How to Write a Resume for Internal Position

You have found a new position that suits your career goals?

Furthermore, it is in the company you are already working for?

That’s great.

You would be able to progress in your career, without the need to start over in a new company where you don’t know anybody.

It looks simple and convenient, right?

Well, it might be convenient, but simple - not so much.

Applying for an internal position might be trickier than you would expect.

The resume that you need to present to the hiring manager is somewhat different from what you would use for an external position.

And that’s not all, the hiring manager would look a lot more carefully at your application.

They would want to be sure that you understand the position completely, and you are qualified for the transfer you want.

It might be tough, but we got you covered.

In this article, we are going to explore the following topics:

• What is an Internal Resume?
• Why Do You Need an Internal Resume?
• How to Write an Internal Resume?

And we are going to leave you off with some great tips and tricks to get you started.

If you are uncertain about the basics for your resume, we can help you make your resume stand out. But if you are ready to get started on your resume for an internal position, stick around.

What is an internal resume?

An internal resume has the purpose to highlight your relevant work experience, skills and qualifications that are crucial for the job position.

It is used exclusively for positions within the company you are working for. It might be a higher position in your own department, or you might be interested in work in another department.

Either way, there is one extremely important difference from a traditional resume––An internal resume’s focus would be only on your experience within the company you are currently working for.

You need to highlight how you have contributed to the workplace over the time you have spent them. That’s not all, you need to list all your accomplishments and skills that you have gained and developed on your current job position.

There is no need to list external work experience.

That is, unless you are sure that some external experience is directly related to the internal job position you are applying for.

After all, like any resume, your resume for an internal position has just one goal. It’s to prove to your employer that you are the best fit for the open position.

Why do you need an internal resume and the benefits of one

Okay, now you understand what an internal resume is. But why would you need one? Well, there are several great benefits from writing one.

Any of them would put you one step ahead in front of external candidates.

You can use actual client examples.

Using an internal resume lets you use specific names of clients and your interactions with them.

That is a great benefit, as the hiring manager can actually check all that and factor in your contributions to the workplace. It is even better if these clients are still active, as they can give their thumbs up for you.

There is nothing better than an internal recommendation.

You can use your manager’s own words to prove your contributions and the hard work you have put on during your time in the company.

That can also show that the leaders of your company recognize and appreciate your experience, skills, achievements and work ethic.

It would be easier for both you and the company.

By submitting a resume for an internal position, you are likely to go through a different screening process than external candidates.

The hiring manager would be able to review your application as soon as you submit it. It is even likely that you would be able to do so before any other candidates, as you would be able to see the job posting before it is posted in external hiring platforms.

You are already familiar with the company's culture.

A great concern of employers is whether a candidate would fit successfully with the team and the company as a whole.

But by already being in the company, you are safe from that concern. As a current employee, it would be obvious that you are already familiar with the company’s customs, goals and environment.

However, that doesn’t mean that you should not include that information on your internal resume. Make sure you highlight any examples that show your understanding of the company vision.

A great way to do so is by using keywords, important to the company, which you should already be familiar with.

You are likely to understand the position better than external candidates.

Even if the job position is in a different team or department than the one you are currently in, you still know more about the current needs of the company and the daily workflow than any external candidate.

Also, as you are currently in that company, you would be more familiar with the qualifications that would be needed for that position. By using all these benefits to the best extent, you can put yourself miles in front of any external candidates, interested in the same job position.

How to write an internal resume.

Now that you also know what great benefits come with your resume for an internal position, you are probably eager to start writing yours.

But, as we mentioned, that task is not as easy as you would think.

Don’t worry, we are going to go through all the important points you need to take into account, and help you boost your internal resume as much as possible.

Make a brand-new resume

Your first instinct when you see an attractive internal position might be to use your old resume that has worked well before.

But is that the best thing you can do? When you are writing a resume for an internal position, you don’t need the same old resume you have used before.

You need to focus greatly on your experience in the company, and the skillset you have earned and developed in the time you have spent there.

However, don’t throw away your old resume just yet. There is still lots of relevant information there you can use for your internal resume. There are even whole sections that you can reuse.

A great example of such a section is your education section, unless it has changed in the time you have spent in the company you can just copy/paste it!

Create a personal profile

In your old resume you’re likely to find a section on top which is your resume objective. For your resume for an internal position, you don’t need that.

Instead, you should create a personal profile. A personal profile, much like a resume objective, is a short paragraph that describes you and the skills that would make you perfect for the job you are applying for.

Even though you have already spent some time in the company, your potential employer would still need to know how you plan to contribute to the company in your new position.

For that purpose, you can use examples of your current job position to highlight what you can do for the job position you are applying for.

At its core, your personal profile should include:

• Years you have spent with the company
• Relevant skills you can transfer to the job position you are applying for
• Career goals

When it comes to formatting your personal profile, you can be quite flexible.

It is mandatory that you write a short paragraph, you can also use a bullet list instead, if you prefer so.

Demonstrate your history with the company

The main difference between a traditional resume and a resume for an internal position is your work experience section.

That’s because, when writing an internal resume, you need to focus only on your work experience within the company.

Whether you have already moved positions internally, or you have kept the same position since you have joined the company, you need to list your internal positions just like you would do on a typical resume.

In order for your employer to consider you for the new position, you need to show the work you have done so far in the company. If you can prove that you have seriously contributed to the company's success in your time there, you have serious chances of getting the new position you want.

Show off your greatest accomplishments with the company

A crucial part of your resume for an internal position are your accomplishments within the company.

The hiring manager can check your accomplishments in the company, but you should include your best ones for each role. That way you’ll save them time and tell the story you want to tell in your resume.

Make sure you list at least two accomplishments for each job position you have held in your time with the company. When listing your accomplishments, make sure you use concrete numbers whenever possible.

Anything can be measured in some way, so just think about your current job position in terms of measurable metrics.

Last, but not least, to maximize the effect of your accomplishments, consider using these questions for each one:

• What did you do?
• How did you do it?
• How did that benefit your department?

Highlight your relevant skills

Just like a typical resume, the relevance of your skills is crucially important. By already being a part of the company, you have some serious advantage in front of any external candidates.

You already know the company and what is essential for it. You can check out the job description posted internally, or ask the hiring manager to provide that information to you.

Then you can use the keywords to tailor up your resume and use all your best relevant skills to guarantee yourself the position. Furthermore, you are likely to be able to use skills needed in your current job, and show how they are transferable to the job position you are applying for.

Tips and tricks for applying internally

We are done with the basics you need to know. But, as promised, we wouldn’t let you go without some tips and tricks to get you going.

So let’s go through them one by one.

Do your research

An important step before starting to write your resume for an internal position is to find out if it is really the right fit for you.

You can start by reading about what the position usually requires, and what skillset you would need for it. An even better option is to talk to your HR manager, or colleagues in that department, so that you would get a clear picture of what the position is.

Use internal references

As you are already an employee of that company, you have a unique chance to boost up your resume. There is nothing better for your application than an internal recommendation for your work.

Using the management’s own words for the good work you have done for the company, you can really improve your chances of getting the new position you want.

Takeaways

Whenever you’re applying for an internal position, don’t forget to:

• Update your resume.
• Focus on the impact you’ve had in the company.
• Seek internal recommendations from senior management.
• Do your research.

Now you know what a resume for an internal position is, and how it differs from a traditional one. You are now ready to highlight all your relevant experience and skills within the company.

Keep our tips and tricks in mind and make your resume for an internal position get you your next job in no time.