How to Write an Email for an Internship

Greet the recipient respectfully. On the first line, depending on the contact’s name, job title, and gender, start the email with “Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs/Mrs”. Don’t write “Hello An” or “Hello”. Use the same formal tone as you would when writing a professional letter.

• If the person’s gender is unknown, greet the person with their full name. For example: “Dear Nguyen Van A”.

Introduce yourself. Let the recipient know your name and employment/education status (Such as third year student at University X, majoring in biology). Describe how you came to know about this internship, whether online, in the press or through a contact. If there is a common connection, mention it as soon as possible. For example, you could write: [Program Director / Professor / etc], [title and name], suggested that I contact you.

Mention a time when you can practice. State possible start and end times and whether these timelines have flexibility. For example, if you are able to do a spring semester internship and a full-time summer internship, also share this information. Specify the number of hours a week you can work.

State your practice goals. Need an internship to get a certificate? If possible, point out that your primary pursuit is experience and that professional responsibilities and compensation are not so important. Write about the skills you hope to gain from this internship.

Share what you admire about the company. Mention something you know or think the company appreciates about itself. Avoid mentioning any negative news. Keep your messages positive. For example, you could write: [Company name] is known for its excellence, and I really appreciate your commitment to [sponsoring free care for abandoned animals] .

Discuss your qualifications and experience. In a few sentences, share information about your thesis, work experience, and any relevant skills you have. Show how your knowledge can benefit the company. Include information about employment, volunteering, and how those experiences have prepared you for the position. Emphasize how you can contribute to the organization. Employers need to believe that you can take on the tasks assigned to you. ^[1]

• Describe your work experience with strong verbs. Instead of writing: “I did a marketing internship for two years,” state, “As a marketing intern, I created fresh content, designed print and electronic brochures as well as managing mass media for an enterprise with fifty employees”.
• Skills can include mass communication, event planning, or a myriad of other things.

Refers to academic success or success in extracurricular activities. Write about your education. If you have held a leadership role, describe your mission and/or accomplishments. Did you direct a committee? Have you ever coached a team? Keep these explanations brief so as not to distract the reader’s attention.

• Instead of using adjectives to describe yourself, give specific examples that show your qualities. For example, instead of saying “I am an ambitious student”, write “I have consistently remained in the top 10 percent of my class”.

State when you will be in touch again. Discuss when and how you will contact the employer to update the status of your application. Include contact information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and also when you can be reached. You can write: You can contact me by phone and email. In case it is not convenient for you to reply, I will contact you again [next Monday].

End email. Thank you for taking the time to look through your information. End with a cordial greeting, such as “I sincerely thank you.” If you have ever spoken to the person in person or on the phone, you can use a greeting like “Sincerely.” Don’t use “Thank you” or simply “Goodbye” to end a formal letter. Use your full name when signing, for example Nguyen Van A instead of A.

Consider attaching an email. Don’t include your resume when you actively send an internship email. Unless the company is looking for an intern, they probably won’t want to open your attachments, especially when there is a company policy on attachments. If the job request asks for a resume, attach the document in PDP format (instead of Word – with Word, formatting may be lost/adjusted when opened on another machine).

• Some companies may state that they do not open email attachments. If so, incorporate your cover letter and resume in the body of the email. Make sure you use spacing to separate them, making it easy for recruiters to distinguish each document.