Writing That Perfect Resume for your First Internship

Writing That Perfect Resume for Your First Internship

Step One

Brainstorm with Lots of Notes

Unearth the perfect professional opportunity with a strategic approach. Investigate the internship role's demands and expectations, utilizing the job description as your cornerstone for success. Identify the essential competencies—from hard skills such as Excel or Wordpress to softer traits like time management or written communication—and study the language of the advertisement to determine any prerequisites. Scrutinize qualifications, past career endeavors, and general interests that align with the post. With precision and poise, set yourself up for success by reflecting the desired profile in your resume. Position yourself as a standout candidate and take charge of your future today.

Identify what makes you unique and capitalize on it—delineate your core strengths and highlight their value. Consider incorporating an engaging tone and style that reflects your individual persona, and think about how specific traits can enrich the team dynamic. Take pride in yourself and your accomplishments, and have confidence in the positive contributions you can make. With these ingredients in hand, you're well-equipped to prove your worth and catapult your career to new heights.

Begin by constructing an exhaustive portfolio of all your professional accomplishments, both great and small. Carefully review the list and extract those key elements that best align with the desired job role. Don't be afraid to draw connections between seemingly disparate experiences; skill sets which appear of little use may end up being the cornerstone of your qualification. Take serving for example: while it may not seem pertinent to a marketing profession, the ability to work on a team or manage multiple tasks proves vitally relevant. Such attributes can often make the difference between success and failure. So don't hesitate to weave these threads into your narrative, crafting a compelling argument out of accomplishments, however hidden their relation to your goal might first appear.

As you draft your profile, make sure to emphasize experiences that showcase your initiative, work ethic, and achievements. While it's fine to mention vacations, school trips, or social events that were only for pleasure, these would be more suited for the cover letter where you can highlight your personality and share stories relevant to your career aspirations. So, by focusing on those accomplishments which best reflect your capabilities, you can develop an engaging narrative and draw in potential employers.

Step 2

Build Your Resume Sections

At the top of your resume lies one essential element: your contact information. Make sure to include your full name, phone number, email address, and any link to a larger online presence, such as LinkedIn or your personal website. Highlight this critical section with a bolder font to ensure that it stands out above the rest.

Anyone who is still in school should list education on top, regardless if that is undergraduate or graduate.

For students, the best way to list your resume sections

• Education and Awards

• Work and Leadership Experience

• Activities

• Skills and Interests

With complete flexibility to sculpt your resume, you have the option to either eliminate or amplify specific sections. If your history is chock full of volunteer engagements, consider introducing a separate category entitled "Volunteer Experience". On the contrary, if you are not involved in any extracurriculars, omit the entire section on "Activities" in order to save room and prevent reaching the threshold for a second page. Rest assured that no one will censure your decisions as long as they feel natural and appropriate.

Step 3

Fill in Your Information

If you are looking to fill up your résumé with relevant jobs and activities, remember that it's important to list them in reverse chronological order—from newest to oldest. When formatting multiple entries that took place at the same time, prioritize by relevance. By keeping this simple rule of thumb in mind, you will ensure that your résumé paints a compelling professional picture.

If you are a student at the university level, your high school academic record may not be as pertinent to potential employers when applying for internships. However, if you have any high school accomplishments that can enhance your application, such as summer jobs in sales or other related fields, then it’s absolutely worth mentioning. In short, don't underestimate how positively prior experience and commitment to hard work can impress an employer.

A Guide of the Sections

Education

When crafting your educational background, begin by providing the crucial information such as your school, major, degree, graduation year, and GPA. You can then go further to include noteworthy honors and accolades such as Dean's List awards, study abroad programs, and other commendable results. If you're struggling to find suitable content, consider describing relevant coursework that ties in with the position. This is particularly helpful if you're applying for a role outside your main field of study, as it showcases skills applicable to the job.

When it comes to GPA, there are varying opinions as to whether or not you should include it on your resume. To get a better idea of what hiring managers think, consider speaking to them directly in a coffee meeting. Alternatively, reach out to your college career center for tailored advice on your particular situation.

Experience

Do not let the presence of ‘paid experience’ deceive you; such a misconception is ubiquitous among students. If you find yourself with few professional roles to illustrate, never fear—any and all forms of service, club involvement, or independent investigation are worthy of inclusion on your experience section. If you have served as a leader in an initiative or company, had a notable title, or hosted multiple events within an organization, make sure it has dedicated space in this section rather than amongst your activities—such accomplishments constitute important experiences rather than commonplace hobbies.

Employers commonly seek out interns who demonstrate a strong work ethic, ambition, and valuable professional skills. Do not focus excessively on how related your prior work experience may be to the internship you are applying for; including any sort of paid job is recommended, especially if it involves customer service or other pertinent experience. Examples include working at a local bar, volunteering at local organizations, or even checking people into a recreational center—all of which illustrate a commitment to employment and provide insight into the practical elements of the working world.

Activities

Filling your resume with relevant activities can prove to be a powerful asset when attempting to break into the world of internships and industries. When assessing potential additions, consider the nature of the activity, its composition, your role within it, and most importantly, what you gained from it. Moreover, prior achievements should also factor into these decisions in order to create a cohesive narrative that accurately reflects your experiences and qualifications. With ample research and strategic selections, it's possible to assemble an impressive portfolio that bolsters your chances of success.

Emphasize the pivotal role of clubs and activities in your college experience by including them in this section. Not only will this convey your personality, but it also reflects your commitment to growth. Don't omit any activities that resulted in impressive achievements or awards; highlight these accomplishments as a testament to your dedication and success.

A resume that reflects personal connections to the company or team can prove invaluable during an interview. Accordingly, consider mentioning activities which demonstrate your involvement with the local community. If the hiring manager volunteers in the area, as observed on their LinkedIn profile, a conversation could easily be initiated by adding this experience to your resume.

Skills and Interests

With your academic background yet to be established, the skills and interests' section of your resume may not have much detail at this stage. That's perfectly fine! The scrutinizing employer is only looking to gain an insight into any additional abilities you possess which may not be abundantly clear from the other sections of your resume.

Have you ever studied multiple languages? Do you possess coding skills that you taught yourself? Are you surprisingly adept at public speaking? It's important to be honest and candid when assessing your capabilities—one semester of Spanish, for example, may not be sufficient enough to converse with patients in Mexico City. Yet, if you have invested six years into mastering the language, it could bolster your candidacy for a bilingual internship.

Last Step

Edit, Refine, Edit, and Refine

Now is the time to review your resume and ensure it meets the highest of standards. Carefully consider how a hiring manager would view your content—what information best conveys your suitability for the internship role? Adopt a language of precision and clarity, tailoring your language so that each section accurately reflects the value you bring to the table.

Crafting a stellar resume is essential for launching your career. Aim to keep it one page for maximum impact, and take time to ensure it exudes accuracy and clarity. Furthermore, demonstrate your work ethic and commitment by proofreading and having a friend review your document. Lastly, highlight interests and skills that match the desired industry—this can make a great impression even in cases of limited experience. Remember, an effective resume can be the foundation of success that sets you apart from other aspiring applicants.

Need Resume Examples

Take a look a the images below to download a resume template from the CIG team. Also, search on Google! The CIG Team found a great PDF from Harvard for Masters students. Take a look at it here.

Here is a link to the Harvard guide for Undergraduates.