In competitive job markets, internships are an amazing way of getting a foot in the door. They can pave the way for a dream career, giving you immediate access to the very people who make the decision on whom to bring on board. They are absolutely invaluable for the in-demand, high-profile professional jobs that so many wish to land.
But how do you manage to get one of these internships? Besides being lucky enough to be chosen, and having the time and finances that can take advantage of the opportunity, you’ll need to write an internship application letter. Just like college admission essays, these letters are a way for you to be your own advocate. They are crucial for securing your future.
So how do you write them? Read below to find out.
Sections of an Internship Application Letter
The internship application letter can be divided into several distinctive parts. Each has its own important points to cover.
Introducing yourself: Obviously, you need to start off by speaking a little bit about yourself. You should identify who you are, what your background is, and how this background is relevant to the internship.
Think of this like summarizing who you are quickly and to the point, in a way that shows them immediately that you might have something to offer through the information about your background and how this intersects with the internship.
Say you’re trying to intern at a pharmaceutical company. Why not talk about how you participated in several science programs throughout high school and college and won distinctions in science fairs?
So, besides listing your name (obviously), you really need to detail how you’re already at least partially prepared for the role you will take in the internship. You don’t want to give them the impression you’re so green that you’re bringing no experience at all with you.
An internship is a capstone to a long process that should’ve begun years ago. It is not something for novices. Show them that you’ve done something already worth knowing about.
Show your Interest: Why are you interested in this specific internship? What draws you to this company, to this type of work? Why do you care about their mission and purpose?
In this section you should show off your knowledge about what they are, so they know you aren’t just submitting this blindly in hopes of a hit. You should write in such a way that it conveys that you’ve done your research and that this company, and not just a “general desire”, motivates you to request an internship position.
You want them to know you chose them because you understand that they offer something their competition does not. Something that coincides with what you bring with you.
Why do you want to get involved in this type of field? Why have you studied and worked to achieve this goal in your life? What makes you a good fit? Answer these questions in such a way as to make it clear to the reader that you actually have a purpose already in studying and pursuing this path in your life. An internship should not be wasted on someone who has no idea what they are doing with his or her life.
And of course, identify to the reader how your intended career path makes sense with this kind of internship. If your goal were to become a stock market broker, why would an internship as a tax accountant make sense with this? The internship should fit your plans and not be simply a feather in your cap. It should serve your purposes so you can serve theirs.
Explain your Qualifications: This is where you explain to the reader why you are uniquely qualified for the position in question. Here you should switch focus from talking about yourself to show how great you are, to how great you will be for them.
You have qualifications. Good, so does everyone else. How do they work to achieve something that will make a difference for them? Internships are a two-way street. You get valuable work experience and professional development, whereas they get someone who will contribute in some way to their bottom line.
Show how your prior qualifications will give them more bang for their buck. That will justify the time they will spend cultivating your talents that you might go on to reach your dreams.
What have you done? What do you know? How have you worked? What have you achieved? Answer all these questions in such a way as they relate to how you can use these things for their benefit.
How have you gotten involved in school with projects relating to this field? What jobs have you held in this field before? Have any awards or distinctions that you haven’t mentioned yet, and how they could help you in this position? Again, sell yourself through the information you convey. Phrase it always in light of what they gain from having someone of your merits working for them.
Also, realize that you’re still a student and that you are not a full-fledged professional. Explain how you’ve got potential that needs cultivation but potential that will still work for them.
More Elements of a Good Letter
It is absolutely critical that any internship application letter be unique to every position. This is not something that can be sent to a thousand places and more or less convey the same information. This has to be personal. It has to be tailor fit.
Explain to them what you hope to gain from the position and how that gain might indeed work for their benefit, too. An internship doesn’t always lead to a job offer down the line, but there’s a reason why internships exist: they can effectively work as training.
If you can manage to show that your time will reap dividends for them, you will have a leg up on the competition that may not be able to express that as well.
Indeed, establishing that this could be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship is an excellent way to market the benefit you will bring to the company. In fact, your goal should always be to make this the seedbed for future professional growth.
And please, please, please make sure that everything is error free. Nothing screams amateur hour louder than an error-riddled mess.
Guidelines: They Exist for a Reason!
Always, always, ALWAYS read directions. Any directions must be followed to the letter.
Meet your deadlines. Follow the word count. Read the prompt, if there is one. Stick to the topics that they want if anything.
In effect: if they tell you to do something, do it.
Following Up
You should follow up on the internship if and only if you haven’t heard from them after an extended period of time and they have not given any indication that they have a specific window when you can expect to hear back from them.
If you are rejected, it is best to simply let things lie. It isn’t rude to let a rejection letter simply sit. Unless you have specific questions pertaining to points they made in the rejection, it is better to take the defeat gracefully and move onto some other plan.
Don’t mope, and don’t write a furious e-mail back.
However, if you get accepted, it is vital to write a thank-you e-mail (or letter!) and otherwise follow up in order to get ready to take the internship. You’re about to start on a very important part of your career. You need to be informed as to what you’re about to do.
Summary
An internship can make or break your future, and the letter gets you in the door. It is, therefore, imperative that your letter hits the key sections that all good letters have.
This includes:
- Selling yourself and your qualifications to the reader.
- That you have written the letter to the exact standards they have set forth, if any.
- How this internship will match your career goals and how your relationship might continue for many years to come.
- Knowing when and if to follow up.
Keep these points in mind when crafting it, and you’ll have a better chance to make the grade.