How to write a cover letter for a student. How to write a motivation letter for a job? Cover letter for internship

If you are applying for an internship, you will likely have to submit a cover letter as part of your application.

Your cover letter should be tailored to the specific internship and should include examples from your work, academic and/or extracurricular experiences.

Read below for more tips on writing an internship cover letter and consider a sample internship cover letter.

Tips for Writing an Internship Cover Letter

Use business letter format. When sending a cover letter by mail, use the correct business letter format.

Include your contact information at the top, date and contact information for the employer. Be sure to provide the correct greeting and sign your name at the bottom.

Personalize your cover letter. Be sure to write a unique cover letter for each internship you apply to. Highlight the skills and abilities you have that are relevant to the specific internship listing. The main focus of your cover letter should be to convince the reader that you will be an active participant.

Give specific examples. If you say you have a particular skill or ability in your cover letter, be sure to back it up with a specific example from your past, academic, or extracurricular experience.

Highlight your academic experience. You may include academic experience in your letter, if applicable. Especially if you have limited work experience, you can use examples for school to demonstrate that you have special skills.

For example, if the internship requires you to work as part of a team, provide an example of a successful team project you worked on.

Include extracurricular experiences. You may also include details about your relevant experience from extracurricular activities or volunteer work. For example, a college reporter might point out interview and writing skills; a history of volunteering at a shelter can serve as an example of strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

Following actions. At the end of your letter, say how you will follow up with the employer. You can say that you will call the office to follow up in about a week (don't follow up sooner). However, do not include this if the internship sheet specifically states that you will not apply to the office.

Edit, edit, edit. Be sure to thoroughly proofread your cover letter for spelling and grammar errors. Many internships are very competitive, and any mistake could hurt your chances of getting an interview.

Sample letter with cover letter

Use the cover letter below as a guide to get started. You can copy the letter layout and even look at the letter content for ideas for your own letter. Be sure to revise the sample to match your specific experience and the internship you are applying for.

FirstName LastName
Name University
Street
City, State Zip Code
cell: 555-555-5555
email: name@email. com

Name
Job title
Company
Street
City, State Zip Code

Dear Mrs LastName,

I am interested in applying for a summer research internship that has been listed in the XYZ University Career Services office. I believe my research and conservation experience make me an ideal candidate.

I have had a lot of laboratory experience in chemistry, biology and geology, both indoors and in the field.

Most of my experience has been in field research in the field. I was currently conducting research in our school's outdoor laboratory to evaluate the water quality of a nearby pond. I know that water quality assessment is an integral part of this internship, and I know that my previous experience makes me a prime candidate for this.

Last summer I worked as a Conservation Assistant at Clemer National Park. Along with trail maintenance and construction, I also served as a research assistant for a research organization in the park. I have analyzed soil samples and presented data from various research projects. I received a special commendation from the director of the research organization for my attention to detail and dedication to research.

I believe that I will be useful to your program. This internship would provide an ideal opportunity for me to help your organization and expand my research skills.

I'll call next week to see if you agree that my qualifications seem to match the position. If so, I hope to schedule an interview at a time that is convenient for you. I look forward to speaking with you.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Signature (printed letter)

FirstName LastName

Sending a cover letter for email

If you're sending your cover letter via email, your format will be slightly different from a traditional letter. Please include your name and job title in the subject line of the email. Include your contact information in your email signature and do not include employer contact information. Start your message with a greeting. Below is an example of a formatted email cover letter.

How to send an email
How to Apply for a Job via Email

More details: More Cover Letter Examples | Capital letters listed in work | Greeting examples

In this article we will look at what a motivation letter looks like and an example of how to write it. Most likely, it will be a visual aid with lots of tips and samples.

Possession of information. Mayer Amschel Rothschild once said these words: “He who owns information owns the whole world.” This saying of his became a famous thesis, a guide to taking some action. Before you start writing an essay, you need to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the chosen program.

Presence of motivation. You should clearly define the goals of your involvement in this project - for a long period of time or short-term. You need to indicate in your cover letter about the benefits of participating in this project and what personal skills you are willing to transfer to your colleagues. You also need to tell about your future plans, what area you are trying to master, and how you are going to use the knowledge you have gained. It would be nice if they could be useful for this project.

Individualism. You need to think carefully and decide how you stand out among similar applicants. Perhaps work experience, knowledge of languages, some plans for the future.

Description of parts. Often we overlook some details, which are a good chance to earn extra points when writing a motivation letter. It is worth indicating a list of skills that are not directly related to your specialization, for example, you confidently use specialized computer programs, etc.

Positive mood. Start writing an essay in a good mood and with confidence in your own abilities. There is no need to send it immediately after you have written it. It takes some time to edit it a bit, but don't go overboard with it.

Go ahead and sing!

Availability of official style. A motivation letter, an example of which will be shown below, is an official document, and its formatting must correspond to the sample. The presence of humorous and colloquial speech in it is unacceptable - only official style.
All thoughts must be complete. Paragraphs should not be broken; all theses should be given reasons.
Custom writing. Here we are talking about the uniqueness of the letter. It is individual for each case: educational institution or enterprise. The universal essay will be sent to the trash. If there are copies in the text, then the commission will not be difficult to identify them.
Text volume should not extend beyond one A4 sheet. This setting can be violated if the applicant has solid professional experience, and this cannot be contained on one sheet of paper.
Reduce "I" to a minimum. It is not recommended to write “I” at the beginning of each sentence. By this you show your own narcissism and overestimation of your own capabilities.
You need to write to the point. You should not list your hobbies and interests if they are not related to your goals. It will just be extra text.
Simplicity and simplicity again. You should not overuse overly complex and long words and phrases. More often than not, a simple presentation is more beneficial and attractive.
Reduce to a minimum using banal and famous quotes, or better not using them at all.
Maintain spelling and grammar. After finishing writing the text, you need to proofread it carefully. The presence of spelling and stylistic errors can harm you.

An example of errors when writing it

To ensure that the employer or admissions committee shows interest in you, avoid the most common mistakes when writing a letter.

Do not duplicate information reflected in your resume. The essay is a good chance to demonstrate personal qualities and desire for development. Therefore, there is no need to once again focus on describing past victories and achievements. Better get busy with the future.
Say NO to a Dreary Essay Beginning. There is no need to focus too much on introducing yourself to your loved one for a long time. It will be much better if you tell us some life situation that had a significant impact on your decision to take part in this project.
Writing the same text for several projects. With this approach, you can go down the drain, since each educational institution or enterprise has a list of its advantages that should be reflected in the cover letter.
Faceless narration your text will not be etched in the memory of the hiring manager or admissions committee. And the reason for everything can be superficial, impersonal phrases.
Joking style ridicule. This style is not always appropriate. If for the author of the text this is just a harmless joke, then for those who read it it can be not only indecent, but also offensive.
Bragging about other people's achievements- these are qualities and deeds assigned to oneself, which means they are simply absent. You must always remain yourself, tell in a letter exactly about your positive aspects, plans for the future, etc.
The topic is only partially covered. When writing a text, it is best to follow a certain structure. That is, in each paragraph, gradually lift the curtain of your essay. Otherwise you'll end up with a jumbled pun that won't be of interest to anyone.

Where to start writing?

Now let's look at how to start writing a motivation letter, an example of its correct beginning.

Are you planning to write an essay and can’t decide where to start? Then catch the way in which you can easily sketch out his project.

The greatest difficulty in writing is its limited volume. This suggests that you should focus on your achievements and significant events in your life, and cut down unnecessary things to a minimum. But this is not so easy to deal with.

You can bypass mental stupor and wandering in your life by using the cluster analysis technique. This is a kind of visual brainstorming, thanks to which an associative map is created, which is based on various ideas for a given project.

At first glance, the construction of this map may seem chaotic, but various elements may be interconnected in its content.

To create an associative map, you need to write your name on a blank sheet of paper and circle it. Think carefully and write down invented associations that relate to your character, memories and achievements. Next, you need to create branches on your behalf using lines to connect words that will correspond to the newly emerging topic.

Now you need to analyze the created clusters and write your conclusions under the map, what came out of it. It is necessary to search for characteristic features and relationships between various elements. Place marks on the map under those elements that you think can be used in the cover letter. By completing this analysis, you will be able to identify one to several topics for your essay.

For admission to the master's program

The whole point is to write a slightly pathetic message, emphasizing how you dream of studying here, and not somewhere else. Most likely, you should focus on two details - academic achievements and work experience. An achievement may include attending conferences, writing coursework, and the diploma itself. By presenting all this advantageously and beautifully, you will be able to convince of your academic savvy. The presence of professional qualities is also important, because they speak of acquired skills and independence.

You should not overload your motivation letter with descriptions and facts. It is necessary to note the presence of the most important things: university, specialty and work, and then describe your activity and acquired experience, which will be useful in the future.

The most important features in a letter are considered to be confidence and competent presentation of oneself.

Essay for university

It is no secret that at this time many leading universities in the CIS countries have decided to learn from their colleagues from the West, and often for admission, among the necessary other documents, a motivation letter is required, an example of which is described below.

Essays are divided into two types:

Free form.
A structured form where you need to answer several specific questions.

In a structured essay, the required paragraphs include the following:

How do you justify choosing this particular university?
Scientific interests of the applicant.
Plans for implementing the acquired knowledge in your future profession.
What achievements and merits does the applicant have?

This type of essay is simpler, as it assumes a certain structure in the form of a ready-made plan.

When there is no experience, but there is a desire

Many are faced with a situation that has long been familiar to everyone in search of a good job, when young and ambitious people with 10 years of work experience are required. But don't get upset right away. Even if you are inexperienced, a good job awaits you, but only if you strive and want to learn everything new. A motivation letter, an example of which is published below, from a university graduate should look something like this:

"Good afternoon! My name is Vladimir. 3 months ago I successfully defended my diploma in the “Jurisprudence” profile. I have no experience in this direction yet, but I have other qualitative advantages.

For me, organization and discipline are paramount. I studied at the military department, which I successfully mastered and graduated from. During my studies, I was entrusted with the responsibilities of a group leader, was the organizer of student outings and hikes, and always headed the financial and budgetary side. During my internship after my fourth year I had to work at the Bank as a legal assistant. There are recommendations from management.

I have a common sense approach to job hunting, so I'm quite happy with working as an assistant or intern, but the most important thing for me is the opportunity to constantly develop. There is a desire to completely immerse yourself in work, to comply with the rules and regulations.

Thank you for your attention!”

An example of the manifestation of live emotions

Imagine a situation where an employer wants to see not an ordinary and memorized list of skills, but a manifestation of love for one’s own business with an incredible desire to become a member of the team of this particular company. This kind of writing factor is much more catchy. Here are some examples:

Since childhood, I have been interested in style and appearance, so I often gave free consultations to family and friends. But the time has come, and I realized that this can be done for a certain amount of money. It is for this reason that I was very glad to become your personal stylist.
As a child, I had a dream of becoming a street actor, portraying living statues on the streets. I think that over time my range of ambitions has become much wider, but, as before, I am drawn to entertaining people, I enjoy performing in front of an audience. Thanks to these qualities, I will become a great, I would say, irreplaceable manager.

This is the spirit and style that can touch the living.

How to use a sample motivation letter

Now we will try to look at a motivation letter and an example of its correct use. This is done for informational purposes only, to see with your own eyes the format of this document, as other people write about it, but in no case should it be copied.

The truth is, it's hard to find great cover letter examples online. Not everyone is eager to post their essay on the Internet, the compilation of which took enormous effort and time.

You may come across examples of letters from applicants who successfully entered some universities. The admissions committee has a lenient attitude towards such letters. They already have an idea about the applicant who has undergone training at paid university courses. Therefore, such essay examples are nothing more than an ordinary formality, and should not be taken as a standard.

But when an applicant enters the university directly, the admissions committee does not have any information about him, then in this situation the essay plays a significant role. And, as a result, they will read it carefully.

Therefore, do not even think about copying other people’s works. If you can’t do anything with the text, you don’t want to waste time, then it’s better to ask those who do it professionally to write the text, for money, of course. Fortunately, there are many performers now, and if you don’t like their work, you can easily find someone else. And then work with this person on an ongoing basis.

Example structure for an internship

If you need to write a motivation letter for an internship, an example of which is sketched below, then you have come to the right place. So, here we go:

At the beginning of the letter, your name, place of study, specialization, what course and form of study you are in.
“I want to get a vacancy as an intern.”
Why do you want to work for this company?
What can you give to the company (what can you do, what tasks can you handle, what benefits will you bring).
What is the duration of the internship and when do you plan to start? How do you imagine the organization of the labor process (this question will be relevant for a day-care student who will not be physically able to be at the workplace, since he needs to study at this time).
If available, provide recommendations.
Express gratitude for the attention provided.
Request a response by mail or telephone call, indicating a telephone number.
Write a short note: “If you allow, I will call you on Tuesday morning. If you are busy at this time, I ask you to inform me when I know the results on my question.”
Say goodbye politely.
Subscribe.

The purpose of a cover letter is to briefly introduce yourself and professionally interest the employer. The fact is that HR specialists first read the letter and only after that look at your resume. Therefore, a cover letter is the first impression of you, it is your self-presentation.

Information overload and a huge number of resumes in the mail of HR managers make it difficult to find the best candidate. That’s why it’s so important to present yourself effectively in order to stand out from the gray mass of “ordinary” applicants.

What Companies Want to See in a Cover Letter

In order to save their time and not waste it on empty candidates, companies often require specific information to be indicated in cover letters of university students and graduates, sometimes they simply require the presence of a letter. Here are some examples from job sites:

A cover letter is required. Circular and blank cover letters will not be considered (for teaching vacancies).

Please indicate in your cover letter what achievements you have (from the vacancy of a sales representative).

Please include links to your portfolio (from the 3D model designer vacancy) in your resume or cover letter.

Please indicate in your cover letter the type of employment and the nearest metro station (from the merchandiser vacancy).

We ask you to indicate the restaurant you are interested in in your cover letter (from the chef vacancy).

You are kindly requested to indicate in your cover letter the areas of responsibility at your previous places of work (from the vacancy of a sales manager).

However, if the employer does not mention a cover letter in the vacancy, it is still better to do one. This makes it easier and more efficient to find a job.

Structure of a student cover letter

The differences between a letter from an experienced specialist and a letter from a student are microscopic, but there are still a couple of details that are worth paying attention to. So, a convincing student cover letter must be built from the following blocks:

Greetings(preferably by name).

Target or the reason for the letter. For example: “I’m writing because I found such and such a vacancy on the NNN website” or “I want to do such and such in your company.”

Ultra-short story about yourself(3-5 sentences). This volume must contain all the most important things: experience, skills, knowledge.

A student without work experience can directly indicate in his cover letter his lack of experience and desire to find a first job. This seems a little risky (in case they immediately refuse), but it instills strong trust in you. If you are applying for an entry-level vacancy, such a step is justified.

How else to create trusting relationships. It is advisable to write that you are a student of the Nth year. This will work to your advantage. If the employer does not hire students in principle, you will save him time and nerves. If he responds to your letter, then you are almost hired.

Show that you have free time and the ability to work(in one sentence). This is a kind of game of anticipation. Students are almost always asked the question about free time, and you can answer this question right away.

Why do you want to join this company?(1-2 sentences). The block is optional, but desirable. Here it is important to write about the company, and not about the vacancy! Employers value loyalty and informed choice in people.

Many people can tell you why they want to work at Google. These are true, inspiring stories with sighs and soft eyes. You try to find something inspiring in the company you have chosen, so as not to write empty, made-up phrases about your spherical love for company N.

Contacts for communication.

Student cover letter example

I’ll give you another example of a graduate or student cover letter - almost identical to the previous one, but simplified and abbreviated.

How often have you dreamed of being abroad? There are many options to visit one of the European or Asian countries for your own benefit. One of them is completing a foreign internship at an educational institution in the country.

What you need to know about a motivation letter

When passing the selection tests, educational institutions offer the future internship participant to prepare a motivation letter. The main criterion for such writing is uniqueness, novelty, and the position of the author. In this case, the letter must be written according to certain canons and rules.

I offer a specific example of a motivation letter that can lead you to success. The planned internship program is an assessment of the effectiveness of government programs on the basis of one of the institutes in Geneva in Switzerland.

The text is compiled in such a way that it is suitable as a sample of writing a motivation letter for any internship program. The text is from the first person, expressing your objective opinion. Suitable for use as a template.

The letter discloses:

topics for the development of management competencies for the internship participant, skills and abilities,
planned participation in internship events and their benefits,
the results of the internship and their impact on the professional activity of the author.

Example of a motivation letter for an internship

I chose Switzerland to participate in a foreign internship due to several main factors.

Let me start with the fact that participation in the internship will contribute to the development and improvement of my professional competencies, and this is one of the main tools for effective work.

Studying the foreign legislative framework in matters of assessing the effectiveness of projects and programs, becoming familiar with the structure of the bodies conducting assessments, will allow us to formulate proposals for the introduction in my region (country) of an external institution for assessing the effectiveness of implemented government programs.

Studying advanced foreign experience in the field of human resource management will be useful for me as a future leader. Switzerland is a country where partnerships between employer and employee are common, and employees are highly motivated to work. Studying the Swiss model of personnel management will provide an opportunity to introduce foreign technologies and models in your management activities, based on trusting relationships with subordinates.

The knowledge gained during the training will contribute to the development of confidence and the ability to take responsibility in decision making. During the internship, difficult situations may arise in which you will need to navigate, make the right management decisions and demonstrate leadership qualities.

Constant communication in a foreign language will allow you to improve your business knowledge. I am deeply convinced that knowledge of a foreign language and constant language practice instill a different way of forming thoughts (“To speak English, you need to learn to think in English”). Perfect English will make you feel more confident in communication.

The internship will provide an opportunity to establish new acquaintances and business contacts. Experience in conducting a dialogue, reasonedly expressing your opinion and defending your position in a foreign language is invaluable for building effective everyday communication.

Internship, stay and daily communication in a country in which coexist, a diverse ethnic composition of the population, will contribute to the development of openness and tolerance, the ability to find and achieve understanding in communicating with both representatives of different cultural backgrounds and with persons of different official status. Possession of socio-psychological competence is the advantage of a leader who strives to achieve mutual understanding in the team, creating a psychologically comfortable environment for joint, team activities.

Based on the fact that Switzerland is a global center of information technology, the internship will be useful in my professional activities related to ensuring information security, implementing and maintaining information systems. The opportunity to visit the institutions expected to be visited by the internship program will have a positive impact on the results of the project I am currently working on.

The proposed internship program in Switzerland is of interest in terms of the following points.

Analysis and evaluation of government programs are being introduced into the sphere of Russian public administration due to the growing need for these mechanisms among government authorities. But there are organizational barriers. The experience of Switzerland shows that the use of a system of analysis and evaluation of programs significantly increases the efficiency of public administration.

At round table meetings and during seminars with foreign experts, it is advisable to discuss the history, difficulties and problems of establishing the institution of audit and performance assessment in Switzerland. Expert opinions will help to correctly assess possible risks when developing proposals for introducing program effectiveness assessment. It is worth talking to workers about long-term development plans in this direction. I think the topic of conversation about methods and models of personnel training, training of future auditors and assessment specialists is interesting.

Completion of the internship program will contribute to the acquisition of skills in the processes of formation and evaluation of the effectiveness of government programs. Direct interaction with foreign colleagues will allow me to obtain information about the specifics of the work and apply the acquired knowledge in practice.

I admit that the internship will push me to rethink the scope and directions of my activities. After all, the audit allows the manager to reconcile the real interests of society with the stated development goals and methods of achieving them. Studying performance audit issues and immersing myself in the topic are new prospects for my development, new ways of career growth.

A letter of guarantee is required to fulfill the student's internship agreement. in a specific organization and obtaining the necessary practical and theoretical knowledge. When compiling it, do not forget about the following points:

Important! It is allowed to make any clarifications related to the student’s upcoming practice in the document. For example, providing him with housing in the event of an internship in a different location.

What does the employer guarantee when hiring students for temporary employment?

In the letter, the employer undertakes to provide the student with educational, industrial or pre-graduate internship in his organization, as well as obtaining theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the specialty. In accordance with the letter, the organization undertakes to provide a workplace and a manager.

What does the document indicate?

The following points must be specified:

Date of preparation.
Form number.
Other outgoing details.
Recipient: organization, recipient employee.
Title of the text.
The body of the document where the employer gives written consent guaranteeing the student’s internship.
Indication of terms of employment and working conditions of the student.
Signature and transcript of the document originator, his position.
Placing the company seal.

General instructions on how to write

The organization needs to compose a letter in any format. Key points to follow:

The header of the document indicates the addressee of the letter in the dative case - the dean of the faculty, the head of the department or the official who is currently replacing him. Just below write who it is from: position, name of organization and full name. leader.
In the middle of the sheet write an appeal to an official of the educational institution. For example: “Dear Dmitry Sergeevich!”
Body of the document: management gives written consent to undergo internship in their organization and guarantees this to the student. It is necessary to indicate the information of the trainee: Full name. of the person, his course, specialty and name of the educational institution.
Attention! It is imperative to set the time frame during which he will undergo the internship.
After this, the responsible supervisor of the student from the enterprise is entered: his full name, contact phone number.
The signature of the director of the organization is placed on the left side, and its transcript is placed on the right. Please indicate below the date the document was compiled.
The company seal is affixed.

Example

Head of the department.

GBOU SPO "Kazan Construction College".

V.K. Khabibullin.

General Director.

"Kazaninterstroy"

D. R. Arsentieva.

Dear Vladimir Konstantinovich!

The Kazaninterstroy enterprise does not object to the practical training of the 23rd group III year student Nigmatullin Ruslan Leonidovich, studying in the specialty “Construction and operation of buildings and structures”.

The Kazaniterstroy enterprise confirms its readiness to provide practical training for student Nigmatullin Ruslan Leonidovich from July 20, 2017 to August 20, 2017 in accordance with the internship program on a free basis for both parties.

Veniamin Vasilievich Aleksandrov is appointed as the head of the industrial practice of student Nigmatullin Ruslan Leonidovich from the enterprise, contact phone number: 8404-39-85-486.

Signature and transcript.

Conclusion

The letter of guarantee is a handwritten confirmation that the student is allowed to undertake an internship in the specified enterprise. The head of the organization undertakes to teach theoretical and practical knowledge and provide the student with a workplace with the separation of the manager from the enterprise.

The completed letter form is given to the student, who will present it at the place of request, or sent directly to the trainee’s educational institution.