While online internships aren’t a new concept, they're particularly relevant options for college students during the current COVID-19 pandemic. As so many of us are locked down in our homes, remote internships offer a great opportunity to make this time count, add some valuable work experience to our resumes, and spend this time in a rewarding way.

Though even when we’re not restricted by the pandemic, there’s still plenty of reasons why doing an online internship could be a great idea. In fact, online internships for college students (and other learners!) are fantastic additions to any resume, at any time. Adding your internship experience to your next resume might get you that job interview you’ve been angling for!

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Should you include an online internship on your resume?

Yes! An online internship is just as valuable as an on-site internship on your resume. An online internship can give you the same amount of work experience, it can ensure your resume is gap-free, and it can add valuable international experience.

Moreover, to some employers (particularly ones that are part of increasingly distributed companies), it might even be a bonus that you did a remote internship, as it shows that you have the self-discipline and online communication skills required to function well in an online working environment.

So don’t hesitate to add your online internship experience to your resume—boast about it instead!

5 ways to boost your resume with a remote internship

1. Close up gaps in your resume

It is unquestionable that it looks good to have a gap-free resume. In other words, you don’t want to have any periods of time unaccounted for on your resume; it’s better to display as much work, study, or intern experience as possible.

The pandemic has thrown off many people’s plans, and it might be stopping you from doing your job, embarking on that internship for which you had planned, or even from finishing the course you were doing.

Online internships are a great way to fill this gap; they can be easily done from home, and they allow you to continue your important career-building process. And who knows? A remote internship might even open unexpected doors and lead you to opportunities you would have otherwise missed. 

And, of course, this applies to any other gap you might have, and not just to the current situation. If you have time in between courses, if you’re only working part-time and want to make the rest of your time more valuable, or if you’d like to make use of your free summer months, online internships for college students (and everyone else!) are worth considering.

2. Develop your time management skills

During a remote internship, you’ll need to work quite independently. While you will obviously have guidance from your supervisor, the setting is different from that of a normal internship; you’re by yourself, without the constant supervision and company of a team.

This forces you to work more autonomously, and be highly organized in your work. It can be challenging, but it’s a great learning experience.

As a remote intern, you’ll gain some great insights about yourself and develop some key skills; you’ll learn how to focus well, how to be self-motivated, and how to develop good working methods.

You’ll find out how, when, and under which conditions you get your work done as efficiently as possible. You’ll learn to be flexible and productive at the same time!

It’s a great exercise in discipline and time management, and a great way to build skills that can help you in the rest of your career. 

3. Add international work experience...without going abroad

Doing a remote internship for a company in another country is a great way to get international experience without traveling. Doing an international internship, even if it’s remotely, teaches you about cultural sensitivity and allows you to learn work approaches that might vary from country to country.

It also allows you to adopt an international mindset within your industry. Therefore, international work or internship experience is a valuable asset in your career; it makes your resume stand out and shows you’re adaptable. 

Moreover, most virtual internships with international organizations will be done in English. If English isn’t your native tongue, this is a highly valuable experience. You’ll be able to greatly improve your language skills and master the English jargon of your particular field, which, in an ever-increasing international working environment, are important skills to have.

Excitingly, all this can be achieved from your own living room. This means the experience becomes accessible to people who might not have the funds or the time to embark on an international adventure.

It also makes your internship experience more environmentally friendly, and less time-consuming.

4. Build an international network 

How a strong professional network helps you career-wise is somewhat self-explanatory; it can open doors to exciting opportunities.

Having an international network can bring these opportunities to a global scale, so if you’re interested in an international career, establishing a network in different countries can be key to your future success.

Remote internships are a great way to gain access to professional networks across the globe, as you can be part of a company on the other side of the world without having to leave your own house. 

Therefore, during your remote internship, you should take every opportunity to connect (virtually) with a lot of people in the field to extend the network and open up job opportunities in the future, as well and gain a new perspective.

Your international business connections are even more reason to add your online internship on your resume; those references could lead to opportunities in your future career!

5. Gain strong online communication skills

In today’s fast-moving world, online (communication) skills are more important than ever. Many companies are moving towards a less central and more distributed way of working, with teams often spread around the world.

This trend makes it important for interns to learn how to work and communicate efficiently online. During your online internship, you’ll gain these skills. You’ll learn what it takes to maintain a strong team ethic when your colleagues aren’t in the same building, how to make yourself clear and listen to others through online tools, and how to collaborate virtually.

You’ll also learn how to work with online management and communications systems, which you can add to your resume and use in your future career.

How to write your remote internship in your resume

• Add your remote internship to the Work Experience section of your resume, and list it the same way you would any other internship or job. 
• Be specific; include the location of the company you interned for, as well as the exact dates of your internship. 
• Include your internship title, rather than just mention that you were an intern. For instance, call yourself “Marketing Intern”, “Business Development Intern”, etc. 
• List the main responsibilities you had during your remote internship. 
• Call attention to any specific achievements during your online internship. 
• Keep it short and to the point, while giving all the relevant information.

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An online internship is a great addition to your resume

In short, online internships for college students and beyond can be a great addition to your resume. It can provide the same amount of work experience as a traditional on-site internship, and on top of that, it can show future employers that you have the type of strong time management and online communication skills that are required in a distributed working environment.

Moreover, online internships allow you to work in an international environment (from the comfort of your own home), which encourages intercultural sensitivity, open-mindedness, and flexibility; all assets that can greatly help you in your career. Ready to get started?

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This article was written with help from Roots Interns. Roots Interns offers academic and practical internships at African non-profit organizations. The mission is to create the perfect balance between meaningful work and valuable learning. Roots Interns offers opportunities in several focus areas such as marketing, communications, fundraising, environmental innovation and management, international development, photography, videography, and more in eight different African countries.