Summer Internships: How to Write a Winning Cover Letter

After all, that class attending, studying, exam taking, and academic writing, the summer is finally close. All you want to do is rest, relax, have TV show marathons, and reconnect with your old friends. Who could possibly think of an internship at this time? Well, that’s what smart students do: take an internship position while doing everything else they’re supposed to do during the summer break.

Maybe the summer internship won’t get you any money. However, it’s an important start towards your future career. You know how most employers don’t give chances to graduates with zero experience? Summer internships give you experience.

It’s clear why you should get a summer internship. The only question is: how? The first step of the process is writing a winning cover letter. From that point on, it will be easy to send out that cover letter to organizations you want to be part of.

Let’s start from the beginning: how do you write a great cover letter for a summer internship position? We have the tips you need.

1. Understand What the Cover Letter Is

The resume may come out as dry and impersonal, especially when you’re a student with lack of work experience. The cover letter will add that personality. Through it, you’ll provide information about your interests and the reasons why you’re a great fit for this summer internship. This is your way of telling this organization “I really, really want this summer internship and I’ll do great.” Of course, you’ll have to do it in a more professional way.
To understand how a cover letter looks like, you can take a look at few samples. However, you must never copy what you see. Remember: this is a personal letter that should present your own character. Hiring managers can definitely recognize the spark in a unique cover letter, as opposed to the copied cover letter they’ve seen hundreds of times before.

2. Achieve the Right Impression

What’s the goal of a cover letter, anyway? You have three goals to achieve with a single piece of content:

• Introduce yourself to the prospective internship provider;
• Explain why you’re interested in that position, and
• Show what makes you qualified enough for that summer internship.

The introduction needs to go beyond “Hello, my name is…” You need a more captivating intro. “As I continue working towards my graduation with a Bachelor of Social Sciences next year, I am passionate about supporting vulnerable groups and individuals.” Now, that’s more like it.
Right after the opening, you can tell why you want a position in this organization. “When I saw the activities of your organization promoted through its Facebook page, I knew I wanted to be part of it. I am very excited in the opportunity to brainstorm innovative concepts with a motivated team.”

Finally, you’ll need to answer this question: “Why you and not someone else?” Here’s an example: “As an activist for the Red Cross, I’ve worked with vulnerable groups and individuals. That experience helped me develop good communication skills. I’ve been part of various philanthropic events that really made a change.” This shows you have specific experience related to that position, so you’ll know what to do as soon as you become part of that team.

3. Pay Attention to the Structure

Hiring managers prefer properly-structured cover letters, so they can glance through them and immediately get the information they need. Here’s the structure you should maintain:

Header – it provides your name and contact information, date of application, and the organization’s mailing address. Don’t forget to include your email and phone in the contact information. The email address has to be professional. It’s time to abandon the high-school account.

Greeting – “Dear Ms. Smith” is a nice way to start. It’s important to address the hiring manager by their name. If you don’t know who the recruiter or hiring manager is, you can just opt for “Dear Hiring Manager.” Whatever you do, don’t use “To Whom It May Concern” as a greeting.

Introduction – Here, you introduce yourself and you explain why you’re writing. What position are you applying for? The hiring manager should figure that out without the need to read through the entire letter. The introduction should also include.

Body of the Cover Letter – Don’t hold back to break it up to few paragraphs. Short paragraphs are easier to read. In this section of the cover letter, you should name your specific qualifications that are relevant to the job description. How will you contribute towards the company’s goals and mission? What will make you a valuable member of its team?

Conclusion – Mention the resume and samples (if any) you enclosed within the application. Then, wrap it up with a request for an interview. Finally, you can end with another professional greeting, such as “Thank you for your consideration. Best regards,” - and your signature will follow.

4. Use the Right Tools

Since it’s not easy to write the perfect cover letter for a summer internship position, you need tools that will help you do that. Here are few you can consider:

Careers Booster – a service that connects you with professional writers, who can help you write the perfect cover letter. You can also check out the samples at the website to get inspired.

Hemingway App – a tool that will help you simplify your style. It’s important to write a clear, straightforward cover letter. Follow the recommendations for improvement this app gives.

Action Words List – a list of words that will add action to your resume. These words show you as someone who’s ready to get to work.

Now that you have the tips and tools you need, are you ready to start writing that cover letter? Don’t waste time; writing usually takes more time than planned.