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That internship can boost your CV…Here’s how to list It for maximum benefit.

Think of the internships in the same way as other work experience.

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Think of the internships in the same way as other work experience.

Writing your CV can come with many questions.. what should you highlight? What should you leave out? How best can you describe your experiences and education especially when it comes to internships? A strong internship experience on your CV can determine whether you will get that interview especially if you are just starting out in the job market.
So how best can you list this internship to make you stand out?

  • Think of the internships in the same way as other work experience. List them under work or professional experience from the most current one. For example, if you worked at ABC Group in October to November 2019 and XYZ Company in January to March 2018, the ABC Group internship would be the first followed by that of XYZ company. 
  • Be specific in the title, do not only say “intern”. Instead state the position you interned, for example, a  sales intern or a public relations intern.
  • Specifically state the name of the company, the location of your internships and the time you spent. For instance, write that you worked at XYZ Company located in Nairobi between January and March 2018.
  • Below this, provide a description in bullet points of the work you did as an intern. Start off with a verb that relates to the industry you are applying for. For instance, if you are searching for a job as a marketing manager, include words such as “marketing” or “promotion”.
  • Include any awards or recognition you got at your place of internship. Don’t be shy, say you received a commendation for reaching the sales target or that you were the youngest person to bring in 50 clients in a month.  But don’t overdo it, focus only on important projects or assignments you were involved in. In this way, you can show the employer exactly what you can do for the company.
  • Try your best to show the potential things you learned and the areas you were exposed to. For instance, if you learned how to proofread scripts or took part in scriptwriting, state it.
  • If you were an intern then got hired by the company where you interned, you should include both the internship and the job you received under work experience.  List the internship and the job as two separate roles with two titles under the organisation’s name. 

As a whole, take advantage of your internships and ensure that they are a part of your CV as they show your willingness to learn and work hard. These are things that every employer is looking for.

 

Written by

James Makau

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