Internships are a relatively low-investment, high-return opportunity for people to improve their careers, but they’re not easy to come by. One surefire way to secure internships, even in the most unusual of seasons, is cold emailing. So today we’re going to show you how to email an internship!
Now we all know the basics of internship (and job) hunting. There are a number of steps involved, including creating a contact list for opportunities, creating the perfect resume, and optimizing your LinkedIn profile. You can read more about it here.
But once you have all the basics down, let’s dive into cold email, starting with the definition.
If a company calls job applicants and you answer, it’s not cold emailing. Cold email is defined as an UNSOLICITED email, a type of “first contact” that makes an inquiry and expects to receive some benefit.
In this case, you contact someone who doesn’t know you, introduce yourself, ask for an internship and hope they contact you. It is a good form of networking that helps you reach higher dignitaries in the organization professionally, but… there is a certain etiquette that you must follow. If you don’t, you could be hurting your chances of getting an internship instead of improving it.
Basic Preparations
The worst mistake you can make is accidentally in this process. It takes planning, organization and analysis to make sure your cold email is fruitful.
Let’s talk about expectations first. The probability that you will send one or two emails and immediately get an internship is very small. You must send multiple emails.
But it doesn’t just mean randomly Googling business directories and bombarding them with emails. You have to mix it up a bit.
What to consider when choosing companies for cold emailing:
- What is the purpose of this training? Looking for a gate for a specific interest? Are you a student looking to fill your summer vacation or add experience to your resume? Are you changing careers and need a fresh start? Ask yourself these questions and figure out what the main purpose of this training is.
- How can this company help you achieve your goals? If you want to develop your skills, is this company a good place for training? Do they have enough resources to make time for you? Are they recognized in the field you are interested in?
- Company size matters. Larger companies tend to have tight windows when applying for an intern. You must watch these windows paying close attention to the dates and preparing in advance. Smaller companies, especially startups, tend to be more flexible. Additionally, they may not have all the resources of a large, established company, but they can offer more personalized learning opportunities. Startups also operate in a constantly changing environment, so you are expected to quickly gain some independence and keep up.
What do you bring to the table? Why should they have the time and resources to train you during your internship? The trainees do not have to have great experience or all the technical skills to complete the tasks. But initiative, passion and soft skills are important!
Organize
Now that you know what you’re looking for, it should be much easier to find the right companies to email. LinkedIn is a great resource for this. Find the right people to email and their contact information on LinkedIn.
People often make the mistake of immediately sending an email to the CEO or someone who is very knowledgeable about the company. Try to avoid it. There are some exceptional cases, such as smaller companies with a team of 5-6 people. In such cases, you are more likely to get a response from higher authorities if you contact them.
If you want to do an internship in digital marketing department, search for a department manager on LinkedIn. See if you can get information about them, what they do, etc. from their posts and communications. You can use this to show them that you have done your research.
Next, once you have their information, you need to keep track of who you’re emailing, for what role, and what their response was. To do this, you need a page.
Contact
Remember that you are still contacting a complete stranger. There’s a fine line between compelling and just plain annoying. Everything you say, the information you convey, and the way you apply for an internship matter.
