. If you can read the results, then your internship resume should be parsed by applicant tracking scanners.

You can learn more about resume layouts in more detail from these helpful articles:

• Best Resume Layout in 2024
• One-Page Resume Templates
• Examples of Great Resume Headers

You can also continue to see three inspiring intern resume examples that you can copy and personalize to match your background.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

Congratulations—you’ve got the knowledge needed to create an effective resume for internships. Feel free to try our resume builder, as it will help you make your application quickly and effortlessly. Good luck!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Roma is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and career expert with international work experience and a background in education and humanities. She has spent considerable time assisting individuals in advancing their careers by helping them improve their communication skills in diverse cultural and professional settings. She has written over 50 articles on effective approaches to resume writing and career advice.

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7 Internship Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Internship Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)

Most popular internship resumes.

• College Student
• Accountant Intern
• Software Engineer Intern
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write an Internship Resume

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

College Student Resume Example

Accountant Intern Resume Example

Software Engineer Intern Resume Example

HR Intern Resume Example

Internship Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

John Bergsen  (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Detroit, MI 12345

Dedicated accounting student with a 4.0 GPA to date. Completed 32 credit hours, including classes in auditing, cost accounting, and managerial accounting. Recent work experience in small business bookkeeping. Well-versed in accounting software such as QuickBooks and ProSeries. Naturally curious and eager to learn new finance systems and procedures.

• Accounting principles
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Client relations
• Data gathering and entry
• Financial statements analysis
• General ledger
• Workflow documentation
• Writing and editing

Work Experience

Bookkeeper, Small Accounting Corp, Detroit, MI May 2022 to September 2022

• Made journal entries corresponding with revenue and expenses
• Tracked accounts payable and receivable to support billing for general company expenses
• Supported monthly close by closing out accounts, reconciling entries, and running financial statements
• Prepared client and supplier invoices
• Worked with treasury to manage cash flows and bank account balances

Administrative Intern, Tax Prep LLC, Detroit, MI May 2021 to September 2021

• Gained and applied strong service skills such as answering phones, greeting clients, and preparing for client meetings
• Replied to new client emails with information on the firm’s services and price schedules
• Received, scanned, and cataloged clients’ tax records
• Supported tax preparation by entering client data and organizing written communications

Candidate: Bachelor of Science (BS) – Accounting, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | expected May 2023 | 4.0 GPA to date Relevant coursework includes:

• Accounting and economic principles
• Audit and assurance
• Business law
• Corporate finance
• Cost and managerial accounting

Skyler Thompson  (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Minneapolis, MN 12345

Writing and editing professional with strong recent academic and work experience. Currently completing Bachelor’s Degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.

• Customer service and relations
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Office administration
• Research and fact-checking
• Team collaboration
• Writing, editing and proofreading

Candidate: Bachelor of Arts (BA) – English, Creative Writing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis | expected May 2023 Relevant coursework includes:

• Children’s fiction
• Fiction workshopping
• Poetry and drama
• Prose and nonfiction
• Short story writing

Honors and activities

Winner, University of Minnesota Campus Award for Long-Form Fiction | 2022 Runner-up, University of Minnesota Campus Award for Excellence in Poetry | 2021 Staff Writer, UMinn News [biweekly college newspaper] | 2021 to present

• Provide copy for various sections, including arts, athletics, and opinion
• Work with photo editors to determine placement with accompanying text

Receptionist, Regional Floral Magazine, Minneapolis, MN December 2020 to August 2022

• Managed magazine’s main email account, responding to feedback and providing subscription information as needed
• Answered and forwarded calls to the appropriate department
• Maintained and updated subscription rolls
• Organized meetings and verified sources for reporters

Pizza Delivery Driver, Little Caesars, Minneapolis, MN June 2019 to May 2020

• Member of a high-performing 10-person team
• Praised by manager for working with other drivers and team members to ensure the utmost efficiency and accuracy
• Gained and demonstrated strong organizational skills combining food deliveries based on customer location

Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian

Mina Sayed  (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio New York, NY 12345

Motivated student currently completing Bachelor’s degree with honors in Hospitality Management . Strong recent hospitality experience serving customers and training new hires at a large popular hotel. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions. Bilingual: Fluent in English and French.

• Data entry and updating
• Hospitality operations
• Inventory monitoring
• Reporting and documentation

Front Desk Clerk, Worldwide Hotels, New York, NY January 2019 to May 2022

• Provided prompt, courteous service while helping guests check in and out of the hotel
• Answered calls and provided information on hotel pricing, services, amenities, and room availability
• Entered guest bookings into the tracking system based on email and phone registrations
• Made guests’ reservations at local tours, restaurants, museums, and movie theaters
• Offered directions and called taxis for on-site visitors as needed

Highlights:

• Ranked No. 3 on a 10-person team for efficient, error-free guest reservations
• Took on leadership role, helping train and mentor new hires

Candidate: Bachelor of Science (BS) – Hospitality Management, XYZ University, New York, NY | expected May 2023

• Dean’s list all semesters, with a 3.9 major GPA and 3.8 combined GPA to date
• Captain, Volleyball Team

Fluency in French

John Bergsen (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Philadelphia, PA 12345

A recent graduate with a degree in business administration , specializing in data analysis, data-driven decision making, and business intelligence. Adept at gathering and analyzing complex data sets to deliver impactful insights and solutions to real-world problems.

• Business intelligence
• Data analysis
• Data-driven decision making
• Statistical analysis
• Data visualization

Professional Experience

Business Analyst Intern , Deloitte, Philadelphia, PA January 2024 – June 2024

• Supported a variety of business intelligence projects, applied academic knowledge to real-world business scenarios, and identified opportunities to enhance data visualization
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to gather and analyze data, providing insights that influenced strategic decision-making
• Created reports for the senior business analyst to present to senior leadership

Academic Projects

Business Analysis Projects , Temple University, Philadelphia, PA January 2023 – June 2024

• Conducted a complex academic project to analyze financial and market data for publicly listed companies within the tech industry and create a model for long-term forecasting
• Collected data using online databases and surveys and performed statistical analysis on findings

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Business Administration Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | 2024

Allison Rosenberg (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio New York, NY 12345

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accounting , specializing in financial analysis, regulatory compliance, and tax preparation. Adept at creating comprehensive financial reports to deliver accurate representations of company financials and uncover discrepancies.

• Financial reporting
• Financial analysis
• Regulatory compliance

Accounting Intern , Holden Financial, New York, NY January 2024 – June 2024

• Provided support to the accounting team for the preparation of quarterly financial reports, ensured accuracy, and maintained regulatory compliance
• Coordinated with the senior accountant to conduct internal audits, identify discrepancies, and implement corrective measures to enhance the accuracy of financial reporting
• Assisted with tax preparation and filing, ensuring timely submission and compliance with tax laws

Accounting Intern , Grayson Finance, New York, NY January 2023 – April 2023

• Collaborated with a team of certified accountants to prepare comprehensive financial reports for quarterly revenue, profit and loss (P&L), and operating expenses
• Participated in audits to ensure the accuracy of financial statements and maintain compliance with state and federal regulations

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Accounting Columbia University, New York, NY | 2024

Amar Singh (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio San Diego, CA 12345

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in software engineering , specializing in application development, database management, and React. A proven track record of supporting complex software engineering projects to develop new features and optimize application functionality.

• Application development
• Software engineering
• Quality assurance
• Database management

oftware Engineering Intern , Starlight Technologies, San Diego, CA January 2024 – June 2024

• Delivered support to the software engineering team for the development of mobile application features in React environments, which included performing comprehensive testing and debugging
• Participated in meetings with the project manager and software engineers to mitigate risks, identify potential roadblocks, and ensure alignment with user needs

Software Engineering Intern , Cadence Tech Corp., San Diego, CA January 2023 – April 2023

• Developed, tested, and maintained software applications according to project requirements in collaboration with a team of software engineers and developers
• Supported the implementation and optimization of database management systems to enhance disaster recovery, data retrieval, and backup storage capabilities

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Software Engineering University of San Diego, San Diego, CA | 2024

Melissa Anderson (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Seattle, WA 12345

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in human resources , specializing in employee relations, recruiting, and HR administration. Adept at identifying opportunities to enhance onboarding processes and drive employee engagement and satisfaction.

• HR administration
• Employee onboarding
• Employee engagement
• Communication

HR Intern , Coulthart Lawfirm, Seattle, WA January 2024 – June 2024

• Coordinated with the human resources team to streamline the recruitment process, which reduced time-to-hire by 26% through effective resume screening and interview scheduling
• Performed HR administrative tasks, including maintaining accurate employee records, processing payroll, ensuring compliance with legal requirements

HR Intern , Hanson Legal Associates, Seattle, WA January 2023 – April 2023

• Delivered support throughout the recruitment life cycle, screened candidates, scheduled interviews, and created job descriptions, contributing to a 15% reduction in time-to-hire
• Assisted with the development and implementation of new HR policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in collaboration with the human resources teams, which improved onboarding time by 12%

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Human Resources University of Washington, Seattle, WA | 2024

Internship experience can be crucial to getting your first job after graduation. The most effective way to land the perfect internship is to write a resume that includes your related work experience, schooling, and any other relevant life experiences you may have had so far.

Regardless of your career direction, you can write an effective resume for internships by showing your ability to quickly gain and use new knowledge in a real-world setting. The tips and examples below will help you capture this skill on your resume so it gets you interviews for a great internship opportunity.

1. Summarize your internship qualifications in a dynamic profile

Your resume profile should catch hiring managers’ interest by giving the top reasons they can expect you to apply your college studies successfully. Use this section to show you have the knowledge base and work ethic to excel as an intern.

If you have a high major GPA or other academic honors, consider mentioning those in your profile. Also, note any relevant work or internship experience you already have, which can help you stand out from other applicants. The best interns are often curious, resourceful, collaborative, and adaptable. Think about which traits describe you, then add a profile line on how you’d use them in a work environment.

Profile Example

2. add a compelling section featuring your internship experience.

With the experience section, you can show you’re a good intern candidate by giving examples of your success in building and using new work knowledge. If you have prior internship or related work experience, flesh out those descriptions so they’re the main focus of this section. Under each job, brainstorm and describe how you quickly learned new concepts and generated value in an unfamiliar environment.

For any jobs that don’t pertain to your target internship, keep the description short and focused on whatever transferable skills you gained. Say you’re applying to intern at a financial services firm, but your work experience so far is mostly summer jobs at coffee shops and restaurants. In this case, you could show the value of these experiences by describing the general customer relations skills you gained as a result.

Work Experience Example

Administrative Intern, Tax Prep LLC, Detroit, MI | May 2021 to September 2021

3. Include your internship-related education and certifications

When you’re in school and pursuing an internship, your current degree program may be one of your top qualifications. So feel free to add any details about it that speak to your ideal internship. Consider listing any relevant courses or topics you’ve studied so far – this is often a great way to show hiring managers the knowledge base you’d apply in their internship program.

Below are templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details. Note that optional template areas appear in [brackets].

Candidate: Degree Title [— Major, Minor], [Academic Department,] School Name,City, ST or online | expected graduation date

• [Dean’s list or other honors] | [#.# GPA] | [class rank]
• [Dissertation: “Name of Dissertation Paper”]
• [Relevant coursework includes: Topic, Topic, Topic]
• [Club or Sports Team]

Candidate: Bachelor of Science (BS) – Accounting, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | expected May 2023 | 4.0 GPA to date

Relevant coursework includes:

Certification

• Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [date]
• Service Excellence Certificate, VCU Advanced Solutions | 2023

4. List your internship-related skills and proficiencies

Include a “Key Skills” section to show managers the various ways you could add value as an intern at their organization. These might range from general soft skills like teamwork to hard technical skills like Microsoft Excel. Make sure each one overlaps with your target role. By having a good mix of relevant skills in this section, you can emphasize your ability to build and harness new practical knowledge. Below are some common skills and keywords to consider for your internship resume:

How To Pick the Best Internship Resume Template

For internships, a clear and straightforward resume template is usually best. Opt for a visual design that lets the hiring manager quickly review your best career details. Select a traditional resume font , and avoid any template with an overly colorful or elaborate design. Also, consider whether the template is compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS) employers use to screen resumes.

Frequently Asked Questions: Internship Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for internship resumes -.

For internship candidates, the best resume verbs will show how you’ve quickly built and applied new knowledge – for example, “developed,” “gained,” or “implemented.” But there are various others you might use to describe your school and work experiences so far. The following list can help you find the right mix of action verbs for your internship resume:

How do you align your resume with a job posting? -

A quick and effective way to align your resume with each posting is through the Key Skills section. For any internship you’re drawn to, follow these steps:

1. Identify the most important skills required. These often appear toward the top of the job post and/or are cited repeatedly. Consider using an online tool like wordclouds.com to visualize which terms in the text are most frequent.

2. Among these required skills, highlight any you possess. For example, if one of the posting’s top skills is “teamwork,” consider how collaborative your experiences have or haven’t been, then highlight it if you feel it’s a strength you’ve gained.

3. Compare the skills you’ve highlighted to your resume’s Key Skills section and add any that are missing. Continuing the above example, say you’ve identified teamwork as one of your strengths. Is this reflected in your existing Key Skills section? If not, add a term like “Team collaboration” or “Cross-functional coordination.”

4. Finally, consider deleting any terms in your resume’s Key Skills section that don’t correspond with the skills cited in the internship posting.

This simple exercise gives each hiring manager a clear view of your relevant skill set, making your resume more relevant to the internship.

What is the best internship resume format? -

In nearly all cases, use a Combination (or Hybrid) resume because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience. It’s also easiest for you to modify based on your job goals.

With the Combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your experience or work history section and an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro should usually include a profile summary and Key Skills section, but you may also add a career highlights or awards section.

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To increase your chances of an interview, write and submit a strong cover letter. The key to an effective letter is customizing it based on each internship opening. Read our internship cover letter guide to learn how. For other related examples, see our high school and recent graduate cover letter guides.

Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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Intern Resumes & Writing Guide

If you are looking for a foot-in-the-door into your first full-time job, becoming an Intern is one of your best options. Furthermore, the more internships you have under your belt, the more attractive you will look to potential employers.

The only obstacle standing in your way, however, is a large amount of competition. Luckily for you, we know what hiring managers want to see and how a professional Intern’s resume should look.

Start by reading through our Intern resume samples. An Internship resume should focus on your transferable skills, education, and other abilities rather than your work experience. This may seem daunting, but we are here to help.

Your goal is to ensure that your resume stands out from other applicants by being both informative and entertaining to read, all without overwhelming the recruiter or hiring manager with irrelevant information.

What you can read in this article

Intern Resume Examples

(Free sample downloads are at the bottom of this page)

Internship Resume Writing Guide

Resume sections:.

• Contact information
• Profile Summary
• Work History 
• Achievements
• Education 
• Skill Section
• Certification & Licensing
• Extras: Languages/Awards/Publications/Volunteering/hobbies

What to Highlight in an Internship Resume

You are likely writing this resume while you are in the process of completing an undergraduate bachelor’s degree and are tempted to include your theoretical knowledge. There are, however, several essential details that hiring managers need to see in an applicant’s resume to ascertain if you are the right fit for their team or not.

Firstly , you need to list the internships you have already completed. Internships are classified as follows:

• Paid Internships
• Credit Internships
• Externships
• Nonprofit Internships
• Service-Learning Internships
• Summer Internships

When you have categorized your internships, you are required to indicate the industry that these internships took place. Interns can work in any number of industries and positions; you need to be specific. The type of industry areas you worked in need to be included in your summary at the beginning of your resume and within each position description.

Secondly , employers want to see that you are a hardworking, responsible individual that grabs every opportunity with open arms. You can show them this by including your casual work experience. Examples include being a math tutor, helping at your local school, and working at a local farmers' market. The more information you can include, the better. This shows that you used your time effectively while at high school and college, besides just partying!

Lastly , you need to include the following information:

• The areas you are happy to work in and if you are happy to travel or relocate temporarily.
• List any special skills and qualities you have that will benefit the field you want to work in. For example, if you want to go into marketing, mention that you have a YouTube channel, or if you are interested in accounting, mention that you are familiar with Accpac.
• Include any written references from past employees. These add serious credibility to your resume.
• Your GPA score.
• Your computer literacy is important and can look very impressive. Mention if you are competent using Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, Oracle, Excel, and Visual Studio.

1. Contact information

• First Name and Last Name
• Physical Address
• LinkedIn (optional)

2. Career Objectives & Summary

Many organizations receive thousands of applications from students looking for Intern positions.. As you are applying for an internship, you won’t make use of the normal Career Summary suited to candidates with permanent working experience. However, your resume needs to be of the highest standard to stand out from the rest and give you the best chance of securing an interview

One of the best ways to do this from the get-go, is with a well-written career objective paragraph. You need to keep your career objective concise and to the point. The aim is to provide a short introduction of who you are and what you have to offer. Your career objective should be placed at the top of your resume, right after your contact information.

The first part of your objective needs to highlight the person you are and your interests.

Next, list the degree you are in the process of completing, and lastly, finish off with why you want to land an Internship with this company. You will quickly learn that the job description is like your cheat sheet.

It contains all the information you need to create a captivating resume . Read through the job description and outline the specific qualities and skills the employer is looking for.

Integrate these into your career objective and throughput your resume (if you have them). Remember to include any outstanding qualities you possess, such as effective time management or excellent people skills.

Intern Summary 1

“ Recent Bachelor of Digital Marketing graduate seeking an internship that will provide the opportunity to add value to (insert company name) by applying theoretical knowledge into practice. Eager to learn the ins and outs of the advertisement field. Previous vocational experience with social media channel set up and blogging has been gained during university as part of the Campus Newspaper team. “

Intern Summary 2

“ A Dynamic Political Science Major would appreciate the opportunity to learn and develop as an intern at the international business's federal office. Fluent in Dutch, Spanish, German and Italian with a working knowledge of French . “

Intern Summary 3

“ Current Dean’s List student (3.8 GPA) motivated to learn the ropes in a community-oriented healthcare clinic. Fast learner and a hard worker with a keen interest in community healthcare, specifically focused on children from low-income communities. “

Intern Summary 4

“ Motivated and creative Graphic Design student seeking to apply design skills, writing skills, and social media experience into an experience-building internship at PeDac Graphic Design Studios. “

Intern Summary 5

“ Seeking an internship position that will allow for the exploration of career choices in the IT environment.. An enthusiastic, hardworking graduate student with majors in computer and data science. Worked in the computer center, tutored undergraduates, and completed advanced data analytics projects relevant to this internship position. “

3. Employment History

If you are applying for a job as an intern, you likely have very limited experience. Do not stress though, hiring managers understand this but still expect to see some form of experience.

The more experience even if part-time, vocational or informal you can include, the better your chances of landing an internship. This is also one of the only times you can include your previous jobs unrelated to your internship field. Simply adding jobs to your resume will show that you are hardworking and responsible. These jobs can include any volunteer work or nonprofit work you have done.

The main difference between an undergraduate’s resume and a postgraduate’s resume is the amount of internship experience. As you complete an internship, add it to your resume so that by the time you are ready to find your first job, your resume is filled with relevant experience. We recommend that you use reverse chronological order when listing your internship and employment history.

Intern Resume Examples:

Internship at coke.

February 2014 – December 2018

Acted as one of two within the extruder research group developing waterborne dispersions for two and three-component polymer systems to be used in future food-grade metal coatings.

• Developed an extensive report comprising of two years’ worth of experimental data to be used as a project management tool.
• Cleaned, maintained, and assembled the extruder and its auxiliary parts and implemented the frequent calibration of liquid feed pumps and solid feed hoppers.
• Aided in a frequent pipe and compression fitting replacement, consulted on liquid heating system re-design and heat pump installation for improved experiment reproducibility.

Internship at Pepsi

February 2013 – January 2017

Worked side by side with the administration of the LGBT Center to ensure that the daily functions of the center run smoothly.

• Created daily reports when activities take place at the center and when groups visit.
• Created the first-ever Philanthropic Packet that can be distributed online and in person to raise funds for different events for the LGBT Center throughout the year.
• Assisted the planning of weekly and monthly functions of the LGBT Center.
• Sent out emails about several events and news coverages that involved the LGBT center to individuals.

Job Descriptions Examples

During your previous internships, some tasks and responsibilities were given to you. These could be daily duties or spur-of-the-moment requests. Either way, your future employer wants to see these duties and responsibilities to gauge how competent you are. There are hundreds of different internships out there, so we have only provided a few below so that you can get the basic idea.

A Marketing Intern may:

• Collect qualitative and quantitative data to prepare for market studies and analytics.
• Analyze competitors.
• Complete several admin duties such as phone handling, social media marketing, email filtering, moderation services, content writing, updating the CRM, and copywriting.
• Preparing draft presentation materials for the pormotions and  marketing team using PowerPoint slides.
• > See out Marketing Intern Resumes & Guide

A Graphic Design Intern may:

• Assist in the organization of project details and client files.
• Design Facebook adverts with click-through rates and sign-ups statistics.
• Assist with designing marketing collateral, such as presentations, email newsletters, and social media campaigns.
• Develop website icons and graphics.
• Edit and proofread documents before they are published online or printed.
• Coordinatining and presentining print requirements and specifications with various vendors and third parties.
• Monitor project deadlines.

A Politics Intern may:

• Aid the clerical staff by overhauling their filing system from paper-based to digital.
• Manage the office's supply inventory and oversee the ordering of sundries such as stationery, IT Equipment, groceries, and office machinery.
• Coordinating social media accounts for the Campaigns office on Facebook and Instagram and send out planned messages approved by staff.
• Organize Twitter outreach campaigns to improve fundraising efforts.
• Ensure that brochures, pamphlets, signage boards, and other promotional materials are printed and collected.

A Business Management Intern may:

• Assist with general office work in HR and operational departments.
• Help write up policies and procedures.
• Read through production reports and compare them to the financial reports.
• Assist with the safety documentation update on the company system.
• Check sales reports to ensure that they are accurate.
• Writing and proofreading company information emails to staff.
• Ensure that every new employee is registered on the staff database and issue access cards to those that require them.
• Printomg and binding documentation for weekly management meetings.
• Develop and improve user procedures and documentation for management systems.

A General Office Intern may:

• Answering phone inquiries, take messages and direct calls.
• Schedule travel arrangements of directors.
• Receiving and posting packages and registered letters from couriers.
• Take minutes and distributing notes after meetings.
• Ensure that database and filing systems are maintained.
• Oversee general errands and provide basic company information.
• Print, photocopy, and bind documents for company presentations.
• Assist in the preparation of data and information materials; create and maintain PowerPoint presentations.
• Preparing and organizinging conference rooms.
• Ordeing food, beverages and liquor for teambuilding sessions and company events.

A Healthcare Intern may:

• Interact with patients to collect medical history relating to previous hospital visits, family medical history, and insurance information for the leading physician.
• Assist physicians with logistical tasks such as restocking supplies, pulling up radiology images, and preparing patient files.
• Organize emergency patients in order of severity.
• Follow up on outstanding patient accounts.
• Accompany medical personnel during hospital rounds.
• Show families into the family waiting room while patients are in surgery.

4. Accomplishments

Many people believe that they can simply copy and paste their accomplishments section from one resume to the next for each job they apply for. This is something we strongly recommended that you do not fall victim to. This will merely prove to the potential employer that you have not taken the time and effort to read through the job description and result in your resume being overlooked.

Once you have read through the job description, your goal should be to figure out how you can stand out from other applicants. Think about your most impressive accomplishments and achievements that make you proud. Examples:

• Flat, Simple Duty: Updated the client database.
• Accomplishment Statement: Updated the database of 6000 clients using MS Access. Categorize d the data following client demographics.

Quantifying Your Resume

Above we showed you an example of how important it is to quantify your accomplishments. It does not end at your accomplishments; you need to quantify every statement you make throughout your resume. If you find it tricky to add numbers (quantify) your information, simply ask yourself if your statements can answer the following questions: “How often?” or “How long?”. See the examples below:

• How many internship gigs have you done?
• What was the duration of your internships?
• “Part of a group of interns at the communications office for the Miami Counties Healthcare Association. Influential in facilitating the weekly Q&A session between management, employees and members of the association and handled all  correspondence before and following these events.”
• “Developed three new websites for the California State University's marketing, engineering, and medical faculties within a period of three months. “
• “ Coordinated weekly schedules for a childcare center with more than 60 employees and close to 400 children. “
• “ Researched and evaluated the implementation of 35 housing policies and interpreted zoning code regulations for all jurisdictions in the nine regions. “

5. Education Section

You likely have some work experience but very little experience in the field you wish to work in. Relax, this is not totally the end of the world; employers understand this and pay more attention to your education section.

We recommend that you put your education section above your experience section. This will allow the reader to view the more impressive information first.

When listing your academic qualifications, mention projects and coursework you did relate to the field you wish to work in.

Furthermore, remember to include information that the job description is looking for.

Most students applying for an internship have not yet finished their studies. Below we have shown you how to list your qualifications, despite not having completed them yet:

2015-2017 – Bachelor of Business Management & Administration, Texas State University, TX

2014 – Ridgefield High School, High School Diploma Ridgefield, NJ

2014 – Certificate in Microsoft Office, Udemy Online

When writing a resume for an Internship position, your technical skills and soft skills are equally as important to employers. Your technical skills refer to the physical duties you can do. Your soft skills refer to your personality traits and the interpersonal skills you have to offer.

The job description will outline certain technical and soft skills that the company requires of its Interns. Integrate these key skills throughout your resume to tailor it to what the reader is looking for.

Technical Aptitude :

• Today, Interns need to be digitally savvy. Ensure that you include all the IT programs you can work with. Furthermore, mention any calendar apps, project management tools, and collaboration apps, such as Slack and Asana, you are competent with.
• When including your skills, keep the type of internship that you are applying for in mind. For example, if you write columns in the school newspaper, mention your ability to write well and your competency with different writing platforms.

Soft Skill Examples

7. Qualifications & Certifications associated with Interns

Action Verbs for your Internship Resume

Optional Extras for Internship Resumes:

In a last attempt to stand out, include an optional extras section where you can include additional information about yourself. Include areas such as:

• Volunteer Work – These experiences may seem irrelevant, but outreach into the poorer communities is an attractive work to employers.
• Certifications – This will make your education section even more attractive and help make you stand out from the competition.
• Languages – The ability to communicate well in another language gives you a huge advantage over other applicants.
• Hobbies, Activities, & Interests – Including relevant activities and interests allows the reader to see your leadership qualities and further gauge the type of person you are.

Professional information of Interns

Sectors:  Various Career Type:  Functional, Clerical, Administrative Person type:   Worker, Helper, Assistant Education levels:  Bachelor’s Degree and upwards Salary indication : Average of $39 219 per annum ( Glassdoor ) Labor market : Totally dependent on industries Organizations : Various, Unlimited

Internship Word Resume Download

• Internship Word Resume 1.docx

• Internship Word Resume 2.docx

Download our Intern Resume for free

Internship Resume Example.PDF

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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.

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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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More From Forbes

Here's how to answer questions about your internship in an interview.

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Be confident, but don't oversell.

If you’re looking for a job, your experience as an intern will be invaluable. During the interview, you’ll need to use it to make a compelling case for both your current capabilities and your potential.

The stakes are high, and your ability to talk about your internship can be the key to success in an interview. With large numbers of applicants for each job, you’ll want to make a great impression and set yourself apart from other applicants.

It can be a little tricky, because you have to hit the right balance—demonstrating confidence, but not overselling; showing how you personally contributed, but ensuring you credit the team; and talking about your capability, but also your openness to learning.

Here’s what you must know, so you can answer questions about your internship brilliantly.

Questions You Need To Be Ready For

You’re probably wondering, “What are common questions about past internships that I’ll hear at my entry-level interview?” And, “What is the interviewer trying to gauge with certain questions?” Or you may be asking, “How do I answer the questions most effectively?”

Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is to focus on four key elements in your answer (sometimes referred to as a STAR approach). Share the situation or challenge you faced, then share the task or the goal that you were seeking to accomplish. After that, talk about the actions you took, followed by the results you achieved.

Not all questions will lend themselves to an answer like this, but keeping the formula in mind will help you focus on specifics—which are the most effective and influential in an interview.

Beyond considering the STAR method, here’s the additional information you need to succeed.

1. They'll Ask About The Work You Did

A common question in the interview is, “What kind of work did you do in your internship?” With this question, the interviewer is asking about the true content of the job so they can understand your experience and your skills. They’re also looking for evidence of your engagement and commitment to the work you did.

To answer this question, you’ll need to be specific. Don’t say that you worked on the marketing team, instead, explain the project and how you accomplished it. Talk about your deliverables. Perhaps you developed a report that included recommendations for product bundling or maybe you performed regular analysis of SEO data on the company’s latest marketing campaign.

Be sure to connect the work you did to your skills. For example, you can explain that you worked in the product development department and were able to draw on your knowledge of the design thinking process. Or you can explain the specifics of your HR work, and how you coordinated the mentorship program using your project management skills—or that you developed a study guide for the management curriculum based on your writing skills.

The key here is to avoid overselling. You will need to be confident and descriptive, but avoid exaggerating your contribution. People know internships are typically shorter term and they are designed for the purposes of exposure and learning. Therefore, the work you’re doing is rarely strategic or high-level. If you inflate your efforts, it could backfire as the interviewer may perceive you to be arrogant , cavalier or out of touch.

Talk about your contributions as well as the team you worked with

2. They'll Ask About What You Accomplished

Interviewers want to know the results you were able to achieve. Specifically, they may ask, “What did you accomplish during your internship?” Or they may ask, “What were the results of your work during your internship?”

In these cases, the interviewer is looking for evidence of your performance , your results orientation and your ability to articulate your impact.

As with the prior answers, you’ll want to be specific, but also reasonable. Chances are you didn’t increase sales revenue, improve profitability or change the course of the company—but you’ll want to quantify what you can.

Perhaps you performed analysis of the win rate across 20 sales markets and delivered the report to 12 senior executive decision makers. Or maybe you were part of a team that completed an assessment of supplier diversity programs and recommended four key improvements to improve communication methods with suppliers.

The key to success on this question will be to share enough detail that the interviewer can understand what you did and the impact you had.

3. They’ll Ask About The Team You Worked With

Another question the interviewer will certainly ask is about the team. They’ll ask, “Who did you work with?” Or they may ask, “What was your role on the team?”

In this question, the interviewer is looking for your ability to be collaborate, communicate, interact and be a team player.

Again, success will depend on your ability to be specific. Share the situation you faced and how you worked with others. Talk about what you did and how you obtained direction, sought feedback and built relationships during your internship.

For example, you could share how you participated as a member of the strategy team and led a weekly discussion about a key market trend. Or you could discuss the way you took the lead on a project and the process you used to obtain input from subject matter experts across the organization. You might talk about how you were matched with a mentor and the steps you took to connect and build the relationship.

Be sure to share how you worked effectively with others to get things done.

4. They’ll Ask About What You Liked Or Disliked

Often, interviewers ask about what you liked—or didn’t—about your internship. Here, they’re looking for signals about what you enjoy and the matches to the job you’re interviewing for. Essentially, they are trying to get a sense for your passions and interests as well as your potential fit for the job and the organization.

Be honest, but avoid being negative. Keep in mind the skills they’re likely seeking in a candidate—and talk about the things you liked in your internship that you know are a match.

You might talk about how energized you were by the financial elements of your internship and how you were less interested in making the presentations about your findings. Or you could share an example of how you received especially positive feedback on your exploration of new marketing strategies, but you were less excited about the analytical aspects of the project.

Avoid being negative and be sure to talk about what you liked based on the skills you developed.

5. They’ll Ask About What You Learned

Interviewers are likely to ask what you learned in the interview, and they want to know because they’re exploring your future potential and your penchant for learning.

Be as specific as you can, and talk about your development in both tasks and interactions. You can say that you learned a new software system and built your awareness of how members of the teams worked together to solve common glitches in the program. Or you can discuss the new financial analysis technique you learned as well as the critical nature of client confidentiality.

Also take the opportunity to talk about the value you place on growth and development and all the learning you want to do in the new role. Interviewers want to know your current capability, but they also want to hire people with potential and energy for the future.

What If They Don’t Ask

While these are the typical questions you may receive, you may also wonder, “How can I bring up accomplishments from my internship that weren't asked about?”

You should definitely mention the accomplishments from your internship. If you’re prepared with the few key things you’d like to highlight, you should be able to bring them into your answers on the other questions the interviewer asks. For example, if you’re asked about teamwork, you can talk about the project you led and the way you partnered with team members to accomplish a certain set of results.

On the other hand, if you’re not able to cover all your accomplishments, you can take advantage of the later part of the interview to ask whether it would be alright if you mention one or two more outcomes of your work—and use that time. Or if the interviewer asks whether you have any questions, you could ask one or two of your own questions and then also ask if you could mention one final accomplishment.

Just be sure you’re managing your time, and that you’re not rambling or repeating yourself. Be succinct and clear in the few points you want to make, and be respectful of the interviewer’s schedule and efficient in making your points, so you can still end on time.

The Value Of Internships

Overall, you’ll be in a strong position to highlight your skills, capabilities and potential when you’re able to clearly articulate details about your internship. Be sure to prepare thoroughly by researching the company, the position and the interviewer (if you can), so you can be ready with answers that are concise and in good alignment with what you know they’ll be listening for.

Be yourself and be authentic about your experiences, but also be confident about all you can bring to the company. With this approach you’ll have a bright future with plenty of job offers.

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