A resume might be a one-page document, but it defines you. It takes just a fraction of second for the interview panel to form an opinion about your character and your knowledge level. So your resume is your face and it becomes imperative to make it as precise and perfect as possible.
Technology is quite diverse from other fields. Countless innovations and countless changes happen overnight. If you have the skills, you shine. Adapting to such changes and learning quickly is good but you need to show it to others how capable you are. As far as tech internships are concerned you need to impress the reader with your skills and the ability to adapt to new changes.
Before you think about writing your resume, make sure that you have done the following:
- Work on your skills
In the end, it is your skills that matter the most. Find time to do new courses and build something with the knowledge that you acquired. Projects are a great way of showing off how skilled you are.
- Apply for internships and actively participate in hackathons, competitions, and technical conferences
These experiences together form the content of your resume. Don’t shy away and be an active participant to enhance the quality of your resume.
Read on to know about those important pointers that help in tailoring your resume specifically for tech internships.
- Start Early
It is impossible to create a resume just a few hours before the deadline. You need to put in extra time and effort to make that one impressive resume. To do that start early.
If it’s your first time then jot down all the points. It can be anything from winning a technical competition to a new skill that you picked up recently. Make a rough and basic draft out of it and keep modifying it. This not only saves time but also gives you a fresh perspective to analyze yourself.
- Extract only the relevant information
Now that you have the basic draft, take out only the required information from it. Tailoring your resume according to the scholarship is of utmost importance. Filter out irrelevant details like unprofessional email-ids, age, gender, and date of birth. The key idea is to gain credibility through your experiences.
The key content is now ready. Here are a few general pointers before you organize your resume.
- Use a standard template with proper layout
Making a resume from scratch can turn out to be pretty tiring. You would have to research several things from the font size and style to the proper layout before you can create one. Pick up a standard internship resume template and start modifying it. It would end up saving a lot of your time.
- Avoid the use of images
Your resume should convey what you did to make yourself stand out from others, not how much effort you put in to make it visually appealing. Focus on creating a resume that is neat and simple.
- Use bullets to present the facts
One way to make the resume look good is through the use of bullet points. This makes the content look organized and uniform throughout.
- Use action words
Actions words project your confidence. They give a professional feel to your resume.
For example, if you achieved something use words like “Attained”, “Awarded” or “Succeeded”.
There are a number of action words available online. Use them according to the context.
- Be genuine
If your resume conveys your honesty, it is going to be an added advantage. Write what you did and be proud of it.
- Limit your resume to a maximum of two pages
Last but not the least, stick to the page limit. If it’s one page, then that’s great. However, if you have more to add, don’t go beyond two pages.
Let’s now dive into the specifics of making a resume for tech scholarships. Surprised to find only one bulleted point? Well, this important point pretty much covers everything you need to know to finish making your resume.
- Know how to organize your resume
Your resume should be organized in the following manner. The headers are left to you to customize but make it a point to include the details mentioned below.
- The Header
Every resume starts with this. Include your name, phone number, and email address. Ensure that the phone number you provide is always reachable.
Refrain from giving unprofessional email ids.
- The Objective part
This part reflects your statement of purpose. Hence keep it genuine, simple, and short.
- Skills
This section happens to be the most important one when applying for a tech internship. It summarizes what you did to upskill yourself in a nutshell.
Are you a technically sound person?
Do you have good programming skills?
Are you interested in fields like embedded systems or VLSI?
Do you have good leadership skills that set you apart?
Pick out the skills that are in accordance with your internship requirements and list them out here.
The most common ones in technical skills are:
- C++, Python, Web Development, Android Development
- Arduino, Raspberry pi, Digital Electronics, Circuit Design, IoT
Your soft skills may include those skills that reflect your personality. Your work ethics, interpersonal skills, communication skills, and adaptability are judged and analyzed by the person who reviews your resume.
- Education profile
Use the reverse-chronological format. Begin with the ongoing course or any course that you completed recently. Finally, add the details about your high school. Since most scholarships ask for academic transcripts, it is better if you include your GPA.
- Internship or Work Experiences
Internships provide a glimpse into the work culture of a company. Besides, students are exposed to the latest tech stack which is often not found in most colleges. They gain practical exposure to the industry which stimulates them to develop out of the box solutions. Hence internships play an important role in a student’s life.
From software engineering to hardware designing, there are tons of opportunities available. The best part of an internship is the learning experience. It might be a simulation software or a new microcontroller in the market, you always pick up a thing or two. Hence it is of utmost importance to include your internship experiences.
List the recent experiences first. Do not forget to include your role and the duration of the internship. Summarize your experience in a few sentences that can capture the gist of what you did. Also, mention the skills you acquired and the technology you worked on.
- Projects
While internships help you to gain industry exposure, it does not teach you to solve a problem from scratch. There are predefined roles and predefined problems that you have to work on. In a project, it is different. Be it a hobby project or group project, you would have to do everything. You define the problem statement, you come up with the architectural design, you decide the tech stack and you make the prototype. You are not limited to your role as a backend developer or UI/UX designer. It gives you a lot of scope to experiment and innovate. No one is there to mentor and guide you and you are on your own. Since projects test your abilities to the maximum, they are an indication of how skilled you are. Include them in your resume to get a clear head start from others.
Again list the project you did recently first. Give a brief description of the project, the duration, and the tech stack used.
As important it is to include them in your resume, it is equally important to validate it. You can do so by mentioning either the Github profile link or the Google Drive link that contains the video of the working prototype.
- Achievements and Accolades
Have you taken part in a hackathon and bagged the first prize?
Have you pitched an idea at an idea presentation competition?
Are you into open source and have been contributing to an Open source project for a long time?
Have you won any technical competitions organized by IEEE or other colleges?
If so, this is the right place to include them. This is by far everyone’s favorite section. It is highly recommended that you start every point in this section with action words. Confidently list out the accomplishments that give you an edge over other applicants.
- Training courses and certifications
Taking MOOC courses during your free time is an indication of how well you utilize your time and how eager you are to know about the latest trends.
You keep learning and you keep updating- that you should be your motto.
List out the courses you have completed in online platforms like Coursera and Udacity. Also, include relevant certifications in this section.
- Membership details and volunteering experience
List out your volunteering experiences and the details of the community where you are a member. Being an active participant in tech communities like IEEE, girls who code can add further value to your resume.
Now that you have finally completed your resume, ask someone to proofread it. Proofreading is the final step to perfect your resume.
Your resume evolves as you grow. So keep learning and keep growing!!
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