Crafting a Compelling Internship Application Letter: A Comprehensive Guide
When pursuing an internship, a well-crafted cover letter can be just as important as a strong resume. A cover letter accompanies your resume, providing additional context to your qualifications, experience, and interest in the position you are applying for. It's your opportunity to introduce yourself, highlight your enthusiasm, and showcase qualities not readily apparent in your resume. This article details the key elements of a cover letter and how to tailor it effectively.
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter is a one-page document that serves as an introduction to your resume. It is typically addressed to the hiring manager or HR representative and provides additional information about your qualifications, experience, and interest in the position. A well-crafted cover letter can help you stand out from other applicants and showcase why you are the best candidate for the job.
Why is a Cover Letter Important?
A cover letter is important for several reasons. Firstly, it provides an opportunity to introduce yourself to the hiring manager and explain why you are interested in the position. This can help to establish a personal connection and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job. Secondly, a cover letter allows you to highlight your relevant skills and experience, which may not be immediately apparent from your resume alone. Finally, a well-written cover letter can help to demonstrate your writing skills and attention to detail, both of which are valuable qualities in any job.
Structure of an Internship Application Letter
Although cover letters should be carefully tailored, they also follow a typical structure. Some have separate sections for Interest and Qualifications, while others weave these two together.
Beginning Paragraph: Introduction
Begin by introducing yourself and expressing your interest in the position. Possible subjects include:
Read also: Comprehensive Guide: Internship Application
- Who you are - year in school, university, major.
- The specific job title.
- How you heard about the job and, if appropriate, the person who told you about it.
- Why you're interested in the position (be specific!).
- Why you're qualified. This should be a brief one-sentence summary of why you are a good fit for the position (similar to a thesis statement).
For example:
- "As a computer science student with a passion for programming, I am excited about the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in this field."
- "As a [Your degree program or field of study] student with a passion for marketing, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team."
- "As a recent [Your degree or educational program], I am excited to begin my career in [Industry] and believe that this position would be an excellent opportunity to do so."
Middle Paragraph(s): Highlighting Skills and Experience
This is the bulk of your letter. In 1-3 main points, demonstrate that you are a match by highlighting relevant technical and interpersonal skills. In other words, do not summarize your resume! As you describe yourself as a strong candidate, try to provide concrete evidence (“showing”) rather than stating (“telling”) that you have the qualifications needed.
Describe 1-3 of your experiences/projects that show your job-specific skills and qualifications. Make sure to:
- Show how you make a good fit with the position/organization.
- Focus on what you will bring to the organization and why they should hire you.
- Go into more detail then your resume - don’t just restate your bullets.
- Break up the paragraph into smaller sections if it is too big. Smaller paragraphs are more readable.
For example:
- "As a graduate student in MIT’s Technology and Policy Program, I spend every day at the cutting edge of the energy sector. In my capacity as an MIT Energy Initiative research assistant, I use statistical analysis to investigate trends in public acceptance and regulation related to emerging energy technologies. Graduate classes in data science, energy economics, energy ventures and strategy, and technology policy have prepared me to help Navigant offer the expert services that set it apart from competitors. Even before MIT, my four years of work experience in consulting-first at LMN Research Group and then at XYZ Consulting-allowed me to develop the skillset that Navigant looks for in candidates. As a science writer and policy analyst at LMN Research Group, I developed superb technical writing and visual communication skills, as well as an ability to communicate and collaborate with clients at federal agencies such as EPA and DOE."
- "In addition, my prior work has allowed me to experience the unique partnership of industry and academic research, preparing me to effectively lead collaborative research projects. I have also experienced technology development at a more applied stage during an internship at [this company] in the Downstream segment."
- "My great scientific interest moving forward in my career is to continue to advance and develop methods for in situ materials characterization as dynamic evolution is occurring. By coupling the capabilities of the many tools for such types of characterization at [this lab], I believe that a much more complete picture of microstructure evolution and performance degradation may be captured in a huge variety of materials systems, specifically including nanostructured materials. From my time spent at [this lab] thus far, I know I enjoy the working environment at the lab in general and the research center in particular."
Ending/Summarizing Paragraph: Expressing Enthusiasm and Closing
Wrap up by reiterating your interest in the position, then indicate in one sentence your desire to continue the conversation.
Read also: Crafting Your Internship Letter
Final interest and fit statement in which you:
- Include your availability, and how you will follow through with the application.
- Tell the reader what is the best way to reach you and how to reach you.
- Thank the employer for their consideration.
- Add any other practical remarks - e.g. if you have not completed a certification yet but are scheduled to take the exam, or if you will be relocating or will be visiting the area soon
For example:
- "Thank you for considering my application."
- "I take pride in my skills and experience in several domains: critical thinking and analysis, communication, and leadership. I note that Navigant values these same ideals, and I very much hope to use my abilities in service of the firm and its clients."
Closing Signature
- "Sincerely", "Best Regards", "Yours",
- Hand-written signature AND Typed name. Best to hand-write signature but if you are unable to scan document you can use script-like font instead
Tailoring Your Cover Letter
Be sure that each cover letter is specifically tailored to the company you are writing to. Research the company to help you determine your approach. Are you seeking a position in a field or industry that does not have an obvious parallel or connection to your academic training? Be explicit about why you are interested in that particular field, organization, or job, and what value you bring.
Research the Organization
Research the organization. Understand their values and long-term vision. Review the job posting. Job descriptions are intentionally written to focus on the key words the employer wants in applicants. The strongest applicants will have the largest and clearest overlap between the position and their background.
For every position of interest, carefully go through the posting line by line and identify precisely what the company cares about and what the role will entail.
Read also: Your Guide to Nursing Internships
Addressing Potential Concerns
Occasionally, something in your application (or your application itself!) may seem surprising to the reviewers. Anticipate questions they may have and address them in your cover letter.
If you’re not a “typical” applicant or are applying for a job outside of your field, you will need to describe why the position makes sense for your specific career path or interests. Provide ample evidence that your background and experience fit the position requirements.
It is not uncommon to have a gap in your resume. And for applications that include your academic transcript, you may wish to describe circumstances that possibly led to lower grades one semester. When describing these topics, don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, briefly explain the issue and then (if appropriate) mention what you did to overcome it and how it shaped you as an applicant.
Formatting and Style
A cover letter should be no longer than one page with a font size between 10-12 points. Be sure to include your contact information and address it directly to the hiring manager, using their name. If you are not sure who to address the letter to, write “Dear Hiring Manager.” If the role you are applying for has a reference number or code, be sure to include it in your letter so that human resources is able to accurately track your application.
Make sure to use complete sentences and paragraphs when crafting your cover letter. Smaller paragraphs are more readable.
Addressing the Recipient
Address the letter to the person who has the power and ability to hire you. If no specific person's name use position title or department name. If there is no specific name, use "Dear Search Committee,", "Dear Hiring Manager," or "To Whom it May Concern:"
Communication Skills
Lastly, cover letters are a chance to demonstrate the communication skills necessary to most jobs. Careful composing and revision are essential. Don’t spend hours trying to track down the exact name of the person who will be reviewing your cover letter and application. Proofread. Proofread. And Proofread again. Not all jobs put a lot of weight on the cover letter, but those that especially value leadership and communication skills will use your letter as a demonstration of those skills.
Key Takeaways
A cover letter is an important tool to use when applying for a job because it:
- Introduces you to the prospective employer
- Highlights your enthusiasm for the position
- Describes your specific skills and qualifications for the job or internship, and clearly explains why you are a good fit
You should always include a cover letter when applying for a job unless you are specifically told not to by the employer. We recommend that you write a cover letter after you have created your tailored resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for a particular position. When applying online and limited to uploading one document, you can create a single PDF document that includes both your resume and cover letter.
Leveraging AI for Assistance
You can use AI to assist you, but you always want to create a specific, unique prompt and edit the results so that what you submit to the employer is in your authentic voice. AI is a helpful tool to use, but not meant to replace your own writing in job applications.
tags: #internship #application #letter #example
