3. Work Experience: Internships and Part – Time Work
Work Experience helps in convincing the employer that you are capable of performing in the work place and that you understand the rigors, responsibilities and requirements of working.
Work Experience as a college student consists of internships that you have undergone and part – time work that you’ve done.
It’s better to include internships or part – time work that is a part of the course requirements under the Educational Qualifications head of the resume rather than under Work Experience.
‘Work Experience’ for college students generally includes Internships or Jobs that you have taken apart from the ones you were required to complete as part of your course curriculum. The point is to show initiative and eagerness to contribute. The experience you include may or may not be related directly to the job you’re seeking.
Employers look for candidates with qualities such as Leadership, Initiative, Problem – Solving, Analytical Approach, Organizational Ability, Team Work etc. Your Work Experience should bring out these qualities as these are applicable to all forms of jobs and can greatly improve your employability.
For example, as a Journalism student, you might want to mention a 1 month internship that you had undergone at a News paper office during your summer holidays. Even though you might not have learnt much about Print Journalism in a month, adding this as a part of your Work Experience conveys to the reader about your desire and initiative to learn and work.
While mentioning this under the ‘Internships/Part –Time Work’ section, you should mention the name of the Company/Organization you worked for, along with the date and your key activities. An example is given below:
ABC Daily Newspaper June 2014
Intern
* Researched and wrote 3 local news stories which were published.
* Co – wrote a feature story on the topic of women safety, called ‘……….’.
* Attended 4 events and assisted the Senior Reporters in writing corresponding stories.
The above example shows your initiative and curiosity to learn more about your subject, which is essential for any Journalist in the world.
You can even mention internships or jobs that you have done that are not related to the job you’re seeking. For example, as an Engineering student, suppose you took up a part – time job at a restaurant to support yourself financially. You should add this also as a part of your Work Experience under the Part- Time Work/Internships category in the following manner:
XYZ Fast Food Restaurant April – September 2013
Cashier
* Managed daily accounts and created monthly cash reports.
*Persuaded the Manager to revise food distribution methods; saving the company Rs. 5,000 per month.
As you can see from the above example, even an unrelated job as a Cashier at a Fast Food Chain can showcase your mathematical and analytical abilities which can in turn be beneficial to you as an Engineer.
While writing your work experience under the ‘Internships/Part – Time Work’ category, include all experiences of practical work you’ve had, whether related or unrelated.
Focus on showcasing your personality traits like Leadership, Initiative, Team Work, Problem Solving etc. A presence of these qualities will make you stand out in a crowd of candidates and can greatly increase your chances of getting the job.
Things to consider before you mention your work Internships/Part – Time Work in your Resume:
* It is ideal to mention those internships/jobs that are not mandatory parts of your curriculum. Work Experiences that are mandatory are to be mentioned under your ‘Educational Qualifications’.
*It is best to mention experiences and internships that are related to the job you’re seeking. However, do not be shy of mentioning unrelated experiences as well, as every practical experience adds to your employability.
* Try and bring out your personal qualities through these additional internships/part – time jobs. Qualities like Initiative, Analytical Approach, Problem Solving Skills, Team Work and Leadership are highly sought after.
* We often fail to identify the practical experience we gain through daily tasks. For example, even assisting your Dad in his business can prove to be a valuable experience if mentioned in the right context.
