With summer internships wrapping up in the coming weeks and applications for fall internships opening, it’s time to revise your cover letter to make sure you are among the standout candidates when applying for internships this fall. Here are 6 tips for improving your cover letter that will make your voice be heard!
- Keep it casual
Being too professional can hide your personality. Your cover letter isn’t a legal document so let your personality shine. Be sure to address your letter to a specific person or the organization itself if you can’t find the proper point of contact. - Be human
Let your voice be heard, and stray away from sounding like a robot. Emails are impersonal as it is, be sure to show some personality in your cover letter. It’s important that whoever is reading your letter feels like there is a human on the other side, not like they’re reading a generic cut-and-paste template where you simply filled in the blanks. - Show and tell
Don’t just ramble on about your qualifications and achievements, show them. Share links to your best work or add them as attachments. Employers don’t just want to read about your exceptional work, they want to see it for themselves. - Make it a conversation, not a pitch
When crafting your cover letter be sure to make it a point to talk about the company, not just yourself. A letter that balances discussion about the company and their mission along with your qualifications sets the tone for a conversation. Talking about yourself and your qualification makes it sound like a pitch. - Don’t sound desperate
Don’t keep restating your qualifications or send a video clip begging to be selected for a position. Those that stand out to employers are confident and aspirational. Their cover letter is a conversation, not a filled-in template and they don’t ramble on about their qualifications. Exceptional candidates not only explain why they’re a good match, but what the company can offer or teach them if selected. - Use common sense
It’s crucial that you use accurate information such as spelling the company name right, using proper grammar and punctuation, and make sure to keep it relevant. Don’t apply to a design position if you have no intent of doing design work. Be smart.
Before polishing up your cover letter, download our free Go Commando app from the App Store or Google Play and add some experience to your track record that can give your resume the shine it needs and enhance your qualifications.
