As spring semester winds down, many college students are applying for summer internships to gain professional experience, build their skills, and put their knowledge to use. Many employers require a resume as part of the application process, and this can be tough, especially when you feel as though you don’t have a lot of experience yet. But you may have more experience and valuable skills than you realize.
When creating a resume to apply for internships, you’ll most likely be relying mostly on your academic experiences, but don’t overlook extracurriculars and volunteer work as well. Just because the work you did wasn’t directly related to your major or the internship, you can still emphasize transferable skills and show leadership and initiative.
Brainstorm before you start writing your actual resume. Get out a sheet of paper and write down everything you’ve done since starting college. Include awards or recognitions you’ve won, projects you’ve participated in, clubs or professional organizations you’ve joined, jobs you’ve held, and volunteer work. Think about what you gained from each one and the role that you played. Once you have some content to build on, you can start crafting your resume.
Start with a summary. Consider what you would be doing at the internship and highlight key skills and strengths that you possess that would make you a good fit. Your summary doesn’t have to be long – three to four sentences to catch an employer’s attention and make them want to know more about you.
Next, add core competencies. These are simply keywords that demonstrate hard and soft skills. Use the internship opening to pull traits the employer is looking for in an intern.
Put your education as the next section since you’re still in school. List the school, where it’s located, your major and minors, and when you expect to graduate. Depending on how far along you are, you may also want to include a few of the major courses you’ve taken to show that you’ve learned about different aspects of the job.
Dedicate a section to major projects or accomplishments. Did you conduct a research study or put together a comprehensive business plan? Outline the work that you did and any results achieved. You can also mention awards that you’ve won or recognitions earned.
Don’t forget about volunteer work or extracurricular experience. Were you the team captain for cross country, an editor or reporter for the school newspaper, or a volunteer at the local children’s hospital? These are important experiences too as they round you out as a person and show what you value. Elaborate on any projects you did, positions you held, and the impact you made.
Your internship resume should show that you’re in the process of building necessary skills and knowledge and are at a point where you are ready to apply what you have learned. Even though you’re still in school, you want to create a positive, professional impression. Read through your resume several times and ask others to do the same to catch any spelling or grammar errors or things that don’t make sense. Grammar Chic can help you craft a professional resume that presents your background in a meaningful way and shows your potential. Contact us today at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.
