Crafting a strong internship application

Applying for an internship is quite similar to applying for a job. There are, however, some small, but essential, differences. For example, application for an internship is more likely to focus on courses and experience gained through personal interests and maybe a student job. The employers are also aware that you don’t come with a lot of hands-on experience yet, but that only makes it more important for you to show that you are interested in, and actively seek out, new experiences.

Before you put pen to paper – or, more accurately, your fingers on the keyboard – you should do a bit of prep-work:

Read the internship posting thoroughly - if there is one. Check the internship tasks and its description, and consider whether the position still interests you
Are you sending an unsolicited application? Check the company’s profile, along with its record concerning previous jobs and internships, to see if they’ve had similar interns before.
Understand the company – Do your research on what the company does and which products or services they offer. It’s doesn’t look good if you, at the interview, have no idea what the company does.

When you’ve done your research, your application should consider, as the bare minimum:

Why this company? Companies always find it interesting to hear why you’ve applied to a position with them specifically. Is it something besides the associated tasks? The size of the company? The field? Their sustainability? You can offer up a couple of keywords as to why you’ve applied to the position in question in particular. Do mind that writing something like “My deadline is coming up and you still have an open position” probably doesn’t make a great impression here.
What can you do and how do you intend to do it? Describe your relevant skills and how they fit the tasks the company will assign you. You don’t need to list all of your courses and skills (that’s what your resumé is for) – focus on what is most relevant.
What do you want to learn? Tell them which tasks motivate you the most and what experience you hope to gain via the internship. Not all tasks are created equal and the company will be aware of this. A couple of sentences regarding your fields of expertise will help to ensure the company’s expectations align with your own.
Who are you? Your professional profile doesn’t just stand alone – in every kind of company you will inevitably encounter other people. 😉 You should therefore dedicate a few sentences to describing yourself as a person – it will help your potential host evaluate how well you will fit into their day-to-day life.

Ready to apply? Then you can check out our long list of current available internships, along with businesses currently offering internships. Enjoy yourself and good luck with applying for internships!