The idea of creating a resume and applying to internships can be overwhelming and you may not know where to begin. While there are design websites online, these programs often charge money to create and download your resume. The simplest way to create a resume is using Microsoft Word templates that include the different sections to fill out. Word also makes it easy to reformat and change the design of these templates until they’re to your satisfaction. After setting up the format of the resume it’s important to enter your personal information. Using the most up to date address, e-mail and phone number is optimal so potential employers can easily reach you.
The skill section of your resume should include one’s that best pertain to your particular field. This area can also include more general skills as long as they speak to your character as a potential employee such as “amiable personality” or “aptitude for critical thinking”. It is beneficial to include any specialized programs you are familiar that would be useful to have within your field such as InDesign, Sisense or Google Analytics. If your skill sets are limited beyond what you’ve learned in a classroom don’t discount them! Things like being able to translate lessons learned within lectures can be beneficial to your resume! If you’ve learned how to use a scalpel in a science lab you can say that you have a basic understanding of medicinal instruments. The same logic applies to various majors and concentrations.
Experience is a section that is all about wording. You may have experience doing multiple amazing jobs but they can be useless if they aren’t marketed properly towards potential employers. List the work experience you have including the title, company, and the dates associated with each position. Each position should include brief bulleted descriptions of what was done in each role and what skills were learned. A general rule of thumb is to explain how the work experiences has benefitted you and would make you a strong employee. While a position held may not be specific to your intended field, there can still be admirable traits gained from it. If, for example, you are attempting to breach into the accounting field but only have customer service experience focus on how you’ve learned to remain calm and resolve conflict. While some links are harder to find than others there is always a connection that can be made between previous work history and potential careers.
Education is a fairly straightforward section. This is where you include your type of degree, year of graduation or anticipated year and what you’re obtaining your degree in. This is also the place you can brag about any accolades such as being on the Dean’s List, recognition for any work or being in an Honors Society. While it is optional, many applications ask to see you cumulative GPA. Adding your GPA to this section is an easy way to keep all pertinent information within one document.
The last step is to read and check over you resume. No matter how perfect a candidate you may be, companies will notice grammar and spelling mistakes and disregard your application for being sloppy. It is very important to proofread your document before sending it into any potential employers!
Be proud that your resume shows that you are a qualified and capable individual. Once you are finished you are a step closer to owning that corner office! Well at least well on your way to seizing the opportunities that lie ahead! Good luck on your internship/job hunt, collegiettes!