Internships are a great way to get hands-on experience and pad your resume at the same time, but what about the resume to get the internship in the first place? Don’t worry, the entire purpose of these internships is to help students gain real-world knowledge in a field that interests them, so experience isn’t necessarily expected.

When applying for an internship, Human Resources (or whoever is reading your resume) already assumes that you are still in school so it’s important to list your educational accomplishments. It’s also important to list how many credit hours you have completed so the company will know how far along you are in your education. Sometimes internships will only accept senior applicants, but oftentimes, as long as you have completed a series of specific classes, internships will overlook your specific grade level.

When crafting a resume for an internship focus on your strengths. Any activities, honors, volunteer experience or extra-curricular activities paint the picture that you are an outgoing individual – and that’s exactly what you want! Although internships are generally free labor, only the best candidates are chosen, so it’s important to create a resume that is memorable, free of errors, focused, organized and unique. In the infancy of your career, professional references can also be great additions to your resume. Listing one to three individuals who would give you a great recommendation can bring you from the middle of the pile to a seat on top.

Key Points to Remember:

• Focus on the details: While you may not have much depth to your resume, the content that is on the page should be well written and completely error free.
• The power of references: Keep in mind that these can make or break your resume, so it’s important to ensure they are professional references that would give you a shining recommendation if an internship representative called. Be sure to give your references a copy of your resume so they are familiar with your accomplishments and always ask permission before listing them.
• Showcase your grades: While still in college, grades are one of the few “wow factors” that you will be able to showcase on your resume – so be sure to include your GPA and any honors that you may have received.