How To Write An Email For Internship

Researching the organization

Researching the various organizations you want to work at is a great first step. The information you find will help you stand out from other candidates and show your recruiter that you are both proactive and interested in their company.

You can use various methods to gather information about the company, such as LinkedIn, their own website, and glassdoor reviews. A quick Google search of the organization's name should produce more than enough information to please a recruiter in an initial email.

If you're not sure if the email you've found is correct, you verify email here before sending them.

Information you may want to keep an eye out for is what the business does, their goals and achievements, notable employees, the name of the recruiter, and any relatable skills you possess that may add value to the company.

Match their tone

When researching the organization, try to take note of what kind of tone they use. For example, if they are a tech startup, their culture may promote a less formal approach. If the company you're applying to is a well-established hedge fund, you will probably want to use more formal wording. If you are unsure, it's best to stick to business-formal for your initial email.

Brainstorm why you want to work there

After researching the organizations you feel would be a good fit for you, it's time to think about why you want to work there. A recruiter who is giving away valuable internship places wants to know that you genuinely want to be there, and it's not just a boost for your resume.

You should be able to make a personal connection to what the organization stands for. Do you support their ethical approach to business? Are you passionate about the services they offer? This common ground will set you apart from those who are sending the same cold-calling script out to hundreds of companies.

Be specific and show your value

Large organizations know why you want to intern there. The value they provide to you is clear; it's real-world experience that will bolster your resume and practical skills. The recruiter wants to know what value you can provide to the company. Highlight the skills and traits that make you the right person for the job and be as specific as possible.

The recruiter may want to know about your educational background, previous experience, academic achievements, and other related information. Have a think if there is anything in their industry that you have had experience in before. An example of this could be something as simple as growing a social media profile in a company that focuses on digital marketing.

An effective sample structure

No recruiter wants to sit and read an essay on why they should hire you. If you can't sum up your value to them in a short email, they may discard your inquiry altogether. Let's look at a sample structure that will help highlight your skills while keeping the recruiter interested.

Subject Line: This is an often overlooked step. Your subject line must catch the eye of a recruitment manager who may receive many intern requests every day. You could come up with something industry-specific, such as "Hire me: A forward-thinking legal intern" for a law firm, or if you can't think of anything relatable to the industry, just go with something catchy and unique.

Greeting: Use an appropriate greeting for the recruiter. Using their name provides an immediate connection and shows them that this probably isn't a cold script.

First paragraph: This is your first opportunity to express what you have to offer. Tell them about your educational background, academic achievements, real-world experience, and other information about you. Remember, keep it concise.

Middle paragraphs: Here is where you give them the bulk of the information you found in the research stage. Establish your connection with the company, what makes you want to work there, and what you admire about them as an organization. If you found relatable skills you possess, this is a great area to highlight those specific skills and how you feel they would add value to the business. You will also want to explain what the internship is for if it is not a standard internship offered by the organization.

Final paragraph: In this paragraph, you may remind the recruiter why you chose their organization and suggest the recruiter get in touch with you if you've piqued their interest.

Farewell: A simple closing line such as 'Kind regards' will suffice here. Follow that with your full name and phone number.

Email Signature: A simple and elegant email signature containing links to your bio page and social profiles is also useful. You can use a free email signature generator to create an email signature. Don't forget to add links to relevant social pages there.

Following up with a recruiter

Waiting patiently to receive a reply for an internship might be difficult, but people are often busy, and recruiters can receive hundreds of emails per week. Good advice to follow is to wait one week before sending a follow-up email, although if you are applying to an internship with a deadline that is approaching, you may want to follow up sooner.

Try not to feel bad for sending a second email to your potential employer. The recruiter may have missed your email or not had a chance to reply to it yet. You don't stand to lose anything for following up, and doing so may just be the action that lands you the internship.

Resumes and cover letters

It can be a good idea to send your up-to-date resume with your email. This could give recruiters access to more information about you if your email managed to interest them. Another excellent opportunity to impress recruiters is to attach a cover letter that goes into more detail. However, a cover letter is probably best left to internships offered by the company rather than cold-emailing approaches.

You can also find some suitable examples here .