How to Highlight Internship Experience on Your Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

Congratulations! You have skyrocketed your chances of getting a job offer after graduation. How do we know? Well, statistically, over 70% of internships result in job offers from the company. Since you’re here, you probably have completed at least one internship or you’re thinking about it. 

Now, you’re thinking: What’s the best way to present my internship experience on my resume? 

Fortunately, that’s precisely what we are answering here.

When to Add an Internship Experience to Your Resume

Listing your internship on your resume is a great idea. It can give you a powerful competitive advantage when trying to land your first job or enter a new industry. 

However, there are places where it’s not recommended.

For example, if you interned as a librarian in your college but are applying for an engineering job, you should probably leave off that experience. This explains further why students must look for internships only related to their intended future professions.

So, put internship experience on your resume if:

• You are a recent graduate, and you don’t have much work experience
• The internship was at a business operating in the same industry or closely connected to one
• You have developed skills and gained knowledge during the internship that is relevant to the position you are applying for 

Including your internship experience in the resume can also be an essential part of a story you tell via your resume – for instance, if you are changing to a new career. 

Though you can choose to leave out certain internships after gaining full-time work experience in your resume, most professionals, even with a lot of work experience, choose to highlight internships when applying for work in the same/relevant industry.

Where to Add the Internship Experience

The position of your internship experience in the resume can make a huge difference. You have two options here:

Work Experience

For fresh graduates, an internship count as a vital work experience. Therefore, when writing your resume, go ahead, and list your internship in the work’ experience’ or ‘work history section, alongside the other jobs you might have done. 

However, make sure you clearly mention it was an internship, not a part-time job.

Internship Experience

You can also create a separate section to list your impressive internships. This option is best for candidates with multiple amazing internships to showcase. 

Plus, if the work is closely related to the job role, you can also mention the ‘internship experience section’ above your work experience.

VI TIP: Don’t make the mistake of stuffing your internship at the bottom of your resume or, worst, in the education section!

Read More: Do Internships Count as Work Experience

Listing Internship Experience on Your Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

Breaking into a new industry can be challenging – that’s where internships come in. They help you bridge the gap between a fresh graduate and a future-ready employee. 

With exposure to work life, industry-relevant technology, teamwork, communication, collaboration, and much more, an internship equips you with all the tools and tips you need to be a great worker.

Employers also understand the values of an intern. That’s why students with internships are 85% more likely to be employed by the end of their graduation.

But, all the effort you put into finding the right internship and giving it your heart and soul can go down the drain if you are unable to highlight the experience on your resume.

Don’t worry! We’re here to your rescue. 

Below is the step-by-step guide to listing an internship experience on your resume that captivates employers and skyrockets your chances of landing the job, or at least a one-on-one interview with the recruiter.

Choosing the Right Template: Make a Good First Impression

It’s important to visualize what our resume can actually look like. A good layout can make a world of difference by telling the hiring manager that you are organized and professional, all before they ever read a word on the page.

But, there’s more. For example, while a law firm prefers a cleaner resume, a graphic designer position would appreciate more creativity. 

So, research the most appropriate resume templates for your industry. An online resume builder can also be a great option, as it provides thousands of tried and tested templates. 

However, if you are not sure, you can also choose minimalist designs, as they work for almost every industry.

Brief Summary: Start with a Bang

This section is a really short story of what you are like as a professional. 

Start by researching the critical qualities needed for your ideal role. The job description is your holy grail here, and once you are clear on what the role demands, lean into places where your internship experience crosses with the job’s needs. 

Focus on the most stellar and relevant aspects of your internship.

Make sure to throw some personality in the description. For example, use powerful, optimistic, and descriptive language and verbs to build a clear picture. This ensures the recruiter that you know how to take the company’s needs into consideration and be a better culture fit.

VI TIP: Never exaggerate! Nothing turns your beautifully crafted resume into scrap paper faster than a bunch of over-the-top stories the employer can call on within a moment. 

Add your Skills: You’ve Got More than You Realize

It is important to tailor skills on your resume for every job you apply for, and internship experience is no different.

The best way to highlight your internship experience in the employer-requested skills section is by creating a master list of all the skills you have learned before and during the internships. However, make sure you can back those with examples.

With the master list done, pick and choose the skills listed in the job description. Also, you don’t only need to add technical skills here. Adding your soft skills can also showcase your employability, especially if you have remote internship experience.

Remote work is the future, and a remote internship experience will help you outshine the competition. So add soft skills, including remote communication and collaboration, discipline, time management, and more, to your internship experience and secure your position among the shortlisted candidates.

Read More: Top 7 Job-Ready Skills Employers Look for in Graduates

List Your Achievements: Give Employers What They Want to See

Lastly, add your internship’s achievements and responsibilities to the resume. Briefly list all the projects you have completed, teams you have led, and values you have added to the company as an intern.

Recruiters love to get a better picture of what you might accomplish in a full-time position in their organization, and this is the perfect opportunity to give them insights. 

If unsure about your accomplishments, talk to your former supervisor. They can show you your work and contributions as an intern. Plus, they can also advise you on how to effectively frame and organize your prior achievements to meet the needs of the hiring managers.

At Virtual Internships, all our students are given internships on a project basis. Therefore you can always have a list of your achievements and responsibilities by the end of your internship.

VI TIP: Numbers speak louder than words! Use percentages or statistics to indicate what you achieved during your previous internship when describing these milestones and achievements.

Boost Your Resume With a Virtual Internship

Internship spots have become more competitive over the years. But how to make sure that you are one of the lucky few? That’s where we can help.

Virtual Internships is a unique platform connecting ambitious students like you with the world’s best host companies. Here you’ll have complete control over your internship program. Review your project at the beginning, connect with the pre-screened host companies, customize our flexible programs to fit your schedule alongside studies, and gain an internship experience that will make you stand out.

Over 6,000 virtual interns have already gained an edge. It’s time you take charge of your career with a remote internship!