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[C1155]Cover Letter Resume Writing

by Heather Eagar, Hea

The truth is many large companies require that their internship candidates submit resumes and cover letters just as job candidates are required to do. This can feel intimidating to the student who has no experiences to list. If you fall into this category, take a look at three ways that you can bring what experience you do have to life so that you can snag that great internship.

Tip #1: Think from the Employer's Perspective

The first tip to consider when writing your internship resume is thinking from the employer's perspective. This means considering what the employer would want to know about a person they want to hire. Doing this requires that you study the internship description so that you can determine what the employer is really looking for, as well as looking at the overall goals of the company. Afterward, you can take a look at what you have to offer and how – from the employer's perspective – what you know and want to accomplish can truly aid its mission.

Tip #2: Consider all of Your Experiences

Next, after you've looked at what the employer is likely looking for in an intern, you can round up your experiences to see how well they mesh with their goals. What is it that you have to offer? If you haven't held a job, what experiences have you had that have helped you build essential skills for the role? How organized are you? Do you work well with people? It's good to think about everything you've done that has required responsibility to show how great an intern you're going to be.

Tip #3: Educate Yourself on Resume-Writing Rules

Just because you're a newbie resume writer doesn't mean you're off the hook when it comes to creating a flawless resume. It's your job to learn the information you don't already know. For instance, you'll need to make sure to include the essential sections: objective, education, relevant coursework (good for students), experience, activities (include this section if you have relevant extracurricular activities), and special skills. But these are not all the rules you'll need to consider. Here are a few more.

First, you'll want your resume to be brief – one page is usually long enough to highlight your essentials. Second, the resume should be error-free. No typos or grammatical errors allowed. Third, it's recommended that you write your accomplishments as actions rather than duties. In other words, instead of explaining that you were responsible for something, it's good to say you “implemented …” or “managed …” something. And finally, if possible, try to stay away from “cutesy” fonts, flower-print backgrounds, and anything else that stops your resume from looking professional.

It's not always easy to write a resume, especially when there may not be much to list. But don't let that deter you from writing a great one. The more time you spend on creating an employer-specific, action-oriented, error-free resume, the greater your chances will be of snagging the internship you want most.

Think again.

I am willing to say virtually everyone can think of at least one achievement per position they've held. Not you? Don't be so quick to judge. You just have to know where to look and how to dig deep to find the information.

The right place to look

If you've been at a particular position for more than a year, most likely you have had a performance review. What good does that do? It reviews the year for you. It's difficult to remember what you did and what you accomplished and the written review is a great way to bring it all back.

Another way is to take a close look at your department. Does it run more efficiently since you've been employed there? Did you develop a key to improve intra-office communication? Are backorders reduced by 80% because of a process you created?

Note to self: To make this process easier for future jobs, keep a journal of your activities and achievements so that it can be referred to at any time.

What if you were never there?

Just sit back and close your eyes and run through a typical day at work. How has it changed since you started? Has it gotten better? Of course! You made it better. Think about who you come in contact with and how you impact their productiveness and efficiency. You'll be surprised by how much impact you have on your co-workers ? and even your bosses.

When you start to even think about job hunting, be aware of the day-to-day tasks that occur. Some seem minute; others not so much. How do you contribute to the meetings you're involved with on a weekly or monthly basis? All these ?little? responsibilities and achievements can add up to something great.

Remember - think highly of yourself

Whatever you do, do not ever say, ?I don't/didn't make a difference,? in the process of writing your resume. Nonsense. With that mentality, your resume isn't going to include anything noteworthy for employers. If you don't think you amount to anything, why in the world would someone want to hire you? Have confidence in yourself and it'll shine through to your resume.

As you're brainstorming, write down everything you can think of that might be useful on your resume. Then the information will be at your fingertips as you proceed to the next step in creating your resume - deciding the best format for you.

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Heather Eagar has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cover Letter, Interview Questions and Careers and Job Hunting. Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need. Heather Eagar's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.