How To Write A Cover Letter For An Internship (With Examples) 2023

In this article, I will show you how to write a Cover Letter for an internship with examples. Keep reading!

A cover letter is sometimes referred to as a letter of motivation, this letter serves as a form of introduction which is normally affixed to or accompanying another document such as a curriculum vitae or résumé.

Students are normally asked to submit a cover letter or a letter of motivation alongside their rèsumè for an internship application. Such cover letters should include examples of academic experiences and extracurricular activities. Irrespective of this specific information, cover letters for internships should maintain a particular standard.

Job seekers normally attach a cover letter with their curriculum vitae or applications for employment, this is a means of introducing yourself to your potential employers and also explaining your suitability for the wanted positions.

Employers often screen applicants who are interested in the same position as you are, based on their cover letters, writing a good cover letter ups your chances of getting the job.

Cover letters are generally categorized based on two purposes:

• Letter of application (Applying for a specific, advertised opening).
• Letter of inquiry (To express interest in a company when the job seeker is uncertain whether there are current openings)

According to research, a good cover letter should:

• Be up-to-date and specific,
• Be well-spelt, punctuated and grammatically correct. It should be free of typographical errors.
• Use timelines to highlight chronological information,
• Make reference to the latest job positions,
• Should contain numbers.

Writing A Good Cover Letter

A cover letter is normally not more than one page and it’s often accompanied by your résumé. Your cover letter should be persuasive and should aim to convey to the employer why you’re the best candidate for the role.

With your cover letter, you’ll aim to:

• Highlight your qualifications: You’ll show how your academic experiences and extracurricular activities relate to the position you desire.
• Showcase your motivation: You’ll express how enthusiastic you are concerning the position you’re applying for.
• Demonstrate your communication skills: You’ll give the employer a sense of your writing skill and personality.

Not all jobs require a cover letter. However, you’re expected to submit one when;

• The posting clearly demands you do so
• You’re applying for an internship at a competitive organization.
• You think that submitting a cover letter could provide detailed information to the employer that they wouldn’t get from your rèsumè.

You should also consider submitting a cover letter when;

• It’s stated “optional” in an application, and you have the opportunity to do so.
• You have content that you can easily repurpose or recycle into a tailored cover letter

You shouldn’t submit a cover letter when;

• A particular opening specifically tells you not to submit one
• There’s no provision for application submission in a portal, and doing so would require a serious workaround.

How Do I Write A Cover Letter?

Before writing your cover letter, you should;

Research Your Employer

This includes learning about the organization and highlighting why you’d want to do your internship there. Here are some things you can do:

• Review the organization’s official site and LinkedIn page.
• Interact with previous or current employees.
• Read current news on social media and web pages concerning the organisation.

Analyze The Job Opportunity

Whenever you are applying for a role, it is important to design your letter and résumé to match that particular role you desire. Look for skills, duties and qualifications of the job before writing your cover letter.

Reflect On Your Experience And Motivation

Identify skills and personal qualities that will be useful in the position you desire. Reflect on your projects, work experiences and other activities you must have done in the past that will come in handy.

Format And Structure

• Your cover letter should not be more than one page, it should be brief and short (three or four paragraphs)
• Avoid starting too many sentences with “I” and ensure you keep your tone active and professional.
• Ensure you proofread your cover letter to deduct typographical errors and repetitious words. Make sure it is grammatically correct.
• It is advisable to upload your cover letter as a PDF file when applying online unless your employer specifies another format.
• Address your cover letter to the particular person who can hire you (if known), if not known you can address it to the Hiring Manager (Dear Hiring Manager) or to the title mentioned in the job description.
• Make sure you list your contact information at the top of the page as shown in the samples below.

Ensure that you include;

• Date
• Your contact information
• Employer’s name, title and address
• A salutation with the employer’s last name
• Cover letter content
• Your typed name or signature

Examples of Cover Letter For Internship

Example 1;

Matt Davis

3894 Spruce Drive

Los Angeles, CA, 90047

555-322-113-94

M.davis@email.com

 

20th September, 2017

 

James Petersons

Head of Human Resources

TD Construction

451 New York Avenue

Los Angeles, CA, 90027

555-385-543-12

james.petersons@tdfinance.com

 

Dear Mr James,

I was thrilled when my project on workforce improvement won the first prize in a local construction contest. My solution was implemented at a building company two months later, and it enhanced the workforce of the company by 20%.

I always had a strong desire to chase a career as a leader in the construction company, so I must admit it was no random win. However, I believe that the only way I can achieve my goal is by adopting a result-oriented attitude, I used my time in college to develop some certain skills.

I also gained a firsthand experience in quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills by completing such courses as:

Strength of materials

Fluid Mechanics

Numerical Analysis

I would love to show your organisation that my GPA of 3.89 doesn’t just show my commitment to education but also reflects my passion for building and construction to grow among like-minded people.

When Professor Perry White told me about an internship opportunity with your company, I knew this was an opportunity i cannot miss because it will enhance my growth as a prospective engineer.

I would love it if we can schedule an appointment next week to discuss how i can contribute my skills to your company.

Best regards,

Matt Davis

 

Example 2;

Bobby Grayson

2637 Frederick Street

San Leandro, CA, 94577

555-466-574-32

G.Bobby@email.com

 

10th November 2019

 

Scott Davis

Senior Product Manager

Google Inc.

Union City, CA 95087

555-221-633-94

S.davis@gmail.com

 

Dear Scott,

I was truly elated to see my apk app for engineering survey getting plenty of reviews from App Store users and commendations from more experienced developers in PlayStore.

But this is only one of four apps I am currently working on after my classes at MIT, from which I am about to graduate with a B.Sc in Computer Science. To be honest, I am quite optimistic that other applications will also get well received since it was inspired by Google engineers.

When Professor Alexander Fine suggested I applied for an internship in your reputable organisation, he was spot on. I believe that Google’s unique approach to building intuitive and user-friendly software while respecting the needs of customers creates the environment I would love to grow in my career.

I would love it if we can schedule a meeting next week to discuss ideas on how I can contribute to my projects, I would like to work with some of the best software engineers on the planet.

Best regards,

Bobby Grayson

Final Words

Writing an outstanding cover letter ups your chances of getting your desired position, most employers seek the best-written cover letter before calling applicants for interviews.

There are some examples of how to write a good cover letter for internships above. Check them out and follow the format to get that internship you want.

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