Internship is the practice of students to work in a temporary position, with an emphasis on OJT (On-the-Job Training) rather than regular employment. It is comparable to apprenticeship, except that interns don't necessarily work to acquire a certain skill.
In the Singapore, internship is primarily the students' practice to gain school credit needed to complete certain courses. Internship also provides for students opportunities to gain experience in their field, establish an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, or the prospect of returning to the company as asset that require little or no training at all.
Applying for an internship in a certain company is to some extent easier when compared to applying for regular employment. This is because interns provide the employers cheap (if not free) labor.
However, this does not discount the possibility of you not getting hired. After all, internship still involves several applicants vying for a position, with the 1internship cover letter and the accompanying résumé as gauges the employers use in screening the applicants. A great 2internship cover letter is one that can successfully pass this first hurdle and sets the applicant up for an interview.
Like most business letters, a general template is followed when writing internship cover letters. The guidelines are as follows:
A clear and concise explanation of the applicant's intentions for writing and the position sought
A highlighted list of the key information that is relevant to the position sought
A statement(s) that actively sells the applicant's qualifications
A statement(s) that actively seeks an interview.
Internship cover letters follow the same writing format with other cover letters types. The only difference would be the absence of the section where applicants usually detail work experience. Students can substitute this portion with details of their skills and know-how. The general format of an internship cover letter is as follows:
The Header which contains the applicant's address and contact details, the recipient's contact details, and the date the correspondence is sent. Optional reference sections, e.g. like the 'RE' (reply in email) are also placed in the header section.
The Introduction contains a few sentences that briefly but specifically states the intent of the letter. Salutations are ignored. The introduction should be written in a way designed to pique the employer's immediate interest.
The Body contains all the details not stated in the Introduction. This section emphasizes on the details that sell the applicant's know-how. Typically this section explains the applicant's interest in the job and how he or she would be of value to the employer.
The Closing. A closing sums up the letter, and indicates the next step the applicant expects to take. By virtue of purpose, the applicant should always request for an interview in the closing section.
