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chingc

October 22nd, 2014

Internship Application: Cover Letters

0 comments | 17 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

chingc

October 22nd, 2014

Internship Application: Cover Letters

0 comments | 17 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Hello everyone! It’s that time of the year again when all LSE kids are rushing for Goldman Sachs openings.

Not to worry, not all of us want to work in GS or sell our souls to Investment Banks. However, Cover Letter writing skills are an important skill to have and it might prove to be an asset sometime when you actually do need to apply for jobs in the future.

Cover Letter structure

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am currently in my second year reading BSc XXX at the London School of Economics (LSE) and would like to apply for the XXX internship at [name of firm].

[Company specific paragraph/ Paragraph stating why you want to join the firm]

XXX is notable as one of the leading [industry] firms and constantly sets the bar for innovation and performance … The strength of XXX in the XXX sectors will provide an optimal training ground for interns in [division] and ample opportunities to develop my career. Furthermore, I would like to work at a firm that has a strong customer focus and I believe that my skills and abilities would be well suited for work in this division.

 You can also include:
–       Awards/ Recognition
–       Areas of specialisation (Hence your application to this firm)
–       The values they uphold
–       Company events you attended; who you met, and what you learnt
–       Current affairs (related to the division you’re applying to)
–       Other firm-related details (Example: Corporate Social Responsibility)

[Selling yourself/ Paragraph stating how you are perfect for the role]

I am able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with a steep learning curve. As the [Position] of LSE SU XXX I organised … [what you did]. Through this, I improved my time management skills and developed essential public speaking skills, which would be beneficial while working in [division] as [mould the skills you learnt to the role you’re applying for].

 You normally include:
–       A maximum of 3-4 different examples/roles
–       Skills/ attributes you’ve learned or possess
–       How those skills/ attributes can add value to the firm
–       Participation in societies
–       Work experience
–       Volunteering work
–       Others (Example: Hobbies)

This internship programme would be a fantastic learning opportunity. I hope my qualities and skill sets can be of value to [name of firm].

Yours faithfully,

XXX

Notes:

  1. There is no one-way of writing a cover letter- the above is just an example of how you can go about writing it.
  2. Emphasise why you are perfect for the job throughout the entire cover letter- not just in the second paragraph.
  3. Never state – always elaborate your points. It is better to write 1 or 2 points really well than to write 5 points fleetingly.
  4. Remember to address the cover letter to the correct firm consistently throughout the entire cover letter– it will be really awkward it you wrote how much you want to work for JP Morgan in the second paragraph, end with saying you’ll be an ideal fit for Goldman Sachs, and send the cover letter to Morgan Stanley! Not a good way to make first impressions.
  5. Keep it under one page– HR doesn’t want a dissertation!

Before I end this post, did you know that LSE Careers provides:

–       Career-related guides such as: How to write a cover letter
(You can pick them up in their office or read it online)
–       CV checking services: 15 minute, face-to-face session with a CV consultant
–       Practice interviews:  One to one, 30 minute mock interview sessions

Find out more about the services LSE Career provides and how to book an appointment here.

Signing off,

Clarissa

About the author

chingc

Posted In: Careers | Off Campus

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