Welcome back to our Summer Job Series, where we share our tips for crushing the summer job and internship search! This week, we’re sharing our advice for writing a cover letter, specifically geared towards internships and seasonal jobs.
Make it individual and specific
When applying to a lot of jobs, it can be tempting to just send your generic cover letter out in every application. If you want to stand out as an applicant, you’re going to need to make your cover letter individual and specific to the company and position that you’re applying to. For starters, that means describing why you want to work there, any personal connections or experiences you have with the company, and how your background and skills fits this particular role.
Use keywords from the job posting
Before you begin your cover letter, take a closer look at the job posting. What keywords stand out to you? Make a list of everything from “writing” to “researching” to “collaboration” and repeat those words in your cover letter. Highlight those skills when you discuss your own experiences to show the recruiter or hiring manager why you’re perfect for this position.
Provide examples from your experience
While you’re using those keywords, you’ll also want to describe your experiences and background in-depth. Even if you have only one or two past experiences under your belt, write about all of your tasks at those roles. Provide specific examples of what you accomplished, how you accomplished it, who you worked with, and more. If you can pull real quantitative data to provide evidence of these accomplishments, even better! Numbers show recruiters exactly what you did and how amazing you’ll be at their company.
Repeat the company’s mission statement
In the few sentences of your cover letter, rewrite the company’s mission statement in your own words. Explain why this mission resonates with you. Maybe the company is supporting at-risk communities or creating a tool for effective communication – whatever it is, wrap up your cover letter with your connection to that mission and reiterate how you can successfully contribute to it. You’ll leave the recruiter with a sense of who you are and your commitment to their organization.
Cover letters are time-consuming, we know. But an individual, specific, and well-written cover letter can make all the difference when it comes to applying to jobs and internships. Craft your cover letters to fit each job that you apply for and get ready to hear back from recruiters soon!