CV for Internship—Sample & 25+ Writing Tips

Writing a great internship CV is scary.

The good news?

Most intern CVs are flunking out.

Focus on achievements, and you’ll pass with flying colours.

Want to nail it? Prove you’ve already done what the internship needs.

This guide will show you:

• CVs for internships samples better than most.
• How to ace your university internship CV work experience.
• How to write a CV for an internship that gets the interview.
• Why picking the right few CV-for-internship achievements will get you noticed.

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Looking for another kind of CV? Have a look at these guides: 

• University Graduate CV
• Entry-Level Positions CV
• Graduate School Application CV
• High School Graduate CV
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) Application
• CV with No Experience
• Scholarship CV
• Student CV
• Teen CV
  
• CV for University Application
• University Student CV
• Engineering Student CV
• Computer Science CV
• Entry-Level IT CV
• Entry Level Mechanical Engineer CV

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our professional CV examples. 

Sample CV for Internship

Now, here’s how to write an internship CV:

1. Use the Right CV Format for Internships

Start off right.

The perfect CV format shows you’ve made the grade.

• Pick the reverse-chronological CV format. It puts your smartest accomplishments in the front row.
• Use the best CV fonts in 10–14pt. Add big headings, 1-inch margins, and lots of white space so the hiring manager won’t squint.
• Make a one-page CV unless you’re Bobby Fischer or Judit Polgár.
• Start with a CV header. Include your name, phone number, email address, and social media links. No photo or street address.
• Next write an internship CV objective, then education and work experience.
• Include extras like projects, conferences, honours, and additional activities.

Expert Hint: Save your CV as a PDF unless the posting says not to. CV for internships as PDFs won’t drop out when you send them. They’re also machine-readable.

2. Start With an A++ Internship CV Objective

What’s next?

Write a head-turning CV objective for internships.

It should tell the hiring manager to sit up and pay attention.

Use:

1. One adjective (energetic, hard-working, helpful)

2. Job title (marketing specialist, programmer, engineer)

3. A skill or two (SEM, Java, design)

4. How you’ll help (provide expert marketing intern help)

5. Flashiest 2–3 achievements (ran a social media campaign that got 8,000 shares, created 2 eCommerce websites)

These two marketing intern CV examples show right from wrong:

Internship CV Objective Example

Enthusiastic marketing specialist with proven skills in web design and SEM. Seeking to provide expert marketing intern help at Meeker World Global. Ran a social media campaign for a pet shelter that got 8,000 shares. Developed an online marketing campaign for the school swim team that raised £65,000.

Enthusiastic, capable, hard-working marketing specialist, highly skilled in web design, SEO, sales funnel management, and SEM. Haven’t had any real-world jobs in marketing yet, but this internship will help me develop my career.

Big difference.

That first CV for internship sample blows the curve out. The measurable accomplishments will make them want to meet you.

But if you make the effort, you’ll realise you’ve got a couple intern CV achievements like that.

Expert Hint: Don’t write your university internship CV objective first. You’ll get stuck trying to think what to say. Write it last so you’ll have piles of material to choose from.

3. Put the Right Experience and Skills on Your CV for Internship

Bonus tip:

The key to getting chosen?

It’s packing your CV for university internships with achievements.

Have you worked as a waitress? Or in retail?

That’s nice. But—

You’ll go light-years farther if you show something they want.

These internship CV examples give a valuable lesson:

CV for Internship Sample

Say the internship wants these skills: (1) eCommerce (2) CAD (3) mobile development.

Experience

Freelance Computer Science Projects
Various
2015–2019

• Created eCommerce site that sells designer switchplates. Used PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Includes customer database.
• Created CAD project that makes 3D-printed action figures using Facebook profile photos. Project was cited in the Deelip blog with colour photos.
• Updated mobile site for NutritionMonkeyShines.com to meet Google's mobile first guidelines. All pages passed with an average of 2 errors each.
• GitHub project: "moby." Added memory.kernelTCP support for Linux. Also added device support for Windows and fixed log output format.

Computer Science Projects in Past Jobs
Various
2014–2019

• Debugged online store for local sporting goods shop.
• Performed upgrades to update eCommerce site to latest Apache distro.
• Created customer ordering site for local florist shop.
• Sourced new hardware for florist's computer system. Saved them 45%.

Waitress
The Prickled Pegasus, Inc.
2017–2018

• Handled seven tables in my section.
• Responsible for taking orders and serving food and drinks.
• Restocked sugar packets, tea bags, creamers, ice, and napkins.

Why does that first university freshman CV example win? Look at those achievements.

The hiring manager would have to be a preschool dropout to ignore you.

But here’s the shocker:

All those accomplishments were side-projects done in school or as a freelancer.

Internship CV Skills

This is key:

Don’t cut-and-paste skills for internship CVs from the internet.

That’s sophomoric.

But for your reference, see this list:

Internship Skills CV

Communication

Strong Work Ethic

Collaboration

Time Management

Self-Motivated

Fast Learner

Listening

Interpersonal Skills

Physically Fit

Problem Solving

Expert Hint: According to a NACE survey, 61% of graduates do internships, and most of those are paid. A solid intern CV will get you in that better group.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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4. Write a Strong Intern CV Education Section

Of course:

The education section matters on a university internship CV.

But only a few do it right.

You have to tie your CV for internships to the position to get noticed.

This intern CV example shows how:

Education on Internship CV—Template

The internship wants skills in: (1) programming (2) hardware knowledge (3) mobile computing

Education
B.S. in Computer Science, University of Leeds
2015–2018

• Pursued a passion for programming and software development classes.
• Member, Student Chapter, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
• Received Distinguished Achievement Award for computer science excellence.
• My podcast on mobile computing was downloaded 1,800 times.

That university internship CV sample nails it. The achievements show you’re just short of prodigy status.

Expert Hint: Is your university internship CV experience still learning its ABCs? List education accomplishments like clubs, groups, and projects as if they’re jobs.

5. Enhance Your Internship CV With Bonus Sections

Here’s a secret.

Most CVs for internships are very similar.

Education, experience, hire me.

Show more than that and even Elon Musk would notice you.

How?

Include extra CV sections that show you’re a starship on the launchpad.

See these internship CV examples:

Bonus Sections on Intern CVs—Examples

Conferences

• 2018 DeveloperWeek
• 2017 Devnexus

Award

• 2018 2nd Place, Coderbyte coding challenge.

Additional Activities

• Led a coding challenge at HackOHI/O 2018.
• President, Way2Go gaming club. Raised attendance 120%.
• See my programming portfolio at helenizbasa.com.

Additional Activities

• Award-winning programmer.
• Attend numerous professional conferences.

Night and day.

Those first CV internship samples prove you’re ready.

Those achievements and numbers show competence and passion.

Expert Hint: Send a cover letter with your CV. Most hiring managers won’t read it, but nearly half won’t read your CV for internships without it.

6. Make Them Read Your CV for Internships

“But I haven’t done anything yet!”

That’s what everybody thinks.

Trust me.

You’ve done more than you know.

Need inspiration?

Build your intern CV from accomplishments like these:

Achievements to Put on Internship CV

• Academic projects
• High grades in key classes
• Well-received school papers
• Personal projects
• Freelance work
• Volunteer tasks
• Clubs and groups
• Commendations and compliments from teachers and employers
• Awards and honours
• Leadership positions
• Certifications
• Publications
• Podcasts or videos you’ve made
• Conferences attended

Any of those feats will make your CV for internships stand out.

But—

Make sure they fit the internship. Does the position want creativity and problem solving? Pick internship-on-CV accomplishments that prove those traits.

What if you need to know how to show an internship on a CV?

How to Put Internship on a CV

To put internship on a CV, list it like a job. Find achievements in it that match the job posting. List those as your bullet points, like the CVs-for-internships examples above.

Expert Hint: Employers believe you can do what you’ve already done. The closer your CV bullets to the internship’s responsibilities, the better.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

For a great internship CV:

• Use the university internship CV template up top. It puts all your greatest hits where employers can see them.
• Catch their eye with an intern CV objective. In it, list 2–3 achievements that’ll keep them reading.
• Stuff every bullet point with accomplishments. A CV for internships is a trophy case. Everything in it must fit the position.
• Don’t forget the internship cover letter. A CV for internships is nice, but a great cover letter will ensure they read it. This guide on how to write a cover letter as a recent graduate is also a good place to start. 

Got questions on how to write a great internship CV? Not sure how to put internship on a CV? Want to write a winning university student CV for internships? Leave a comment. We’re happy to reply.

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