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Why Your Resume Matters

Your resume is often your first impression with a tech company. For internships, recruiters spend an average of 7-10 seconds scanning each resume. You need to make those seconds count.
Most large tech companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan your resume before a human ever sees it. An improperly formatted resume might get filtered out automatically.

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Resume Format Essentials

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Keep It Simple and ATS-Friendly

  • Always submit your resume as a PDF
  • PDFs preserve formatting across different systems
  • Name your file professionally: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
  • Never use .doc or .docx unless specifically requested
  • For internships, keep your resume to exactly one page
  • Use appropriate margins (0.5-1 inch)
  • Don’t shrink fonts below 10pt to fit more content
  • Quality over quantity—be selective about what you include
  • Use clean, professional fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica
  • Font size: 10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for your name
  • Avoid graphics, images, or photos
  • Don’t use tables, text boxes, or columns (ATS systems struggle with these)
  • Stick to standard section headers
  • Full name (make it prominent)
  • Phone number
  • Professional email address ([email protected])
  • LinkedIn profile URL (optional but recommended)
  • GitHub profile (highly recommended for tech roles)
  • Location (city and state—no full address needed)
Test your resume by uploading it to an ATS checker tool online. These free tools will show you how well your formatting holds up.

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Essential Sections

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1. Education

For internships, education typically goes near the top of your resume. What to include:
1

Degree and major

  • Full degree name (Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)
  • Expected graduation date (Month Year)
  • University name and location
2

GPA (if 3.0 or higher)

  • Include your GPA if it’s 3.0 or above
  • You can also include Major GPA if it’s higher
  • Format: “GPA: 3.7/4.0”
3

Relevant coursework

  • List 4-6 courses relevant to the role
  • Focus on advanced or specialized courses
  • Example: Data Structures, Algorithms, Machine Learning, Distributed Systems
4

Honors and awards

  • Dean’s List, scholarships, or academic honors
  • Relevant technical competitions or hackathon wins
Example: 
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Expected May 2027
University Name, City, State
GPA: 3.8/4.0 | Dean's List: Fall 2025, Spring 2026
Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Operating Systems, 
Database Systems, Software Engineering, Machine Learning

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2. Technical Skills

Only list skills you’re genuinely comfortable discussing in an interview. Recruiters will ask you to explain or demonstrate skills you list.
Organize your skills into clear categories: Categories to consider:
  • Languages: Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, SQL, Go
  • Frameworks/Libraries: React, Node.js, Django, Flask, TensorFlow, PyTorch
  • Tools & Technologies: Git, Docker, AWS, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Linux
  • Concepts: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOP, RESTful APIs, Agile
Example: 
Technical Skills
─────────────────
Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, SQL, HTML/CSS
Frameworks: React, Node.js, Express, Flask, TensorFlow
Tools: Git, Docker, AWS (S3, EC2), MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Linux
Concepts: Data Structures, Algorithms, RESTful APIs, Agile Development
List skills in order of proficiency and relevance. Put your strongest languages first.

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3. Projects

For many students, projects are the most important section. This is where you demonstrate practical experience. How to structure each project:
  • Give your project a clear name
  • Add a one-line description of what it does
  • Include links to GitHub repo or live demo if available
  • List the key technologies in the first line
  • Format: “Technologies: Python, Flask, PostgreSQL, AWS”
  • Focus on what you built and the impact
  • Use action verbs and quantify results
  • Highlight technical challenges you solved
Example: 
Task Management Web Application | Python, React, PostgreSQL, AWS
• Developed a full-stack task management app serving 200+ users with
  real-time collaboration features using WebSocket connections
• Implemented RESTful API with JWT authentication and role-based access
  control, reducing unauthorized access attempts by 95%
• Deployed on AWS EC2 with auto-scaling, achieving 99.9% uptime and
  handling 10,000+ daily requests
Choose projects that:
  • Solve real problems
  • Use technologies mentioned in job descriptions
  • Show full-stack capabilities or specialization
  • Demonstrate complexity beyond coursework

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4. Experience

Include relevant work experience, even if it’s not directly technical. What counts as experience:
  • Previous internships (tech or non-tech)
  • Research positions
  • Teaching assistant roles
  • Freelance or contract work
  • Leadership roles in tech organizations
  • Relevant non-tech jobs (shows work ethic)
Format: 
Software Development Intern | Company Name, City, State | May 2025 – Aug 2025
• Contributed to production codebase serving 1M+ users by implementing
  3 new features in React and Node.js
• Reduced API response time by 40% through database query optimization
  and implementing Redis caching
• Collaborated with cross-functional team of 8 developers using Git,
  Jira, and Agile methodologies

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Writing Powerful Bullet Points

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The Action-Result Formula

Every bullet point should follow this structure:
1

Start with a strong action verb

Use powerful verbs that convey technical skill and impact:
  • Built/Developed/Created: For creating new features or systems
  • Optimized/Improved/Enhanced: For making things better
  • Designed/Architected: For system design work
  • Implemented/Deployed: For putting solutions into production
  • Automated/Streamlined: For efficiency improvements
2

Describe what you did

Explain the technical work clearly and specifically:
  • Mention specific technologies
  • Describe the scope or scale
  • Explain the technical approach
3

Quantify the result or impact

Numbers make your achievements concrete:
  • Performance improvements (“reduced load time by 60%”)
  • Scale (“serving 50,000+ users”)
  • Efficiency gains (“automated process saving 10 hours/week”)
  • User impact (“improved user engagement by 25%“)

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Strong vs. Weak Bullet Points

❌ Worked on a website for class project
❌ Used Python and JavaScript
❌ Helped with debugging issues
❌ Made the application faster
Notice how the strong examples specify technologies, include numbers, and clearly show impact. Every bullet point should answer: “What did you do, how did you do it, and why does it matter?”

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Objective statements waste valuable space and are outdated. Recruiters know you want an internship—that’s why you’re applying. Use that space for technical skills or projects instead.
Your barista job is fine to include if you have limited experience, but don’t give it 4 bullet points. One line is enough for non-technical roles, unless you can draw relevant connections (e.g., “created inventory tracking spreadsheet automating weekly reports”).
Don’t say you’re a “passionate self-starter” or “team player.” Show these qualities through your accomplishments. Let your projects and experience demonstrate your initiative and collaboration skills.
Pay attention to details:
  • Use consistent date formats (Month Year)
  • Align bullet points properly
  • Keep tense consistent (past tense for previous roles, present for current)
  • Match heading styles and spacing throughout
Skill rating systems (“Python ★★★★☆”) are meaningless to recruiters and don’t work with ATS systems. Simply list your skills—the projects and experience sections show your proficiency level.
Typos suggest carelessness. Proofread multiple times, use spell-check, and have friends or mentors review your resume. A single error can disqualify you.

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Resume Checklist

Before submitting your resume, verify:
1

Content quality

  • All bullet points start with action verbs
  • At least 50% of bullet points include quantifiable results
  • Technical skills match the job description
  • Projects demonstrate relevant technologies
  • No spelling or grammar errors
2

Format and structure

  • Saved as PDF with professional filename
  • Exactly one page long
  • Clean, ATS-friendly format (no tables, columns, or images)
  • Consistent formatting throughout
  • Professional font (10-12pt)
  • Appropriate margins (0.5-1 inch)
3

Contact information

  • Name is prominent at the top
  • Email address is professional
  • Phone number is correct
  • GitHub profile included (if you have relevant repos)
  • LinkedIn URL (optional)
4

Final review

  • Asked 2-3 people to review for errors
  • Tested with an ATS checker tool
  • Tailored for the specific role/company
  • All links work correctly

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Getting Feedback

Don’t create your resume in isolation. Get multiple perspectives:

University resources

Visit your career center for resume reviews. They understand what tech recruiters look for.

Online communities

Share your resume (with personal info removed) in the CSCareers Discord for peer feedback.

Industry professionals

Ask for feedback from students who recently got internships or professionals in your network.

Mock interviews

Practice walking through your resume with a friend. You should be able to explain and expand on everything listed.
Treat your resume as a living document. Update it after each project, course, or experience. Regular updates are easier than starting from scratch.

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