resume college student internship

Build my resume

• Resume builder
• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• 184 free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

5 College Student Internship Resume Examples for 2024

College Student for Internship Resume

• College Student for Internship 2
• College Student for Internship 3
• College Student for Internship 4
• College Student for Internship 5
• Resume Writing 101

Taking a deep breath after seeing the perfect-looking web developer job ad, Dahlia Mathers pulled up her old resume. Having built some solid IT experience debugging software and troubleshooting networks, she was ready to make her next career move with a web developer internship . . . as soon as she celebrated her impending graduation in computer science, that is!

But her college student internship resume needed an update: Dahlia wanted a layout that aligned with Coursera’s vibe to show her enthusiasm for an internship there. Plus, she learned that writing an effective cover letter could be the touch her application needed.

Now, after referencing our time-tested resume examples , Dahlia is sporting a post-interview smile with her new start date! If you’re seeking your own college student internship, we’re confident our resume layouts and cover letter examples can help you, too.

or download as PDF

College Student for Internship 2 Resume

College Student for Internship 3 Resume

College Student for Internship 4 Resume

College Student for Internship 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• College Student No Experience
• Current College Student
• College Graduate
• Grad School
• College Student

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Experience Sections

While the types of skills you include will directly depend on which type of internship you’re applying for, balance and clarity are always helpful! Recruiters want to see that you have what it takes—plus a little something extra that sets you apart.

If you’re going for a more technical role (like just about anything within the realm of computer science), it’s especially important for you to be precise about your hard skills. That means each list item should be both professionally relevant and specific.

So, avoid generic skills or terms that could apply to just any field, and focus on honing your presentation to show more in-depth abilities that specifically qualify you for that internship. Don’t pitch your cooking skills for an IT internship!

Check these out:

9 top college student internship skills

• RESTful APIs
• Algorithm Design

Sample college student internship work experience bullet points

Some applicants get a bit uncertain about this part, so let’s go over a few ways you can show recruiters how you’ve put your skills into action.

Plenty of people already have some job experience that’s at least somewhat relevant to the internship they’re hoping for. List it if you have it! It isn’t “backwards” to go from a job to an internship if you’ve just graduated or decided to switch to a more specialized field.

Use any previous teen jobs , other internships, or even volunteer projects that relate to your career goals and demonstrate your abilities. And always measure your impact! You need quantifiable data like time measurements or budget savings to back up your achievements and prove that you’ve already made a difference.

Here are some examples:

• Performed bug fixes by utilizing JavaScript proficiency to reduce glitches by 11%
• Updated software on computers and performed basic maintenance on office devices to save $12.3K+ in repair costs
• Streamlined work flow by implementing a ticketing system and grouping similar issues together, reducing time to complete inbound requests by 3 days
• Build a scraper in Python to structure data on thousand of publications, using the Natural Language Toolkit library to improve abstract searches for research publications by 14%

Top 5 Tips For Your College Student Internship Resume

• Since you’re applying for an internship, it can be especially helpful to include other relevant courses within or alongside your degree in your education section. Don’t forget any independent classes you’ve taken—especially if they lead right up to your internship!
• Keep your skills list tidy and organized by arranging your skills in groups. So, if you’re applying for a software-related internship: List Python-related skills together, name JavaScript tools in succession, and so on.
• If applicable, make sure you’re upfront about your graduation date on your internship application. You don’t want to confuse recruiters—or wind up biting off more than you can chew to avoid passing up an opportunity for much-needed internship experience!
• Some people really can’t resist including a bold color or two on their resumes, but you really want to keep this to a minimum. Stick with just one color, use it sparingly, and ensure that everything is still highly readable. Show recruiters that you’re already professional and polished for your internship!
• When you pick your resume template , go for one that puts your greatest accomplishments front and center. But don’t be afraid to leave a little breathing room, too—it’s better than your resume looking crowded or filler-heavy. When you’re applying for an internship, you want all emphasis to rest on your qualifications.

Yep, and it’s easier than you might think! Refer to the internship description for phrases and keywords that stand out as good examples of team culture. Reflect these in your resume with a few tweaks to your wording or skill choices to show how you’re already the ideal intern.

Keep it to just one page, and don’t feel pressured to fill the page. Just stick with your highest achievements from college and your most impactful qualifications. Remember, if you’ve got the itch to say more, say it in your internship cover letter .

Just like your color usage, your font choices should be understated. Think “clean, modern, and readable.” Recruiters can only spend a few seconds skimming your college internship resume, so make it easy for them to see the good stuff at a glance!

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

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.

• Knowledge Base
• Free Resume Templates
• Resume Builder
• Resume Examples
• Free Resume Review

Intern resume...is that even a thing?

Who makes resumes in college, you might wonder? BOORRRRINNNGGGGG!

We know. Resumes will probably not figure in the priority list while you are in college. And why would it, when there's a ton of interesting stuff going on just about everywhere?

But much like the fabled ant and the grasshopper story, being reckless or just plain lazy when it comes to making your student internship resume will lead to a brutal summer wherein you are jobless while everyone else is busy with their internships in exciting growth ventures and gravity-defying corporates.

But don't worry. We'll help you draft the perfect resume for college.

Our 2022 Guide to Internship Resume containing Internship Resume Examples and tips on Intern Resume Format will make sure you don't have to spend days and weeks on your laptop staring at a blank piece of document.

With a detailed step-by-step process outlined in the points below, making an intern resume and an internship resume will be a breeze.

Why do you need an Internship?

Isn't slavery dead, you wonder? Why would you spend your time working for someone else for free when you can better spend it bingeing on Netflix?

Well, slavery is indeed dead, but it's a bit more complicated than that.

Anyone up-to-date with the trend knows that there's a huge gap in the skills which a typical graduate possesses and which are required by the industry in general. Consequently, a significant majority of graduates often find themselves without a job right after they graduate.

And when you couple that with unpredecented levels of debt (USD 1.4 trillion in total in the US alone), the students find themselves in a deplorable condition where they are in a crushing debt but don't have the means to do anything about it.

Short of changing the education system from the ground up and designing the curriculum in a way which bridges the skills gap, what can the individual student do at his/her level to make sure that they don't fall into the same trap?

In such cases, internships can play a game-changing role.

While there exists a lot of avenues when it comes to paid internships, because of the cutthroat competition out there, not many can claim to successfully bag one.

Which again brings us back to the same question: why work for someone for free?

To which we ask a counter-question: you spend your college years emptying kegs and bingeing on Netflix and come placement season, your resume is full of...full of what exactly?

What are the chances of getting a job right after graduation if the only thing on your intern resume is a 1-month stint wherein you flipped burgers or assisted the college librarian? And how will that fare against your classmate who did a grueling 3-month internship in a top firm?

Enough said.

Sure, the chances of landing a paid internship are slim, but in the long run, it's going to benefit you in ways more than one. A half-decent internship will beef up your intern resume and exponentially increase the probability of companies rushing to bag you.

In addition to that, internships are a brilliant way to bridge the skills gap we talked about earlier. No amount of lectures and theoretical knowledge can prepare you for the real world than a single day of an internship will.

Say you just entered college and are eyeing a particular industry or job profile - graphic designer for instance. A short stint as a graphic design intern will tell you more about the nuances of the profile than countless hours and days of Googling will. And when college gets over, you'll be better prepared to decide if you want to pursue that as a career or not.

You get to understand how workplaces work in general and you'll have a substantial idea of the real world so you can prepare yourself even before you enter. You'll have a taste of what slogging in a job tastes like.

And guess what? Recruiters will know that too. Any hiring decision is costly (in terms of money, time, and resource) and a company would rather invest their resources in someone who they think will be able to withstand the workplace environment and deliver.

And if that's not reason enough, here's another - networking. A few months in an internship will arm you with contacts that you can leverage months and years down the line.

Your college seniors or professors can vouch for the importance of networking in any sector or profile, and if you're a college student with a network of high-profile corporate professionals, you're already ahead of the game boy!

How will an Internship Resume help?

Now that you know the importance of an internship, how do you go about getting one?

You don't think you'll just walk in and find recruiters waiting for you, right?

The key to a good internship is a good student internship resume or an intern resume.

The nuances which go into making a standard resume will extend to the intern resume as well but to a somewhat lesser degree. While we'll pick apart the entire internship resume section by section, there are a few things that might benefit you before we proceed.

As tempting as it is, you'll be better suited to have an intern resume that you customize as per the requirement of the vacancy you are targeting - instead of having a generic resume that you are sending anywhere and everywhere.

We know, we know. Unpaid internship, and now customized internship resume for each vacancy? That's quite a drag, we agree, but it's going to reap you major dividends. The competition is intense, be it for internships or full-time profiles, and just so we didn't make it clear, let us reiterate it one more time:

You only get one shot.

Since internships are for a limited duration, and they are seasonal (in almost all cases), recruiters are usually bombarded with applications in one go. If for any reason whatsoever, your application is rejected, you don't get another chance.

Hence, it's of critical importance that you can judiciously utilize the one opportunity which you have in such a way that you don't have to send your student internship resume elsewhere.

One advantage, or a bargain if you may, that an internship resume might have over a standard resume is the reduced level of complexity. An internship resume is not filled with work profiles, simply because there aren't any. There are no multifarious sections that will make you pull your hair.

But that is not to say that making an intern resume is easy. It has its own set of nuances that you need to consider before you go about making the perfect intern resume for that dream internship that you are targeting.

Before the Intern Resume - Checklist of items before you begin with your Resume for College

Here's a checklist of factors that you might want to consider before you proceed with your internship resume:

Introspection

A lot of students will not bother reviewing their options - maybe because they don't even know if they have any. And it makes sense: why not jump at the first opportunity which presents itself?

But think about it: if you spent hours and days working on your resume for college, wouldn't you want to be sure that you are getting the bang for your buck?

An internship is a perfect laboratory for you to identify and realize if a profile/industry that you always admired from afar is as satisfying as you think. A favorable or not-so-favorable experience in an internship can determine your view of that industry for the rest of your life.

For that reason alone, you must have absolute clarity on what you want. You must ask some sincere questions to your inner self before you proceed with any decision: - What are your hobbies and interests? - Is there an industry that you think might be a perfect fit for you but you are still unsure about? - What kind of work culture would suit you? Do you see yourself in a corporate setting or a startup venture?

Location is a major factor. Are you limited by physical location or not? Are you looking for any or all internships in a particular location near you, or are you open to moving? If that's the case, are you looking for an internship in a specific profile or industry, irrespective of the location where it might be? Have you factored in all the costs, monetary and otherwise?

Will moving to a different city/country for your internship benefit you in the long run? Who knows if the company which you are targeting also offers dorm-style living arrangements for their interns?

Once you've achieved a certain level of clarity, proceed by researching everything there is to know about the company and the internship.

Find out if the company or sector which you are targeting is even looking for interns in the first place. Get to know about their recruitment process and their interview methodologies. Do they ask to include specific details in their internship resumes?

What is the typical duration of the internship? Is it a fixed internship or is there a possibility of engaging you after you leave as well? Most companies also reserve the right to send Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) to their most high-flying interns. Check out the parameters for those and see if it's something you might be interested in.

Read reviews online to understand if your illusions regarding the profile/company/industry differ from the ground reality. Even if you find that your targeted company is offering no internships, call a representative to make sure of the same and then drop off your internship resume.

Most companies, when called upon to fill in vacancies, usually turn to their existing database before engaging in a fresh outreach. And how sweet would it be if they do so and find your internship resume on top of the intern resume pile?

Online Research for finding internship avenues will typically include scouring the net on any or all of the following:

LinkedIn : Don't just abandon your profile there. Try to secure recommendations from your Professors. Add skills that are relevant and which might get you more traction. Demonstrate your volunteer work, achievements, and extra-curricular accomplishments. Most large organizations (as opposed to start-ups and small businesses) will resort to LinkedIn for fulfilling their internship requirements. So if that's what you are looking for, a stellar LinkedIn profile is your safest bet. [Btw, we at Hiration also offer professional services when it comes to revamping your LinkedIn profile. Head on over to the website for more!

Glassdoor : In addition to listing out internships from multiple sources (online and offline), Glassdoor's main attraction is that it allows users to search companies based on salaries, reviews, and descriptions of interviews and the recruitment process. Since it aggregates data from users, the figures are broadly accurate (more or less) when it comes to larger corporates. But for smaller companies and in cases where very few users report data, the outcome is not that favorable.

Internships.com : Probably the biggest source of internships primarily because it's free to post listings on its portal. Moreover, it includes social media integration wherein it gives you a list of your Facebook friends who are/were associated with a particular company.

Internmatch.com : A slightly modified version of internships.com, it allows employers to post up to 10 listings for free. With a database of listings sourced from 30,000 companies, it specializes in internships and entry-level jobs.

Idealist.com : Specializing in the non-profit sector, Idealist includes both paid and free internships around the world.

Once your research has taken off, it's time to tap into your network and see what you can extract from there. Your network might typically include: Career Center at your School/College: Not only do most vacancies first posted there, but the good folks over at most Career Centers also lend a hand in creating or proofreading your intern resume.

Professors/Faculty: Most Professors that we know want nothing more than to genuinely help anyone and everyone who approaches them for help. If you earnestly ask the Faculty members for help, you'll undoubtedly get some valuable insights.

Senior/Alumni Students: Your immediate seniors will always be one step ahead of you, so our advice is to leverage that. Additionally, their internships are fresh and their insights will be more relevant to you than anyone else's.

Resume Experts @ Hiration: If none of that works out, our Resume Experts will be at your service 24x7! Just shout out in the comments below or visit our website in case you have any doubts pertaining to your intern resume.

Perseverance

Lastly, nothing beats more than perseverance. If you've zeroed in on a company or two for which you'd be willing to give your heart and soul, start cold calling them.

What if they are not looking for interns? Doesn't matter. Drop-in your internship resume anyway. A lot of companies rely on their existing database first whenever they want to fulfill their hiring requirements, and it wouldn't hurt if your internship resume is just there for them to peruse in such a situation.

Be an avid follower of the company and its initiatives. Keeping yourself up-to-date will benefit you sooner or later. Maybe there's an event or a job fair happening nearby in which the said organization is participating. Well, what are you waiting for?

If anything is stopping you - ranging from anxiety to just plain laziness - just ask yourself: what's the worst that could happen? You'll not get the job? But if you are sitting on your butt, it's going to happen anyway!

Drafting the Perfect Internship Resume for College - How to Begin

What's the difference between an internship resume and a college resume.

Before you get down to the nitty-gritty of it, let's clear a few things:

• Don't compare your intern resume with a professional who has had years of experience. A simple Google search will give you thousands of resume samples and layouts, and assigning that as a benchmark for yourself will give you nothing but anxiety.

You are still in college. Your experience in the real world is, in all probability, limited. The objective is to showcase that in the best possible way and not instead get drowned out by other internship resumes and give up altogether.

• Recruiters won't be expecting you to have extensive professional experience. That's the major difference between an internship resume and a regular college resume.

Your end goal is the college resume which you'll finish after graduation. The objective of the internship resume is to pack your final college resume with enough relevant experience that gives you an edge over others.

But even if the internship resume is just a means to an end, it doesn't mean that you can compromise on the quality of the same.

You can check out our guide to Resume Layouts to get an idea of how to proceed. Our advice: stick to a traditional reverse-chronological format for your college resume.

Contact Information

We wouldn't have included a section on Contact Information for your Internship Resume if we didn't think it was important.

But we've often seen people make the silliest of mistakes even when it comes to something as basic as adding their contact details to their internship resume. And when people with 10-15 years of professional experience can commit these mistakes...

Oh well. So if you are a college student who messed that up as well, we'd recommend you to not be too hard on yourself. Instead, read on.

• Name, Contact Number, and Email: Sure, that's basic stuff. But are you sure your email isn't [email protected] or [email protected] ? You are not in high school anymore. In case you don't have a professional-looking email id, now's the perfect time to go and make one.

You don't want to be applying for jobs after college using an id like [email protected] , y'know?

Address: Don't include your entire residential address even if you are applying for internships in the same city. Just the area and postal code will do. Drop your current location in case you are open to internships outside your city, or you can include the same with a caveat stating that you are willing to relocate.

Misc. (Skype, LinkedIn, Blog/Portfolio, etc.): Include your Skype handle only if a telephonic round will be a part of the recruitment process. Companies usually specify the same in the Job Description in case it is.

A Skype handle only makes sense if you're locating. In case you are applying for internships in the same city, mentioning Skype will not add any value.

Include your LinkedIn only if you think it will bolster your application. If you last updated your LinkedIn months/years ago, you can refrain from including it in your resume for college.

You can showcase your portfolio or provide links to your blogs, but only if there's relevance between that and the internship which you're targeting.

For instance, if you are targeting a Finance internship but you also maintain a blog in which you document all your favorite recipes, do us a favor and don't include it on top along with the rest of your contact details.

Do that only if it's relevant, or if you think it will complement your application in any way. In all other cases, you can add a separate section of Hobbies or Interests at the end and include all such points there.

One major area in which a standard professional resume differs from an intern resume is the Education section.

Or more specifically, the order in which this section appears in your student internship resume.

Since recruiters won't expect your internship resume to be filled with multiple job experiences, you can lead the internship resume with your Education section. But even then, there isn't a single way to go about it.

Let us clarify that through an example:

University of Berkeley BA Economics (Hons.) Expected to graduate in '19

On the face of it, there's nothing wrong with this. It's just...perfectly average.

But you don't want perfectly average, do you? You want to knock 'em out of the park. Also keep in mind that in the absence of a Professional Experience section, your Education section becomes the most critical section of your student internship resume.

List out anything and everything that you have done to date and categorize them broadly into Education, Co-curricular Activities, and Extra-curricular Activities.

An example will clear that right out.

EDUCATION Bachelor of Economics (Honours) | University of Berkeley May ‘11 – Jun ‘14 • Selected out of 10,000+ applicants to receive an additional 30% scholarship owing to a stellar academic & work profile • 1 of 5 to be shortlisted out of 120+ applicants for a 1-year internship with the Microsoft Strategy team post-graduation • 1 of 3 mentees to be selected out of 80 applicants by US’ top investor Jack Welch, former Chairman & CEO of General Electric • Secured 1st Rank in a batch of 80 for Micro-Economics (96%) and Mathematics (86%) EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • Event Head | University of Berkeley Led a team of 25 members across 10+ colleges to develop a unique brand positioning & boost y-o-y participation by 15% Strategized marketing by liaising with the Core Cultural Committee for UoB’s largest official annual cultural fest with a 1000+ footfall Championed the debating event as Director Coordinator to execute marketing, tie-up with colleges, reach out to the volunteers, etc. Conducted personal college visits to coordinate with individual Debating Society Presidents, develop interest & enhance participation • Head, Organizing Committee, National Seminar | University of Berkeley Led 30+ members to host a delegation of 100+ eminent academicians like Noam Chomsky & leaders from Morgan Stanley • Awarded Bronze at the Vocal Music Festival across California & secured a top 10 rank at the American Idol Season 10 • Selected as a core committee member of the economics debating club & collaborated with The Economics Club of Harvard • Executive Member – Core Committee, Music Society | Core member, Football and Swimming team | Community School, San Francisco*

Get it? Merely mentioning you will receive a so-and-so degree will put you on par with thousands of other applicants who are doing the same. The snapshot above is how you break free from the competition.

Nothing will be too big or too small for this section. Since it's only your Education experience, recruiters aren't expecting anything flashy as well. But before they decide whether or not to invest in you, it'd help if they know you showed some level of initiative too.

You can additionally provide a breakdown of all the modules and coursework across the duration of your degree. This will help in case you are looking for internships in the field of your major.

You can customize what you include here based on where you are applying. For instance, there might be some academic projects which you completed but which are only relevant for a few specific profiles.

A Section-wise Breakdown

Intern resume summary/objective.

This section will go at the top and will be a game-changer, whether you like it or not. We've seen a lot of students spending countless hours working on just this one section but still not getting the results.

Are you also one of them? What do you think is going wrong? What is it that you can do better?

Let's start with the difference between Resume Summary & Resume Objective. How do you tell which one to use?

Whenever we come across people who can't figure out the distinction between the two, we like to distort a famous JFK saying along the lines of 'Ask not what the company can do for you but what you can do for the company.'

Many people mindlessly start working on the Resume Objective section without bothering to find out if that's even needed. Place yourself in the shoes of the recruiter: what will you do with an applicant who is sending you a list of all the things that s/he is looking for?

Something like this.

> Dedicated Finance major looking for an engaging internship to enhance skills and gain experience.

And what if there's another candidate who details the skills that s/he possesses, only to explain how they can be used to achieve organizational goals?

Something like this:

Dynamic and detail-oriented English major looking to leverage his stellar communication skills as an Intern to create engaging and SEO-driven content for large-scale conglomerates. Demonstrated ability to efficiently work in teams as a zonal-level lacrosse player at the University of Berkeley.

Who will be prioritized? Whose internship resume will end up in the 'Awwyeaaah' pile? The latter of course.

Try to convince the recruiter how you'll play an instrumental role in helping them achieve their goals. Merely sending a bucket list of items that you are looking for won't serve any purpose.

That's the major difference between an Intern Resume Summary and an Intern Resume Objective section. You should ideally be targeting the former. The skills that you possess will remain constant in both cases, but the emphasis should be on the needs of the recruiter, not your own.

You can check out our in-depth guide on the Resume Objective section for more insights on how to optimize this section as per your requirements.

Professional Experience

Our first advice would be to not get overwhelmed by the resumes that you see online. Most of them are standard professional resumes and nowhere related to what you are looking for.

Even the recruiter knows that your internship resume won't be a powerhouse of profiles. They know that you're looking for internships so that you can beef up your internship resume, and not the other way around.

Consequently, you can include all odd jobs which you have done to date, which might or might not be related to the internship profile which you are targeting. The idea here is not to look like you were born for this internship. The idea is just to showcase a certain level of initiative from your end.

Besides odd jobs, you can additionally add your experiences in the non-profit sector, or any voluntary work which you might have done previously.

As you are done with internships, you can gradually add them to your resume to convert your internship resume into a standard college resume.

Since the internship resume will not exceed one page, you can spruce up the points you frame using action verbs. Check out our guide on Power Verbs for more tips on jazzing up your student internship resume.

The objective is to transform your previous job roles, and your resume in general, from a responsibility-based one to something more aligned towards achievements.

Key Skills section in an Internship Resume

Like in a standard professional resume, the Key Skills section in a resume for college will play a crucial role in getting you those shortlists that you deserve.

Most people tend to fall on either extreme of the spectrum: either they'll miss the Key Skills section altogether or they'll relentlessly stuff the internship resume with keywords. Both of these options won't cut it.

The biggest and most underrated source of relevant keywords is the Job Description, and it's surprising how often it is excluded from the entire internship resume writing process. You MUST NOT send in your internship resume without consulting the Job Description once, to check if the skills which the recruiter is looking for have been catered to or not.

Prioritize your leadership and professional skills (project management, team management, stakeholder management, etc.) over soft skills (coordination, communication, etc.). Try to establish a cause-effect relationship to explain how the skills that you possess can help you achieve organizational goals (which can be better catered to in the internship Resume Summary section)

To gain better clarity on how the skills that you have incorporated can help you get shortlisted, you can check out this great resource . It analyzes the Job Description against which you made your internship resume and gives you an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) score, along with instructions on how you can optimize your college internship resume further.

For a greater understanding of the role which the Key Skills section plays in your internship resume, check out our comprehensive guide on Resume Key Skills .

Additional Sections in your Resume for College

Many college students/freshers struggle to reach the end of the page for their internship resume. They'd rather incorporate junk points and add unnecessary fluff just so they can stretch the internship resume to 1 complete page and get a false sense of accomplishment.

But in the macro picture, that strategy often backfires.

To avoid that, keep the requirements of the recruiter in mind before you take a call on what to add and what to avoid. Additionally, a bit of research can go a long way in customizing your resume for college to your target profile.

For instance, if the organization that you are targeting has an unofficial lacrosse team that plays with teams from other corporates, and if you also indulged in that sport in school/college, you can go ahead and mention the same in glowing letters.

That's an example of a relevant key skill that specifically targets the organization of your choosing. But that won't happen in every case, right?

For all other cases, it helps if you can quantify your achievements and provide detailed information around the same. The idea is to showcase your skills in all arenas and to convince the recruiter that if you excelled in, say, A, you also can transfer those skills to excel in B.

HOBBIES: Photography, music, traveling, reading books

Most internship resumes, especially student internship resumes, are flooded with Additional Sections along these lines. They add zero value to your internship resume in general and your application in particular. Students prefer to take the easy way and stuff their internship resumes with fluff points and sections like these to stretch the document to one page.

Don't. Do. That.

Now take a look at this:

HOBBIES Photography: Owner and administrator of ZYX Photography Page on Facebook with 7k+ likes Travelling: Visited 6 countries in the last 1 year and documented my travels on my travel blog (insert link) with average traffic of 50k users/month

You are going a step beyond what's expected and detailing how you excel in those hobbies. A recruiter reading this will instantly conclude that you'd also be able to transfer these skills in the workplace to help him achieve organizational goals.

In addition to the Hobbies section for your student internship resume, you can add more sections around Projects, Publications, or Extra-curricular Activities. The idea is to stay relevant and keep the requirements of the recruiter in mind at every step of making a resume for an internship.

The Final Touch: What to do before sending your Resume for an Internship?

Since in all probability, you'll be sending your resume for college for the first time, there are a few things that you can keep in mind before you do. Any slack when it comes to these factors will lead to outright rejection.

It sure would be unfortunate if you spent all those hours working on the perfect resume for college but due to something so insignificant, you are out of the race, right?

Here it goes.

Proofread We cannot stress this enough. A single typo or error in your 1-pager internship resume can spell doom. And why shouldn't it? If you can't write a 1-page document, about yourself , without errors, why should the recruiter think you'll excel in other work?

A lot of intern resumes are trashed even before they land on the table of a human recruiter because the ATS screens all intern resumes for errors. An extra 10 minutes spent proofreading your internship resume will automatically place you above a lot of those candidates.

Customize Nothing is more futile than spending countless hours on your resume for college and blindly sending it anywhere and everywhere.

Tweaking your student internship resume a bit, depending on the target job role and the organization, will mean so much to the recruiter. Given the sheer volume of intern resumes that they process daily, they can find out if you made the effort to tailor your college internship resume according to the job role, or whether that application was selected out of 20 others and you just hit 'send resume'.

File Format More often than not, the JD will specify the format in which the recruiter wants your intern's resume. Stick to that.

In the absence of any instruction, you can send a .pdf format with minimal formatting along with a .docx file, just to be sure. A lot depends on the ATS that a company deploys to parse and process internship resumes.

Make sure that you don't go overboard with the formatting when it comes to the resume for an internship. An ATS is designed to parse only basic text - while extensive formatting might look jazzy on paper, it's going to be useless if your intern resume is going to get tossed in the bin because of that.

HIRATION PRO-TIP: while we are it, do us a favor and don't name your internship resume file as, well, 'Internship Resume'. Your file will land in a folder with hundreds of other intern resumes, and a title like that won't help. Keep it basic with something like 'Name_Internship Resume'.

Subject Line for emailing your Intern Resume We'll keep this short. For any internship resume queries, a rule of thumb is to place yourself in the shoes of the recruiter.

While submitting your resume for college, what kind of subject line will ease the recruiter's burden the most?

Keep It Simple Silly. The objective here is to be short but precise. You can go with 'Application for Finance Intern - FirstName_LastName' or something along those lines. You're fine as long as you've mentioned your name and the purpose of sending the email in the subject line.

Cover Letter That's the last thing that you can do to dramatically increase your chances of getting a shortlist. A personalized cover letter addressed to the recruiter will work wonders for your application.

You can refer to our comprehensive guide on writing a brilliant cover letter for the same.

ATS Optimization for your Internship Resume

Keywords. Keywords. Keywords.

But that doesn't mean blatantly stuffing your intern resume with them. Any HR worth his/her salt won't take more than 10 seconds to figure out if you're guilty of that - and if you are...bye-bye cruel world.

Scan the Job Description to get an idea of the keywords which are on top of the recruiter's priority list, and make sure you organically place them on your resume for an internship.

When it comes to assigning the priority order for keywords, professional skills will come before soft skills. And while we are at it, don't lie. Mention only those keywords which you think you can justify at the time of the interview, or during the internship itself.

Remember, your goal is not to get shortlisted. It's to bag that sweet little internship - and that includes the interview as well.

Sanitizing your digital presence

Gone are the days when internships were assumed to be light and carefree. Companies approach all interns as potential employees - which means they are put through the same recruitment criteria.

And that typically includes verification of your online presence. Sanitizing Facebook, being a personal social network, is optional - just make sure there's nothing too incriminating.

It's LinkedIn that counts. Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile before you send out your internship resume. In addition to that, you can have a blog or a portfolio where you showcase your best work. That will only add more brownie points to your application.

Internships can be a rewarding experience and can set you up on the path to professional success - provided you lay the foundations of the same during college.

An internship may look futile, and make an internship resume even more so, but the truth is, in the present scenario, a few stellar internships while you are in college will do wonders for you down the line.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

Share this blog

Subscribe to Free Resume Writing Blog by Hiration

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox

Stay up to date! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox

Is Your Resume ATS Friendly To Get Shortlisted?

Upload your resume for a free expert review.

How to Write an Internship Resume [w/ Examples]

Internship Resume Sample for 2024

Are you required to present your resume to secure an internship and have conflicted feelings about how your resume should look for such an internship?

Are you scared that you’d be over or under-qualified?

Do you fall into the above categories or more that hinder you from getting your resume to the appropriate places? Then this article is written especially for you.

Sample of Resume for an Internship Application

Writing resumes can be a very tricky affair because your resume is basically an introduction to your employer. So you can be rest assured that first impression matters. Prior to receiving your resume, the recruiter or employer has no knowledge of who you are or your previous achievements as grand as they might be, so always aim not to impress but to express.

The recruiter will probably be more interested in getting to know who you are as a person than the things you’ve achieved and there’s a very high probability that it is not a lot given that you’re applying for an internship anyway.

A recent study conducted shows that the average recruiter takes a look at a resume for no longer than six-seven seconds and will only look for any longer period of time if the six-second glance was worth it.

So kindly look inwards and try to come up with a way to establish a relationship between you and the recruiter in less than six seconds. You’re most probably wondering how on earth it’s possible to do that sort of thing. Well, it is and you’ll learn just how to do it right here. 

The first thing to do while writing that resume is to look at your previous experiences and check if you’ve done anything related in any way at all to the work you’re currently trying to apply for. 

If you’re applying for an internship at a digital marketing agency, then you should be looking out for any experience in a field such as social media management. Look for times where you have handled any social media account for any brand, even if it’s a personal one and turn it into a corporate experience.

While writing your resume for an internship, you can be rest assured that the recruiter or company does not expect you to have serious professional qualifications and your current qualifications are only expected to boost your academic or career goals, hence you can totally include all those skills you gained on your own and show willingness to gain more skills.

• It should perfectly highlight your strengths and be appropriately structured.
• There is absolutely no need for preambles so you should go straight to the point and make the position you’re applying for very obvious.
• Avoid errors and make your resume very easy to read.
• Above all, make sure that your resume isn’t more than one page .

Reiterating the above, the recruiter does not expect you to have tons of experience but that does not give you the permission to fill up your resume with generic information as it sends a very bad message to the recruiter about you.

Also, keep it in mind that your recruiters are looking for someone who has skills that are honed personally through practice and very willing to learn.

Skills such as; the ability to work under pressure and meet target deadlines, a very high level of creativity, impressive communication skills , hard work and exceptional leadership abilities.

It is very common while writing a resume for internships to see many students stressing or having a meltdown because of their GPA.

If you’re in that category, then you need to take a step back and desist from giving yourself a high blood pressure because, in actual fact, recruiters in most cases usually do not take the school GPA into cognizance or let it determine if you deserve to be recruited or not.

Although always make sure to include your academic qualifications as poor as they might be on your resume because for someone in your stage, you might not possess enough field experience and as I said before, even recruiters do not expect you to.

Recruiters are usually more interested in relevant work experiences so kindly focus more on that.

On your resume, there are basic things that should attack your recruiter first, and one of them is your ' Professional Summary ' which is where you tell your recruiter what you have got to offer in just a couple of sentences.

Always make sure that you do not turn in a resume without a professional summary as that’s the best way to let your employer know what you’re good for or at.

Your resume should be tailored to fit the position you’re applying for, as this gives the recruiter the idea that you’re already a nice fit for their company even long before you’re offered a position. 

You should also never forget to include all the awards and honors you’ve received as little as they might be, they go a long way in creating a lasting impression in the mind of your employer and give you an edge of credibility over other resumes.

 With all the above insights, you should be well on your way to securing that dream internship, without an atom of doubt that you can be absolutely sure of.

Related Resume Examples

• No Experience Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• High School Resume
• College Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• Teacher Resume

Suggested Readings:

• +150 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume
• How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship
• Strengths & Weaknesses for Job Interviews

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Our entire approach to summer internships is broken–and many students don’t stand a chance

It’s that time of the year again. College students are seeking summer employment. Yet, research and my experience as a parent reveal that access to paid internships is not equally available to every student.

Despite overwhelming evidence of the value of a paid internship and the desire of students to secure the coveted spots, significant and troubling gaps persist in students’ access across most industries, according to a recent  study from Strada Education Foundation .

While 70% of first-year students expect to intern, less than half of seniors reported having an internship experience, the study found. First-generation, Black, Latino, and female students are all far less likely to engage in paid internships.

Internships don’t always benefit those who need them the most

Internships, by design, are meant to give students and recent graduates a lasting leg up as they begin their careers. However, the internship divide means the students who have access to these important opportunities are typically those who already have resources and connections. 

Paid internships are immensely valuable. Students who complete a paid internship during their undergraduate education  earn $3,000 more than  their non-internship peers one year after graduation. Two decades into their careers, graduates who participated in work-based learning, such as internships or apprenticeships, are far more likely to be satisfied with their careers, report higher annual income, and believe the investment they made in their education was worth it.

As it turns out, paid internships rarely go to students who would benefit from them the most. Many prestigious and lucrative internships, such as being a Congressional Intern, are not only competitive but require relocating to an expensive city for a short duration. Many students attending colleges where off-campus housing is the predominant option after their first year are already saddled with a 12-month lease near their institution.

Taking on an additional payment in an expensive city, even if they can find an affordable option, would wipe out all the savings they are expected to accumulate toward their tuition under our financial aid formulas. This housing and temporary relocation cost is an insurmountable barrier for students without a parent or caregiver who is able to subsidize the necessary career-building step of an internship. It’s time for employers to reimagine how they support these students in gaining meaningful work-based learning opportunities that lead to high-paying, rewarding careers. 

Making work work for students

There are a variety of barriers in addition to housing costs that prevent first-generation students and other learners from disadvantaged backgrounds from participating in high-quality internships.

For many students, it’s a matter of competing priorities.  Research from Strada shows that while first-generation students are less likely to participate in internships, they are much more likely to work 20 hours per week. The challenge is to make these year-round employment opportunities for college students as valuable in building skills and gaining relevant experience as the traditional summer internship.

There are innovative models demonstrating how this can work. Many universities employ thousands of students every year. Many of these students have campus jobs directly related to their field of study. Critically, some universities also work to identify important and in-demand durable skills and then incorporate skills development into student employment experiences so learners are gaining far more than a paycheck. 

Of course, not all institutions have the resources to employ thousands of students themselves. They can, however, partner with companies, nonprofits, and other organizations to help provide high-quality and relevant work experiences. It’s important that employers collaborate with colleges and universities to ensure that the roles offered to students are similarly robust to paid internships. Every work experience should help students not only pay their rent and buy groceries but also build their resumes, generate networking opportunities, and develop durable, career-relevant skills. 

Work designed for students should also be flexible, providing them with the time and space they need to meet their academic obligations and participate in meaningful extracurricular activities.

Whether it’s an internship, short-term project, or full-time job, employers can benefit from the innovative energy that students will bring to their workplace, while at the same time contributing to the early career development of the future workforce.

Every student needs an opportunity through work to build the skills and experience required to find success after graduation. Employers–and their partners in higher education–can work together to ensure they build the innovative models that best serve students, higher education, and employers. 

Jane Swift is the president of Education at Work and a former governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

More must-read commentary published by  Fortune :

• Dow CEO : My company is a major plastic producer. We must end plastic pollution
• We analyzed 46 years of consumer sentiment data–and found that  today’s ‘vibecession’ is just men  starting to feel as bad about the economy as women historically have
• 90% of homebuyers have historically opted to work with a real estate agent or broker. Here’s why that’s unlikely to change, according to the  National Association of Realtors
• Intel CEO : ‘Our goal is to have at least 50% of the world’s advanced semiconductors produced in the U.S. and Europe by the end of the decade’

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of  Fortune .

Latest in Commentary

• 0 minutes ago

AI lets anyone generate music in seconds. That’s putting artists on edge—and setting the stage for ‘dataset ethics’

Starbucks’s case at the Supreme Court is a venti lose-lose for the company and the burgeoning unionization movement

More Americans are working past age 65—and that’s good news for employers

Scientists inspired the right guardrails for nuclear energy, the internet, and DNA research. Let them do the same for AI

Burned out and underappreciated, women’s career advancement had stalled long before the anti-DEI backlash

A new Cold War is brewing at sea–and the West’s security and prosperity are at stake

Most popular.

Gen Z job seeker refused to do 90-minute task because it ‘looked like a lot of work’—now the CEO who complained about it is being slammed

The meteoric rise and stunning fall of Prime, Logan Paul’s energy drink that was once resold for almost $1,500 a can: ‘A brand cannot live on hype alone’

The 5 best supplements for healthy aging, according to a longevity expert

The U.S. economy is actually a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ as the weak GDP report masks underlying strength, Wells Fargo says

‘We expect Powell to make a hawkish pivot’—Fed meeting to headline busy week for global markets

Pottery Barn parent Williams-Sonoma fined for marketing furniture as ‘crafted’ in the U.S. when it was made in China