As you dive into the job market, you've probably noticed that a standout intern cover letter is a must-have for your application. Crafting a concise yet compelling letter without merely echoing your resume can be daunting. You should aim to highlight a key professional triumph, weaving it into a narrative that captures your unique capabilities. Remember, maintaining formal tones while dodging clichés and ensuring it's no longer than a page, is pivotal for making a memorable first impression.
- Step your best foot forward in the intern cover letter introduction;
- Be inspired by other professionals' certified cover letters;
- Structure your intern cover letter to feature what matters most;
- Close off your intern cover letter to make a memorable impression on recruiters.
But where to start writing? Upload your resume into Enhancv's AI, which will prepare your intern cover letter (all you need to do is personalize it, and you'll be good to go).
If the intern isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Intern cover letter example
SALLY DONOVAN
New York, NY
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Emphasize relevant experience: Mentioning successful projects, like the targeted mailing lists that boosted lead generation, immediately showcases a proven track record of relevant accomplishments.
- Quantify achievements: Using percentages to illustrate the impact made at a previous position (e.g., improving data quality by 20%, increasing lead generation by 30%) provides concrete evidence of a candidate's effectiveness.
- Relate past work to new role: Drawing parallels between previous job responsibilities and tasks in the new role (e.g., managing complex data sets) demonstrates an understanding of, and preparation for, the job requirements.
- Call to action: Ending the cover letter with an invitation for an interview proactively encourages the hiring manager to take the next step in the hiring process.
Designing your intern cover letter: what is the best format
Let's start with the basics, your intern cover letter should include your:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraph
- Closing statement
- Signature (that's not a must)
Next, we'll move to the spacing of your intern cover letter, and yes, it should be single-spaced (automatically formatted for you in our cover letter templates).
Don't go for a old-school font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman), but instead, pick an ATS-favorite like Chivo, Volkhov, or Raleway, to stand out.
Our cover letter builder is also set up for you with the standard one-inch margin, all around the text.
Finally, ensure your intern resume and cover letter are in the same font and are submitted in PDF (to keep the formatting in place).
P.S. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't be assessing your [job] cover letter, it's solely for the recruiters' eyes.
The top sections on a intern cover letter
Header: Include your contact information, the date, and the employer's contact information. It's essential as it provides the recruiter with your details and personalizes the cover letter to the specific company and role.
Greeting: Address the hiring manager or recruiter by name if possible. Doing this shows you've done your research and are serious about the role.
Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and state the internship position you're applying for, as well as where you found the job listing. This helps the recruiter quickly understand the purpose of your cover letter and how you came across their job posting.
Body: Here, outline your relevant coursework, projects, and previous experience that make you a good fit for the internship. Illustrate with specific examples to showcase your skills and the value you would bring to the company.
Closing: Reiterate your interest in the position, thank the reader for considering your application, and include a call to action, such as stating your availability for an interview. Finish with a professional sign-off.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Relevant coursework or academic projects: Recruiters look for candidates who have a strong educational foundation that relates to the internship role demonstrating that the intern can contribute academically to the team.
- Adaptability and willingness to learn: The ability to adjust to new challenges and an eagerness to absorb information is critical for interns, as they will likely encounter situations that are unfamiliar to them.
- Initiative and self-motivation: Interns who show they can take charge of their own projects and tasks, without needing constant supervision, are highly valued for their proactive approach.
- Teamwork and collaboration skills: Recruiters seek interns who can work well in team settings, an essential trait for fitting into the existing company culture and contributing to collective projects.
- Strong communication skills: Both written and verbal communication skills are important for interns, as they will need to articulate ideas clearly and interact with team members effectively.
- Relevant technical skills or tools proficiency: Depending on the industry or role, familiarity with specific software, programming languages, or technical methodologies can be a key asset for interns to have from the start.
Kick off your intern cover letter: the salutation or greeting
When writing your intern cover letter, remember that you're not writing for some complex AI or robot, but for actual human beings.
And recruiters, while on the lookout to understand your experience, would enjoy seeing a cover letter that is tailored to the role and addresses them. Personally.
So, if you haven't done so, invest some time in finding out who's the hiring manager for the role you're applying to. A good place to start would be LinkedIn and the corporate website.
Alternatively, you could also get in touch with the company to find out more information about the role and the name of the recruiter.
If you haven't met the hiring manager, yet, your intern cover letter salutation should be on a last-name basis (e.g. "Dear Mr. Donaldson" or "Dear Ms. Estephan").
A good old, "Dear HR Professional" (or something along those lines) could work as your last resort if you're struggling to find out the recruiter's name.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Department] Team,
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
- Dear [First Name] [Last Name],
- Dear Professor [Last Name],
Your intern cover letter intro: showing your interest in the role
On to the actual content of your intern cover letter and the introductory paragraph.
The intro should be no more than two sentences long and presents you in the best light possible.
Use your intern cover letter introduction to prove exactly what interests you in the role or organization. Is it the:
- Company culture;
- Growth opportunities;
- Projects and awards the team worked on/won in the past year;
- Specific technologies the department uses.
When writing your intern cover letter intro, be precise and sound enthusiastic about the role.
Your introduction should hint to recruiters that you're excited about the opportunity and that you possess an array of soft skills, e.g. motivation, determination, work ethic, etc.
How to write an achievement-focused intern cover letter body
We've got the intro and greeting covered. Now, comes the most definitive part of your intern cover letter - the body.
In the next three to six paragraphs, you'd have to answer why should recruiters hire you.
What better way to do this than by storytelling?
And, no, you don't need a "Once upon a time" or "I started from the bottom and made it to the top" career-climbing format to tell a compelling narrative.
Instead, select up to three most relevant skills for the job and look back on your resume.
Find an achievement, that you're proud of, which has taught you these three job-crucial skills.
Quantify your accomplishment, using metrics, and be succinct in the way you describe it.
The ultimate aim would be to show recruiters how this particular success has built up your experience to become an invaluable candidate.
Ending your intern cover letter: a closing paragraph with a promise
If you're thinking of finishing your intern cover letter with a "Sincerely yours" or "Thanks for the consideration," you need to read on.
End the final paragraph of your intern cover letter with a twist:
- a promise - of how you'd grow as a professional, part of the company, or improve organizational metrics;
- a call to action - prompt interviewers with some follow-up actions if they are interested in your profile.
A personalized ending would surely help you to stand out by being a memorable candidate.
No experience intern cover letter: making the most out of your profile
Candidates who happen to have no professional experience use their intern cover letter to stand out.
Instead of focusing on a professional achievement, aim to quantify all the relevant, transferrable skills from your life experience.
Once again, the best practice to do so would be to select an accomplishment - from your whole career history.
Another option would be to plan out your career goals and objectives: how do you see yourself growing, as a professional, in the next five years, thanks to this opportunity?
Be precise and concise about your dreams, and align them with the company vision.
Key takeaways
Turning your intern cover letter into a success is all about staying authentic to yourself and relevant to the job:
- Be creative with your intern cover letter introduction by stating something you enjoy about the company (that is genuine) or about your skill set (to get the recruiters' interested);
- Use single spacing and have a one-inch margin wrapping all around the content of your intern cover letter;
- Select just one past achievement from your career or life to tell a story of how you've obtained job-crucial skills and how they'd be beneficial to the role;
- The finishing paragraph of your intern cover letter doesn't necessarily have to be a signature but could be a promise of what you plan to achieve in the role;
- Instead of focusing on your lack of experience, spotlight your transferable skills, one relevant achievement, and career dreams.
