A critical part of any student's successful internship application is being able to sell himself or herself to the prospective employer. Generally, all internships will require a resume and letter of interest. Depending on the type of position sought, a student's resume will emphasize certain areas over others. In all cases, both a resume and cover letter should be limited strictly to one page each. Since a student rarely has extensive work history or relevant accomplishments to pitch, there simply is no reason to offer a dissertation that employers will view only as salesmanship and boasting. While students should always ascertain whether there are any specific requirements that the employer demands in either a resume or cover letter, some general rules will normally apply.
First, with respect to a resume, form, grammar and appearance are critical. A resume that contains punctuation errors, inconsistent fonts or spacing and a disjointed presentation suggest to the employer that the student is lazy and lacks attention to detail. First impressions are critical. A student should always run a resume by a trusted colleague, such as a parent, teacher or counselor, to have him spot errors or inconsistent usage of text in a resume. Resumes also need to highlight actual job duties and accomplishments, and they must demonstrate that a student has an ability to take initiative and work with others. By definition, a student intern will work for others. Any accomplishments or job experiences which focus on team-building and consensus will stand out. Academic credentials should be emphasized, but if a student's space limitation is running out, any real-world experiences and work accomplishments must take precedence over an obscure high school award that, unfortunately, will not mean much to a corporate recruiter. At the bottom of a resume, a student should try and least at least one professional reference.
Just as important as the resume is the cover letter that will introduce the student and make a brief, persuasive pitch for the internship. A strong cover letter contains the following essential requirements: (a) a brief introductory paragraph introducing the student, the position for which he or she is applying and how the student learned of the position (e.g., through the university career services office); (b) a one, or two, paragraph summary of relevant work experience or involvement in a field of study directly tied to the internship placement; (c) the benefits that the student can bring to the organization, such as one or two skills or experiences that stand out and are unique; and (d) an invitation for a follow-up telephone or in-person interview. As to the last requirement, a student may indicate that he or she will call the recruiter directly to see if the application is a good fit. This is a more aggressive approach, and either one is generally acceptable.
Many sample cover letters are available online for a student to review, but a particularly good and concise one that is tailored to internships can be found at About.com, with links to other useful resources. Like the resume, a cover letter must be one page and must be addressed to the correct person. Punctuation, grammar and appearance again take paramount importance, and it should be reviewed by a fresh set of eyes before sending. While many career services offices will have available the appropriate contact person, sometimes this is not readily apparent for unadvertised positions. If not, the student should conduct research, visit the company website and obtain the name of the human resources person who accepts internship applications. If all else fails, a student should call the human resources department and speak with someone live about the proper protocol. This shows initiative and will ensure that the student does not address the letter to the wrong person.
© 2007 Real Interns