If you’re a fresh graduate looking to start your professional career, then you may want to consider starting with an internship first. Since you don’t have a lot of prior work experience, your focus should be on your education, coursework, and transferable skills for the internship.
You should also talk about student organization memberships, volunteer experience, language proficiency, and any specialized courses you’ve completed. This resume template should help you get your foot in the door.
A resume for an internship does not necessarily need to extend to two pages, especially if you don’t have a lot of content to add. Typically, this two-column resume focuses on your education and work experience side by side.
The objective statement is short and can easily be used to include job-specific keywords. Under the qualifications summary section, you can talk about your core strengths and competencies that are relevant to the internship you’re applying for.
Your focus should be on your education, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, membership in any student organization, honors and awards, achievements, and any previous internship or work experience.
Internships focus on learning and development, which is why it’s important for you to highlight your personal experiences that relate to your career path.
Unlike other resumes that focus on employment history, an intern resume should focus on your educational achievements and key skills. Consider your life experiences and use them to write content that speaks to your strengths so you stand out among other job applicants.
Your objective statement should be short and concise, and it should focus on your long-term career goals. By clearly communicating what you expect to gain from the internship experience, you can make it easier for the employer to evaluate your abilities as an employee.
Since you’ll be relying on your education, be sure to mention any specialized courses or software training you’ve completed. Your key strengths can include attention to detail, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and the ability to manage tight deadlines.
If you’re fluent in more than one language, it’s important to mention this in your resume. The ability to communicate in multiple languages often denotes excellent interpersonal skills, which will be especially important if you’re looking for an internship opportunity with a sales or customer success department.
Another key thing to mention in your resume is any membership in a sorority or fraternity. Generally, these groups have a strong alumni network and are welcoming of other group members. If you’ve mentioned this in your resume and the hiring manager belonged to the same sorority or fraternity, your chances of securing an interview could significantly increase. The same is true for volunteer or community service work.
When writing an intern resume, you need to focus more on your soft skills, especially if you don’t have a lot of job-specific skills. Here are a few skills worth mentioning:
Leadership
Teamwork
Attention to detail
Analytical skills
Writing, editing, and proofreading abilities
Documentation and filing
Database management
Report writing
Multi tasking
Communication (written and verbal)
Organization and time management
General administration skills
Summary example
Devoted dietetics student equipped with knowledge of nutrition education, life cycle nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, and advanced nutrition accompanied by strong work ethic and passion for public health; aspiring to pursue career development as registered dietitian.
Employment history example
Diet Office Assistant at Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL
2021 — Present
Provide excellent food service experience for patients. Assist patients with choosing options for each meal. Uphold sanitary food handling procedures to prevent cross-contamination in patients' meals. Offer nutritional intervention, counseling, education, and recommendations for patients.
Educated patients about diets/food restrictions to attain optimal outcomes.
Received four awards for leadership, hard effort, and great patient care throughout
the first year of employment with Baptist.
Recently received fifth award from Clinical Nutrition Director Manager.
Sales Representative at Shipt-Shopper, Miami, FL
2020 — 2021
Coached staff on performance and professional development, holding all employees to highest standards of accountability and operational excellence including driving revenue, membership, and overall customer service.
• Delivered polished and professional sales presentations to individual clients and groups, leading to top sales.
Polo Ralph Lauren at Polo Ralph Lauren, Miami, FL
2018 — 2020
Assisted customers in navigating stores, completing sales, and processing returns. Addressed clients’ problems/concerns by presenting the best course of action. Provided memorable customer experiences by offering personalized sales support.
Recognized several times for excellent customer service skills.
Achieved distinction as employee of month for outstanding performance in every
task assigned in-store.
Education example
BS in Dietetics and Nutrition, Florida International University, Miami, FL
2021 — 2023
AA in Dietetics and Nutrition , Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
2017 — 2021
Skills example
Clinical & Nutrition Intervention
Patient Counseling & Education
Customer Service & Support