Sample Government Internship Resume

How to Write a Resume When Applying for Internships in Government

Close-up on a professional resume (curriculum vitae) Some numbers in focus, rest is blurry.
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By
Penny Loretto
Penny Loretto

Penny Loretto is the Associate Director in the Career Development Center at a Skidmore College, a small liberal arts college. She has her own career counseling practice, Career Choice, where she works with adults in career transition. She conducts career planning workshops including researching career options, job search strategies, and resume development.

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Updated on 03/21/19

If you are a college student or a recent graduate who is interested in entering the civil service in the United States, one of the best ways to “get your foot in the door” is to apply for available internships at the agency of your choice. Although many of these internships may begin as temporary (and sometimes unpaid) jobs, they frequently will convert into full-time, salaried employment for interns who do superb work during their initial assignment.

Tips for Applying

Unlike most job applications, you will need to submit a federal resume for most government internships. Federal resumes tend to run much longer than other resumes since they require a fuller description of one’s employment history, qualifications, education, and credentials (often from 2-5 pages). Federal job applicants are required to provide their social security numbers on their applications (under the authority of Executive Order 9397). You will also need to provide dates (with months) of the jobs you have held, along with the salary you received and the names and phone numbers of your supervisors.

To get started on your application process, visit USAJobs and enter “internships” or “Pathways Internship” into the search field. Each advertised internship description provides detailed instructions about how to apply online.

Samples

This is a sample resume written for a government internship position. You may simply read the sample below or download the Word template by clicking on the link.

Resume for a Government Internship (Text Version)

Allan Jones
42 Golden Ave., Groton, CT 06124
(518) 622-7098
ajones@nyu.edu
Veterans’ Preference: N/A
U.S. Citizen (S.S. #xxx.xx.1234)

SUMMARY

College-trained graduate in government positioned to excel within the Recent Graduate Pathways Program with the Department of Treasury, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, in Washington, D.C.

Key skills include: Research and data analysis, verbal communications, written communications, public relations, community affairs, grant writing, budget review, strategic planning.

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE

Intern, Groton Mayor’s Office, Groton, CT (June 2018 – August 2018)
Salary: $1,500 stipend | Job Type: 20 hours per week, Full-Time | Supervisor: George Mason, (012) 345-6789
Assisted with administrative tasks such as grant writing and budget review; conducted research and performed data analysis. Planned and designed education initiatives eventually adopted by Hartford Board of Education.

Intern, New London’s Mayor’s Office, New London, CT (June 2017 – August 2017)
Salary: $1,500 stipend | Job Type: 20 hours per week, Part-Time | Supervisor: Helen Williams, (012) 345-6789
Researched behavior on how college students vote.

Field Organizer, John Butler for Congress, New London, CT (June 2017 – November 2017)
Salary: Unpaid (10 hours college credit) | Job Type: 20 hours per week, Part-Time | Supervisor: Joe Greene, (012) 345-6789
Participated in field research and created field presence for political candidate. Identified, recruited, trained, and managed team of 8 – 12 volunteers and interns in contacting voters through phone-banking and canvassing. Led effort to mobilize local Latino population. Won New London, Groton, Central Falls, and Mystic Seaport.

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE

Student Assistant, New York University, New York, NY (September 2016 – June 2017)
Salary: $13 per hour | Job Type: 20 hours per week, Part-Time | Supervisor: Sarah Summers, (123) 456-7890

Student Aide, Philosophy Department, New York University, New York, NY (September 2015 – June 2016)
Salary: $13 per hour | Job Type: 20 hours per week, Part-Time | Supervisor: Professor Alfred Wiggins, (123) 456-7890

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Major: Government, May 2018
New York University (NYU), New York, NY; GPA 3.4

Study Abroad, International School of Public Policy, Paris, France, Spring 2017

HONORS / AWARDS

Mellon Research Fellowship, Costa Rico Poverty in Urban Communities (Summer 2018); Howard Mellon Fellow, U.S. President’s Award for Community Service

COMPUTER / LANGUAGE SKILLS

Software: Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, Visual Studio.NET, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX, Oracle

Language: Proficient in Spanish.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE / COMMUNITY SERVICE

Senior Advisor, Committee on Diversity Leadership, NYU Student Union, New York, NY, September 2017 - June 2018
Created strategy on how to implement an International Affairs program at NYU and advised Executive Bard on accepted procedure. Negotiated with Diversity Affairs keynote speaker and participated in NYU’s Diversity Campaign; organized and promoted speakers on campus to enhance awareness of diversity issues.

Lecturer / Panelist and Advisor, Foundation for Excellent Schools, Cornwall, VT Presented lecture, “Increasing Student Performance,” at national conference in Hartford, CT (November 2017) and Poughkeepsie, NY (November 2016, 205, and 2014).

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