How Do I Write a Resume for a Summer Internship with Limited Experience?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around how to write a resume for a summer internship, particularly for individuals with limited work experience. Participants share strategies and suggestions for including various types of achievements and skills in the resume.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests including non-work related achievements such as academic honors, leadership roles in clubs, and personal interests to enhance the resume.
  • Another participant recommends considering a "functional resume" format, which emphasizes skills over work history, as a suitable approach for those with limited experience.
  • There is a mention of the difficulty many face when writing resumes, with a suggestion to utilize university career center resources for assistance.
  • Some participants express surprise at the original poster's acceptance of an internship without initially presenting a resume, questioning the process.
  • The original poster clarifies that the internship was accepted through a school program, which did not initially require a resume.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of including a variety of experiences and skills in a resume, but there is no consensus on the best approach or format to use. The discussion includes differing opinions on the necessity of presenting a resume before accepting an internship.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the potential limitations of relying solely on work history in resumes, suggesting that skills and achievements may provide a more comprehensive view of a candidate's qualifications.

Who May Find This Useful

Undergraduate students seeking internships, individuals with limited work experience, and those looking for guidance on resume writing strategies.

mateomy
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Hi all,

I'm not sure if this should be here or in 'Academic Guidance' but I'm sure the mods will make that call.

Anyway, I accepted a summer internship at JPL/NASA this summer and just received an email that had me complete some registration steps. One of the steps wants me to upload a resume, which I don't have currently so I'm sort of confused on how to start.
As an undergrad my experience is super limited save for a part time job. How does someone with such little to say in terms of 'experience', go and write a resume?

Any pointers would be appreciated, thanks!
 
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You can include non-work related things, such as academic (prizes, scholarships, etc.) and non-academic (sport, arts etc.) achievements , or your involvement in any clubs (university, sport, etc.), especially if you held a position of leadership or contributed in some way. Perhaps if there are any particular projects in which you led a group of people at university, you could also mention then. And even though your actual work experience may be limited to a part time job, it is worth writing a bit about it anyway; it is better than having a blank space under "employment history". It could also be worth having a small section on personal interests, just to add some character to your resume. I know some people think it is pointless (and maybe in some circumstances it is), but I know that my small list of personal interests has sparked some interesting discussion (often because of a common interest with the interviewer) in a few interviews I've had, which can only be a good thing I think.
 
I think a lot of people think resume as just the typical name, summary, skills, work experience etc... I would advise you to research "functional resume." It works well for people who have limited work experience. Instead of listing work history, you list functional skills and give concrete examples on how you have used this skills. I tend to prefer to read these resume than work history from undergraduate because your work history is clearly limited but your skills may not be.

Resume writing is extremely hard to do for most people. Your university should have a career center that can help you. Look this up and good luck!
 
How did you accept an internship without presenting a resume to recruiters in the first place?
 
Aero51 said:
How did you accept an internship without presenting a resume to recruiters in the first place?
I was thinking the same thing. I guess he is a really good networker.
 
It's through a summer REU sort of thing. I didn't think I had to present a resume since it's through school, but the email I received today is stating otherwise.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
 

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