Internships are hugely important: they allow you to gain valuable knowledge in your field and can be a stepping stone to your career. As an intern, there is no doubt that you want to impress your future employer, and one key way to do this is by crafting an exceptional internship cover letter.
Even if you write a CV that is sure to knock recruiters’ socks off, you still have to ace the cover letter to be considered for most internships. This document explains why you are qualified for the position, what skills you bring to the table, and why they should choose you over other applicants.
Internship application letters are as important as CVs. They give you the chance to show off your personality, skills and writing abilities.
While it can be difficult to write a great cover letter for an internship from scratch, there are some basic guidelines that can help make sure yours stands out from the crowd.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a complete guide to how to write a cover letter for an internship that will make sure your message comes through loud and clear.
We’ve also created some cover letter examples for an internship so you can build a complete application packet to make you stand out from other candidates!
How to format an internship cover letter
Writing an internship cover letter can be tricky, especially if you’re new to the job market or have very little experience. As in many cases, this document is your first introduction to a potential employer, it’s important that the format you use is simple and easy to read.
A standard cover letter format is one of the most effective ways to get your point across efficiently. This will also help you keep yourself organized and make sure that you don’t forget any essential details.
While you can use any type of font, keep in mind that legibility is critical. If you choose a fancy font that’s difficult to read, your cover letter will be tossed aside before anyone reads it.
It’s also important not to use too small or too big of a font size. A good rule of thumb is using either 10 or 12-point text for the body of your cover letter.
In general, be clear and concise when writing your internship cover letter. You should make sure that all sentences are grammatically correct so that the reader can easily understand what you’re saying without having trouble with pronunciation or phrasing.
General Internship cover letter writing tips
Cover letters are one of the few places where you can show off your communication skills in writing—with this type of document, it’s not just about what you say, but how well said it is!
If you’re unsure how to write a cover letter for an internship, keep the following
- Keep the letter short. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that a longer letter is better. Keep it concise (no more than one page) and focus on why you’d be a great fit for the internship and how your skills would benefit the company.
- Use an engaging tone that conveys professionalism while still maintaining friendliness.
- Avoid using overly technical words if possible because complicated words can make it difficult for readers to understand exactly what you mean.
- Illustrate accomplishments from previous jobs without being boastful about them
- Avoid listing duties from past jobs. That’s what bullet points on a CV job description are for! Instead, focus on sharing how those responsibilities have impacted your professional growth or career interests in general.
- Be creative! When writing a cover letter, don’t just describe your skills and experience; explain how they’ll help benefit the company or organisation in question if they choose to hire you as an intern.
Ultimately, an internship cover letter should focus on three things: what you have done, why it mattered, and how it shows what kind of work ethic or skill set you have.
Including keywords in an internship cover letter
Keywords are the most important words in both a cover letter and in a CV. They help your application stand out from the rest.
To find keywords for an internship cover letter, you can look at the job posting for ideas about what they’re looking for. These will usually be listed in the “requirements” section of an ad.
For instance, if a company is looking for someone with “data analysis skills” (a keyword), you’d want to mention that skill in your cover letter somewhere.
It’s important that you use keywords from the job description when writing your cover letter. This helps the hiring manager know you’re a good fit for the position, and makes it clear what skills and experience you have that would be beneficial to them.
Use specific examples of how you meet each keyword on their requirements list. For example, if one of the keywords is ‘leadership’ you could say, “I held three leadership positions at my university’s student-run newspaper, including Features Editor and Managing Editor during my final year.”
How to start an internship application letter
To start a cover letter for an internship, you should first put your contact details at the top of the page. You should include your:
- Full name
- Address (street & number, city, county, postcode)
- Phone number
- Email address
Next you should write the date, and below that the information of the person you are addressing:
- Name
- Position
- Company
- Company address
- Phone number
Next, address the recipient with a simple ‘Dear’. If you get the impression the company is more informal, use their first name. Otherwise, use Mr./Mrs. and their last name.
If you haven’t been able to find information about the specific person who will receive your application letter, address it to the Human Resources or Recruitment department, e.g. ‘Dear Hiring Manager for (company)’. Always use a professional salutation, even if to someone you know personally.
In the first paragraph, you want to introduce yourself and state the position you are applying for. You may also want to indicate where you heard about the opportunity, i.e. if it was recommended to you by a teacher or mutual associate.
An example could be:
Dear Mr. Kojak,
My name is Jonas, and I’m applying for the student assistant internship at your company. The role was recommended to me by my professor here at the University of Bristol, Dr. William Blake, who suggested I may be a good fit because of my previous accounting experience at Zonack, Inc.
Here, the applicant is both introducing themselves and indicating where they heard about the opportunity, likely from a source the potential employer recognizes. They also begin to hint at their qualifications, which they then elaborate on in the middle paragraph(s).
Cover letter for an internship: middle paragraph (s)
In the middle paragraphs of your internship application letter, you’ll want to show off your skills and experiences that are relevant to the job description. The goal is to demonstrate how your past experience has prepared you for this opportunity.
For example, if the job description mentions specific web development tools, then be sure to include examples of when you used those tools in projects:
“I designed an interactive website for my childhood friend’s pet store based on an open-source framework called Bootstrap; she was extremely happy with how it turned out and has since recommended me for other jobs.”
Also make sure to highlight any other skill sets or interests that might make you an appealing candidate to the recruiter.
You could also show off your interpersonal skills by mentioning how well you work with others:
“My classmates say I am good at brainstorming ideas together before we start building anything. I always come up with new solutions when our original idea doesn’t work out”.
It’s also a good idea to mention in your internship cover letter why you’re particularly interested in the organisation. This can be anything from the company’s mission and values, to its recent achievements, or even how your skills and experience will help them achieve their goals.
If possible, try to connect with any big problems that they’re currently facing or have struggled with in the past. The more specific you are here, the better: mentioning specific people by name shows that you’ve done research on their organisation.
Ending an internship cover letter
To end a cover letter for an internship, you should include a closing paragraph to conclude your argument and sign off.
If you haven’t already stated it in the middle paragraph(s), this is a good place to mention how they can help you achieve your goals.
For example:
I have had the opportunity to develop my marketing skills over two summer internships, one at a non-profit organisation and another at an advertising agency. Now I’m particularly interested in developing these skills further at your company.
If there is a next step in the process that they have asked you to do (e.g., submit a writing sample), let them know if you have completed it or plan on completing it by the date stated in the job description.
If you have any questions, make sure to also include them at this point. Lastly, thank the employer for their time and express your interest in the position.
Cover letter examples for an internship
To get started on your own document, read through our Cover letter sample for an internship below for some inspiration:
Sandy Browne
Apt 2, 163 Lothian Rd
Edinburgh EH3 9AA, United Kingdom
+44 131 228 2056
sbrowne@pmail.com
10 November, 2019
Janice Thomas
Recruitment Manager
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh Filmhouse
88 Lothian Rd
Edinburgh EH3 9BZ, United Kingdom
+44 131 228 2688
jthomas@eiff.org.uk
Dear Janice,
My name is Sandy and I’m writing to you about the Archivist Internship for this year’s edition of the Film Festival. It was suggested to me by our mutual contact Molly Hall, the EIFF programming director.
Molly suggested I would be a good fit because I just completed my combined Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies and Library Management and I am looking for a position to further hone my archivist skills. Although I don’t yet have any practical work experience, I served as the editor for the film section of my student newspaper for the last 3 years, a role which also entailed cataloging articles and past editions.
Additionally, I am incredibly passionate about film and have attended your festival yearly almost my whole life – I live just up the road so it’s just a short stroll down the street to the festival offices. What I think I could bring to the role is my encyclopedic knowledge of film – my friends often call me IMDB! – and my finely honed attention to detail.
I also have a flexible schedule at the moment so would be available for either the morning or afternoon shifts. I’ve included my CV – as well as the writing test requested – and am looking forward to hearing back from you!
Regards,
Sandy Browne
If the cover letter example for internships on this page doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, write your own version using CVWhizz’s online cover builder tool and templates! A template is a safe bet because it can help you to avoid making mistakes that could cost you the job!
Writing a cover letter for an internship with no experience
A cover letter for an internship without experience is similar to the one you’d write if you held prior positions in your field, but it should focus more on your skills and less on what you’ve done.
Instead of talking about your previous experience, talk about the skills that you have.
These could include:
- Your ability to learn quickly
- Your ability to work independently
- Your communication skills (written and verbal)
Be specific about the position you are applying for—and why it interests you.
For example:
“My interest in this position stems from my desire to learn as much as possible about how [company name] operates.”
“I am interested in applying my knowledge of [skill] towards helping [company name] succeed.”
This shows that not only do you know what kind of company they are, but also that their mission aligns with yours!
Internship cover letter checklist
If you make sure you check off all the steps listed below, you’ll be able to write a great internship cover letter that will impress a hiring manager:
- Research the company and its culture to get an idea of what they’re looking for
- Create a list of your skills, experience, and accomplishments that match their requirements for the position.
- Ensure that the cover letter is addressed to a specific person
- Make sure your cover letter is short, concise and focused on why you are the perfect fit.
- Write in a professional tone; do not use slang or informal language
- Describe responsibilities at previous roles/educational achievements
- Explain why you’d be an asset to their team
- Tailor your cover letter to the internship you are applying for by highlighting any previous experience or skills related to it with keywords
- Ensure that your cover letter is free of errors (spelling, grammar etc.).
- Keep it short and sweet and to one page
- Include a CV highlighting your qualifications for the role at their organization
It’s important to remember that your cover letter is a way for you to present yourself as the perfect candidate for the job. It should be written with enthusiasm and care.
Don’t simply repeat what’s on your CV. Instead, take this chance to show why hiring someone like yourself would be beneficial for both parties involved in any way possible.
How to build an internship cover letter online
If you’re unsure of where to begin, hopefully our step-by-step guide and cover letter sample for internships above has helped you do just that. for how to do just that!
However, we also also offer a range of cover letter examples for internships that you can use for inspiration, and a professional cover letter builder so you can effortlessly construct your ideal internship application letter online!
What else to include with an internship application letter
To be considered for an internship, you’ll also likely need to submit a professional CV and references alongside your cover letter. You can also include other documents (such as a student portfolio) that will help the employer get a better sense of who you are as a potential intern.
Remember, the internship cover letter is just one part of your overall application packet, and it’s equally important to include a well-written CV. Our pro online CV builder tool can help you to ensure you have a well-written, professionally formatted document that, along with your cover letter, will make you an irresistible intern!
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