Getting an internship is difficult but not as difficult as you think. If you know how to present yourself well at every step, your chances of NOT getting it will be slim. Organisations want interns, so you just need to convince them you are the one. To be the one, you need to start with sending the perfect introduction email for the internship.
This article will help you find just what you were doing wrong and how to do it right.
What is an Internship Request?
An internship request email is you addressing management or the human resource team of a firm to accept you as their intern. It is not a simple formality. Hundreds of emails are received every day by HR team members for internships. How will you ensure that your email will stand out?
The email itself has to stand out in a way that makes the hirers want to shortlist you. The email has to be to the point and give all the relevant information formatted in a way that even a nonchalant reader will end up looking at the key points while skimming through. And of course, remember that it has to go with a cover letter that very briefly states why you think the firm should pick you.
Internship Email Templates
Professional emails follow a template to minimise reading time and to pick out relevant information without having to spend more than five seconds of looking at it. There can be variations of this template or format and the rules keep changing every year. Also, there are different template guidelines for different industries. So, do not just copy whichever sample you get your hands on first. Look for one with the internship email format that is suitable for the industry that concerns you and one that has a dedicated space for everything you want to fill in with and is devoid of extra boxes.
There are various things to think about before you send an email for an internship. You will find out everything you need to keep in mind that will give you enough direction to choose the template you need. You don’t need to be told what to do, you just need to know the right questions to ask.
Preparing for the Best Email Request for Internship
When you believe that there are others more skilled and experienced than you, procrastinating over sending a simple email for a new job, it is not just anxiety at play. Someone who has enough experience to have bagged a few internships and jobs will know that there is a lot of preparation preceding the simple email to be sent.
Here is the list of things you need to think about before sending that email.
1] Do Your Due Diligence
Yes, this sounds like advice your parents or even your grandparents would give. Researching your potential client never goes out of style. This is the obvious first step to getting hired. You need to know your client or the organisation and the specific project that you are applying to be a part of.
2] Start the Email with a Greeting
You will be surprised how many people need to be told this. Being to the point does not mean starting with “I want to be a part of your project because…” Every formal letter, even if it is an email cover letter, should begin with at least a simple “Hello” and end with “Regards or Warm regards”. It does not have to be those two words specifically. The preferred terms of greeting in and out depending on the region the firm is established in.
3] Add References, if Required
Hardly any firm will ask you to state references for an internship. They do not want to make freshers feel like they are already out of the game. But if you do have references, please add them with their valid contact details and designation.
Before you even start writing the email, please have a word with your references and let them know that you are going to add their names as references. Ask them for their preferred contact details because the one you have from months back might not be the channel, they are available anymore.
When you make a list of references, only add people whom you’ve had an amicable relationship with. It does not have to be the place you’ve spent the most time or the teacher whose subject you’ve scored the highest grades in. You need to add references that you trust.
Of course, it has to be relevant to the field you are applying to. In case you don’t have a relevant reference whom you can trust, don’t risk it. An internship email template without the references section is better than a reference that can hurt you.
4] Update Your Resume
As an intern, you might not have a lot on your resume but that is okay. You have your qualifications and your extra-curricular activities. Add school management involvement if you have been in student management units. Add anything that makes you look good.
Keep one resume with all the good things you can say about yourself and make a fresh one for every internship request you send out. This specific email resume will have only the information that is relevant to the field. Don’t add all the good things for the relevant ones might get overlooked.
5] The Format
If you can, get hold of the internship templates of applicants who got in during the previous semester. Make your own template from the common features in those templates with your added customizations.
How to Write an Email for Internship
Now that you know what to include, you need to start writing. After the greetings, comes the first paragraph that has your introduction and information about how you got to know about the internship. Sneak in your latest qualification in this paragraph.
In the second paragraph, mention your skills. This is the time to be relevant but not humble. Add nothing that does not concern the industry but add everything that does.
The third paragraph is about stating how your skills and qualifications that are mentioned in the previous paragraph will be useful for the project or firm you want the internship with. This is where you write why you are an asset to the industry.
The fourth and last paragraph states your contact info and the term you want the internship for if that applies. Do close with a greeting.
Well, even though it sounds difficult, it is quite simple to write. All you need to do is learn these simple tricks and apply them strategically. And above all, don’t be nervous. Do spend a few more minutes double-checking everything on this list before you send that email.