RESUME & COVER LETTER BUILDING

Make sure to add your internship to your resume and Linkedin profile. Employers truly appreciate international experience, as it shows that you know how to work outside your comfort zone, overcome challenges, and communicate across cultures.

It can be challenging to summarize all you have learned during the experience, which is why we have created this guide.

GENERAL RESUME BUILDING TIPS

Your resume is your chance to show off your education, skills, and experience all in one place. Think of it as your personal highlight reel — and usually the first impression an employer gets of you.

Keep it clean, easy to read, and customized for the jobs or internships you’re applying for. The resources below are full of tips to help you build your first resume or level up the one you already have. And don’t forget — your university’s career services office is there to help with feedback, advice, and support too.

External Links:

According to the QS Global Employer Survey Report, 6 out of 10 employers around the world put higher value on candidates with international experience and more than 80% said they actively searched for graduates who had been abroad.

Not every study abroad experience hits the same with employers. Some might look at your time in Barcelona and think it was just “study abroad vibes” or academic tourism. That’s why how you talk about your internship abroad matters so much.

Don’t just say you studied or interned abroad — talk about what you actually gained from it. Highlight the skills you built, how you learned to adapt to new environments, work with different people, and navigate unfamiliar situations. That’s the kind of experience that makes you stand out and shows employers you bring way more to the table.

COMMUNICATE YOUR INTERNSHIP oN YOUR RESUME

This exercise will help you not only with your resume, but also with future cover letters and interviews. Communicating the new skills you acquired in your internship is the key to a successful resume, cover letter, and job interview.

STEP 1

Research and find an advertisement for a position that interests you and something you'd theoretically pursue after returning to the U.S.

STEP 2

Summarize in writing the position’s (1) expectations/duties, (2) knowledge/skills required, and (3) characteristics/qualities that the ideal candidate would have.

STEP 3:

Use the mind map format to brainstorm personal anecdotes or experiences that demonstrate that you meet the qualifications.

Words like flexible, culturally sensitive, motivated, and independent sound great to employers. Make sure that you’re honest and ready to provide evidence of these qualities.

STEP 4:

Highlight what made your experience in Barcelona unique. From working in a super international city to gaining hands-on experience in one of Southern Europe’s top startup hubs, your internship helped you build valuable global and professional skills.

Watch these videos for more tips on how to build the perfect resume and cover letter.

general cover letter building resources

Cover letters are your chance to show employers who you are beyond your resume. They help you explain your skills, interests, and goals — plus why you’d be a great fit for the role and excited to work at that company specifically.

Just like your resume, your cover letter should be tailored to each position. It’s also a reflection of your writing and communication skills, so make sure to proofread before hitting send. Check out the resources below for more cover letter tips and examples.

External Links:

How to Write a Cover Letter
How To Write a Cover Letter: The Ultimate Guide
Cover Letter Examples for Job Applications
Real Cover Letters from People Who Got Hired
Seven Steps To Writing Cover Letters Quickly And Effectively

PORTFOLIO BUILDING

Portfolios are not just for artists. No matter your major, a portfolio is a great way to showcase the work you’ve done to future employers. This can include things such as research findings, group projects, reports, designs, prototypes, published articles, or marketing campaigns. The tips below will help you compile your portfolio and help you share your accomplishments with future employers.

External Links:

What is a Work Portfolio and Do I Need One?
How to Build a Portfolio

Useful Link to Build Your Portfolio:

linkedin building

LinkedIn is an incredibly useful tool to connect with other professionals and learn about new opportunities. Whether you are networking or job searching, having a complete LinkedIn profile will help you make a positive impression on employers and colleagues in your field. For more tips on getting started with Linkedin, check out the resources below.

External Links:

REFERENCES & MENTORSHIP

References

It can be helpful to identify a few key people in your network that you are close with or have a lot to learn from. These people could be professors, bosses, supervisors, or other professionals in your field. In the case of being "past" contacts (in other words, they are no longer your current professor or supervisor), you should aim to keep in contact with these people on a semi-regular basis. If you plan to list them as a reference, make sure you ask them first and get their preferred contact information and inform them of your plans! If you get the job, be sure to follow up with them and say thank you!

Mentors

If you are looking for a mentor in the field and it is someone new or someone you don't know that well, feel free to ask them if they would be willing to sit down or video chat with you for an informal informational interview. You want to get their perspective on the field. You can ask about their path into the field, what professional goals they have, or what they wish they knew when they were first starting out. For this to be successful, you want to make all of your mentor interactions as simple as possible. Professionals are busy people, so be conscious of their time by keeping your interactions brief and simple. If you ask them for favors or introductions, make sure to acknowledge your gratitude for their effort. Of course, you should always follow up with a thank you!

Coaching

Professional Edge Coaching Circle (PECC) is a weekly 90-minute coaching circle for ambitious students who want to strengthen their confidence, communication, autonomy, and career readiness while studying or completing an internship in Barcelona. Led by international coach and IESE lecturer Michael Hoffman through ScaleYOU, the sessions help you navigate real professional and personal challenges, ask better questions, handle feedback effectively, communicate more clearly, and turn your international experience into a stronger career story. Each session combines coaching, guided reflection, peer insight, and practical next steps in a supportive and growth-oriented environment.

The program is designed to fit easily alongside your classes or internship schedule in Barcelona, with multiple session times available throughout the week. Learn more and register here!

Contact: info@scaleyou.org / +34 692 148 255

Ideas for Staying Connected

Be proactive!
Connect on LinkedIn
Stay up to date as your connections reach milestones, switch jobs, post updates, and don't be afraid to engage with them to congratulate or ask them questions about their updates. For example, maybe they posted about attending an industry conference - you can ask about their favorite takeaway!
Find an interesting article to send to a meaningful connection in your network. This shows you are thinking of them and interested in their work and are capable of taking scholarly initiative.

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