Your resume should briefly detail your education and work history. It should also show how your previous experience relates to the position for which you are applying. The goal of your resume is to get an interview. For best results, tailor each resume specifically for the available job.

Your resume should be one page in length and should include these four main sections:

• Contact information: list this information at the top of the resume. Include your name, email address, and phone number. You may also include your permanent address. All information must be current and accurate;
• Objective: describe what you intend to accomplish at the position for which you are applying. Be sure to focus on the employer’s needs, not only your own career goals—employers are looking to hire someone who can help their organization grow;
• Education: include your degree, (expected) graduation date, and name of the institution;
• Work experience: list your job title, the name and location of the firm, and the years you worked there. Also include bullet points detailing your responsibilities and accomplishments. Begin each bullet point with an action verb and try to explain concrete examples of problem-solving techniques and skills learned. Try to relate your past responsibilities to the job for which you’re applying.

You may also want to include sections at the bottom of your resume dedicated to computer skills, honors and awards, languages, and certifications.

Here are a few additional tips to writing a resume:

• Avoid personal details: do not include your age, race, marital status, or photos;
• Keep your resume to one page in length: feel free to alter font, type size, and the document margins in order to maintain this length;
• List work and educational experience in chronological order: start with your most recent position;
• Only list relevant past jobs that will make you look well-qualified;
• Focus on the employer’s needs, not your own career goals: when describing past positions, relate your skills to the job for which you are currently applying. For instance, if you are applying for a marketing job, find examples from your previous jobs where you excelled in writing, persuasion, or other aspects of marketing and reference them;
• Use specific language: if applicable, use numbers and percents to emphasize your accomplishments;
• Proofread your resume for any grammar mistakes!

A cover letter should accompany your resume when applying for a job. The goal of a cover letter is to introduce yourself to a potential company in both an interesting and informative manner. It should not list all of your professional accomplishments (your resume does this), but rather highlight yourself as a candidate who is a perfect fit for the position to which you are applying.

A cover letter should be about one page in length and include a heading with your address, the company’s address, and date. It should be addressed to a specific person (do not use “To whom it may concern”), followed by approximately four paragraphs:

Paragraph #1

• State your name and how you found out about the position in the first sentence
• Briefly detail why you are looking for a training opportunity;
• Keep the paragraph 3–4 sentences in length;
• Convince them to keep reading the rest of your letter!

Paragraph #2

• Highlight your educational background;
• Highlight your professional background;
• Directly relate both your professional and education backgrounds to the company and the open position, detailing why you would be the ideal candidate;
• Research the company’s mission and discuss why you also believe it to be important. If possible, give a personal or professional example as to why you believe it to be important;
• In the job description, the company will list adjectives that they are looking for (i.e.: detail oriented, good work ethic, etc). Describe yourself with these adjectives and give examples;
• Discuss any other positive attributes you think the company should know.

Paragraph #3

• Mention that will be applying for a J-1 visa through CDS International and that CDS will act as your legal sponsor throughout your stay in the U.S.;
• State that CDS will provide health and travel insurance for the duration of the program.

Paragraph #4

• Restate your interest in the position;
• Restate your interest in the company;
• Thank the company for their time and state that you have attached your resume for their perusal;
• Give them the best way to contact you and say that you would be happy to arrange a telephone interview.

Other tips:

• Keep the cover letter as short as possible;
• Do not exceed 1-page in length;
• Check your spelling and grammar. If you are concerned about your English language abilities, ask a native English speaker to proofread your letter for you;
• If you do not hear from a company within one to two weeks, email or call the contact person. Restate your enthusiasm for the position and say that you’d enjoy speaking with them further (regarding the position). At this time, it would also be appropriate to inquire as the status of their search and when they plan to reach a decision.

While the task of finding an internship in the U.S. may appear difficult, persistence and dedication will lead to success. Here are some strategies that can help you find a host company:

Use your connections

Nothing is more helpful when looking for an internship than a personal connection. Ask people you know if they have a connection to a U.S. company or if they know of anyone who participated in J-1 visa program. You could also join one of our online networking communities and create connections there. Make sure to highlight any connections in the first paragraph of your cover letter!

Talk to your university career center

University career centers are excellent places to get assistance from professional career advisors. Many of these advisors should also have contacts in the U.S. or be able to direct you to other resources that can aid your search.

Visit company websites

Companies often post internship openings directly on their website. For this reason, try visiting the websites of the companies for which you would like to work. If there is a company that you are particularly excited about and they don’t have any openings posted, feel free to call or email them and ask if there are any new openings—explain that you are interested in an internship, not a full-time job.

Job boards

Job boards are the easiest way to find multiple job openings in the shortest amount of time, although they are fairly impersonal. Below are some popular U.S. job boards:

• AboutJobs.com: Internship, work abroad, and full-time employment listings for all 50 states;
• CareerBuilder: Thousands of job listings. Also provides useful job hunting advice, employer profiles, and direct links to corporations that are currently hiring;
• College Grad Job Hunter: Includes listings for entry-level and internship positions. Also has information on resume/cover letter writing, interviews, salaries, etc.;
• Craigslist: Hundreds of job listings organized by city and profession;
• Internships.com: Thousands of job listings. Also provides useful job hunting advice, employer profiles, and direct links to corporations that are currently hiring.

Industry Specific Websites

IT

• Dice
• Computerwork.com

Marketing/Advertising/Entertainment/Media

• MarketingJobs.com
• MediaBistro.com

Engineering

• EngineerJobs.com
• MechanicalEngineer.com

Nonprofit

• Idealist