How to Put an Internship on a Resume

Leveraging your internship experience in the right way on your resume can help you find a job and start on a great career path.

How to Put an Internship on a Resume

Internships add value to your job applications.

Internship experience is a valuable part of your resume. In many positions, the only distinction between an intern and an employee is the pay rate. Potential employers recognize the value of interns who are willing to work hard for the sake of learning more about the industry. When applying to jobs, you'll need to know how to put an internship on a resume so that employers can see you in the best possible light.

Never underestimate the power of a successful internship. Employers know that this type of workplace experience can be as valuable as any university degree. Include your internships proudly and never let them languish under more mundane elements on your resume.

Where to Put an Internship on a Resume

Many people stuff their internships at the bottom of their resume within the Education section. This is a mistake.

You have two options when it comes to placing internship experience in a resume. You can list your internship either:

  • under the Work Experience section alongside other relevant employment
  • under an Internship heading if you've completed more than one program of this type

If you have two or more internships—and these are more relevant to your aspirations than your paid positions—place them under their own heading and stick them at the top where they can take precedence over your work experience.

If your work experience is more recent and includes impressive positions that are relevant to the industry you're pursuing, include these jobs first, followed by an Internship section before your Education section.

How to Write About Internship Experience

No one wants to hear that you spent the first hours of the day doing coffee runs. Prioritize the most impressive parts of your internship position, even if these weren't what took up the majority of your time.

If you spent even a few minutes of the day proofreading editorials or scriptwriting for video shorts, these are the responsibilities you should highlight. Ask your supervisors for tips on using the right industry jargon to catch your future employer's eye.

How to Put an Internship on a Resume Correctly

List your internship on a resume the same way you list any employment. This is particularly important if you choose to intersperse internships and job experience. You should include:

  • the name of the organization
  • the months you worked there
  • the location
  • your position
  • a bulleted list of your responsibilities

Your resume formatting can take many forms, but make sure it's consistent. Don't change the formatting for internships, as this could give the impression that you believe these are less valuable than other points on the resume, when the opposite should be the case.

Example of an Internship on a Resume

The Sample Brand, June–August 20xx
Portland, Oregon
Social Media Intern

  • Wrote, proofread, and scheduled five social media posts per day across major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Grew number of followers on Facebook by 15% in three months.
  • Used Hootsuite to monitor ongoing campaigns and report weekly analytics to supervisor. Metrics included engagement, impressions, and referrals.
  • Strategized with social media manager on upcoming Back to School campaign and negotiated three guest posts from outside influencers to be posted in early September.
  • Increased response rate from 50% to 80%.

Thoroughly Check Your Resume

Now that you know how to put an internship on a resume, you should focus on getting your job search going. Need some help? Head over to Monster's grad site to learn the finer points of interviews, job offers, and much more.