6 Tips on Creating a Better Internship Resume

AccountingWEB.com-May-22-2006- Internships can be a great way to explore a possible career. They can also offer the first opportunity many young people have to create a resume. Resumes for internships are very similar, but not identical, to resumes used for full-time jobs. Here are some tips for developing a resume specifically intended for use in applying for internships.
  1. Include both school and home addresses, especially if you live in campus housing during the school year and at home over the summer and holidays.
  2. Clearly state that an internship is your objective. Indicate whether you are seeking full-time or part-time employment and whether you will be seeking academic credit for the work experience as this may require the employer to file additional paperwork or meet certain criteria with your academic institution.
  3. Identify your field of study, projected graduation date, academic institution, and any courses that are directly related to the position you are applying for. Depending on your grade point average (GPA) and employer expectations, you may wish to include it on your resume. Relevant certificates and awards may also be included.
  4. List relevant skills, training and experience. Be sure to back up your claims with specific evidence. Measurable results, such as grades, rankings, names of specific projects where skills were demonstrated, or quantified results, are especially valuable here.
  5. Keep it short. Unless you have extensive work experience in the field you are applying for an internship in, your resume should not be longer than a single page.
  6. Do not include references on your resume. List references on a separate page and provide it upon request. Always inform individuals listed as references when and to whom you have given their information and whether they may be contacted.
No resume, either for an internship or a permanent job, should ever include information regarding your age, martial status or sexual orientation, race, religious or political affiliations, military status, disabilities or other personal data. Never put your Social Security Number (SSN) on your resume. In fact, you are not required to provide your SSN to a prospective employer unless they offer you a job and you accept it.
Internships can provide valuable experience that may lead to a career in that field. Many firms also use internships as a recruiting tool to help attract qualified candidates before graduation when they may receive offers from competing firms. For this reason, it is important that the resume you submit when applying for an internship shows you in the best possible light.


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