The Art of Getting an Internship - The Cover Letter

Finding a summer or seasonal internship can be next to impossible for those who consider themselves to be introverted or shy away from social challenges (like applying for jobs). Let's take a look at what we can do to help you out if you feel that you fall into this category...

This article and this series of articles are dedicated to those who get anxious about finding internships or have had no luck in the past. The skills required to get an internship can be learned and mastered with practice. This short article covers the basics of these skills. We will get into more detail on this topic in later posts.

Why You Should Always Have a Cover Letter

“The cover letter let's me know this person means business. Why would I hire someone who isn't willing to do the bare minimum? If the resumé doesn't have a cover letter, it is going directly into the trash." --A good friend of mine who is also a Hiring Manager for a Fortune 500 Company

Not everyone feels the same way my friend does. Some hiring managers simply flip the cover letter over to look at the resumé, as if the cover letter were no more than a piece of paper protecting the ink on the resumé.

A lot of young professionals dread writing their cover letter. I can sympathize if this is you, as I was in your shoes many years ago. I always hated the idea of 'bragging' about myself. It seemed juvenile to boast about my accomplishments. Maybe you feel the same way?

If you truly desire to have an internship, you are going to have to get past these feelings. When searching for my first internship during my second year of college, I quickly realized that I needed to walk a fine line between bragging about my accomplishments, and not coming off as a showboat. You have to learn how to walk this line in your cover letter.

Let's take a look at three critical items that all good cover letters have.

1. A Catchy Introduction

As a hiring manager, I can tell you that the first few lines of the cover letter are some of the most important. If the letter does not have my attention in the first few lines, I may resort to skimming it or placing it in the, "Maybe I will look at this later pile..."

You have to put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager you are reaching out to. You are likely one of dozens if not hundreds of cover letters she is going to read. Why would she waste her time reading something that is boring?

So what makes an attention-grabbing introduction?

There are a few different strategies to try, but for the first-timers, I would recommend the safe approach.

Here is an example of a safe introduction with some eye-catching statements:

I was excited to see your job listing on LinkedIn for [Insert Job Position]. As a [Insert similar position or student in related field] with over [Insert years in school or work force or combination] performing [Insert related experience tasks that identical or similar to what they are looking for in the job description], I'm confident I can make a great addition to your already thriving team.

This type of introduction hits the basics. It shows that you understand the requirements of the position, let's the hiring manager understand where you found the job posting, and ends with a statement of confidence that they should consider you for the position.

Let's look at an introduction that takes a slightly different approach:

When I finished my degree in [Insert Degree Here], I knew that I wanted to work for a company that is dedicated to producing innovative products using unique solutions. The idea of using the most technologically advanced materials available to create something the world has never seen before inspired me, and still inspires me deeply. I want to be part of a game-changing team that will revolutionize an industry. That is what inspires me to pursue joining the team at [Company Name].

This type of introduction takes a more emotional approach. It lets the reader understand a little bit about you. What drives you and inspires you. If the reader is looking for these qualities, than hopefully an intro like this will grab their attention.

On the flip side, the hiring manager may not see things the way you do. This is why this type of introduction is not quite as safe as the first example. You may need to experiment a little bit to find what works best for you.

2. A Great Design, that is Formatted Appropriately, with Content that is Proofed

Similar to our post about resumés, cover letters must be formatted appropriately, and free of grammatical errors.

As I have said previously, I know many of you are not marketing students or graphic designers. However, you can learn a lot from them. And I bet you have some friends who are studying or studied those topics? Don't be afraid to reach out to them for help.

It is true, the actual words written on the cover letter carry more weight than the design of the cover letter. With that said, a well-designed cover letter is going to outperform a poorly designed cover letter from a candidate with similar accomplishments.

Why is that?

It is the same reason we choose one brand of shoes over another, for lack of a better example. Human beings are drawn to attractive things. Your cover letter can be attractive, from the fonts selected, to the design of the header, to the white or off-white colors chosen for the printer paper. Every detail is important, and every detail can be 100% controlled by you.

We will go into much more detail about formatting options for cover letters in later posts. If this is something you need help with now, please feel free to reach out to us. We are happy to help you, free of charge.

3. A Strong Concluding Paragraph with a Call to Action

The body paragraphs are important, and we will discuss them in much more detail in later postings. However, a strong concluding paragraph can still get you an interview if the body paragraphs are lacking in substance.

Here is an example of a strong concluding paragraph:

I believe I can take what I have learned at my current and previous positions to bring growth to the already thriving [Insert Company Name] team. I welcome the opportunity to speak with you more about how I can contribute to the team, and I hope we can schedule a call sometime soon to discuss the available role and my experience. Thank you for your consideration.

"Bring growth..." "Contribute to the team..."

This is the type of language you need to consider using. Language that shows you have the experience they are looking for, but the desire to bring value to the team and company.

A hiring manager has one goal in mind, and that is to hire an individual that is going to bring value to their team. This value comes in the from of being a team player, contributing new ideas that lead to more sales, and building up those around you to make everyone grow.

Your goal is show them that the person they are looking for is you.

Want to Learn More?

This post is the second installment of many on the Art of Getting an Internship. Feel free to join our mailing list to get updates on future articles.

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