A good internship cover letter should prove to your employer that you’ve got what it takes to be outstanding in your internship position. Knowing that you do not have a work experience, writing a cover letter that captivates the attention of your employer could be a difficult task to carry out but don’t worry.
We have put together this comprehensive guide to help you get that internship position. After reading through this guide and following up on it, you should be able to write an impressive internship cover letter that would captivate the attention of your employer. Just stick with me.
What is an Internship Cover Letter?
A cover letter is a document that allows you to showcase your skills, passion, and knowledge to a recruiter. An internship cover letter provides your recruiter with extra information concerning the skills and experiences you possess and coursework relevant to the job you’re applying for.
It allows you to create a strong impression before your employers. Although this can be a difficult thing to do, it is very necessary especially if you are trying to secure a job in a highly competitive industry.
Format For Writing a Cover Letter For Internship
Before writing your cover letter, first, ensure you are following the right format to avoid a disorganized cover letter or being disqualified.
Below is the format your internship cover letter should stick to:
1. Header containing your contact information.
The header of your cover letter should include your name (in full), your email address, your contact mobile number, and your LinkedIn profile URL (if you own a LinkedIn account).
Meanwhile, the date and the receiver’s information should come below your contact information. The receiver’s information should include the employer’s name and title, the name of the company, and its address.
2. The salutation.
The best approach to use in the salutation is addressing your employer by name. This indicates that you did proper research.
However, in a case where you do not know the Recruiting Manager by name, you can check out the company’s website. If you are unable to find it there, feel free to use either of these; Dear Hiring Manager, Dear Recruiting Manager, or Dear Human Resource Manager.
3. Introduction
Your introductory statement should be as professional as possible and captivating as well.
Tell them who you are, and the role you are applying for. Don’t forget to keep it straight and simple.
4. The body.
Here, you give a detailed explanation of your skills and accomplishments. Also, explain to your recruiter the value you will offer to the company if you were hired.
Remember, all these should be done in about two to three paragraphs.
5. Appreciate your employer.
In this paragraph, seize the opportunity to thank your employer for taking out time to read through your cover letter. Use a call to action like “I look forward to hearing from you”.
6. Closing.
This is where you politely close your cover letter with formal salutations like “Sincerely”, “Best regards”.
How To Write a Good Cover Letter For Internship
Are you looking for how to write a cover letter for an internship? Look no further as we have put together these easy steps on how to write a cover letter for an internship:
- Pinpoint the specific position you are applying for.
- Use the proper keywords.
- Talk about your educational background.
- Include relevant skills pertaining to the job.
- Sell yourself. Tell them why you are fit for the job.
- Explain the value you will benefit from the company.
- Proofread your cover letter.
Pinpoint the specific position you are applying for.
Stuffing your cover letter with irrelevant information that does not pertain to the role you are applying for is a huge turnoff to your employers. To avoid being a huge turnoff, it is necessary that you specifically pinpoint the position you are applying for in your cover letter. Doing this tells your employers that you are specifically applying for that position and you are not just using a single cover letter to apply for different jobs.
Use the proper keywords.
Your cover letter should be tailored to the proper keywords that are relevant to the job you are applying for. A lot of recruiting managers lookout for this when looking through your internship cover letter. For instance, if you are applying for a job in content writing, the employer may be looking out for keywords like “Google intent” “answerthepublic.com”, “Search Engine Optimization” or “Grammarly”.
Talk about your educational background.
As someone who has little or no work experience, your educational background and related coursework are what you’ve got to prove to your recruiters that you are qualified for the internship. Seize this opportunity to tell your recruiter the relevant coursework you’ve done (they should be relevant to the job you are applying for). This is an added advantage. For example, if you’re applying for an internship as an Industrial Engineer, ensure you mention all the courses you have completed that are related to industrial engineering.
Include relevant skills pertaining to the job.
There’s no such thing as saying you possess a certain set of skills when you cannot prove them. Here, tell your employer the skills you possess that pertain to the job (this includes soft skills too). Don’t just mention that you possess a particular skill, do well to prove it with an accomplishment.
Sell yourself. Tell them why you are fit for the job.
This is the point where you sell yourself to your employer highlighting why you are fit for the job. Following the job description on the job posting, relate how you can help the company achieve its goal and why you should be hired for that particular role.
Explain the value you will benefit from the company.
Some companies sometimes want to help youngsters/students acquire more professional knowledge in a particular field. That is why you have to explain to your employer what you will benefit professionally from the company (if you are hired for the internship). Doing this indicates that you are being intentional about your growth too.
Proofread your cover letter.
It is not enough to just write and write and write. After everything, do well to cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Look out for spelling and grammatical errors as they would possibly send an impression to your employers that you are not attentive to details. You could ask someone to proofread your cover letter for you or use tools like Grammarly and Hemingway to do that.
Cover Letter For Internship Example
Are you struggling to write a cover letter for an internship? I have created this cover letter for an internship example to guide you through. Again, you may want to submit your cover letter for the internship either by email version or text version, so I will be showing you how to write a cover letter for an internship in two formats – the email format and the text format.
How to write a cover letter for internship example (Email format)
Subject: David Smart – Marketing Internship Position
Dear Mr. Samuel,
I have been a long-time fan of your company, High-tech Technologies. I piqued interest in your job posting that I read in New Times Magazine inviting applications for a marketing internship position at High-tech Technologies. It will be an amazing experience to work with your company. Following my academic experience so far, I feel I would be an ideal candidate for the position.
As a marketing student at the University of Port Harcourt looking forward to a bachelor’s degree, I have acquired the following skills; social media management, marketing research, product development, and print and online advertising. My GPA is currently 4.0 and I have successfully covered my coursework in marketing management, data analysis, internet marketing, marketing analytics, and survey research.
Using the knowledge I acquired from the above, I helped a cartography business establish its online presence on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook). I had to set up their account, create written, audio, and visual content, as well as run ads for them. I also tracked the engagements on their social media handles.
I would be glad to have a scheduled interview with you. Please find attached my résumé for your perusal and do not hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience. I am thankful for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
David Smart
222-222-222
How to write a cover letter for internship example (text format)
David Smart
Marketing Internship Position
High-tech Technologies
456 Back street
Los Angeles, CA 34567
222-222-222
December 15, 2021
Samuel Anderson
Human Resource Manager
High-tech Technologies
123 Main Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 98765
Dear Mr. Samuel,
I have been a long-time fan of your company, High-tech Technologies. I piqued interest in your job posting that I read in New Times Magazine inviting applications for a marketing internship position at High-tech Technologies. It will be an amazing experience to work with your company. Following my academic experience so far, I feel I would be an ideal candidate for the position.
As a marketing student at the University of Port Harcourt looking forward to a bachelor’s degree, I have acquired the following skills; social media management, marketing research, product development, and print and online advertising. My GPA is currently 4.0 and I have successfully covered my coursework in marketing management, data analysis, internet marketing, marketing analytics, and survey research.
Using the knowledge I acquired from the above, I helped a cartography business establish its online presence on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook). I had to set up their account, create written, audio, and visual content, as well as run ads for them. I also tracked the engagements on their social media handles.
I would be glad to have a scheduled interview with you. Please find attached my résumé for your perusal and do not hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience. I am thankful for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
David Smart
222-222-222
Cover Letter For Internship Template
Per adventure you need a template below is how to write a cover letter for an internship template.
Sender’s name
Job Title
Company name
Sender’s address
Contact details
Email address
Date: DD/MM/YYYY
Receiver’s name
Job Title
Company name
Company address
Contact details
Email address
Subject: [Job Title]
Dear [Hiring Manager’s name]
I [student name] currently studying at [university name] in [year of study] would love to do my internship in your company, [name of company]. The internship will last for a period of [duration of the internship] and your company is a good fit for this program.
As part of my academic requirements relevant to my course of study, I would love to complete the internship. Attached to this internship cover letter are my documents, credentials, and completed coursework relevant to this job. You can look through them for details and references.
I would be glad if my application is considered. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely
[Signature] [Name]Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my internship cover letter be?
Ideally, a good cover letter should cover about three to five paragraphs.
Do I need a cover letter?
Yes, you need a cover letter. It helps provide the details that are not in your résumé.
Can I follow up on my internship cover letter?
Yes. However, if you must do so, it has to be at least two weeks after you have submitted your cover letter.
What details should my cover letter have?
Your cover letter should explain how the skills you possess meet the job requirements, what you will gain from working in the company, and how your coursework and work experience meets the job requirements.
Can I use an internship cover letter template to write my cover letter?
Yes, you can use one which is uniquely created for the job you are applying for.
Conclusion
A good cover letter must grab the attention of the hiring manager, show off your coursework and skills relevant to the job, explain why the company is a good fit for your internship, and include a call to action. If your cover letter contains all these, then you are good to go. This guide on how to write a cover letter for an internship has been put together to help you out, do well to explore it.
References
- https://resumegenius.com/cover-letter-examples/internship-cover-letter-sample
- https://novoresume.com/career-blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-an-internship
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/internship-cover-letter-sample-and-writing-tips-2060231
- https://www.myjobmag.com/blog/747/how-to-write-an-internship-cover-letter-cover-letter-writing-tips-templates
- https://zety.com/blog/cover-letter-for-internship
- https://www.resume-now.com/cover-letter/examples/intern
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/writing-an-internship-cover-letter-with-examples
