CV Tips For Internships
CVs
An Internship enables you to gain an invaluable insight into the type of role you may be likely to undertake once you have actually graduated. Indeed, many companies that offer Internships are actually looking for potential candidates for full-time employment. So the CV that you send in when applying for an Internship is very important as it is the ideal opportunity to get yourself known by the type of organisation that you wish to work for in the future.
What To Include
Your CV should be a clear and concise summary of your qualifications, skills and experiences that also allows key aspects of your personality to shine through. There is a generally accepted standard of what a CV should contain and this information is usually separated into clear sections.
Contact Details
These should be up-to-date so potential employers can easily reach you by phone, email or even post
Personal profile
Some say this is the most important part of the CV as it is a summary of your individual qualities and attributes whilst others prefer not to include such a section. Our recommendation is to include it.
Objective
In this case, this should clearly state that you are seeking an Internship to consolidate the skills and experiences you have acquired so far during your studies and work experience
Education and Qualifications
Details of all academic qualifications since secondary school in reverse chronological order
Additional Skills
An optional section highlighting your proficiency in the use of computers, your knowledge of foreign languages, etc.
Achievements
Another optional section detailing academic, sporting or professional achievements
Career Summary
Include all part-time, full-time, temporary and voluntary employment, again in reverse chronological order
Personal Details
Your date of birth, your nationality and whether or not you can drive can all be included in this section
Interests and Activities
Although some argue that this section is not necessary - and it is generally omitted in the US - it is a good opportunity to reflect something of your personality, showing that you can maintain a healthy balance between your work, your studies and your personal life
Layout and Length
How you present your CV is clearly of vital importance and the key points here are to:
- Type your CV rather than handwrite it
- Use good quality paper that is not flimsy but not too thick either
- Be creative with your presentation and choice of font
- Keep it to a maximum of two or three pages
- Put the most important information on the first page
Top Tips for an Internship CV
When applying for an internship, it is important that your CV reflects skills, qualifications and experiences that are relevant to the actual company that you are applying to. They will be keen to see that you are genuinely interested in the kind of work that they do so that they can assess your ability to add value to the business.
So, here are some key points to help your CV to stand out from the many others that will be sent in to companies for internship opportunities
- Demonstrate an interest in the industry/company in particular - this can be achieved through gaining part-time or voluntary experience or through your personal hobbies
- Highlight your ability to work as a team both through group projects at university or through your involvement in extra-curricular activities - interns need to be able to integrate easily into the team during the relatively short period of time for which they are employed
It is important to remember that Internships are also of vital important to you as they will help you to clarify your career direction upon graduation and can help you to start building a network of contacts within the industry. They add great value to your CV as they are evidence that you have consolidated your academic background with real industry experience.
Let employers approach you!
Save hours of job searching by registering today and let employers approach you based on your profile. Plus, be the first to know about our latest jobs added daily...