The Do's And Don'ts Of Internship Applications (From Someone Who Screens Them Daily)

If you're a college student shooting your shot for that dream internship, hello! 👋🏼 You're about to build one of the most important documents of your early career: your résumé and/or your curriculum vitae (or CV).

And before you panic: No, it doesn't need to have multiple pages of achievements or corporate jargon. Below, we break down the essentials: what a CV really is, how it differs from a résumé and cover letter, and the biggest do's and don'ts of submitting your application like a pro—based on someone who reads through them daily. 👀

A curriculum vitae, or CV, is a comprehensive document that details your academic achievements and professional milestones. This includes awards, scholarships, research projects, and publications.

It's usually used for applying to academic positions, such as graduate school, faculty, or internships. It's usually formatted in chronological order and doesn't have a page limit.

A résumé, on the other hand, is a more concise summary of your skills, qualifications, and experiences. Think of it as the Instagram Highlights of your career so far. It should include your education, relevant work experience, org roles, achievements, and skills in one to two pages.

This is mostly used when applying for job positions outside the academe.

Meanwhile, a cover letter is your chance to speak directly to the hiring manager. It explains why you're applying and why you're a good fit for the role and the company—think of it as an elevator pitch, but without the time pressure.

Should you include a cover letter in your email?

• If the job listing asks for one: You absolutely need to submit it.

• If you're applying for competitive internships or roles: It can help you stand out.

• If the listing doesn't mention it: It's not mandatory, but including one can show your effort and professionalism.

Applying for internships can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options out there. But here's the golden rule: go for the ones you genuinely care about. When you're excited about a role, it shows—in your résumé, your cover letter, and even in interviews—making a way stronger impression than sending applications just for the sake of it. Once you've found a role you actually want to spend the next 300-ish hours on, here's what else you need to keep in mind:

Recruiters and hiring managers don't have time for cluttered layouts and chaotic formatting—your résumé or CV (depending on what's required) should be sleek and easy to skim. Use a simple font, consistent spacing, and clear section headings. Don't be afraid to update or refine your school's decades-old template! Modernize the font, clean up the layout, and make it look polished without losing professionalism.

If you're still in college, one page is enough. If you've had multiple internships or freelance jobs, going up to two pages is fine.

Here's the truth: You don't have to include every single contest you joined, all the papers you've written, or every campus org you were technically a member of.

When crafting your CV or résumé, be selective. Make sure to only include experiences that are relevant to the position you're applying for. For example: If you're applying for an editorial intern position, then just add the coursework, college org roles, and internships that are related or similar to the qualifications for the said role. That way, hiring managers can gauge if you're a good writer and fit for the team.

You might think you have no "real" experience when you're a college student, but you actually do! List anything that proves you're a team player, you can manage and juggle tasks efficiently, and create something meaningful. (Basically, anything that will make a hiring manager go 👀📝.)

Here are some examples:

• Leadership roles in orgs

• Committee work

• Class projects with real-world application

• Freelance gigs

• Part-time jobs

Don't just list your tasks—add context and data! Always give numbers, stats, or concrete results so we can see the impact of your work. For example, if you ran your org's social media pages, don't just say you "helped out with managing our socials." Instead, you can include specifics such as, "Planned and created weekly Instagram and TikTok content that increased follower count by 30% in three months and boosted average post engagement from 2% to 6%."

Because it does! A single typo can send the wrong message—especially if you're applying for roles in digital publishing (👋🏼), marketing, communications, admin work, or anything that requires attention to detail and excellent grammar. Trust us, we do notice and take note of it.

Most recruiters already assume you know how to use MS Word or Google Docs. There's really no need to list every software you've ever touched. Also, skip vague personality claims ("hardworking," "team player," "fast learner") and just prove them in your experience section.

Listen, we know you probably stumbled upon an internship application post at 10 p.m. and inspiration struck. You loaded up your CV, wrote a cover letter, and emailed it ASAP. We love the enthusiasm! But chances are, it'll get buried in the hiring manager's inbox by the time morning comes around.

So try not to hit "send" in the middle of the night or over the weekend. Aside from looking like a last-minute scramble, it can feel like you're skipping the usual work-hour rhythm—think of it as respecting the recruiter's time. Your application is way more likely to get noticed (and appreciated) if it lands when they're actually at their desk, ready to read it.

Send it during regular work hours—preferably between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can also just choose to schedule your email so you don't forget. Also important? Make sure to double-check the recipient's name and job title before you hit send.

We don't just base applications on CVs and résumés—we take into account the actual body of your email, too! Keep it short, professional, and polite.

Also, your email address should be appropriate. If you're still using your email from high school, it's time to create a new one solely for applications and work.

A clean file name says a lot about your professionalism. We do see it when you name your CV as "final-cv-last-na-talaga.pdf" or a straight-up keyboard smash. 😅

You can simply rename your file as "Last name, First name-CV.pdf" to keep it clean and profesh.

It's okay to follow up on your application, especially if there's been a reasonable lapse in time since you sent it. Hiring managers and employers go through a lot per day on top of their daily tasks and responsibilities, so it's highly encouraged to check in—it shows initiative and excitement for the job.

For internships, we recommend waiting five to seven days before sending a follow-up email.

At the end of the day, internships are all about learning and gaining real-world experience. They give you a chance to explore your interests, build practical skills, and figure out what kind of work excites you. Every task, project, and challenge is a chance to grow and prepare for your future career. Good luck!