Writing a CV for an internship: clarify your objective
You don't need a long career history to know where you want to go.
- So, right at the top of your CV, be clear and say “Looking for an internship in digital marketing” or “Internship in cybersecurity - 4 months”. That’s how you set the tone, and it helps recruiters place you right away.
- Next, tell us what you want to learn during your internship. Applying for a job? Pick the right words from the ad and use them: the terms used to describe the job, mission, and skills required. And remember that they'll be more visible in bold.
Personal and educational info: get to the point
This may seem basic, but it’s a crucial element. Is your contact information (phone, e-mail, address) easy to spot? We need to know how to contact you so that we do not have difficulty finding that info.
Marie – Recruitment manager: “Nowadays, it’s usually right at the top of the CV, and that’s where our recruiters would be looking for it. It saves us a lot of time!”.
Another important point when writing a CV for an internship with no experience is your educational background. It's often our first reference point for understanding your background. Mention your specialities, group projects, options chosen, and dissertation in progress.
All this tells us about your profile, your interests, and the skills you are developing.
Marie – Recruitment manager: “Nowadays, it’s usually right at the top of the CV, and that’s where our recruiters would be looking for it. It saves us a lot of time!”.
Another important point when writing a CV for an internship with no experience is your educational background. It's often our first reference point for understanding your background. Mention your specialities, group projects, options chosen, and dissertation in progress.
All this tells us about your profile, your interests, and the skills you are developing.
You have more experience than you think
An inexperienced student's CV can reveal much more than you think. Everything counts, from involvement in charities to passions or personal projects. Mention what you've learnt from it, the responsibilities you've taken on - it's all experience! Your CV should represent you, and there’s no need to overdo it. Just show what drives you.
And don't forget to include examples in your internship CV:
Do you keep a blog? It’s all about writing skills, organisation, and critical thinking.
You get the idea.
Marie – Recruitment manager:
“A recruiter will spend only a few minutes on your CV. What’s effective is being concise, avoiding full sentences and preferring bullet lists. Regarding charities, it’s important to tell us their goal.”
Last tip: proofread yourself or ask someone else to do it. Even AI tools like ChatGPT can help you do it quickly.
And don't forget to include examples in your internship CV:
Do you keep a blog? It’s all about writing skills, organisation, and critical thinking.
- Do you do karate? Endurance, stress management and rigour.
- Rugby? Team spirit, cooperation, and strategy.
- Personal IT project? Technical curiosity and autonomy.
You get the idea.
Marie – Recruitment manager:
“A recruiter will spend only a few minutes on your CV. What’s effective is being concise, avoiding full sentences and preferring bullet lists. Regarding charities, it’s important to tell us their goal.”
Last tip: proofread yourself or ask someone else to do it. Even AI tools like ChatGPT can help you do it quickly.
