How to Write an Internship Resume With No Experience
Write your first internship or OJT resume in the Philippines using school projects, org work, and skills. Includes before-and-after examples and a sample PDF.
By BetterInternship Team7 min readPublished
No experience yet? That's completely normal.
If you're staring at a blank page wondering what could possibly go under “Experience,” take a breath. You're writing an internship resume, not proving you've already had a career.
Think about what you've already done: a class project you worked hard on, an event you helped organize, a small freelance job, or something you built just to try it. Those are places to start.
We'll turn them into a resume that helps someone understand your skills. You don't need to make your experience sound bigger than it was.
If you're applying for OJT in the Philippines, the same starting point works. Your resume introduces you to the company; your school's endorsement letter and other requirements are separate documents.
Quick answer: Start with one readable page. Include your contact details, education, relevant projects or experience, and skills. Choose evidence that fits the role, not everything you've ever done.
What should your resume tell the recruiter?
The person reading it needs a clear starting point for getting to know you. Help them find:
Who you are and how to contact you.
What you're studying and when you expect to graduate.
What you've worked on, even outside a paid job.
Which skills you can use for this internship.
Read the internship description before writing. If it mentions research and spreadsheets, show a project where you used those. If it asks for writing samples, link to something you've written.
Missing a preferred skill doesn't mean you have nothing to offer. Start with the skills you can actually show.
Use your full name, an email you check, and a working phone number. Add your city and a LinkedIn, GitHub, or portfolio link if it helps the application.
For example: [Full Name] · [Email] · [Phone] · Quezon City · [Portfolio].
One easy thing to miss: a portfolio link that only works when you're signed into your school account. Open it in a private browser window before sending.
You don't need to include a full home address, government ID number, religion, or family details on a general internship resume. Follow any legitimate application requirements separately and share sensitive information only through an appropriate channel.
A short profile, if it adds something
A profile is optional. Use one or two sentences to connect your background to the role.
Example: “Third-year marketing student with experience writing event announcements and organizing survey results for class projects. Interested in a content or research internship.”
Can't think of a useful summary yet? Leave it out for now. You don't need a sentence like “hardworking student seeking a challenging opportunity” just to make the resume feel complete.
Education
Include your course, university, and expected graduation date. Make it clear you're still studying.
Add relevant coursework or an academic award if it helps. You don't need to list every subject or your elementary-school history.
Use the course name your university uses, such as BS Information Technology or BA Communication. If the listing asks for your year level, include it too. There's no need to make your degree sound more complicated than it is.
Projects
That project you spent weeks on counts for something, even if you only submitted it to a professor. It can show how you research, build, write, or work with a team. Just call it a school project so the context is clear.
For each one, include:
The project name and context.
What you did, not just what the group did.
The tools or approach you used.
What you produced or learned to do.
A capstone, class research paper, design portfolio, sample campaign, or personal app can all be useful. Pick the ones connected to the internship.
Org, volunteer, and other experience
Org work can show coordination, writing, budgeting, or teamwork. Volunteer work can show the same skills. Part-time jobs, freelance work, or helping in a family business can also be relevant.
A personal project doesn't need a company behind it to belong here. Say what you made and why. That's enough context.
If you have no org experience, that's okay. You can give more space to projects or coursework instead.
Skills and relevant certifications
List tools and skills you can explain or demonstrate. Instead of “Excel: 90%,” say what you can do, such as filtering data, using formulas, or creating charts.
If you've taken a relevant course, include its name, issuer, and date. You don't need to collect more certificates before you're allowed to apply. A project where you used the skill can be useful too.
Write project bullets using action + result
Think: What did I do? What came out of it?
The result can be a finished page, a report, a working feature, or a clearer process. It doesn't have to be a revenue figure.
These are fictional examples. Use their structure, not their achievements.
A school website
Before: “Helped create school website.”
Better: “Built a responsive school organization website with React and worked with 3 teammates to organize content and pages.”
Only worked on the registration form? Write about that part. It's still real work. Use numbers only when you know they're accurate.
A class research project
Before: “Did marketing research.”
Better: “Organized survey responses in Google Sheets and summarized students' buying preferences for a class marketing proposal.”
This shows the tool, task, and output without pretending the proposal was a real campaign.
Org work
Before: “Member of events committee.”
Better: “Updated the volunteer assignment sheet and sent schedule changes to the registration team before the event.”
You might think “I just kept the sheet updated” sounds small. But it tells someone you can keep track of details and help a team stay organized. Explain it plainly.
Keep it readable, not crowded
Aim for one readable page to start. If it feels crowded, remove less relevant details before shrinking the font. Someone should be able to read it without zooming in on every line.
If the company asks for a CV or a specific format, follow that instruction.
Export as PDF unless the employer requests another format. Open the exported file yourself. Check the links, text, and page breaks. Give it a clear name, such as [FullName]-Internship-Resume.pdf.
See an example resume
Example resume
Not sure how to put it all together? Use this example to plan your layout, then fill your own resume with projects and experiences you can talk about.
This example shows a fictional IT student using school projects and org work instead of previous internships. Notice how each bullet explains a specific contribution.
You don't have to make yours look exactly like this. Use a document editor, borrow the structure, and add your own details. Leave out sections you don't need. The example is there to help you start, not give you another standard to worry about.
Common mistakes to avoid
Sending the same version to every role. Move the most relevant evidence near the top.
Claiming the whole group's work. Explain your own part.
Listing skills you can't discuss. It's okay to be a beginner. Don't call yourself an expert yet.
Adding filler. Generic traits, unrelated seminars, and old school details can hide stronger material.
Leaving placeholders or broken links. Check the final file, not just the editor.
Before you spend another hour moving the margins, check the basics below. An honest, readable resume is a much better place to start than a polished document you never send.
Questions you might still have
Before you send it
For required OJT, check whether the company asks for your available start date or required hours. Include confirmed details where requested, but ask your coordinator first if you're unsure. These vary by course and school, so another student's requirements may not be yours.
Your email, phone number, and links work.
Your course and expected graduation date are correct.
