Internship Resume Examples in 2023

Internship Resume Examples (Text Format)

Years of Experience

Tips for Writing a Better Internship Resume

Brainstorm things you’re proud of

The foundation for a great resume is your enthusiasm for the things that interest you. To start building that foundation, take 10 minutes to brainstorm and write down your answer to this question: What are you most proud of in your last year’s worth of school, work, or general life experience?

As you jot down your answers, don’t worry yet about making them fit any resume conventions you already know of. Your goal at this early stage isn’t to write a polished resume. It’s to gain some momentum in the overall writing process and start generating the raw material from which you can then make your best resume.

Once you’re done with brainstorming the past year, you’ll want to repeat this process for the previous four years or so. Date each group of notes (“December 2021 to December 2022,” “December 2020 to December 2021,” etc.) and then save and name the document something like “Resume Brainstorming.”

Filter information based on your target internship

Once you’re done with the brainstorming process above, save a copy of your document and filter your information based on your target internship. You can do so by taking it one detail at a time. With each detail, answer the same yes-or-no question: Does this overlap with the types of things you’d be doing in the internships you’re drawn to? If your answer is No, delete that detail. If Yes, plan on including that detail in your final resume.

This filtering process reflects the most important thing to know about your resume: It shouldn’t be an overview of your experience, but an overview of your relevant experience. It should take whatever shape is necessary to give the hiring manager a clear view of your background as related to the internship at hand.

If you’re applying to several different types of internships, you’ll want to filter your information and create that many different versions of your resume. It may sound annoying to have to make and use multiple resumes, but as too many other applicants can tell you, it’s far more annoying to send out the same document to countless job postings and never get a response. (Also take heart that if you stay focused on the yes-or-no question above, you can run through your brainstorming notes fairly quickly each time.) With targeted resumes, you can gain traction in your search by showing each hiring manager why you’re a fit for their particular internship program as well as why they should call you promptly for an interview.

Drop the phrase “strong communication skills”

Communication skills are important, of course. But when you put something like “strong verbal and written communications skills” on your resume, it fails to impress hiring managers. That’s because (a) countless other applicants say this on their resumes and (b) the phrase is pretty vague by itself.

Try to get more specific. How have you applied your communication skills? What form have they taken as specific duties or focus areas in your previous roles? By answering these questions, you can generate more tangible keywords and phrases that help your resume stand out.

Examples:

Managed magazine’s main email account, responding to feedback and providing subscription information as needed

Provided prompt, courteous service while helping guests check in and out of the hotel

Common Key Skills for Internship Resumes

Interns need strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Below, you’ll find keywords for these and other skill areas you may want to feature on your internship resume:

Common Action Verbs for Internship Resumes

One of the most frequent resume mistakes is using too few verbs. You may repeat the same generic verb (say, “Handle”) many times or rely on passive phrases like “Responsible for” or “Accountable for.” These tendencies can distract the hiring manager and fail to show the varied nature of your experience. The following list will help you mix up the verbs on your internship resume:

How to Align Your Resume With an Internship Posting

One thing unique to most job postings is the description of the hiring company. You can enhance your resume by tailoring it based on any details about the company that resonate with you. Follow these four steps:

Step 1: Jot down a few notes on the type of work environment you like best. For instance, you may prefer an environment that’s:

• Client-focused
• Collaborative
• Fast-paced
• Forward-looking
• High-pressure
• Process-oriented
• Quality-focused

Step 2: When you find an internship posting that appeals to you, look for any details about the hiring company or its work culture.

Step 3: Compare those details against your preferred work environment and highlight any overlap.

Step 4: Add a line or two to your Profile emphasizing that similarity. For example, say you prefer a work environment that’s client-focused. You find a posting that says “We are an organization that places customer satisfaction at the center of every decision.” You can then add a Profile line such as:

• “Thrive in client-focused work environments.”
• “Committed to helping build lucrative, long-term relationships with customers.”

This simple exercise can make your resume more accurately show why you’re a great fit for the role as well as why the hiring manager should call you for an interview.

Additional Reading and Resources

Your internship resume is only the first of many writing tasks and formal communications you’ll contend with in your career. Check out the following books and resources for more insight on finding your voice and honing your communication style, both at the entry level and beyond.

• Job Search Resource Center – ResumeBuilder.com
• “Modernize Your Resume: Get Noticed… Get Hired” by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark
• “Resume & LinkedIn Strategies for New College Graduates” by Louise Kursmark and Jan Melnik
• “Writing with Power” and “Writing Without Teachers” by Peter Elbow
• “Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace” by Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup
• “Conversationally Speaking” by Alan Garner