Are you a self-motivated student who struggles to find an internship?
Believe it or not, we live in a world where 2000 candidates fight for just one position?
Sounds nuts, right?
It’s hard to keep up with this fierce competition.
What’s left for a job!
Therefore, you should stand out from the crowd.
Leave behind the general activities and emphasize specific metrics.
Focus on skills you already developed, your knowledge and the value you can give.
Good preparation and a strong will can land your first job.
Follow this ultimate 2022 guide with internship resume examples and get on the right track!
The very first thing I tell every intern on the first day is that their internship exists solely on their resume…
College resume examples
College student internship resume example
Why this resume works
The following candidate offers a well-built resume that underlines extraordinary qualities:
- Cohesive introduction that presents the youngster as a self-motivated and ambitious person
- Volunteering backed up with complex tasks and quantitative data
- A balance between soft and hard skills; admirable time management
- References and certifications prove that the candidate can bring value
High school student internship resume example
Why this resume works
This high school student shows a decent example of how you can make an admirable resume with almost no experience:
- A compelling summary that presents the candidate’s passions, goals and soft skills
- Coherent Education section that lists essential achievements
- The applicant mentions a 2-month training program as a valuable experience
- Certifications and References presents the youngster as a reputable individual
- Strengths and skills indicate consistency and ambition to bring value
Summer internship resume example
Why this resume works
- A consistent Summary section that introduces a candidate with small experience and powerful skills
- Well-built Education section that describes interests and achievements in the school years
- Impressive results from a training program that is only 3 months long
- Strengths indicate the youngster is a responsible and self-motivated individual
- My Time section illustrates strong time management skills
The internship job market
Every year more and more companies look for applicants with experience from internships. Employers want candidates to have practical skills in the company’s area of work:
- There are 300,000 active internships in the US every year
- 70% of workers get a position in the same company they intern
- 39.2% of all internships in the US are unpaid and 60.8% are paid
These facts prove that you have countless opportunities to land an internship with good preparation.
How to write an internship resume
Recruiters go through 100+ candidate applications daily.
They use ATS to scan your internship resume for keywords.
Therefore, tailoring your resume to the job description is crucial.
To be noticed, you should concentrate all your mental power and write the most relevant, attention-catching and intriguing information about yourself.
Employers search for self-motivated individuals ready to give 100% in delivering every task.
Those candidates know what they want and how to do it.
What more?
Use the Summary section to introduce yourself with proven facts, achievements and skills, backed up by quantitative data and action verbs.
As an example of experience, you can include volunteering, training programs, or any activity you do at school/college.
Additionally, underline how your skills/strengths helped you achieve high-performance metrics.
References and certifications might give you bonus points if relevant.
Continue reading the guide and learn how to build each section of your internship resume!
Internship resume formats
You can take one of these three resume formats:
When speaking of years of experience and industry, the resume formats are:
- Reverse-chronological resumes are suitable for professionals with some years of experience in a specific niche.
- Functional resumes are most beneficial for job seekers and career changers. Nevertheless, they are less popular among recruiters.
- Hybrid resumes could be used by both entry-level employees and seniors. They combine all the pros and cons of the previous two formats.
Pay attention to the style and layout! Here are some resume tips:
- Use 12p resume font size
- Try 10’ resume margins
- Professionals with under 10 years of experience should pick the one-page resume, those with over 10 years - two-page resume
- Check your grammar and spelling
- PDF format is the right choice for you
If you want to make an impression on recruiters, include References and Volunteer work!
Top resume sections
- A cohesive Education section defines the outcome of your application
- If you have some experience, mention it for sure
- The Achievements section will make you stand out
- References from your tutors or employers are your secret weapon
- Volunteering shows that you are empathetic and self-motivated
What recruiters want to see
- Are you eager to gain experience and bring value?
- What practical skills did you acquire from high school/college?
- Are your tutors/mentors satisfied with your performance?
- Do you manage your time effectively?
- Do you have any extraordinary achievements/hidden talents?
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Building an exceptional summary
Your internship resume summary is like an ID card-you cannot party at the club without showing it.
Therefore, you should build a cohesive introduction to convince the recruiters that you are a worthy candidate.
Provide valuable information that shows you are a self-motivated individual who wants to get experience and learn new skills.
Remember, employers will find you a good match for the internship only if you can bring value to their business.
Here are some tips on building your internship resume summary:
- Mention relevant and specific information about your skills, knowledge and previous experience
- Support your statements with quantitative data and action verbs
- Add extraordinary achievements or volunteering
- Emphasize what you want to gain from the internship
- Focus on specific practical skills acquired from your education
Restrict yourself from writing:
- General and vague information that makes you indistinguishable
- Obscure sentences that make you look nonprofessional
- Repetitions and figurative language can make the employers lose focus
Here are a few examples of how you should build a summary:
Of course, it’s also vital to tailor your summary to the job description.
By doing this, you present more relevant data that will help you stand out.
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What to include in your internship resume If you don't have experience
Unfortunately, many internships require some previous experience or a degree.
However, this doesn’t mean you should not present as much practical knowledge and activities as possible.
Volunteering, achievements and training programs are also clear signs of self motivation and dedication.
Also, the Education section plays a vital role in your internship resume.
You might say:
“Oh, but the only thing I do in college is studying!”.
If you think so, you are completely delusional.
Your time at college and school includes practical tasks, teamwork and real-life experiences you should not underestimate.
You need to focus and think of all the opportunities you grabbed.
Do not miss your chance to land an internship and follow these rules when writing the Education section:
- Mention practical experiences, extraordinary achievements, or valuable skills acquired
- Include quantitative data and action verbs to demonstrate dedication
- Add volunteering, training program, or project you’ve been engaged in and show results
- Describe how the knowledge you got helped you in real life
These four advice points are your golden ticket to the interview call.
Ask yourself questions and write down the answers:
- How did my knowledge from college/school prepare me for real work experience?
- How did good communication, teamwork, and organization help me excel?
- Did I acquire some crucial soft/hard skills that I never thought of?
This candidate does not follow any of the advice points given above.
This Education section gives the impression that you've slept during the classes.
You cannot convince the recruiters that you have achieved anything valuable in the learning process.
So, this applicant has the opposite approach.
Specific. Measurable. Attention-catching.
There is no doubt that their resume will top the recruiter's list!
How to describe the duties of a copywriting intern on a resume
Pay attention to the following copywriting intern responsibilities:
- Research, write and edit digital and print materials
- Create engaging messaging for social media campaigns
- Improve the brand awareness by producing admirable landing pages that make browsers buyers
- Develop weekly emails, newsletters, ads and SEO copy design to convert leads into
- Participate in drafting resumes for clients and offer exceptional customer service
- Work independently and collaborate in a team environment
To fill up the gaps in the resume, you could:
- Include Languages to indicate strong communication skills
- Provide References employers are happy with your contribution to their business
- Add training/projects/courses to prove your self motivation
- Add a My Time graph to show excellent time management
Pro tip
Never underestimate the power of personalization. Your interests and how you spend your time are clear signs of your personality traits. Recruiters are human beings in the first place and might relate to you.
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Internship resume skills you can put into practice
Obviously, as a young person with almost no work experience, you are not expected to have unique skills.
Focus on those abilities that will help you bring value to the company you are applying to.
Your job is to show self motivation and desire to work and learn responsibly during the whole process.
Top 5 soft skills list
- Communication
- Time Management
- Critical Thinking
- Responsibility
- Organization
Public speaking and presentation skills might be a perfect fit for a manager but not the best option for a software developer, right?
Therefore, it’s crucial to tailor your skills to the job description.
Top 5 hard skills list
- Writing
- Public Speaking
- Presentation Skills
- Microsoft Office
- Troubleshooting
Key takeaways
- Emphasize what practical knowledge and skills you acquired at school/college
- Add Achievements/Volunteering/ training program to prove that you are a self-motivated individual
- Use action verbs and quantitative data to show that you are a go-getter
- Tailor the main sections of the resume to the job description
- Add References, Passions and My Time graph to support your strengths
