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5 Tips to Master Your Cover Letter

Career Services (VPD), the career center at Concordia University Texas , provides students and alumni with a full range of career services, including support throughout the entire job application process.

An important and often overlooked component of applying for jobs is the cover letter.

What Is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a document that explains a job applicant's interest in an open position and the relevant qualifications the applicant has for the role.

The resume provides a general overview of your skills, while the cover letter expands on the skills relevant to the job.

Some companies require a cover letter to complete the application process and some don't. Regardless, it's helpful to know how to write a cover letter that will make you stand apart from other applicants.

Here are five tips to help you master your cover letters.

Tip 1: Research the Organization.

Research is an essential part of the cover letter development process.

Learning more about an organization will help you determine if it's a place you would want to work. Additionally, your research will help you better understand the company's work, the culture and values, and the skills required for the role.

Equipped with more knowledge of the organization, you will be prepared to write an impressive cover letter.

Tip 2: Customize Each Cover Letter.

Customize the cover letter for each organization to which you apply. Every business and the roles they offer are unique, so your cover letter should be too.

This is where Tip No. 1 comes in; you can use your research to identify phrases and keywords used frequently by the organizations and their industries. Using this information, you can incorporate the keywords into your cover letter and highlight the top skills desired by each company.

Tip 3: Keep It Short.

Hiring managers and recruiters typically receive an influx of applications when a job opening is posted. If they have to spend too much time reading your cover letter, they're likely to skip it.

You can communicate everything you need to in just three or four short paragraphs. Make sure that your cover letter fits on one page.

Tip 4: Include Real-Life Examples.

It's one thing to say that you have a specific skill. It's much more compelling when you provide real-life examples of how you have displayed the skill.

Add a personal story in the cover letter to illustrate how you put a skill into action, whether it was in a professional work setting, classroom, athletics facility, or somewhere else.

Tip 5: Share It With VPD for Feedback.

VPD will work with you through every part of the job search process, from searching for positions to conducting interviews and everything in between.

Contact VPD for help with your job search.

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Career Services

Start building your career the moment you walk on campus.

Translate your academic focus into a promising professional future with the help of our Office of Career Services. 

Career Services can assist with the following:

• Career exploration
• Internship planning
• Resume and cover letter reviews
• Preparation for job interviews
• Career planning
• Career fairs, workshops and events

Meet the team

Gerald Pinotti

Director of Career Services

• 708-209-3032

Jacqueline Boatman

Director of Student Internships

• 708-209-3117

Resources for students

Career exploration.

Career Information

Learn about potential occupations on these sites:

Candid Career - Access thousands of video clips featuring professionals sharing their career experiences and job preparation tips. Utilize the Candid Career Activity sheets (attached) and take notes to review.

O*Net Online - tool for career exploration with descriptions of occupations

Occupational Outlook Handbook - career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook

Career Videos on CareerOneStop

Local Employer Visits

Career Services arranges visits to local employers for students to learn about career options and opportunities. Recent examples include visits to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Northern Trust Bank.

Employers visit campus throughout the year to both recruit and inform students about open positions.

You & Your Vocation

Considerations and advice about finding your unique purpose and talents – You & Your Vocation

Assessments

Identify your career-related interests with these two interest inventories:

• My Next Move
• Interest Assessment (Career OneStop)

Informational Interviews

Conversations with people in occupations of interest to you are a great way to learn more and make connections – Informational Interviews

Internship & Volunteer Experiences

Internship Standards & Requirements

Each department at CUC has different requirements for their particular majors. That being said, we would suggest using the following steps to determine what works best for your situation:

• Speak to your Department Advisor to see if your major requires completion of an internship in order to graduate. Some major require one and some are optional for your own benefit.
• If you’d like to receive credit for your internship, speak to your Academic Advisor to sign up for an internship course.
• Your next step includes searching for internship opportunities. Once you have secured a position, you’ll have to coordinate further with your Academic Advisor and Department Advisor to receive approval and fill out any necessary paperwork.

Volunteer Opportunities

The CUConnect Portal contains links to volunteer opportunities. To locate this section on the portal:

• Log in at using your CUC login info
• Click on the CUC Experience tab
• Scroll down to “Career Services”
• Click the links under “volunteer opportunities”

Career Tools & Tips

Download a copy of our Career Planning Guide to access quick tips for cover letters, resumes and more with links to sites that can help you along the way. The Guide also provides information on the Office of Career Services resources available to assist with career exploration, interview preparation and job/internship searches.

• Career Planning Guide (PDF)

Resume Writing If you would like to meet in person for help with your resume, please contact our office.

The following resources are also available:

• Resume Writing Quick Tips
• Resume Checklist
• Resume Target

Cover Letter Writing

• Cover Letter Quick Tips

Interviewing Skills

• Interviewing Quick Tips
• Mock Interviews: If you’d like to set up a mock interview to practice your skills and receive professional feedback, please contact [email protected] to set up an appointment.
• Networking Quick Tips
• Create a LinkedIn profile to build and engage with your professional network – Building a Great Student Profile
• A tool for managing your networking efforts – Jibberjobber.com (consider using the free version)

Preparing for Career Fairs Career fairs enable students and many employers to meet face-to-face in one place.  Concordia partners with various organizations to offer career fairs and events in the Chicagoland area and on-campus, including CCCI, ACI, and Athlete Network.

• Career Fair Quick Tips

International Students

Here are some tips related specifically to career development for international students:

Resumes – U.S. resumes are different than international resumes. View this PDF for more information on the differences and how to write a U.S. resume and cover letter - International Student Resumes & Cover Letters (PDF)             

Employment – On-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and Optional Practical Training (OPT)  

International students have had CPT and OPT experiences with a variety of companies including Bulmen, Consultant Group, Inc., Groupon and Language Stars. 

The Career Services team are experts at building relationships with employers from many fields to connect our students to career opportunities.

On-Campus Jobs

The CUC Student Portal contains links to on-campus student jobs, part-time and full-time positions. To locate this section on the portal, do the following:

• Log in at Connect.CUChicago.edu using your CUC login info
• Click the links under “employment opportunities” and to view current positions

General Job Search Sites & Resources

• ZipRecruiter
• Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Career Center connects passionate people with meaningful careers in Christian higher education, church ministry and faith-based nonprofits. Registration is free.
• Go to careers.cccu.org/jobseekers/
• Click 'Your Profile'
• Select the Sign Up tab and create your account with access ID and password
• Complete registration and submit
• You can now upload your resume, search for internships/jobs and create alerts for positions matching your skill set
• AthleteNetwork  is a resource for student-athletes to create a profile page and upload your resume. You can also search employers and apply to internships and jobs. CUC hosts a job fair in cooperation with Athlete Network each year for students to make connections with employers.

We also recommend searching for jobs on the following websites, and see our list of sites by specific career areas:

Specific Industry Resources

Education - General PreK–12

• k12 Jobspot  - draws from job vacancy lists for school districts that use Applitrack for their online applications and vacancy listings. 
• Illinois Education Job Bank  - Illinois Education Job Bank (searchable by categories and locations)

Education  - By Illinois County

• DuPage County
• Cook County (Western)
• Lake County
• McHenry County
• Will County
• Kane County
• Illinois Assoc. of Regional Superintendents of Schools

Education - Out-of-State

• http://www.educationamerica.net/
• www.schoolspring.com
• www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html - links to certification requirements for all 50 states

Specific types of districts or jobs:

• https://cps.edu/careers/pages/careers.aspx - Chicago Public Schools ( Also, contact individual Chicago schools.)
• https://www.incschools.org/jobs/jobs-at-charter-schools/ - Charter Schools Network
• http://www.pecentral.org/jobcenter/index.asp - Health and Physical Education Jobs

Christian, Private and Independent Schools

• http://nidlcms.org/vacancies/ - Local LCMS school vacancies (Note: Lutheran School Teacher Candidates work with the Synodical Placement Director for Lutheran School positions.
• http://schools.archchicago.org/careers - Catholic schools in Chicago and suburban Cook County
• Joliet Catholic Diocese - Catholic schools in DuPage, Kankakee, Will, and more counties
• www.eschoolsearch.com - over 30,000 private schools
• www.nais.org - National Association of Independent Schools
• www.aacs.org - American Association of Christian Schools – school list

Resources for Targeting and Researching Schools/School Districts

• http://iirc.niu.edu/ - Interactive Illinois Report Card
• http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Find_a_school/Pages/Findaschool.aspx  - Chicago public schools – school locator
• http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/ - maps of school districts
• http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch - National Public School Locator
• www.isbe.state.il.us - certification information, report cards on schools
• www.epodunk.com – search Counties, Education, School Districts

Higher Education

• www.higheredjobs.com
• http://chronicle.com/jobs - Chronicle of Higher Education jobs section
• www.ccollegejobs.com - community college jobs – click on Job Search near top
• http://careers.myacpa.org/jobs/ - ACPA list of higher ed jobs
• Concordia University Chicago - Faculty, staff and professional roles

Non-Profit/Social Services

• SocialService.com
• Idealist.org

Sports/Athletics-Related

• Workinsports.com
• The Market – Careers In College Athletics
• Teamworkonline
• National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
• College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Career Center

Jerry Pinotti, Concordia-Chicago’s Director of Career Services, connects with employers throughout the Chicagoland area to help you fill your open positions with talented graduates.

Here are some of the logistics of posting positions and recruiting on-campus:

• Posting a Job or Internship: In order to have open jobs or internships posted onto our student portal, please contact [email protected] with the information, including how students should apply for the position (i.e. to which email address they should send their resumes). Attaching a PDF job description is also helpful, if possible.
• On-Campus Recruitment and Job Fairs: CUC works with employers to set up on-campus tables where they can speak to and recruit students for jobs or internships. To be considered for an on-campus table, please send an e-mail directly to [email protected]  with the information including the roles you’re recruiting for, and the specific majors you are targeting. If you are interested in Job Fairs, please e-mail us with that information and we will add you to our employer list. However, Concordia does not usually host job fairs throughout the year as we work with CCCI, ACI, and Athlete Network to host our students at fairs.
• Developing an Internship Program: If you are an employer that is just starting to develop an internship program and are interested in our standards and requirements, please contact [email protected] to set up an appointment.

Quick Reference Guides

• You and Your Vocation
• 4-Year Plan
• Internship Guide
• Resume Samples
• Soft Skills and Professionalism

External Job Search Resources

• What Can I Do With This Major?
• Interest Assessment
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Building A Great LinkedIn Student Profile
• MetroChicagoJobs.com
• CCCU Career Center
• CCCIllinois
• Glassdoor.com
• USAjobs.gov
• NCAA Market Jobs
• K12jobspot.com
• Socialservice.com
• CandidCareer.com
• StandOut.com
• National Society of Leadership and Success

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Career Center

No matter what stage of the career planning process you are in, or what field you choose, the Career Center can assist you in achieving your lifelong professional and personal goals. Our certified staff can guide you through the entire process of making academic major and career choices, gaining valuable experience through internships, launching a job search, and preparing for graduate and professional school. All career services for students and alumni of Concordia College are FREE.

How We Can Help You

• Finding a Major or Career Path
• Job and Internship Search
• Resume and Cover Letter
• Interviewing Skills and Practice
• Networking and Online Profiles
• Job Fairs and Events
• Internships and Experiential Learning
• Graduate and Professional School
• Career Readiness Competencies

Major or Career Path

With so many options, it is normal to feel uncertain about your major or career path. The Career Center has many resources to explore in order to make the choices that are right for you.

Internships

Internships are highly valued by employers and postgraduate educational programs. At the Career Center we advocate for all internships to be paid.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking rather than job boards. We can help you explore your network and practice before you engage.

I'm so grateful for the support from the Career Center. I was nervous to apply for jobs and wanted my resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills to be on point. The Career Center helped me revise my resume and cover letter and built my confidence in interviews. My new employer was very impressed! Peri Lapp '18

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Who Will Pay for the Baltimore Bridge Collapse?

Disputes over liability and the cost of claims could take years for insurers to resolve and result in billions of dollars in payouts.

• Share full article

By Jenny Gross ,  Michael Forsythe ,  Emily Flitter and Peter Eavis

Jenny Gross reported from London. Michael Forsythe, Emily Flitter and Peter Eavis reported from New York.

On the day the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed, President Biden said the federal government would pay the “ entire cost ” of rebuilding it, which some suggest could run to more than $1 billion. Washington will foot the bill so the bridge and nearby port can reopen “as soon as humanly possible,” he said.

The hope is that much of the cost will be recouped from insurers, but determining who is ultimately on the hook for the deadly disaster is set to become one of the messiest and most expensive disputes of its kind. Rebuilding the bridge, repairing the cargo ship that hit it and compensating companies for the disruption at one of the nation’s busiest ports may take years to resolve.

“We’re not going to wait,” said Mr. Biden, who plans to visit Baltimore on Friday to survey the damage.

The legal wrangling began this week when the shipowner, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and the ship manager, Synergy Marine, both based in Singapore, filed a petition in U.S. District Court to limit their liability to $43.7 million. They cited an 1851 law that allows a shipowner to cap financial damages mostly to the value of a ship after a crash, if the owner is determined not to have been at fault.

Claims against the ship’s owner and manager must be filed to the federal court in Baltimore by Sept. 24, a judge said.

Experts in maritime law and insurance said determining liability was particularly complex because of the many parties involved, from shipowners in Asia to insurers in Europe to companies around the world that move goods in and out of Baltimore. Numerous lawsuits are expected, and the six deaths caused by the disaster add a grim layer of complications.

“You can’t just necessarily settle with one party and make it go away,” said Franziska Arnold-Dwyer, a senior lecturer in insurance law at Queen Mary University of London.

Investigators are still determining what caused such a catastrophic failure on the cargo ship, the Dali; why the massive vessel appeared to lose power and propulsion before hitting the bridge; and whether negligence was involved. The answers will have implications for who is liable for damage that may cost insurers and reinsurers up to $4 billion, according to industry experts.

“You’re looking at historic, record losses” for maritime insurers, said Sean Kevelighan, chief executive of the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. The higher estimates could exceed the roughly $1.5 billion paid out after the Costa Concordia crisis in 2012, when 32 people were killed as the cruise ship ran aground off the Italian island of Giglio .

Losses are accumulating, with the Port of Baltimore, a top destination for car shipments , largely closed. Officials said this week that they had opened a channel around the wreckage for limited traffic. A full reopening of the port is expected in late May .

Very little is known about the owner of Grace Ocean, a Japanese businessman named Yoshimasa Abe, except that he is very wealthy.

Most of his known wealth comes from his fleet of more than 50 vessels, including container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and refrigerated cargo ships. They are owned by two Singapore-based companies, Grace Ocean Private and Argosy Pte., that Mr. Abe controls through an offshore company. VesselsValue , which compiles shipping data, estimates that those ships, including the damaged Dali, are worth a combined $2.9 billion.

Shipowners often borrow large amounts of money to buy their fleets. There is little public information about Mr. Abe’s debts, but in 2010 Grace Ocean borrowed $250 million from Mitsui & Company, a Japanese trading firm.

Mr. Abe is also the majority owner of two Chinese shipyards on islands off the coast of Ningbo, according to Sayari and WireScreen , companies that compile and analyze corporate data. Combined, the two shipyards can repair more than 200 vessels a year.

It is unusual for foreign companies to control Chinese shipyards, especially in recent years as industry consolidation in the country has favored state-owned companies, said Matthew Funaiole, who has written about Chinese shipyards for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. “There’s really not much space for there to be foreign ownership,” he said.

Among the 68 member companies, schools and associations focused on ship repair that belong to the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, a trade group, three are foreign-owned shipyards, of which Mr. Abe has a majority interest in two.

Mr. Abe did not respond to a request for an interview or answer written questions about his business. “Out of respect for the investigation and the legal process we will not be making additional public statements,” Jim Lawrence, a spokesman for the Dali’s management company and for Grace Ocean, said in an email. He confirmed earlier that Mr. Abe owned Grace Ocean Investment Limited, a company based in the British Virgin Islands that owns both Argosy Pte. and Grace Ocean Private.

If the shipowner is found liable, its insurer, a mutual association called Britannia P&I Club, will cover the first $10 million of claims, which could include coverage for loss of lives, debris removal, property damage and cargo damage. The Dali was carrying products including paper, U.S. soybeans destined for China and some hazardous materials, according to Concirrus, a marine insurance data provider, and DG Global, an agricultural exporter with goods on the ship.

Beyond $10 million, the 12 clubs including Britannia that make up the London-based International Group of P&I Clubs, which collectively insure about 90 percent of the world’s oceangoing tonnage, would share the cost of claims of up to $100 million. For claims above $100 million, dozens of reinsurers will cover costs up to roughly $3 billion.

The $3 billion figure is so widely known that it could become a target for businesses making damage claims. “There are some reinsurers expecting the worst,” said Hugo Chelton, a managing director at Howden, a reinsurance broker.

The global reinsurance industry ended last year with $670 billion in capital, according to Aon , an insurance broker. Though the bridge damage promises to be costly, it is not likely to be among the largest payouts reinsurers have faced recently. Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in 2022, caused more than $50 billion in insured losses.

Sridhar Manyem, an analyst for AM Best, a ratings agency for insurers, said the potential losses from the bridge collapse did not seem large enough to do long-term damage to any insurers or reinsurers. “It should not affect their balance sheets,” he said.

While a significant share of the claims may be directed at the ship’s insurers, other businesses affected by the bridge and port closure could make claims on other policies to cover their losses, adding to the insured losses caused by the incident.

Scott Cowan, the president of International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333, the union representing Baltimore dockworkers, said on Tuesday that nearly 2,000 workers were still doing jobs at the port, like unloading cargo that arrived before the bridge collapsed.

Mr. Cowan said union leaders had asked for help from the federal and state governments. “The longer the channel’s closed and the longer we’re out, the bigger the problem is going to be,” he said. Many jobs at the port are considered daily hire jobs rather than full-time positions, so they will last only as long as work remains to be done.

Government funds for companies whose operations have been disrupted may not be fully recouped from insurers, said Oscar Seikaly, chief executive of NSI Insurance Group, an insurance broker.

In recent years, when Washington has stepped in with emergency aid after a commercial disaster, taxpayers have later largely recovered the costs, although the international scope of claims in the Baltimore bridge collapse will add complexity to the process.

Representative Dan Meuser, Republican of Pennsylvania, said he was outraged that Mr. Biden had immediately offered to use federal money to pay for the bridge’s reconstruction without considering other sources of funds, including from the owners and insurers of the Dali.

“Insurance payouts could potentially cover the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge without any taxpayer dollars being spent,” he said.

Robyn Patterson, a White House spokeswoman, said the responsible party or parties must be held accountable, but added, “We’re not waiting to get started on this critically important infrastructure project.”

Alain Delaquérière contributed research.

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

Michael Forsythe a reporter on the investigations team at The Times, based in New York. He has written extensively about, and from, China. More about Michael Forsythe

Emily Flitter writes about finance and how it impacts society. More about Emily Flitter

Peter Eavis reports on business, financial markets, the economy and companies across different sectors. More about Peter Eavis

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The fundamentals of résumé and cover letter writing - Online

Learn how to make your cv stand out, date & time.

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Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Tuesday, March 26, 2024 Thursday, April 11, 2024

This event is free

Career Advising and Professional Success

Learn how to create an impactful résumé and compelling cover letter in this comprehensive workshop and find out how to strategically showcase your skills, achievements, and experience to stand out. Gain practical insights into tailoring your documents to specific job requirements and effectively communicate your value to potential employers.

Facilitator: Julia Stein, Career Advisor

Open to Undergraduate and Graduate students.

Photo by Van Tay Media on Unsplash

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How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship (Example)

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How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship (Example) was originally published on Forage .

Trying to figure out how to write a cover letter for an internship can feel like a paradox. How do you explain your professional experience and skills — when you’re applying for an internship so you can gain professional experience and skills? 

>>MORE: What Is an Internship (and Why Should I Do One)?

It is confusing, but luckily, you can still write a successful cover letter without professional experience. This guide will cover:

What Do Employers Look for in an Internship Cover Letter?

Internship cover letter example, how to write a cover letter for an internship with no experience, how to write a cover letter for an internship: the bottom line.

Because you’re applying for an internship, employers don’t expect you to have years of experience and well-established job skills . 

“Prior work experience is always a plus, but what also matters is anything that provides a sense of the person’s character, commitment, passions and interests, drive, ability to overcome challenges, and willingness to learn,” says J.R. Lowry, founder of PathWise.io, a career coaching company. “As an employer, you can teach skills and provide experience, but we’re looking for intern candidates who will work at it.”

Instead, they’re looking for interns with interest, passion, and soft skills .

Get the gig

Take a free Forage course and you’ll be eligible for complimentary Internship hiring alerts, application support, resume and interview tips, and more.

Interest and Passion

Employers want to know why you’re particularly interested in the specific role at the company and why it excites you.

“Focus your cover letter on who you are, why the company or what you do is meaningful to you, and what YOU can bring to the organization,” says Ayanna E. Jackson, career and leadership consultant. “That requires research. Many times interns focus on ‘I want, I want, I want,’ versus focusing on what they can give to an organization with their ambition and skill. Usually, it’s a confidence issue, but hiring managers know you don’t possess all the skills. They want to know that you want to work there and not just anywhere. Be specific. Be confident.”

Soft Skills

Wendy Reimann, owner and writer at Lighthouse Writing, a writing and editing services company, emphasizes that soft skills are essential in an internship cover letter. Companies are looking for interns who don’t just have technical skills, but also skills like communication and collaboration that will make them valuable to the team.

>>MORE: Top Communication Skills for the Workplace

“Employers are also desperate for employees who demonstrate emotional intelligence alongside standard skills in their fields so that they can positively add to the company culture ,” she says. “Currently, the biggest skills and experiences needed in most industries are the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate across diverse populations, including gender, race, culture, and socio-economic status.”

Jill Knight Boston, MA 123-456-7890 [email protected]

January 10th, 2023

Charles Callahan VP of Product Company Z Boston, MA

Dear Charles, 

I’m writing to share my interest in the UX design internship at Company Z for summer 2023. I’m a current junior studying psychology at X University, and I believe my unique perspectives on user motivation and experience with user research and graphic design make me a great fit for this role.

In my cognitive psychology course, I learned a human-oriented approach to design, specifically from learning about how humans perceive and process information. As a result, I use an empathetic approach to design that aims to make any product intuitive, clear, and simple to use. I applied this approach in my human-computer interaction course, where I completed mock user research and identified three critical areas for design improvement within the sample product. After those improvements, 93% of users reported higher satisfaction with the product.

Outside of my academic work, I’ve worked independently on graphic design projects for various organizations on campus, using Figma to draft website designs and InDesign for print work. I’ve become the go-to person for designing for theater and music organizations on campus and work collaboratively with directors to produce a design they love. This is why I’m particularly passionate about interning for Company Z — I’m excited to bring my love for designing for arts organizations to Company Z’s innovative music product. 

My coursework in psychology and passion for arts graphic design give me a human-oriented, empathetic, and creative approach to UX design. This approach is not only in-line with Company Z’s mission but would also be an asset in an internship and help the company reach young audiences in new, creative ways. Please let me know if you need anything else from me to move forward in the process. I’ve attached my resume and portfolio and look forward to hearing next steps. Thank you for your consideration.

Best, Jill Knight

Where do you start if you don’t know how to write a cover letter for an internship without experience? Jill, from our example, doesn’t have any professional work experience, but she still writes a convincing cover letter that shows off her skills and passion. So, if you’re like Jill, here’s how to write your internship cover letter.

>>MORE: Should you use ChatGPT to write your cover letter ? Learn what the chatbot gets right (and wrong).

Start With a Header and Greeting

Every cover letter starts with a similar type of header. You write your information at the top, then include the hiring manager’s or company’s information (depending on whether you know who the hiring manager is). 

You don’t need to give your full address in the cover letter; however, even if you’re applying for a remote position, you can just include your city. This will give the recruiter or hiring manager an idea of where you’re located — and help them understand your time zone, whether you’re near one of the company’s offices, or if you qualify for relocation assistance.

Make sure you’re addressing the right person at the top of the letter. This should be the hiring manager for the role. If you don’t know who the hiring manager is, you can get savvy with your search:

• If the role was posted on LinkedIn , look for a “meet the hiring team” section underneath the job description.
• If the job description shares who interns report to, search on LinkedIn for people with that title who work at the company.

If you still can’t find the name, that’s okay — instead, address your letter to whatever team you’re applying for. For example, Jill could have addressed her letter to the product team.

Introduce Yourself

The first paragraph of a cover letter should summarize who you are and why you’re uniquely excited to apply for the role.

If you’re a student or recent graduate, you can include your major (if you’ve declared one), class year, and university. You can also include any other key information about your work. In this example, Jill mentioned she has experience with graphic design. 

Explain Your Experience

You don’t need professional experience to write a cover letter, especially for an internship. You can include:

• Academic experience: Courses you’ve taken that apply to the role, skills you’ve learned, and projects you’ve worked on
• Extracurricular activities: Clubs you’re a part of (or lead!), events you’ve led, projects you’ve worked on
• Volunteer experience: Places you’ve volunteered or community service projects you’ve done
• Personal projects: Independent work you’ve done, even if it’s not formally published or part of a formal project. (Make sure to include an online portfolio so the team can see it!)

“Highlight any clubs, events, or activities that you’ve helped plan,” Jackson says. “Think church, community, school clubs, sororities, fraternities or volunteer experiences. What role did you play? What did you accomplish? Who did it help? How many? How much? I’ve told my interns to think about why they are interested in that particular company or function and hone in on good storytelling. The WHY behind what they want to do is sometimes more important than having direct experience in that space.”

Emphasize Your Skills

When explaining what experiences you’ve worked on, be sure to call out any relevant skills you have. You don’t need to say outright, “I have communication skills” or “I have programming skills .” Instead, infuse these skills naturally into your descriptions.

For example, Jill mentions her hard skills when she says she uses Figma and InDesign, two applications that are relevant to the internship she’s applying for. However, she also mentions a soft skill, collaboration, when describing who she’s designed for. 

Your final paragraph of the cover letter should summarize everything you’ve discussed and show why you’re right for the role. 

You don’t need to parrot back precisely what you mentioned in the first paragraph. Instead, drive home why you’re the best fit. You can include your top experience highlights and say how that aligns with the company’s mission or an initiative you’ve researched. In Jill’s letter, she references the company’s mission and adds that her work could benefit the company by helping them reach a target audience.

“Frame your desire for the role in a way that showcases you’ve done your research on the organization: know a bit about their products, services, recent mergers, or customers and tie your genuine interests to that,” Jackson says.

Ask for Next Steps

End the cover letter with gratitude and a call to action. The reader should know you appreciate their time and understand what next steps you’d like them to take. Like Jill, you can ask them to let you know what else they need from you. You could also ask them when you should expect to hear back from them or tell them you’re looking forward to the next steps.

Finally, include a professional sign-off and your full name.

>>MORE : Unsure what sign-off to use? Learn eight sign-offs to use and six to avoid with How to End an Email Professionally (With Examples) .

Writing a cover letter for an internship when you don’t have any professional experience can be daunting, but employers aren’t looking for experienced interns with advanced skills. Instead, your cover letter can discuss any academic, extracurricular, volunteer, or independent work you’ve done and highlight key hard and soft skills the employer mentions in the job description. 

“Even if you haven’t had a ‘real job’ before, you likely have some relevant experience — what you’ve studied in school, school or other groups you’re involved in, any leadership roles you’ve played in those, sports team you’ve been on, things you’re interested in outside of school that might be relevant, etc.,” Lowry says. “Focus on what’s made you good at those things and what you learned from them.”

In the midst of internship applications? Check out our other internship guides:

• How to Find Internships That’ll Jumpstart Your Career
• Ultimate Guide to Internship Application Deadlines and Open Dates
• How to Apply for an Internship
• How to Ask for an Internship (Email Examples)
• How Long Does an Internship Last?

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