How to Write a Cover Letter for Obtaining an Internship
Yourinternship cover letter is a concise way of introducing yourself to the company. As you can see, your formalcover letteris be among the most important parts of your internship application.
First impressions
A good internship cover letter begins with the type of paper. Although you could use standard copy paper, using 24-pound paper with brightness of 100 or more creates a better impression. Use only black ink.
Set up your letter to be single-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all sides. If you are using letterhead paper, the top margin should be larger, between 1.5 and 2 inches, depending on the size of the letterhead. If you are typing the letter on a typewriter, resist the temptation to push beyond these margins. A word processing program will follow your instructions automatically.
Use a serif font, such as Times Roman. Set the size to 12 point or 11 point, as appropriate to the length of your letter. Smaller font sizes are too difficult to read.
The framework
A cover letter for an internship application has seven required sections: heading, date, address of the recipient, salutation, the body of the letter, the complimentary close, and your signature. The entire letter should take no more than a single page, with the back side blank. Through your cover letter, you are being judged on your ability to convey your message concisely.
Heading
This is your address and contact information, written in two or three lines at the top of your letter. Always start from the center of the line. If you use letterhead paper, you don't need to type in a heading.
Date
This line goes directly below the heading, starting from the center of the line, with a blank line between the two sections. Include the day, month, and year on which you are writing the letter. If there is a delay in sending your letter, the date should be changed accordingly. The letter should never be dated after the deadline for applying for the internship.
Address
This is the address of the recipient. Begin each line of the address flush with the left margin. Leave a blank line between the date and the address, or several blank lines if your cover letter is short.
The complete address should be written in two or three lines, although government offices may require more lines. The first line of the address should be the name of the contact person in charge of reviewing internship applications. If you do not have this name, it is acceptable to call the internship location in order to obtain it, along with the appropriate form of address to use in the salutation which comes next.
In some cases, you will need to add an attention line to the address section. This line takes the form "Attention: John Smith" without any concluding punctuation. Place the attention line above the recipient's address, flush with the left margin, with a blank line separating it from the rest of the address section.
Salutation
The salutation goes below the address of the recipient, with a blank line between it and the address. It should begin flush with the left margin. An internship cover letter is a type of formal business letter, so always follow the salutation with a colon.
The most common salutation in internship cover letters is "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam," as appropriate. You may also choose to use the name of the person to whom you are writing. In that case, use the person's last name with the appropriate title. Never use "To whom it may concern" in an internship cover letter.
It is sometimes appropriate in an internship cover letter to add a subject line between the salutation and the body of the letter. This is usually the case where the internship application has been assigned a file number. Do not use a subject line to substitute for a proper introductory paragraph. Leave a blank line on either side of the subject line.
Body of the letter
This is the substance of your cover letter. Always aim for between three and four paragraphs. All paragraphs should be left-justified without indents, with a blank line between each paragraph. If you are using a word-processing program, full justification is also acceptable.
The first paragraph is your introduction. Start by stating that you are applying for an internship. Be specific about the type of internship you are seeking if several different types of internships are available. Otherwise, use the name of the internship, if there is one. In the rest of your introduction, explain how you heard about the internship and why you are interested in the company.
The middle paragraphs of this kind of cover letter are used to highlight your qualifications for the internship. Aim for the two or three qualifications which best demonstrate how you will be a good fit for the company. Give brief, specific examples for each qualification.
The final paragraph reiterates your interest in the position and the qualities which will make you a good match for the company. Thank the reader for his or her attention. Finally, mention an appropriate time and date when you will follow up on your application.
Complimentary close
The most common complimentary close is "Sincerely." Other common complimentary closes are "Respectfully," "Yours," and "Yours truly."
Leave a blank line between the body of the letter and the complimentary close. Follow the complimentary close with a comma. The complimentary close may be flush with the left margin, or it may start from the center of the line, so that it lines up with the beginning of the date.
Signature
Leave four to six lines between the complimentary close and the typewritten signature line, depending on how large your handwritten signature usually is. After your cover letter is typed or printed out, sign the letter by hand in the space between the complimentary close and the typewritten signature line.
In the typewritten signature line, type your name so that it starts from the same vertical place as the complimentary close. If the complimentary close was flush with the left margin, so is the signature. If the complimentary close starts at the center of the line, so does the signature.
Final touches
Check the letter for spelling and grammar. If your strengths lie in other areas, hire an editor to check your letter for you.
For a physical application, place the cover letter in front of your application or resume. Mail it in a 9 x 12 envelope, unless the application size requires a legal-size 9 x 17 envelope. Make sure you have sufficient postage before you mail it. The weight of some applications may require a higher postal rate.
