Cover Letter

The point of a cover letter is to briefly introduce yourself and make a first impression on whoever screens your CV. Underestimate this at your peril; in the job world, more than almost any other, first impressions are what counts. Remember that this letter, before even your CV and application form, is the first chance a company gets to see how you approach a task. A rushed, poorly laid out, error strewn and uninspiring cover letter is definitely the wrong first impression.

The following internshipHelp Top 10 Tips should see you write a cover letter which is a step along the path of landing a great internship.

  1. Address it to the right person, department and company location. It will normally say to who and where letters are meant to go.“head of recruitment, (company name), London”is not good enough.

  2. Always present the letter formally, with address and date above the text. Otherwise it looks slapdash and unprofessional. Start with“Dear”and spell the name of the recipient correctly.

  3. The first paragraph is key. Start formally, but directly and with certainty.“I am a second year student at x university and would be interested in undertaking an internship with (company name)”is the way to go, not“I am writing regarding the possibility of working in investment banking next summer”. When it comes to office correspondence companies want an ability to put the message across succinctly and effectively. Show them you are capable of doing that.

  4. Always check, re-check and check again for errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Just like on application forms, it cannot be stressed what a bad impression this makes. It screams that you are lazy, incompetent and do not care.

  5. Use a clearly defined structure. This will vary mattering on the type of cover letter, but think of it like an essay. The introduction should open the piece and indicate where it will go; the middle paragraphs should address clearly defined themes; the final paragraph should summarise and close. A badly structured piece will fail to get your qualities across, and distract the reader.

  6. Do not list achievements or activities. Always focus on how they are relevant to the internship you are applying for. For example,“my expedition to Norway taught me the independence and appetite for research which will be vital as a barrister”is a lot better than“last summer I undertook an expedition to Norway”.

  7. Bear in mind the company’s character and areas of specialisation. If they are a technology based firm, play up your interest in computer programming. If they deal a great deal with foreign firms or international affairs emphasise academic trips abroad or university work which is relevant. Don’t just have a one size fits all list of achievements and interests – personalising and tailoring it is far more effective.

  8. Don’t repeat words like“fascinating”and“passionate”. It not only reads badly, it sounds false. Think carefully about coming across as genuine and producing a good piece of writing.

  9. End on a positive note -“I would relish the opportunity of an internship with the firm”,“I would relish the challenge of taking such an opportunity next summer”. Leave the reader with a sense you can’t wait to get started.

  10. Always sign off with a pleasantry -“Kind Regards”is in our opinion a good mix - more professional than“best wishes”but less stiff than“yours sincerely”- though all three are fine. Remember to sign letters personally with a neat signature, and to enclose all documents the company has requested.