InternshipRatings.com

By Kathleen Tellis

Director of Internships

Charles F. Dolan School of Business

Fairfield University

Students repeatedly ask, “Should I include a cover letter with my resume even though one is not required?” My answer is always the same - yes, if you can write an outstanding one and no, if you cannot. Some companies require a cover letter when applying for an internship, but many do not. Submitting a well-written cover letter along with your resume could immediately set you apart from the other applicants.

The following will assist students with the process of writing a cover letter.

Why write a cover letter if it is not required?

• Shows initiative and a commitment to put in extra time when required
• Provides an opportunity for introduction and to make a positive first impression
• Another tool to market yourself
• Can expand on information provided on your resume

What is the proper form of and content for a cover letter?

• Style should be a formal business letter
• Do not repeat what is already on your resume
• Write three short paragraphs
• First paragraph

o Show that you have done some research on the company or organization - mention some specific details
o Go on the company’s website and Google the company to learn more about them
o State why you are interested in an internship with the company
o What attracts you to the company - be specific (e.g. the product they offer, their commitment to corporate social responsibility, their management style, their creative marketing approach, etc.)

• Second paragraph

o What skills do you bring to the table?

• Opportunity to expand on skills listed on your resume (e.g. if you are a student athlete, you might expand on why you have excellent time management skills, or perhaps, how all those summer jobs of life guarding, babysitting, working in a restaurant have honed your people skills, allowed you to develop your self-confidence and provided opportunities to enhance your decision making abilities)

o Why do you think you are the best candidate for the internship?

• Third paragraph

o What do you hope to learn?
o What are your goals regarding the internship?
o How will the internship offer practical application of theories you learned in courses?
o Will the internship help to clarify your career goals, if so, how?

• Remember to say “thank you” in your closing sentence and give your contact information

What are some general suggestions for writing a cover letter?

• Do not use a form letter - write your own cover letter beginning to end
• Pay strict attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation - one mistake could cause it to be tossed
• Invoke spell check, grammar check and have someone else proof your letter
• Use language that reflects your education - don’t begin every sentence with “I”
• Be professional - don’t use slang or colloquialism
• Don’t ramble on - be succinct
• Show your enthusiasm, confidence and personality - interns bring a fresh perspective that is valued
• Offer to follow up with the company - turn the tables around if you are bold enough

Excellent written communication skills are not only highly valued in the corporate world, they are also required. It takes time to construct an outstanding cover letter but it is well worth the investment, especially when it results in an interview!

By E. Chandlee Bryan

Careers in Context

www.careersincontext.com

If you are graduating in 2010, don’t miss out on one of the biggest opportunities of the year: Summer internship recruiting begins now!
Many corporate employers use internships as a primary pipeline for hiring for full-time positions. As a result, they will keep their internship programs strong even in a down economy. According to annual surveys conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, it’s quite likely you’ll land a full-time job from your internship: the percentage of interns converted to full-time employees increased from 35% in 2001 to 50% in 2008, with almost 70% of interns receiving full-time offers in 2008.

I spent over eight years working at campus Career Services offices where my job was to learn about employer needs and help students apply for positions. In the process, I made a few observations on how you can best prepare for the process:

If you haven’t started already, this is a great week to begin. Many campuses don’t open for spring term until mid-to-late January, but a majority of staff at Career Offices are back at work. If your school offers individual counseling appointments or resume critique services, now is a great time to get a quick appointment. If you’d like outside help, you may also want to consider hiring a resume writer or career coach-but keep in mind that you will need to follow resume guidelines set by your campus.

Research potential opportunities. Given the high conversion rate of interns to full-time employees, you want to make sure you like the place you work enough to stay there full-time. Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate opportunities. Read about career fields, position types, and determine the best work environment for you. Then research employers to create a short list of ideal organizations. Apply for multiple opportunities: don’t limit yourself to only those employers who are interviewing on-campus-apply for other internships as well. (In addition to your campus internship database, check out company websites and aggregators including indeed.com.)

Discount the myth that no one reads cover letters. Competition can be stiff, and employers often use cover letters to assess your writing skills and your level of interest. A great cover letter can help you get noticed.

Show that you understand the position and industry. Contrary to popular myth, employers don’t always use GPA and major as the first screening criteria when evaluating internship applications. A little research on current company initiatives, products, or work environment can go a long way. News aggregators (e.g. Google News Alerts, RSS Feeds) and research tools such as Hoovers, Lexis-Nexis, and Factiva can help you quickly find items worth mentioning. (You may also want to look for key indicators on company health and performance-factors that can help you assess your long-term employment prospects.)

Write your materials from the employer’s perspective. In most organizations, employers scan application materials quickly to seek answers to the following questions:

• How did you learn of this position? (They want to know if their ads are working!)

• How do your skills and experience align with the job description?

• Why are you interested in the position? How does it fit in with your long-term goals?

• Why do you want to work for us? (What interests you about our company versus our competition?)

Quick tip to ensure you’ve written from the employer’s perspective: Count the number of sentences in your cover letter, than the number that start with “I.” Aim for less than 50% of sentences to begin with you.

These strategies are designed to help you “stand out” in the applicant pool while also demonstrating how you “fit in” to the company culture and organizational structure. Have any additional tips or success stories of strategies that worked? If yes, please share!

E. Chandlee Bryan, M.Ed., is a certified professional resume writer and career counselor at Careers in Context. A former Ivy League career counselor and recruiter, Chandlee specializes in providing services and career advisement to emerging professionals; she also serves as a consultant to employers on best practices for recruiting and training millennials.