How To Correctly Insert Future Internship/Position Into Resume
Hey everyone,
Today I accepted a position at a BB (GS, JPM, MS) as a GWM intern.
What I am wondering is if Is it frowned upon to put this in my resume NOW, without actually starting the internship yet?
If it is not, could I get some advice on how to correctly word it in my resume? Thanks.
~ GrandJury
Upcoming Internship Experience on Resume
Users on the forum have mixed opinions regarding the question of whether or not to include an upcoming position on your resume. Generally speaking - it is wise to only put current or past experience on your resume.
User @NorthSider", a private equity associate, shared this sentiment saying:
The point of your resume is to be an exhibit of experience that you have and things that you have done. Putting a future position on your resume looks a bit desperate.
User @Nouveau Richie", a corporate development associate, took the opposite perspective sharing that it was okay to share your upcoming internship experience:
I would say it isn't unreasonable to include for stuff like conferences and scholarships when you're still a student, as the actual offer itself can be a signal of a competitive candidacy in some cases.That being said, you should only do it if you've already signed and it should only include three things:
- Name of the company
- Title as "Incoming [real title]" (e.g. "Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern")
- Start date instead of a date range: "Starting May 2013"
Don't include more than that. Be understated about it.
Sample Resume Lines
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | New York, NY
Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern | Starting May 2013
Want Your Resume Reviewed by a Pro?
The WSO Resume Review Service has hand-picked the best professionals from thousands of currently practicing finance professionals… people who live and breathe their industry - day in and day out… who can tell you what’s changing firsthand…who LOVE giving back and will keep you up-to-date on everything you need to polish your resume and land more interviews.
Check out our sample resume and read more about our service below.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
wso_undergrad_resume_templatev6-11pt_font.doc 66 KB | 66 KB |
I was thinking of becoming global head in about 10 years. Any way I can wriggle that into my res? Perhaps after my aristocratic middle name?
The point of your resume is to be an exhibit of experience that you have and things that you have done. Putting a future position on your resume looks a bit desperate.
Out of curiosity, what do you need a resume for if you've already accepted an internship?
I understand where you are coming from. However, I've also seen some resumes in this forum before which have had "future" expected positions on them and they were pronounced OK so I didn't know if it was deemed acceptable or not.
And it is for a Big 4 leadership program/conference.
I would say it isn't unreasonable to include for stuff like conferences and scholarships when you're still a student, as the actual offer itself can be a signal of a competitive candidacy in some cases. Obviously as you start to get to the point in your career when people have actual accomplishments the practice becomes pretty ridiculous, but for now it's harmless (and in fact, still possibly helpful).
That being said, you should only do it if you've already signed (in your case, it seems you have) and it should literally only include three things: 1.) Name of the company 2.) Title as "Incoming [real title]" (e.g. "Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern") 3.) Start date instead of a date range: "Starting May 2013" Literally don't include more than that, if you want to go on about what sort of things you will be learning and doing in the internship, save all that shit for the interview. Be understated about it, selling future results will make people assume you're full of shit.
In this case, should take no more than two resume lines:
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | New York, NY Incoming Global Wealth Management Intern | Starting May 2013
If it's for a conference, I think that you can get away with putting it on there without any bullet points. But I wouldn't put it on there for interviews or any professional correspondence.
Why would you feel comfortable listing experience that you don't have yet? If you haven't completed it yet you haven't even earned it.
I have a similar issue. I've accepted an internship that will start in a couple of months but as it only lasts for a few months and I am seeking further internship opportunities afterwards, what would be the best way to go about this? This internship experience based on division and brand name will definitely bolster my chances for further internships, so in that sense I would like to bring it up but I understand the pointers coming regarding it shouldnt be on a resume as that is supposed to exemplify experience, which I do not have yet from this internship.
Perhaps mention it on a cover letter? It certainly will help me get further interviews for internships due to the nature of the work and it is what I am focused on regardless of me not knowing exactly what I will be doing and accomplishing.
If you absolutely must put it on your resume, put it as a single line item with no bullet points beneath it. No details other than "Expected..." I just don't think this is a great idea, given the risk that something falls through and you don't end up doing the internship.
Although the reality is that people want to hire students that are "in-demand", in theory, no one wants to hire you for something you haven't done, that's why it is somewhat strange to put it on your resume.
Yeah I understand that.
However I am certain that I will do this internship, but even on these grounds I understand the point. Therefore is it just best to mention it with one line in a cover letter for instance?
I remember seeing future internships listed in either a Columbia or Wharton resume book that was passed around here. If I remember correctly, they listed the actual start date as the start date and a one liner after the pertinent information with something to the effect of "Accepted offer (date)".
I would only do this if the offer you accepted is halfway decent or it's really going to stick out. You probably aren't going to be interviewing for many positions during your internship and if you do, they'll likely be connected to your internship in some fashion so people will be aware of the internship without the awkward resume entry.
Just think about it for a sec. This is really only useful if you're doing blind resume drops and your success rate isn't going to be that great there anyway. If you're actually networking and reaching out to people, you may not have it awkwardly listed on your resume but you will definitely mention it and if you don't piss them off you will be remembered as the kid from x school with x internship.
Definitely agree with you. I am actually planning to network and that way I will bring it up that way, but if I do not have any networking opportunity and have to submit an application online I do not know what to do. Do not want to put it in my resume, but I would like to somehow indicate it as everyone should know that it will provide me with a skillset that is pretty much identical to the work for the intern positions I will want to be applying for after this internship and should help.
Some places just close their fall intern recruiting right now for instance and feel with my current resume would not even have a proper chance for even an interview.
If you really feel that you have no shot unless you put your expected internship on your resume, then you have nothing to lose by putting it on there. Definitely not the ideal, but better than having no shot at all.
Include future internship on resume? (Originally Posted: 04/08/2009)
For the resume I submit for the SA resume book, should I include a line for the position which I will be in, or just cut it off at my current PT job ending in May?
e.g.
BB Bank San Francisco, CA June 2009-August 2009 group here
It seems to make sense to do so, but then the question arises what to put under it in terms of bullet points. Also, whenever I see people with future experience on the resume it strikes me a bit strange, but that might be my own predisposition.
Thanks!
I don't think you should put your future internship on the resume in general. The point of the resume should be to show past experience.
And especially if it's for the SA book. You all will be working at the same place. The point of that book is to give a sense of your own background and differentiate yourself a little from the other interns.
Agree.
Also, when summer networking (early FT recruiting) starts rolling around in August and they ask for your resume, then you should have your internship labeled.
The world has changed. And we must change with it.
why stop there, you should but your future FT position as well
Just needed a sanity check I guess; when I had to hire my own replacement, I always turned my nose at future experience on resumes, but wasn't sure about the convention for the SA book.
Why not? I've already listed my future MBA at Wharton on my resume.
I have listed my future wealth on my resume too - $G for Gazillion
Future Internship on Resume (Originally Posted: 08/19/2009)
I am currently updating my resume with my Summer 09 internship (I worked at a boutique IB in NY this summer). I will be a junior this year and will be recruiting for BB SA positions. I had worked at a Equity Research firm last summer and am planning to work at another boutique in the Fall part-time while doing school. I had 2 questions:
1) I am still deciding if I should work at the small no-name boutique in the Fall - I doubt I will learn anything more than I did in the summer and I do want to learn financial modeling in a greater depth, for which I am currently going through the McKinsey Book and Damodaran's samples. However, they do have a good number of active deals and I will get more exposure to the industry. 2)I am in the accounting program at my school which has a strong Big 4 recruiting program - and I ended up accepting for a Big 4 offer for the Spring. Should I mention on my resume that I would be working there (Audit) this coming Spring since I would have the experience before the summer internship? I am not sure how BBs look upon accounting internships and don't want to give them the wrong impression that I am any less interested in finance (or confused about choosing b/w accounting and finance).
Thanks!
Future Internship on Resume? (Originally Posted: 12/26/2009)
Hello. Im a sophomore applying for internships in the summer and I had a question about work experience. I basically have no work experience at the moment in Finance and the only work experience that I will have is from an internship in this spring semester at a firm. Now the thing is that would it be a good idea to put down that internship, which I am starting in early january on my resume if im applying within the next few days to all the firms for the summer? Or should i not and just talk about it in my interview (IF i get any that is). I was just worried since other than this internship I have no work exp and that might really hurt me getting an interview. Thanks!
Don't put it on your resume.
What will your bullet points be? You have nothing to say about it yet.
Focus instead on what makes you a good candidate and sell your work ethic rather than your lack of experience.
Definitely put it on there, clearly stating that it's upcoming. (On the condition that it is 100% sure that you will be working there this spring).
That just takes one line on your resume, but it makes a big difference for every employer. Good luck
From what all my career and school advisers have told me, you shouldn't put it on there. It's a hard decision because you obviously want some experience in there. I would focus on the same things flipsorry mentioned on his post. You can write one line about it explaining the internship is expected to start in the spring but since that's all you can write, you can just put in in your Cover Letter rather than the Resume. Best of Luck!
x
Thanks for the advice every1, really appreciate it!
Considering you have no finance experience on your resume, I would probably lean towards putting it on. However, the big mistake here is when people put these anticipated positions on their resume under work experience. It DOES NOT belong under work experience since you have not yet started your position and, hence, have not yet accumulated any experiences. Instead, put it towards the bottom of your resume in your last section (skills, hobbies, whatever) and leave it as a one-liner stating the company, position and group, start date. That keeps it clean and clear while still getting the point across. Once you start the position, however, it can go right into work experience and you can begin filling it up with experiences. Good luck.
SO,
say you've been working there for 1 week, or are in training, can you put ONE line in your experience, and then add on as you learn?!
I would say you can put it on, even under work experience, just make it VERY OBVIOUS that it is a future position. And don't make up bullet points on what you will be doing. Just one line such as "Joining in spring semester as Investment Banking intern" or something like that.
Future internship position into resume, advice on this? (Originally Posted: 04/30/2014)
Hi everyone, I've read through previous threads regarding including a future internship position in my resume, and it seems like people generally are torn between including it as a one-liner/excluding it. Need some advice for my situation here: Am currently a sophomore, and some fall 2014 opportunities for a 4 month IB internship just opened up for a BB. I'm interested in applying for it, but have no finance related internships under my belt currently which will probably hurt my chances quite abit. I have accepted an ER position for an upcoming summer internship though, and was considering placing it in to strengthen my resume.. thoughts on this? It'll be a one/two-liner though.
Will appreciate any help!
If you have a signed offer letter I'd include it. If not then I wouldn't.
I do have a signed offer letter. thanks, but actually something else in my mind was how much of help ER would be to transit to IB? been reading the forums
thanks for the replies, will be adding something like this: Bank Name Incoming Equity Research Intern | Starting May 2014
on a side note, should this go under work experience? or at the bottom
I would put it under work experience.
deleted
Future Items on Resume (Originally Posted: 04/17/2015)
So I have been reading quite a few threads on WSO regarding whether or not its a good idea to put "expected" jobs/internships on a resume. It seems that the vast majority of people on this forum would generally advise against it, however the problem I have come across seems slightly different. I have accepted an offer (for the summer) to serve as an advisor/mentor to inner city school children of low income families in Chicago. There is quite a lot more to the program but nonetheless, I wanted to know if something like this (volunteering/community service) could be put on my resume (with a note like "expected") before completing the program. A quick side note, this info would be used on a resume for applying to undergrad universities.
Thanks!
For an undergrad university: mention it in your essay, or under extracurricular "accepted into....program"
The most play you would want to give to something like that is, as mentioned, in the additional information section at the bottom of your resume. Just a brief mention, absolutely no bullet points or dates.
Sounds good, thanks for y'all's help
Why not ask them if you could start earlier with some sort of limited involvement? That way it is current on your resume when you apply. You have an interesting situation..... if you were applying to jobs, I'd say "do not include" -- you include accomplishments and value added..... Good luck.
BB www.bburkeconsulting.com
With the way the program is structured it would be a little difficult for me to have any early involvement, but I went ahead and put it on my app resumes, no bullets or anything just a little "expected" note
I think you can't go wrong with that. It shouldn't be the feature of your resume anyway, but a more minor supporting point, so you should be ok. I do think it may be better to list it in your narrative statement/cover letter/essay/etc. in lieu of the resume; however you risk it not being read if it's not in the resume. Just thinking in terms of screeners separated from hiring managers.
Let us know how it turns out!
-B http://www.bburkeconsulting.com
Future job on resume as placeholder? (Originally Posted: 06/07/2011)
So, I start work in Sept of this year, but in the meantime I will be networking / handing out my resume to family friends / contacts (trying to break into IB). I am wondering if I should put the Company name / title (takes up 2 lines) on my resume with dates as Sept - present.
Normally, obviously I would never put this on my resume, but I am tempted to just because a lot of the people I will be meeting with are VERY busy / might not remember that I actually already have an offer and this will serve as a reminder that I am simply trying to network in the meantime / switch careers come late fall..
Thoughts???
Put "Beginning September 2011".
Voluptatem incidunt corrupti reprehenderit et. Ut et ex voluptatem placeat nulla. Perferendis quae doloremque consequatur. Ipsam accusamus asperiores illo non.
At hic occaecati et voluptatibus. Distinctio consequatur optio aut recusandae nam quisquam. Quam nemo et qui est occaecati. Ipsa incidunt rerum quia quidem perspiciatis neque.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Suscipit ea beatae eius tempora amet velit. Et facere veritatis quam eos sed. Consequatur sunt qui autem repellat a cupiditate enim officia. Vero in ex totam itaque modi ut. Inventore qui necessitatibus voluptate.
Molestiae quae quis adipisci ut corrupti. Omnis iusto vel atque qui ea aut. Minus quas omnis commodi. Hic error id cum in consectetur harum.
Omnis tempora incidunt recusandae doloremque tenetur. Hic ut vero laborum possimus. Molestias enim quibusdam aut atque.
Quidem hic tempore ut autem dicta labore. Impedit quibusdam eum nesciunt sequi illo suscipit. Quisquam ducimus quia corrupti consequuntur ipsa quam assumenda. Suscipit explicabo voluptatem quos ut non ipsa. Eum qui voluptas voluptatem ipsa non. Facilis perferendis a facilis enim debitis ex ab.