Getting An Internship: Cover Letter Examples

Ms. Kathy Best

Editor

The Seattle Times

1000 Denny Way

Seattle, Washington, 98109

Dear Ms. Best:

In 10^th grade, I got an offer to work for a New Jersey-based radio station as a political correspondent in Puerto Rico. Every Saturday for three years, I would go on-air for 20 minutes and report on current issues affecting the island. I was 16 years old at the time, learning by doing and trusting my gut 100 percent. That’s when I realized I wanted to be a journalist.

The radio station was more than a job — it was a school. I was assigned to follow the student-organized protests at the University of Puerto Rico. I covered and witnessed college students get arrested, maced with pepper spray and hit by the Puerto Rico State Police. This helped me understand the social role I would have in the world by being a journalist. Covering the protests taught me to become a better storyteller and to understand that no matter where I was, I needed to be ready to file or to call the station and go on-air immediately. No excuses.

I learned about the importance of understanding the community I was covering and the significance of developing strong relationships with sources who would come to me right away with news. The latter one was the hardest because of my age at the time, but I ended up gaining the respect of my colleagues and sources.

I am currently working toward a degree in journalism at Michigan State University, with a concentration in international reporting and a minor in environmental and sustainability studies. Now I am an editor for “Sustainable Stories,” a student-run blog from MSU’s Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment. I co-founded the International Journalism Association at MSU, and I also am a member of the Environmental Journalism Association.

While holding various positions at The State News, MSU’s student-run newspaper, I’ve covered a range of topics from President Barack Obama’s visit to Ann Arbor, Mich., to the decriminalization of the marijuana to the DeBoer v. Snyder trial — the trial that pushed for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Michigan and one of the cases presented in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. This work involved filing on-deadline content, creating videos, posting to social media and submitting updates for the newspaper’s website.

With my diverse background in radio, newspaper, and online blogs, I see The Seattle Times internship as the next step in pushing me to become a better journalist. I am ready.

*************

Company applying for

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Dear name of recruiter or company if name is unavailable,

During the summer of 2014, I pictured myself reporting for Michigan State University’s premier college newspaper, The State News. But when I did not get the job, I wound up instead spending my summer driving a forklift at Lowe’s Home Improvement store.

But I did not give up. After working incredibly hard in my classes and achieving a 4.0 GPA, I once again applied was hired as a general assignment reporter the next summer.

Since then, I have worked my way up and have become one of the top reporters at The State News, being promoted twice during my five months as a reporter. I am now the East Lansing city reporter as well as the state capitol reporter. This has given me the opportunity to cover a range of stories.

While other newspapers in the Lansing area wrote about new and improved recycling practices in East Lansing, I found more than 12,000 residents without access to on-site recycling due to city ordinances. I have reported on the health of the Red Cedar River, a landmark at MSU. I sat down with MSU’s President Lou Anna K Simon and explored the plight of sexual assault victims as the university mishandled a number of cases over the past few years. I covered city council meetings, debates and this year’s election. I even rode around East Lansing in the back of an infamous monkey-covered van during my time as a reporter for The State News.

I would love to bring my passion for journalism to your organization. I have valuable experience in the field and believe I would be a great fit at the (name of company). Thank you for your time and attention to my application. I look forward to scheduling an interview with you to discuss the position, as well as my qualifications. Your organization is one I have always dreamed of working at and I believe I have the experience necessary to do so confidently.