Internships are an excellent way to increase your experience in a specific field. Not only that, but they allow you to determine whether or not a career path is the right fit for you. During an internship, you’ll get hands-on experience, work alongside mentors in your field, and learn what it takes to work in a specific job setting.
When applying to an internship, part of the process will often include submitting a cover letter with your resume. Professionally written cover letters for internships will help you stand out from other applicants. Often, however, when applying for internships, most people won’t have had a lot of experience writing cover letters or other professional documents, which can make the process seem a bit overwhelming.
This guide will walk you through what you should include in your cover letter, along with examples and writing tips to help you put together a compelling introduction.
What is the purpose of a cover letter for an internship?
When you write a cover letter, think of it as your initial introduction to a potential hiring manager. It’s the first impression a company has about you. For this reason, it’s important to spend ample time putting together a professional letter.
Additionally, a cover letter helps a hiring manager learn about why you might make a good fit for their internship. When looking at potential interns, managers will use cover letters to quickly weed out applicants they think are not qualified or well matched to the role.
What should you include in an internship cover letter?
While your cover letter will be personalized to your specific situation, you should include a few basic elements in your letter. Use the following to help outline the information required:
- Contact information: At the top of your letter, include your contact information and the contact information of the employer. Add the date between your and the employer’s contact information. However, if you are sending your letter via email, you’ll move your contact information to the bottom of the letter underneath your signature and leave off the employer’s contact info. In this case, always include a relevant subject line containing your name and position for which you are applying.
- Relevant experience: A large part of the body of your letter will focus on what experience you have that will make you a good fit for the internship. This can be professional or academic experience. The goal is to match your letter to the internship listing. For example, if they ask for someone who has experience handling research, include a segment of your letter that highlights how you have successfully tackled research projects in the past.
- Extracurriculars: Often, when you’re applying to an internship, you are doing so while still in college or after recently graduating. If you have been participating in volunteer work, clubs, or teams, this information can be helpful to include if it is relevant to the role. For example, if you are applying for an internship for a digital magazine, it would be helpful to include information about your work volunteering for the student newspaper.
- Professional greeting and closing: Always begin and end your letter with a professional greeting and closing. Examples include Dear, Sincerely, and Thank you.
Examples of internship cover letters
With the basics of your letter in place, it is time to put together a professional cover letter. Use the following examples to help guide you through the process:
Example 1: Sending via email
In many cases, you’ll send your cover letter via email. When you write an email, your format will remain formal. But it will take on a different layout than a traditional business correspondence.
Use the following example to compose an email internship cover letter.
Subject: Rayne Warble – Communications Intern Position
Dear Mrs. Stanburg:
Recently, I saw your posting on the Wayside University job board advertising a communications internship at OpsSolutions Inc.
As a senior Communications Studies major, I have successfully completed upper-division coursework in interpersonal communications, organizational communications, and strategic organizational change management.
My coursework has included on-site practicums with Weatherford Mills, where I worked alongside the VP of marketing to design an internal communications strategy for a digital transformation initiative. This process involved analyzing their current communications strategy, designing a content calendar for communications, and analyzing the results of our campaign. I am also proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Google Analytics.
I have been impressed by the quality engagement OpsSolutions Inc has had in our local community. I recently attended one of your team’s Corporate Sustainability sessions, and I am excited for the opportunities I would be offered as your next communications intern. I have attached my resume to this email and would love to set up a time to discuss this opportunity further.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to connecting soon.
Sincerely,
Rayne Warble
777.888.9999
www.linkedin.com/in/example.rayne.warble
Example 2: Sending via mail
If you plan to apply to an internship via mail correspondence, you will want to follow the standard business letter format. The following is another example of what your internship cover letter might look like:
Jason McPherson
1212 Overland Way
Fort Collins, CO 80538
555-555-5555
March 17, 2022
Hunter Frenick
Director of Internal Training
Hiland Corp
214 Innovation Way
Denver, CO 80432
Dear Mr. Frenick:
I am reaching out to submit my application for your training specialist internship at Hiland Corp. My educational background and experience in assisting with corporate training programs would make me a great fit for this role.
Currently, I am a senior pursuing an M.S. in Organizational Development. I have successfully completed coursework covering organizational behavior, leadership concepts and practice, and leading organizational change.
Additionally, last summer, I worked as a training analyst intern at Reinway. During this internship, I assisted with implementing employee training around the use of Reinway’s newly unveiled digital products. Throughout this process, I learned how to design a training curriculum and analyze the success of employees who completed the training course.
I believe that I would be a great fit for your internship, offering my current experience and knowledge to the position. I also look forward to the incredible amount of opportunity this position would offer me.
I will follow up next week to set up a time for an interview. Thank you for your consideration, and please feel free to reach out with any further questions.
Sincerely,
{Signature)
Jason McPherson
Tips for creating a professional internship cover letter
Writing a cover letter is all about showcasing your best experience and skills. However, when you take the time to polish this letter, you can help your cover letter stand out from other applicant submissions. Use the following extra tips for creating a professional letter:
- Proofread: Always run your cover letter through a grammar and spell-checker. Additionally, you may want to have a professor or mentor read your cover letter to double-check it for errors and readability.
- Personalize: Take the time to write an individual cover letter for each internship application. Personalize the letter, highlighting key information you took from the internship listing. This will help showcase that you pay attention to details and that you are serious about wanting the role.
- Provide examples: Rather than simply stating that you are good at handling a specific type of work, provide concrete examples of how you have done so in the past. This is where you should draw on your experience, both professionally and academically.
- Persist: Landing an internship can take time. The first application you submit might not be the position you get. Make sure to apply to multiple opportunities, keeping an open mind about different potential positions.
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