How to Build Your First Resume for Internships

Learn how to create your first resume for internships even without prior experience. Expert tips on showcasing skills and standing out.

scale.jobs

06 Feb 2026 — 5 min read

Crafting your first resume can feel daunting, especially if you lack formal work experience. But here’s the good news: no one starts with a fully polished professional resume, and every successful career begins with that first step. In a recent career webinar, career expert Tiffany shared invaluable insights into building a strong resume when you’re just starting out. Her advice, peppered with empathy and actionable tips, is a must-read for early-career job seekers.

Whether you’re a recent graduate, a student eyeing your first internship, or someone transitioning into a new field, this guide will help you present your skills, experiences, and potential in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

Why Your First Resume Matters

Before diving into specifics, Tiffany highlighted an essential mindset shift: your resume is your story. It’s not just a list of jobs or academic achievements; it’s a showcase of your skills, character traits, and potential to contribute. Even if you haven’t had a traditional job, you’ve likely developed valuable skills through other experiences. Employers are not just looking for technical skills; they’re also seeking "success skills" (often labeled as soft skills), such as collaboration, adaptability, and problem-solving.

"You have done stuff", Tiffany assured webinar attendees. "Your experiences - whether in sports, volunteering, leadership roles, or coursework - matter. You just need to frame them effectively."

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your First Resume

1. Shift Your Perspective: You Have Skills

Many early-stage job seekers worry that their lack of formal work experience is a disadvantage. Tiffany debunked this myth by emphasizing that internships, volunteer work, academic projects, and extracurricular activities all count as experience. For instance:

Participating in sports shows teamwork, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure.
Volunteering demonstrates initiative, responsibility, and community engagement.
Student leadership roles (e.g., club president or event organizer) highlight leadership, communication, and project management skills.
Group projects in school showcase collaboration, problem-solving, and time management.

Rather than focusing on what you lack, look at your life holistically and identify moments where you developed or demonstrated valuable skills.

2. Use a Skills-Based Approach to Highlight Your Strengths

A skills-based resume format is ideal for individuals without extensive job experience. This structure prioritizes your abilities over your employment history. Here’s how to approach it:

Start with a strong summary statement. Use 2-3 sentences at the top of your resume to introduce yourself, highlight your strengths, and specify the type of role you’re seeking.
Create a skills section. List technical and transferable skills relevant to the internship or job. Examples might include:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Microsoft Office or Google Workspace proficiency
- Basic programming or design software (if applicable)
Back up your skills with examples. Under each skill, mention real-world situations where you used or developed that ability.

3. Highlight Non-Traditional Experiences

When you’re new to the workforce, every experience counts. Tiffany encouraged attendees to think broadly about what they could include:

Academic achievements: Have you excelled in specific subjects or received awards?
Extracurricular involvement: Clubs, sports teams, arts, or community groups can all demonstrate valuable traits like commitment and teamwork.
Volunteer work: Did you organize a charity event or mentor younger students? Volunteering shows initiative and community awareness.
Personal projects: If you’ve taught yourself a skill (e.g., coding, graphic design, or video editing) or completed an independent project, include it.

For example:

Instead of writing "Played soccer", you could say, "Collaborated with a team of 15 players to develop game strategies and improve performance, demonstrating teamwork and goal-oriented focus."

4. Include Success Skills (Not Just Hard Skills)

Tiffany introduced a game-changing concept: stop calling them "soft skills" and reframe them as "success skills." These are the traits and abilities that make you an effective and well-rounded employee. Employers value skills like adaptability, communication, and leadership just as much - if not more - than technical abilities.

For example:

Adaptability: "Demonstrated flexibility by managing changing deadlines during group projects."
Leadership: "Led a team of four students to execute a marketing campaign for a class project, resulting in a 20% engagement increase."

Remember, success skills are often what differentiate candidates with similar technical qualifications.

5. Keep Your Resume Concise and Clean

Addressing the age-old debate about resume length, Tiffany advised early-career job seekers to stick to a single page. Employers want resumes that are easy to scan, so include only the most relevant and impactful information. Use bullet points, action verbs, and concise language to keep your content clear and engaging.

If space is tight, prioritize:

Your most relevant skills and experiences.
Results and achievements over basic tasks.
A professional, easy-to-read design.

Pro Tips from a Career Expert

Invest in Upskilling: If you have gaps in your experience, consider free or affordable online courses to build in-demand skills. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses in everything from Excel to public speaking.
Tailor Your Resume for Each Job: Customize your resume by highlighting the skills and experiences most relevant to the specific role.
Practice Storytelling: During interviews, you’ll need to translate your resume into stories. Practice connecting your experiences to the job’s requirements.
Ask Questions and Seek Help: Whether it’s from career counselors, mentors, or peers, don’t hesitate to seek feedback on your resume.

Key Takeaways

Your experiences matter. Whether through sports, volunteering, or academic projects, you’ve cultivated valuable skills.
Reframe "soft skills" as "success skills." Traits like adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving are highly valued by employers.
Use a skills-based resume format. Highlight your abilities and back them up with real-world examples.
Every experience is a learning opportunity. Even unpaid roles, personal projects, and hobbies can demonstrate transferable skills.
Keep your resume concise. Aim for a one-page format tailored to the specific job or internship.
Upskilling is key. Take advantage of free online resources to build technical skills and enhance your resume.

Final Thoughts

Building your first resume may feel overwhelming, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to reflect on your experiences and showcase your potential. Remember, employers aren’t just searching for a checklist of qualifications - they’re looking for individuals who show initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. By following these tips and adopting a confident, proactive mindset, you’ll be well on your way to securing that first internship or job.

Take it from Tiffany: "Minimal skills in an actual work setting do not minimize you from creating an awesome, awesome resume." Keep experimenting, learning, and refining your story, and soon enough, you’ll be ready to step confidently into the working world.

Source: "Virtual career planning office hours with Handshake’s early career expert | Campus to Career" - Handshake, YouTube, Nov 4, 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN-n8jMFF7Y