What skills should I put on an internship resume?

Mix core skills (communication, time management), role-specific tools (Excel, Python, Figma), and 3–5 keywords copied from the job description. Prove each skill with a tiny result or project.

How many skills should I list?

8–15 total, grouped by category. Prioritize the 6–8 most relevant to the role and remove anything outdated or irrelevant.

How do I pass ATS with my skills section?

Mirror exact phrases from the posting (e.g., “PivotTables,” “Looker Studio,” “React”). Place key skills in the top third of the resume and repeat naturally in bullet points.

Should I include proficiency levels?

Yes, but keep it simple: Basic / Intermediate / Advanced for tools you’ll be asked about. Avoid graphics like bars or stars that ATS can’t read.

How do I prove a skill with no experience?

Ship a 1–2 day project—a small dashboard, content calendar, script, or redesign—and link it. One concrete outcome beats generic claims.

Internship Resume Skills Guide 2025

Skills for Internship Resume (What to Include, Where to Put Them & ATS Tips)

Written by Anna Blanchard

Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Short answer: the best skills for internship resume mix core skills (clear writing, time management), role-specific tools (Excel, Python, Figma), and keywords from the job description. Put them in the top third of your resume and prove them with one-line results.

What counts as a skill on an internship resume?

Skills include tools (Excel, Python, Canva), methods (A/B testing, user interviews), and work behaviors (documentation, time management, stakeholder communication). If it helps a team ship work faster or better, it belongs—as long as you can prove it. For formatting the whole resume, read our guide: how to write a resume for internship.

Top skills recruiters scan for (across most internships)

Category	Examples to list	Simple proof you can add
Communication	Clear writing, slide making, stakeholder updates	“Wrote weekly updates for 20+ members; reduced meeting time 15%.”
Analysis	Excel (PivotTables), basic SQL/Sheets, research	“Built a cost tracker; flagged 8% saving.”
Organization	Task management, documentation, version control	“Created a Notion hub; improved handoffs for 3 teams.”
Collaboration	Slack/Teams etiquette, async updates, feedback	“Ran a 10-min async standup; raised on-time delivery to 95%.”
Tech literacy	Office/Google Suite, basic automation	“Automated file naming with a small script; cut manual work 2h/week.”

Want a shortcut? Internstart reads a job description, extracts the exact ATS keywords and tools, then tailors your resume and cover letter—and applies for you automatically.

Best skills by field (copy these into your resume—truthfully)

Field	Skills to list	1-line proof example
Marketing	Content calendar, short-form video, basic SEO, Meta/Google Ads, Canva, UTM tracking	“Planned 4-week calendar; +19% event sign-ups, tracked via UTM links.”
Finance/Accounting	Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), budgeting, variance analysis, PowerPoint	“Built monthly spend report; flagged a 6% variance for review.”
Software	Python/JS basics, Git, REST APIs, unit tests, React or Flask/Django	“Shipped a small Flask API + tests; 35% fewer bugs by mid-term.”
Data Analytics	SQL, Excel/Sheets, pandas, Looker Studio/Tableau, data cleaning	“Cleaned sales CSVs and built a dashboard; weekly views by 5 leads.”
Design/UX	Figma, wireframing, component libraries, accessibility, simple prototyping	“Redesigned onboarding; cut form steps from 6→4 with clear labels.”
Operations	Process docs, SOPs, inventory basics, Excel tracking, Notion/Asana	“Documented returns SOP; average processing time −22%.”
Engineering (Mech/EE/Civil)	CAD basics, lab safety, bill of materials, test plans, reporting	“Drafted BOM and test checklist; 0 rework on prototype v2.”
Product/PM	Backlog grooming, user stories, PRD writing, stakeholder syncs	“Wrote PRD for feature X; aligned design/eng and shipped v1 on time.”

How to list skills (placement, levels, ATS)

Placement: Put 6–10 relevant skills in the top third under a “Skills” or “Core Skills” line.
Group & label: Analysis: Excel (PivotTables), SQL • Tools: Looker, Notion • Methods: A/B testing.
Levels (optional): Excel (Advanced), SQL (Basic), Python (Intermediate).
Mirror keywords: Copy exact phrases from the posting (e.g., “XLOOKUP,” not just “Excel”).
Repeat in bullets: Reference your most important skills inside experience bullets so ATS sees them twice.
Avoid: Graphic bars/stars; ATS can’t parse them well.

Skills section template

Core Skills: Excel (PivotTables, XLOOKUP), SQL (basic), Python (pandas), Looker Studio, Notion, Clear writing, Time management

Turn skills into results (bullet examples you can adapt)

Replace adjectives with outcomes. Use “Did X → got Y in Z time/tools.”

Excel/Analysis: “Built a budget tracker with PivotTables; reduced monthly variance by 6%.”
Python: “Wrote a script to clean CSVs; saved ~2h/week for the team.”
Content/SEO: “Shipped 12 posts in 4 weeks; +28% organic clicks (Search Console).”
Figma/Design: “Prototyped a mobile flow; 5/6 testers finished in under 30s.”
Project management: “Ran a Notion board and weekly recap; on-time delivery 95%.”

Want your bullets written for you? Internstart turns your projects into proof-based bullets and mirrors the right skills for each internship—then submits your applications automatically.

Common mistakes with the skills section

Listing everything you’ve ever touched. Relevance beats volume—trim to 8–15.
Only soft skills. Pair soft skills with tools/methods recruiters can search for.
No proof. Add a metric, link, or tiny project to make each skill believable.
Wrong synonyms. Use the job’s exact wording (ATS cares).
Hiding skills at the bottom. Put key skills above the fold in the top third.

FAQ

How many skills should I include?

8–15 total. Prioritize the 6–8 that match the posting. Cut the rest.

Where should the skills section go?

Top third of page, under your summary/education—or right under contact info if you’re early in your degree.

How do I pick the right keywords?

Copy 3–5 exact phrases from the job description (tools, methods, certifications). Internstart can pull them for you automatically.

Next steps

Pair these skills with strong materials: how to write a resume for internship, cover letter for internship, and how to find internships with no experience.

Or upload once and let Internstart match roles, insert the right skills/keywords, draft tailored bullets, and send applications for you.