As I sit here composing this post, I find myself reflecting on two internship emails I recently received from students expressing their interest in an internship at Sofueled. Surprisingly, I couldn’t bring myself to read either email in its entirety. Instead, I decided to focus on highlighting the essential best practices for crafting an internship email that truly adds value to your application. In this article, I’ll outline the 10 key points you need to pay attention to in order to make a positive impact on your chances of securing that coveted internship opportunity.
Internship Letter Subject Line
The subject line serves as the initial point of contact before your recipient opens your email. It is crucial to define the purpose of your message concisely, without overcomplicating it. Remember to keep it short and easy to read. Opt for a formal tone to establish a professional impression.
Addressing the Right Person for Effective Communication
The choice of salutation in your internship email is crucial, and it’s important to avoid generic greetings like “Dear sir/madam.” Consider this: would you welcome an unknown guest into your home? Similarly, when reaching out to a company, it’s essential to identify the responsible person for hiring or the key person in the HR department. Before hitting that send button, take a step back and determine who the appropriate contact is or find someone who can guide you to the right person. This will ensure your internship email reaches the intended recipient and increases your chances of making a meaningful connection.
To address individuals appropriately, you can use specific titles such as Mr. Arjun or Ms./Mrs. Shaina. Alternatively, you can also use respectful terms like “Arjun Sir” or “Shaina Ma’am” to convey your respect and professionalism.
Demonstrate Interest and Knowledge. They will love it.
One effective way to make a positive impression is by expressing your familiarity with the company, even if you haven’t actually followed them before. Letting them know that you have taken the time to read about their organization or follow their updates can create a powerful trigger in their minds. It shows that you are not just sending a generic greeting, but rather have invested effort in learning about them and their company. Remember, every diamond needs polishing, and this attention to detail can set you apart from others who simply send generic greetings.
Consider this scenario: You find yourself at the mid-stage of the internship email-sending process, yet you have managed to leave a lasting impression that impresses the recipient. Let’s now talk about other key parameters.
Demonstrating the Value of the Internship
Take the opportunity to explain why this internship is crucial for your personal and professional development. Clearly articulate what you are seeking from the internship and how you plan to leverage the key takeaways to advance your career. By addressing both “what’s in it for them” in terms of their hiring decision and “what’s in it for you” in your email, you will establish a strong foundation for your internship communication. This approach helps the recipient understand the mutual fit and demonstrates your clarity of purpose, setting a positive tone for your internship email.
Personalize Your Internship Email: Avoid Sending the Same Message to Everyone
It is crucial to avoid the pitfall of sending the same internship request email to multiple recipients. Even worse is including them in the CC or BCC field. Such impersonal approaches can be disappointing for the recipients. Instead, tailor the tone and structure of your email to fit the specific company you are reaching out to. By personalizing your email, you demonstrate a genuine interest in connecting with the company, increasing your chances of making a meaningful impression.
Fire up the CV/Resume/Profile
I hate the term CV/Resume. I prefer to call it a professional profile. Avoid using generic or pre-designed CV templates. Instead, focus on including the relevant information that matters to the company. If your internship opportunity involves Python, for example, mention a few Python projects you have worked on and provide links for further reference. If you don’t have prior experience, share the key knowledge, workshops, talks, and training you have been part of.
Exciting Projects? Certainly, you should mention any exciting projects you have been involved in. However, it’s important to keep it concise. Provide a brief overview or a couple of lines about the project, as excessive storytelling is unnecessary.
Remember, brevity is key. When crafting your email, refrain from lengthy narratives. Keep in mind that recipients have limited time and are not interested in extensive details. Stick to the essential points and make your message concise and to the point.
Don’t use fonts that look very unprofessional.
Validate on mobile
It is crucial to recognize that the recipient may frequently read your email on a mobile device or while on the go. Therefore, when composing your message, it is essential to verify how it will appear on a mobile phone as well. Take the time to ensure that the formatting, layout, and overall readability of your email are optimized for mobile viewing.
Strategic Timing for Your Internship Approach
When it comes to reaching out for internships, it is crucial to consider the timing that aligns with the company’s internship period, rather than your own convenience. In my experience, I have received internship requests 1-2 months before the internship period, such as in July or August, even though our company hires interns for the summer.
Timing plays a significant role in your internship approach. It is advisable to initiate contact at least 4-6 months in advance and follow up as the deadlines approach. Keep in mind that professional organizations require a minimum of 2-3 months to evaluate candidates and schedule interviews for selection. Therefore, it’s important to plan accordingly and avoid expecting last-minute hiring decisions from the company.
Avoid Procrastination, Focus on Substance
Rather than getting caught up in perfecting the aesthetics of your email, prioritize sending a well-crafted message. Overthinking the beautification of your email often leads to unnecessary delays. Remember, taking action promptly is a gratifying experience that can yield positive results. Instead of fixating on perfection, focus on the substance of your email and take the step to send it out without delay.
Maintain Professional Follow-up
Don’t expect everyone to reply to you immediately or rather reply at all. Demonstrate your genuine enthusiasm for joining an internship at a firm through thoughtful follow-up. However, it’s important to strike a balance and avoid excessive or aggressive follow-ups. Approach your follow-ups with a polite and considerate tone. Instead of mass-spamming the recipient with requests for updates, focus on building a connection. Each email should align with the goal of securing the internship. Even if the initial results are negative, periodically reach out to stay connected. You never know when the right opportunity may arise, and by staying engaged, you increase the chances of being remembered by the company when the time is right.
In case you wish to get in touch with me to understand more about the topic, happy to help. Here is the form you could fill up and we’ll get in touch.
Arjun Naik