Cover letters are used for various purposes, such as applying for a new job, college applications, or applying for internship positions. An internship cover letter aims to help you stand out from the crowd while highlighting your qualities and features relevant to the position. In addition, it is a way to communicate your interest in the internship job and have the employer notice you.
A cover letter for an internship should be concise and to the point. You may use it to complement application materials such as CVs, recommendation letters, and résumés, which you may send following the employer’s instructions. Internships can be challenging to get, so having a well-written cover letter tailored to the position in question will increase your chances of success.
This article will take you through the basics of writing an internship cover letter, including formatting and helpful tips for crafting your application to stand out from others.
Download Templates
Here is a collection of free templates you can easily download from our site:
Why is it Necessary?
There are several reasons why writing a cover letter for an internship is necessary. First, most employers highly value cover letters, which gives enough reason as to why you should consider using a cover letter in your internship application. A cover letter is also an excellent avenue to sell yourself as the best candidate for the internship. Additionally, internship cover letters allow you to provide the employer or recruiter with additional information about your qualifications and suitability for the job that would otherwise not fit in a resume or application.
Format for an Internship Cover Letter
The trick to writing a great internship cover letter is to tailor it to the employer’s needs. It should also be interesting, compelling, and relevant. Certain features and elements should be included in a cover letter for an internship to make it stand out while highlighting your strengths and qualifications.
They include:
Header
The first element of the cover letter must be a header, which should contain the date you are writing it, your name, address which should be followed by telephone and fax numbers, and your email address. The next thing you should put on the cover letter is the recipient’s name, title, name of the organization, and correspondence details such as mailing address.
Address the manager
You should address the manager or the appropriate individual directly and not use a generic address such as “dear sir” or “dear madam.” Instead, use “Dear Mr. Doe” if you know their name. If you don’t know their name, use “To Whom It May Concern.”
Opening statement
The next thing you should include in your cover letter is an opening paragraph. The opening statement should be used to:
Introduce yourself and the job you are applying for
Introduce yourself as well as the position you are applying for an internship. This paragraph is also where you should briefly highlight your skills and experience. This lets the recruiter know who the applicant is and what position they are interested in. In addition, it sets the tone for your cover letter for an internship and should thus be well written.
Body
The body of your internship cover letter should show the employer why you are suitable for the internship. Take time to explain your education, skills, and other related experiences that prepared you for an internship with their organization. Some of the things to discuss under this section include:
Highlight your education
Highlight your education with details of your skills and achievements, from your bachelor’s degree to any graduate credits. Emphasize any particular training course you have done. Be sure to focus on how the training will make you a desirable candidate for the internship.
Include extracurricular experiences
Include any extracurricular activities and pursuits you may have participated in (volunteer work and sports, etc.). This will give the prospective employer a better idea of your personality and broadly show that you are a hard-working and enthusiastic individual. This also shows that you are a team player and can work well with others.
Provide your relevant skills and prove them
The following things you should include in your internship cover letter are your relevant skills. These skills can be anything from leadership skills to computer proficiency and teamwork. However, you should prioritize skills relevant to the position you’re applying for by reviewing the job description. You should not simply state but also show how you have these skills by backing them up using examples and scenarios where you have demonstrated them. This can be in your previous work or academic experience. Avoid simply listing the skills.
Explain why you are a good fit
Next, illustrate why you’re a good fit for the position and the company. You should be able to provide short explanations of your strengths and attributes that are a perfect match for the internship. Then, review the job description/posting and internship requirements and show how you meet those requirements with your strengths, qualities, experiences, and characteristics.
Write what you would gain from this internship
In this section you will explain how the internship you’re applying for will be a good fit for your career objectives. Often, interns are looking for experience, training, in-depth knowledge of the industry, and relationships to help them progress in their careers. They should also include how the internship with this company will be a good fit for their current and future career goals. Be specific to experiences, products, or practices the company can offer; it shows a high level of self-awareness. This demonstrates a high level of self-awareness to the employer by showing you understand what you expect to gain from experience as part of your professional growth.
Showcase your ambition, motivation, and passion
These are some qualities the companies will be looking for in all applicants. You should, therefore, emphasize how excited you would be to work with their organization. You can also write about how you’ve always wanted to work for this company and be interested in what they do. This will show your ambition and passion for your career goals and its organization. You can use examples to show these qualities.
Closing
Lastly, you should provide a strong closing. Your closing can summarize the cover letter’s contents for the internship by reiterating that you’re the best fit for the position. In addition, it can have the following elements:
Call to action
Include a call to action in your closing that requests an interview. This should be professional and should not be too aggressive. You can also talk about how you intend to follow up, maybe after a week and no lesser than that. If the job posting explicitly asks applicants not to follow up, do not include a CTA.
Thank the recipient
Your closing statement is where you thank the employer for their time and consideration of your application. You can also ask the person reading your letter to contact you with any further questions they might have regarding your application.
Sign off
Then, end with a professional sign off such as; “Yours truly,” “Sincerely yours,” or “Best regards.” Physical copies should be signed.
Samples of a Cover Letter for an Internship
Here are the two samples of a cover letter for an internship that you can customize according to your experience and the companies you’ll be applying to:
Sample 01
Andy Mings
123 Main Street Anytown,
CA 12345
555-555-5555
April 6, 20xx
Helena Rodriguez
Director of Human Resources
HNBC Microfinance
51 Summit Hill Road
Dear Ms. Rodriguez,
I am writing to apply for the HNBC Microfinance accountant internship position listed in the Anytown University Career Services Office. I believe my accounting and finance experience makes me an ideal candidate.
I’ve had extensive experience working with the financials for small companies. As a result, I know the ins and outs of financial reports, including how to create them and use them for my clients. In addition, I am very familiar with QuickBooks, a financial reporting system used by many small businesses.
I have experience in preparing and budgeting a company’s finances and providing an annual review of the company’s finances. I also understand confidentiality issues and know when to keep certain information confidential. I am a strong team player and have always taken pride in being a dependable and responsible employee. I am efficient and focused. I understand high-level accounting concepts and can teach them to others.
You will find that I am familiar with financial regulations, procedures, policies, and best practices to ensure the financial integrity of my company’s finances. That is why I believe that I am an ideal candidate for this internship with HNBC Microfinance. Furthermore, I have researched and learned that HNBC Microfinance is a very reputable company in microfinance. Therefore, I am particularly interested in this opportunity because it would be a great learning experience for my professional career.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my application for the HNBC Microfinance accountant position. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions regarding my candidacy. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Signature
Sample 02
Susan Harvey
892 Main Street
Anytown, CA 54321
555-555-5555
[email protected]
March 14, 20xx
David W. Kane, Director
HR BC Labs
123 Business Road
Business City, NY 54321
Dear Mr. Kane,
I’m sending this cover letter to apply for the laboratory teacher’s summer internship position listed in BC Labs’ monthly newsletter. I was impressed by your academic research on plant biology and would be an asset to your forthcoming research.
I received a Bachelor of Science in Analytical Chemistry from Anytown University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Biology from Anytown University. I also worked as a chemistry lab assistant at Anytown University and have experience with organic chemical analyses at the local organic plant supplier. I have also undertaken numerous research experiments, such as soil and water analyses. Last summer, I worked in your lab as a soil analyst and assisted with the summer research. In addition, I worked as a lab assistant to analyze the various soils in BC Labs’ botanical gardens.
This internship would offer me the ideal opportunity to assist your organization and expand my research skills. I believe that my working experience and relevant skills make me an ideal candidate for this position.
I plan to call next week to see if you agree that my qualifications seem to match the position. If so, I’m looking forward to scheduling an interview at a mutually convenient time. I appreciate your consideration.
Sincerely,
Signature
Tips to Write an Effective Letter
It would be best to craft a compelling and solid cover letter for an internship that clearly describes why you are worthy of the opportunity. Below are tips to help you write an internship cover letter that will get you noticed:
Stick to the format
Ensure that your cover letter is written in a professional format. The ideal format is one page long while the margins should be one inch; double-space your letter, and use a readable font such as Calibri. The cover letter should have a header containing your name, address, and contact number (optional), employer’s details, introduction, a 3-paragraphed body, and a closing.
Individualize your letter
Before writing your cover letter, ensure that it is targeted toward the organization advertising its internship and the job opening. Take time to research both and find out how they differ in culture, values, vision, and mission statement, and align your letter to those qualities. Do not send the same internship cover letter to two organizations. You should customize your letter as much as possible to the internship requirements.
Use keywords
Ensure that you incorporate appropriate keywords in your cover letter for the internship. Use the exact keywords stated on the job advertisement, making it easier for the recruiter to find your application. Also, recruiters will often scan through cover letters and keywords to help them narrow down the qualities they are looking for. If a job posting is looking for applicants with; “great communication skills, “ensure you use the word ‘communication’ in your cover letter more than once.
Provide examples (Where needed)
Provide examples of your strengths, achievements, and previous experience. Examples are a great way to substantiate claims made in the cover letter. However, avoid providing too many examples to make your cover letter long and unnecessary.
Match your cover letter with your resume
Your cover letter should complement your resume. The cover letter for the internship should contain the exact keywords and keywords as your resume so that it is easy enough to find both.
Proofread and edit
Before creating the final draft, review your internship cover letter and identify spelling errors, grammatical and punctuation errors and edit the letter accordingly. Mistakes in the letter can disqualify you as it shows a lack of professionalism and attention to detail. You can even have another person review the letter before finalizing the internship cover letter.
How to send the cover letter?
There are two ways to do so: Physically or digitally via email. We recommend you send yours via email for the sake of convenience. Ensure you send your cover letter for an internship through an email address that is professional and has your name to avoid confusion with other applicants. As an attachment file, be sure that it contains your name, “john.doe.docx” rather than something generic as “internshipcoverletter.docx” . The letter can also be pasted in the body of the letter if it is not explicitly requested as an attachment.
Key Takeaways
Here are few important points that you should consider while writing an Internship cover letter:
- When writing your cover letter, start by researching the organization, the job opening, and recruiters/employers. Then, take time to study the job specifics and ensure you align your qualifications with what they are looking for in an intern.
- You shouldn’t neglect the importance of a cover letter when applying for internships, just as you would not ignore the job posting itself.
- Be specific when describing how you meet their requirements using keywords from the job opening and how your professional and personal experience and skills make you a good fit for the internship. This will lead to more employers reading and noticing your application.
- Provide examples throughout your cover letter to verify that you are qualified for the job.
- A resume should never be overlooked; however, your cover letter must complement your resume by providing examples of why you are worthy of the opportunity.
- Finally, ensure that you submit your internship cover letter promptly. It’d be best not to wait until the last minute before submitting it.