Write a Strong Cover Letter in 30 Minutes

A cover letter is your chance to sound like a person instead of a list. It doesn't need to be long or perfect. It needs to be specific, warm, and clearly written for this role.

Before you write (5 minutes)

Gather three things:

• The role: what the internship actually involves, in the posting's own words.
• The company: one specific thing you genuinely like about their work, such as a project, a show, an artist on their roster, a campaign, or a product.
• Your proof: one or two experiences that show you can do what the role needs.

If you can't find anything specific about the company, spend a few more minutes on their website and social accounts. Specific details are what separate a real letter from a form letter.

The four-part structure (20 minutes)

Keep the whole letter to three or four short paragraphs, well under a page.

1. The opening: who you are and why this role

Name the position and give one clear reason you want it. Use a real name if you can find one. "Dear Hiring Team" works when you can't, and it's warmer than "To Whom It May Concern."

2. The proof: what you've done

Pick your strongest relevant example and tell it briefly: the situation, what you did, and what came of it. One good story beats a list of five adjectives.

3. The fit: why them

Connect your experience to what they do. This is where your specific detail about the company belongs.

4. The close: a confident next step

Thank them, say you'd welcome a conversation, and stop. There's no need to repeat your resume.

A template you can adapt

Copy this and replace everything in brackets:

Dear [Name or Hiring Team],

I'm a [year] [major] student at [school], and I'm excited to apply for the [Internship Title] role at [Company]. I've followed [specific project, show, artist, or product], and [one sentence on why it matters to you].

Last [semester or summer], I [what you did] for [team, club, class, or employer]. I [specific action], which [result]. That experience taught me [skill that matches the posting], and it's exactly the kind of work I want to keep doing.

What draws me to [Company] is [specific detail]. I'd bring [one or two relevant skills], along with a real willingness to learn, take notes, and handle the details that keep a team moving.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I'd love the chance to talk about how I could help your team this [season, semester, or summer].

Best, [Your Name]

Polish it (5 minutes)

• Check the company name everywhere, and make sure you didn't leave in another company's name from a previous letter.
• Cut any sentence that could appear in anyone's letter, like "I am a hard worker and a team player."
• Read it out loud. If a sentence feels stiff, rewrite it the way you'd say it.
• Aim for roughly 250 to 350 words.
• Save it as a PDF, such as FirstName-LastName-Cover-Letter.pdf, unless the application asks you to paste it into a text box.

Tip: Save every letter you send in a folder by company. Your best paragraphs become building blocks for the next one.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Opening with "My name is..." when your name is already at the top.
• Retelling your entire resume line by line.
• Focusing only on what the internship will do for you instead of what you'll contribute.
• Being so formal that you sound like nobody in particular.
• Sending a letter addressed to the wrong person or company.

When you're short on time

If an application is due today, don't skip the letter entirely when it's requested. A short, specific three-paragraph version written with this structure is far better than a long generic one. Focus your limited minutes on the proof paragraph and the "why them" paragraph, since those are the parts no one else can write for you.

Next step

Choose a posting, set a 30-minute timer, and draft your letter using the template above. Browse internships to find one worth writing for.