How to Write a CV for an Internship (Examples & Expert Tips)

You need experience to get a job, but you can’t get experience without a job. This is known as the experience paradox, in which many students, graduates, or career changers find themselves. You might wonder whether an internship is worth it, especially if it is unpaid. In truth, internships offer valuable learning experiences that can help you secure your first full-time job.

In this step-by-step guide, we cover:

• A breakdown of key sections for an internship CV

• Examples and tips on writing a CV

• Tips on how to write an internship CV with no experience.

The key to writing a good CV is creating tailored content that matches the job description and understanding your career goals. It needs to be scannable and easy to read by both recruiters and automated software known as Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

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If you need more inspiration, see our CV templates to help you get started.

Internship CV example

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Katie Andrews is a recent graduate looking to kickstart a career through an internship. With the Princeton CV template, she showcases her experience through education and side jobs while drawing attention to her technical and language skills.

Need a cover letter? Refer to our matching internship cover letter example for more valuable insights and tips to help you succeed in your next job.

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What to include in an internship CV?

A well-written CV needs to include fundamental information regardless of experience or qualifications. Below you can find a list with core sections to incorporate into your CV for an internship. Once you have populated your CV with essential information and sections, consider adding optional sections. Note that the aesthetics of a CV can vary depending on your career choice as well as your personality, but this should not be the main focus of your CV.

An internship is no different from a regular CV; however, you still have to think of how to display the key information in a way that best aligns with your career goals. Writing a CV for an internship or a graduate can be daunting, especially if you don’t have work experience. That’s why having a well-crafted, concise, and tailored CV is crucial.

How to write a personal profile for an internship CV

A personal profile, a profile summary or about me, is a brief statement at the beginning of your CV that outlines your current situation, relevant experience, and career ambitions. Refer to the examples below or read more on our career blog about how to write a personal profile.

Check out our school leaver CV example for more valuable examples and tips on how to create a splendid personal profile.

Refer to our investment banking CV and investment banking cover letter for more expert tips and examples.

Explore our related blog article about seasonal work for more insights on summer job opportunities in the UK market.

Refer to our social media CV example for more valuable career advice.

Check out our psychology CV example for more guidance on how to land a job in human resources (HR), PR, or family services worker.

For more valuable advice, refer to our lawyer and paralegal CV examples.

For more examples and expert tips, refer to our related blog article about career change.

How to include skills in an internship CV

Skills differ from person to person but, generally, can be divided into three categories: hard skills, soft skills, and transferable skills. They highlight your strengths and show why you’re qualified for the job. When adding skills to a CV for an internship, ensure they are relevant to your target job. Otherwise, leave them off your CV or incorporate them in other CV sections such as work experience or personal profile. If you want to learn more, see the article on how to include skills on a CV.

Examples of hard skills

Also known as professional skills, hard skills are capabilities that are easy to quantify. You can obtain them through practical experience, educational training, or courses.

• Data analysis

• UI/UX design

• Video editing

• Programming

• Technical writing

Examples of soft skills

Also known as personal skills, soft skills are natural abilities that are honed in your day-to-day life. They define your relationship with other people.

• Results-driven

• Meticulous

• Motivated

• Caring

• Flexible

Examples of transferable skills

For candidates starting out or changing careers, it will be beneficial to use transferable skills.

• Organisation

• Team management

• Leadership

• Time management

• Problem-solving

For more useful tips, explore our related blog article on top skills employers look for.

How to include work experience on an internship CV

The purpose of this section is to list your previous jobs or work experience in a way that includes both daily duties and achievements. If you’re looking for an internship, you might not have relevant work experience or, possibly, no experience. If that’s the case, shift the focus of your CV to the education, skills, or additional experience sections. To learn more, see our article about how to add work experience.

Additional tips to consider for internship work:

• Include job positions or experience relevant to your new job target.

• Utilise transferable skills to boost your CV.

• Rewrite duties and achievements for your job-specific CV to ensure you’re targeting the right keywords.

For more advice, please refer to our blog article on entering the workforce after graduation.

Examples of work experience for an internship:

Marketing Intern | Red Bull, London, UK | 2023-2024

Assisted in developing and executing marketing campaigns, ensuring all initiatives were aligned with brand objectives.Analysed market trends and consumer behaviour to inform strategic decisions and optimise marketing efforts. Coordinated promotional events and activations, managing logistics and vendor relations. Collaborated with the design team to create compelling visual content for various social media platforms.

• Assisted the Head of Marketing in a campaign that boosted sales by 15% in the first month, significantly exceeding initial targets.

• Increased social media engagement by 20% through targeted content and strategic use of trending hashtags.

• Successfully managed event logistics for a product launch, attracting over 500 attendees and generating extensive media coverage.

For more expert examples and tips, refer to our marketing CV and marketing cover letter examples.

Software Development Intern | Google, London, UK | 2022-2023

Participated in the development of new software features, working closely with senior developers to learn best practices. Conducted code reviews and debugging sessions to ensure the quality and functionality of software. Engaged in daily stand-ups and sprint planning to stay on track with project milestones and team goals. Presented project findings to senior management, showcasing the progress and impact of the developed features.

• Implemented algorithms improving process efficiency by 20%, enhancing overall system performance.

• Reduced system errors by 15% through effective debugging and thorough testing procedures.

• Delivered a final project showcasing impactful developments, receiving positive feedback from senior engineers for innovation and functionality.

See our (software) developer CV and developer cover letter examples to learn more.

How to list additional experience for an internship CV

This section is often used by individuals with a lot of work experience, but sometimes it is outdated. Nonetheless, relevant. One way to leverage this is to add a title and company while forgoing the dates. That way, you can elaborate further within an interview.

For example, if you are a student with various volunteer experiences, strategically use this section to include it or other short-term work experience. Another way to do it is to create a project-based CV where you list relevant projects you were involved in and your main achievements. This includes but is not limited to side jobs, freelancing, tutoring, student societies, or volunteering. To learn more on how to write a CV if you have little to no work experience, read our article on how to create a skills-based CV.

Example of how to add additional experience for an internship:

Finance Intern | Barclays, London, UK | 2023-2024

Assisted in preparing financial reports and statements, ensuring accuracy and compliance with industry standards. Conducted market research and analysis to support investment strategies and decision-making processes. Participated in budget planning sessions, providing insights and recommendations based on financial data. Collaborated with senior analysts to monitor and evaluate the performance of financial portfolios.

• Contributed to a project that identified cost-saving opportunities, resulting in a 10% reduction in operational expenses.

• Improved the accuracy of financial reports by implementing a new data verification process, reducing errors by 15%.

• Presented a comprehensive market analysis report to senior management, which informed key investment decisions.

For more tips, refer to our finance CV and finance cover letter examples.

How to write education for an internship CV

For candidates who lack work experience, education is the next section you can leverage to make your CV stand out. This section, most commonly, should be kept brief and to the point. However, if you have little to no experience, you can always elaborate with relevant academic courses, achievements, projects, or student societies. We advise placing education before work experience if you don’t have enough work experience.

Tips on what to include under the education section:

• University degree: Mention your degree alongside the university program title and include the completion or expected completion date.

• Degree description: Consider this a job description in the educational setting. Utilise your transferable skills or other achievements to align your CV with your career goals and personality.

• Relevant courses: In bullet form, list university courses relevant to the job.

• Certificates or professional training: If you completed accredited online courses from a university or well-known provider, list them in this section. Alternatively, consider creating a separate section for courses and certificates if they add value to your CV.

• A-levels or GCSEs: Using this section will be a good addition if you don’t have a tertiary (higher) education or have no experience. Only list it with relevant subjects and final grades, if applicable.

For more information, check out our related blog article on how to write the education section for a CV.

How to write a CV for an internship with no experience 

If you are seeking an internship but don’t have direct experience, don't let that discourage you from taking the first step and creating your CV from scratch.

• Switch your CV focus to additional experience and showcase relevant skills, education, volunteering, or other activities.

• Highlight your enthusiasm for the industry.

• Incorporate transferable skills you may have acquired from previous positions or side activities that could be relevant to your next internship or full-time job.

• With a bit of effort and focus, you can still create a strong CV that catches the recruiter's attention.

For instance, if you’re interested in marketing, it might be a good idea to include the following skills: content creation, social media management, or data analysis. By highlighting them, you can demonstrate your ability to excel in the field of interest.

Example of no experience in an internship:

Human Resources Intern | Deloitte, London, UK | 2023-2024

Assisted in screening resumes and coordinating interviews, ensuring a smooth and efficient recruitment process. Supported the onboarding process for new hires, providing necessary information and resources. Conducted research on employee engagement strategies, compiling data and presenting recommendations. Organised company-wide events and training sessions, coordinating schedules and materials.

• Developed a feedback system increasing participation by 30%, leading to more actionable insights for the HR team.

• Improved new hire retention by 10% through an enhanced onboarding process that better addressed employee needs.

• Organised training sessions that increased employee satisfaction scores by 15%, contributing to a more positive work environment.

Explore our human resources (HR) CV and HR cover letter examples to learn more.

Key takeaways

An internship is valuable for anyone just starting out in their career, but what’s even more important is ensuring your CV is set up the right way. With our expert tips and examples on which sections to include, you can be certain that you will start landing more interviews.

Final tips tips on landing an internship:

• Be clear and concise when writing your CV or cover letter.

• Use professional language without personal pronouns (‘I’, ‘me’, ‘us’).

• Expand your network and use your existing connections.

• Seek out feedback from experienced people.

• Focus on entry-level jobs or internships to kickstart your career.

• Use relevant CV sections and keywords.

• Proofread your CV regularly.

• Avoid outdated information.

• Don’t lie about your skills, education, or experience.

Next steps?

We offer a diverse range of professional templates designed to streamline your job search. Our career platform features a built-in job finder and application tools, alongside a dedicated CV Writing Service. If you need more inspiration, explore our diverse collection of CV examples. Visit CVMaker for more valuable resources and expert career advice to enhance your application success.

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FAQ 

How to kickstart your career through an internship?

Internships help you get practical experience and teach you valuable skills on how to perform a specific job.

1. Acquire soft and hard skills to perform a specific job.

2. User your personal profile to show your motivation to learn and passion for the field.

3. Demonstrate strong qualifties lke a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn, and a passion for the field.

4. Meet industry professionals and experienced candidates who can review your career documents.

5. Regularly update your CV and cover letter to improve your chances of getting noticed.

Lastly, following an internship enables you to meet new people and familiarise yourself with the organisation and office environment.

Where can you apply for an internship?

Consider attending and networking at job fairs to scout for potential employers, or consider career platforms such as CVMaker, Indeed, LinkedIn, or Glassdoor. We recommend looking at the company’s website page to compare the same job post on different platforms.

How to choose the best CV template for an internship?

The CV template choice differs from person to person. Regardless of experience and the type of job you’re interested in, remember your CV layout needs to align with your career goals. The most common way to do it is to use a chronological CV where you first list the most recent experience in reverse chronological order. Another way to do it is to write a skills-based CV better suited for candidates who lack relevant experience and are new to the industry.

How much do interns get paid in the UK?

According to Talent, the average salary interns earn in the UK is £23,300 per year or £11.95 per hour. The lowest job level positions start at £21 060 per year, whereas the highest job level positions have a salary of up to £30 000 per year. The only exception is job shadowing, where an employer does not have to pay the minimum wage.

Explore our related article about the highest-paying jobs in the UK for information on the average salary in the UK and job prospects for those with no experience.

How to write a CV for a research internship?

Unlike professional internships, research internships focus on your academic achievements, such as your degree, publications, courses rather than work experience or corporate skills. To write a research internship, emphasise relevant experience and qualifications and incorporate them in your academic CV.

What’s the difference between academic and professional internships

Academic internship, whether it is paid or unpaid, is practical work experience that bridges classroom learning and real-life work experience. It is usually integrated into your academic curriculum, be it a required or an elective course. On the other hand, a professional internship is completed independently by students either in support of their studies or to gain hands-on work experience.

For more inspiration on how to list your publications and research experience, refer to our similar article about academic CV.

What are the benefits of completing an internship? 

The benefits of completing an internship during your undergraduate studies or attending an internship programme can add great value. As a fresh graduate, you are ready to soak up knowledge and have the drive that many seasoned professionals might be lacking. An internship is an opportunity for you to grow and an opportunity for you to set yourself up for success by making sure you choose the correct career path.

Should you just have 1 CV or multiple ones tailored to each job you apply for?

Unlike a generic CV, a job-specific CV makes your CV better organised and concise. Even though you can apply directly to an entry-level job, internship contracts are way shorter and can give you valuable insight into the daily job duties and responsibilities. Eventually, this helps you determine whether a job is the right fit for you. Extract relevant information from your master CV to create a job-specific CV that aligns with roles like banking or computer science. Doing so ensures your CV is tailored to a specific job.

Refer to our article on the difference between a job-specific and a master CV to learn more.