It’s really not an inappropriate feeling to get nervous when the time eventually comes to start looking for internship. Especially within Zimbabwe where the unemployment rate is already crippled. Regardless of the difficulty of actually finding a place to apply there also exists that dilemma of uncertainty in terms of what skills an individual needs to possess before applying, and how does one even navigate the application process in the first place. Although paths may differ in how a person eventually finds an employer, this article aims at giving some directive on the basic prerequisites that every student should have during the scouting process. It also gives a few tips and safe practices.
Creating a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
This first point should have been obvious but here is another question, ‘What’s a CV supposed to look like?”
The honest truth is that there is no specific way a CV is supposed to look because there are plenty of templates online that you can manipulate and add your details. However, there are some rules of thumb – a few pointers on commonly mistaken or misplaced details. Below is a guide on the expected subsections of a CV with some pointers on do’s and don’ts:
A CV should not be too congested (regardless of the template you choose) as you’d like your potential employer to easily recognize your most significant qualities or skills.
Contents of a CV
1. Personal Details
Include: Full Name, Home Address, Cell Number, Email and/or LinkedIn Profile Link.
Unless explicitly requested by a firm do not include your religious background, Date of Birth, gender, marital status, ID number or your picture.
2. Professional Summary
This should be about 3 or 4 sentences in a paragraph format that give a brief description about you, what you do and what you’re good at.
An example:
Third year Bachelor of Information Software Engineering student with experience in mobile and native app programming. Experienced with agile project management skills and an excellent work ethic. Capable of adopting to any work environment and able to developing strong working relationships thereby forming a fortified team.
3. Education
Make a chronological list (starting with the latest) of your education background obviously starting with the degree program you’re currently pursuing.
Include: Start and End Date, Name of School, Program Title.
If you feel like your program name is a bit vague then include one bullet point with a short description of the fields your program encompasses.
Below each education milestone, if any, add at least one or two significant achievements or awards.
4. Experience
This section is not mandatory for an internship because it’s not expected for you to have any prior experience before an internship.
However, if you have done some work in the past then it might be worth noting it down here.
Highlight whether it was: Voluntary Work, Internship, Part-time or Full-time.
Include: Start and End Date, Name of Organization, Location of Organization, Your Job Role.
One or two bullet points can be included to give a brief insight on the duties of your role.
5. Technical Skills
Make a bullet list of the technical skills you possess, giving the level of proficiency for each.
List skills, tools, frameworks or technologies you can use.
An example:
Advanced: C#, ASP.NET, Visual Studio 2019
Intermediate: Ms SQL Server, Linux, C/C++
Foundational: Php, JavaScript, CSS
6. University Projects
This section is not mandatory.
If you did a project (individual or group) it might be worth stating it on this section – just to give your potential employer proof of practical application of the skills, you mentioned.
Include: Project Name, Duration of Projection and Institute where you completed it.
Two or three bullet points may be included to explain the use of the project and the to state the tools used to complete the project.
7. Extracurricular Activities
If you have little to no experience this section can replace ‘Experience’.
It gives room for an individual to talk about what he/she does aside from school.
It can include: Club Membership, Voluntary Work or Hobbies.
8. Referees
It’s extremely essential to give 2 or 3 referees with their names, organization and their role in that organization.
Make sure they’re someone you have once worked with, or worked for that can vouch for your work ethic and general skills.
9. Transcript
A list of the modules/courses you’ve done and their respective grades can be requisite for some firms.
Personal Advice: Put them on a separate/new page.
This is the end of a CV and it should be one document with a maximum of 3 pages (excluding the transcript). Another point worth noting is that a CV and a resume are not the same thing. The subsections I’ve noted above are of a CV, which gives a more detailed account of an individual’s life. A resume on the other hand should be just one or two pages and comprise of a body with very summarized details about a person’s qualifications. A resume is usually used when a person is applying for a specific job role. Take note of a potential employer’s requirements – whether they want a CV or just a resume.
Curriculum Vitae Sample
Resume Sample
Have an internship letter
This is issued by your university or institute.
It is the equivalent of an application letter that describes your need for internship and proof that you’re indeed a university student.
Before being used, take note that the internship is signed and stamped by the responsible authority at your school.
How to draft an email when applying for internship?
When you decide to send an email to the target company you wish to apply to do not send the email with blank content and your attached documents only. There is need for you to appropriately address your matter so that the email is filtered easily, they cannot guess that you’re seeking internship. Below is a basic template for an email:
If there is no specific role mentioned for the IT internship the subject may be:
Subject: Application for IT related internship.
If there a specified role available:
Subject: Application for Internship with the role Mobile App Developer.
Email Body:
Greetings.
I am writing this email in regards to the available opportunity for an internship within your firm. I am currently a sophomore at the Harare Institute of Technology studying towards a Bachelor of Technology with Honors Degree in Software Engineering. I am willing to do internship from your renowned company in any IT based field. I want to do this internship because this will help in nurturing my industrial experience.
Find attached my resume and internship letter for your ready reference.
Regards,
John Doe.
****Make sure you use a formal email with a decent name.
General Tips
Be honest with your CV – there are some companies that request to assess your skills through a technical interview. If you claim to have high proficiency in a particular technology they might give you a practical task that has a huge bias towards that technology.
Do not back down on any interview – given the chance that you are called for an interview (oral or practical), just go and give it your best shot. You don’t necessarily have to be a master in the field but show the base knowledge and most importantly display your willingness to learn.
In as much as it might be a tiresome task to look for internship it is a very bad idea to pay ‘internship agents’ – people that claim to be experts at looking for internship are usually just like you, only with a motivated edge to search more because of money as the incentive.
Create a LinkedIn and Twitter account – these platforms are an easy way to connect with employers and at times you find a job opportunity with great ease (or job opportunities find you). These platforms also open up the opportunity for remote work.
Do not be discouraged by the job title – many a times employers give a vague job description and if it’s not what you had been targeting for then you might feel inclined to ignore the opportunity. My suggestion is that as a prospective intern you should apply for anything labelled ‘IT Internship’. Roles become blurry as you work within the firm as sometimes you might end up dabbling in other departments.
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