The busiest time for interns often comes as they near the end of their internships. With projects to finish, resumes to update and thank you notes to write, most begin to look toward the school year or full-time job search that looms ahead.
Your updated resume may be full of great quantitative gains from your internship, but it is important to remember the soft skills you learned on the job so you can discuss them in your next interview.
Many new graduates and interns struggle with soft skills, according to this Forbes article. Chances are you developed many of these during your internship, but articulating soft skills can be difficult. You may know that you are an effective communicator and team player, but emphasize this during an interview by recalling a project that required group collaboration. Communication skills are vital in any industry, and using an example from your internship shows the recruiter that you have experience working with others.
Long-term projects completed during your summer or semester-long internship also show time management skills. Interns frequently wear a lot of hats in an organization, and the ability to complete a project while still being responsible for everyday tasks displays commitment. Time management is difficult to put on a resume, it is but important to employers.
If you went above and beyond the call of duty during your internship, now is the time to highlight it on your resume and in the interview. Finishing an extra project or developing a new idea that improved your organization demonstrates work ethic. While this may seem like a “no brainer,” recruiters still like to know that potential hires take pride in their workplace and want to make it better. A concrete example of improvement from your last internship is the best way to display this skill.
Internships provide students and graduates with more than numbers and hours in an office. Soft skills may seem like common sense, but they can make a distinct difference and set you apart from other interviewees who neglect to mention them. Place as much emphasis on soft skills as hard numbers, and you’ll be well-rounded job candidate.
