How To Write an Engineering Internship Resume
The most important aspect to consider when creating your engineering internship resume is whether or not the skill sets you’re featuring match the internship you’re applying for. As an internship, organizations won’t typically expect you to have hands-on experience. However, showcasing the right qualifications from your academic career can give you a powerful advantage during the application process. In this guide, we’ll evaluate how these resumes work within their specific engineering field in the tips below:
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your engineering internship qualifications
First impressions determine whether your resume grabs the hiring manager’s attention. A compelling professional profile highlighting key aspects of your engineering background will immediately show you have the qualifications to succeed in the position. Without a robust work history, focus on showcasing technical skills and coursework that demonstrate you’re the ideal candidate for the internship.
Professional Profile - Example #1
A recent graduate in software engineering with entry-level experience, specializing in Python, software development, application design, and communication. Adept at collaborating with diverse teams to achieve project objectives.
Professional Profile - Example #2
An Industrial Engineering Professional with entry-level experience, specializing in quality control, Lean manufacturing, process engineering, and CAD. Adept at identifying opportunities to enhance production efficiency by analyzing complex manufacturing data.
2. Add a compelling section featuring your engineering internship experience
Many job seekers simply list coursework and skill sets on their resumes when applying for an engineering internship. These are important to include. But they won’t provide the hiring manager with any insight into how you’ve used programming languages and technology throughout your academic history.
The example below is effective because the candidate fills out the page with independent projects they’ve worked on outside of academia in addition to relevant coursework. This will send a clear message to the reader that the job seeker is extremely enthusiastic about software engineering, which can make all the difference in securing the internship.
Academic Experience
Software Engineering Projects, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA | September 2020 – May 2022
- Developed a graphical user interface (GUI) application in Python to analyze documents for plagiarism, which included using the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) and Google Search application programming interface (API) to retrieve online articles with matching text
- Built a JavaScript application to quiz software engineering students on data analytics and machine learning concepts
- Coordinated with a team of software engineering students to design a bug-tracking system to diagnose and resolve issues for software applications automatically
Independent Projects
Independent Programming Project | January 2021 – May 2022
- Programmed four Reddit bots to parse information across various subreddits using Python, which included writing scripts and determining functions
- Designed an application to monitor and track trends in cryptocurrency pricing using RestAPIs and JavaScript
3. Include engineering internship-related education and certifications
Employers rely heavily on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify candidates who match the needs of their organization. When building your resume, carefully analyze the job posting and integrate appropriate keywords and qualifications that match the position you’re applying for. These key terms will vary greatly depending on your engineering background, so we’ve compiled a list of potential keywords you may encounter during your job hunt:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Application development | AutoCAD |
| Chemical engineering | Civil engineering |
| Continuous improvement | Electrical engineering |
| Electrical wiring | Engineering |
| Feature development | Industrial engineering |
| Lean manufacturing | Manufacturing |
| MATLAB | Microcontrollers |
| Process engineering | Product development |
| Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) | Project management |
| Python | Software design |
| Software engineering | |
4. Make a list of your engineering internship-related skills and proficiencies
If you’re applying for an electrical engineering internship, draw attention to academic projects that showcase your ability to solve real-world problems. In the resume below, the job seeker has featured projects highlighting their ability to build innovative solutions to reduce energy consumption. This is likely to catch the eye of a hiring manager of a company within this space. Identifying how your academic background aligns with the internship is essential for generating traction during your job search.
Academic Experience
Electrical Engineering Projects, University of Washington, Seattle, WA | September 2020 – May 2022
- Built a microcontroller and created an Android application to enable remote control of home appliances, which included defining the user interface (UI) and enabling Bluetooth connectivity
- Developed and built LED sensors and microcontrollers to reduce unnecessary energy usage within the home by switching lights off and on based on movement
- Executed a project to build a PLC microcontroller to balance and share load consumption by monitoring power usage for at-home generators
How To Pick the Best Engineering Internship Resume Template
When selecting your template, ensure the hiring manager can easily scan your resume for key skills, qualifications, and coursework. Avoid flashy colors, bulky graphics, or overly decorative fonts, as these visual elements can often distract from your content. Select an elegant, single-column template that allows you to control the flow of information and draw attention to your most relevant academic projects and coursework.
Engineering Internship Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Mina Sayed
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345
Profile
An Industrial Engineering Professional with entry-level experience, specializing in quality control, Lean manufacturing, process engineering, and CAD. Adept at identifying opportunities to enhance production efficiency by analyzing complex manufacturing data.
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Industrial Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA September 2018 – May 2022
Academic Experience
Industrial Engineering Projects, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
September 2020 – May 2022
- Identified opportunities to improve production efficiency using Lean manufacturing and implemented value stream mapping to track workflows and processes
- Gathered manufacturing data in real-time and performed analysis to ensure quality control during the manufacturing process
- Created engineering drawings, 3D printed key materials, and models using CAD
Work Experience
Shipping & Receiving Team Member, Whole Foods Markets, Boston, MA
January 2020 – May 2022
- Provided support for the shipping department, which included receiving UPS and FedEx shipments, unloading trucks, and delivering food, dairy, and cold storage products to corresponding departments
- Developed an organizational system for grocery bag inventory which consolidated shipments and enabled other departments to store more products
Key Skills
- Industrial Engineering
- Lean Manufacturing
- Quality Control
- Process Improvement
- CAD
Frequently Asked Questions: Engineering Internship Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for engineering internship resumes?-
It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs during the resume writing process. Sometimes, developing alternatives to diversify your language and vocabulary can be challenging, especially when crafting a technical resume. To help keep your content fresh throughout your document, we’ve provided a list of action verbs for engineering intern resumes:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Built |
| Collaborated | Coordinated |
| Created | Delivered |
| Designed | Developed |
| Diagnosed | Enhanced |
| Evaluated | Executed |
| Identified | Implemented |
| Improved | Led |
| Performed | Planned |
| Provided | Supported |
How do you align your resume with an engineering internship description?-
Tailoring your resume to the internship you’re pursuing will maximize your chances of landing the interview. Prior to creating your document, you may want to research the company’s mission, goals, and culture. This will give you insights into what specific aspects of your engineering background to showcase on your document.
For example, if the internship is for a software engineering role centered around application development, you’d showcase projects detailing various apps you’ve developed and the languages you used to build them. If you’re seeking an intern position at a manufacturing site, highlight your knowledge of computer-aided design (CAD) and Lean manufacturing techniques. By aligning your resume with the organization’s needs, you’ll be sure to generate traction during your job search.
What is the best engineering internship resume format?-
The best way to format your engineering internship resume is to use a combination resume format. You don’t have the work history for a reverse chronological approach, but it’s best to not only list your technical skills. This format lets you feature your academic projects, coursework, and skills above your professional experience. It’s unlikely that your previous jobs will make a lasting impression on the hiring manager. You can also include extracurricular activities and volunteerism to provide more insights into your professional identity.
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Once you’ve completed your resume, a good way to finish it before sending it to your prospective internship is to add a cover letter. This is an excellent opportunity to speak directly to the hiring manager and explain why you’re a good fit for the internship.
Remember, a cover letter should be fairly succinct. Don’t exceed more than 400 words — 250 to 300 is ideal. For more information and ideas, view our engineering cover letter examples.
