Sample Internship Recommendation Letter

Internship Recommendation Letter: What Is It?

An internship recommendation letter is basically like a reference letter except it is generally written by a teacher or someone respected among organizations that accept interns. And the letter recommends a certain student who needs experience for a college internship or any form of internship. Thanks to these formal legal letters, companies find it easy to know who the person being recommended is and if that student is qualified for the company’s internship post. The same goes for details revolving around the candidate’s character, skills, etc.

Did you know that students who completed internships are 15% least likely to get unemployed during their first years after graduating college?

Why Is an Internship Recommendation Letter Important?

There is basically a myriad of reasons as to why internship recommendation letters are essential. And each reason leads you to understand why you should make one in the first place. In this section, we will acknowledge five of the most outstanding reasons for how important these letters are.

Credibility

First things first, these internship recommendation letters are written by professionals. From a college professor, business manager, to any person of authority, you can expect that not just random people create these essential letters. Because why would any company trust a letter written by anyone with poor credibility? And a student sure is lucky to know someone who can recommend them to a media practitioner, finance specialist, graduate school professor, or any field.

Straightforward Details

What makes internship recommendation letters useful is how they cover the basic data pronto. Just like a regular cover letter, you can easily identify the recommended intern’s name, educational background, skills, and other credentials. And the letter itself is a useful tool that any company could use to evaluate potential interns in their business. As long as the letter is detailed enough to cover the recommended student’s data, it will pay off.

Competition

Students with an internship recommendation letter are more competitive compared to those without any. That is because company managers immediately place their interest in the recommended student. The fact that someone of authority wrote about a recommended student speaks a lot about that student’s reputation too. Hence, it is a legal letter you cannot simply belittle of.

Positive Relationship

A positive relationship ensues between the recommended student and the employer, person of authority and the employer, as well as the recommended student and the person of authority. Take this formal letter as a basic introduction between parties where they will learn a bit about each other. And when the recommended students can really prove their worth to the employer, they could land the job after graduating too.

The Value of Internship

Last but not least, an internship is valuable. Internship recommendation letters will remain relevant as there are internships everywhere. In fact, SmallBizGenius reported that students who completed their internships are 15% least likely to get unemployed in their first years after college. And that research survey alone can solidify how important and valuable an internship is.

What to Include in Standard Internship Recommendation Letters

It is inspiring to know that a single document such as an internship recommendation letter from college can make a huge difference to the recommended student’s career path soon. But what exactly is inside the letter? Learn about the standard elements of what to add to a basic internship recommendation letter in this segment.

Title: Everything starts with a straightforward title. Your title should have the words “Internship Recommendation Letter” so that whoever reads the letter will have an idea of what the main intention of the document is. And your title serves as the introductory statement of your letter in case the reader wants the gist of the message right away.Name of the Recommended Student: Of course, who is being recommended in the letter in the first place? Do not ever forget that crucial detail or you would lose the whole point of the document—which is to recommend that person to the employer or whoever reads the letter. Besides the student’s complete name, insert their age, address, and contact list details as well.The Student’s Academic Track Record: Ensure to tackle the academic track record of the student being recommended. Much like a letter of recommendation for graduate school, details regarding the person’s academic performance matter a lot. You may highlight which school they are from, how many years they studied, their school achievements, and other related data. And some research is required to confirm that the details inputted in the letter are true.Qualities of the Student that Fits the Company: Why do you think the recommended student deserves to be an intern of that particular company you chose? This is the perfect part to mention that student’s noteworthy qualities, especially the ones that would be useful to the company. In other words, you write about that person’s potential and how valuable they are to the organization as an asset soon. But as much as possible, be truthful with your words.Standard Letter Format: The internship recommendation letter is like any document in standard business letter format. That means you have the subject title, date, salutation, introduction, body, conclusion, complimentary closing, and signature. For sure, that is already given so you can observe the sample templates’ format in this article.Greetings and Niceties: There is always room for cordial writing in your letter. Don’t simply act like a robot. You can insert greetings and other formal niceties to at least respect the receiver of that letter. If you are close with the receiver, then you can always ask about how they are doing first until you can transition to recommending someone smoothly.Statement of Recommendation: The official statement of recommendation can’t be forgotten as it briefly confirms your purpose in writing. This is the part where you formally say that you are recommending a student, followed by that student’s name, and a summary of why. The clearer your message, the better your document is.Writer’s Details and Experience: Lastly, include your details as the writer of the letter. The receiver should know who the sender is in the first place. And you can also add your personal experience with the recommended student and how you can assure that that person deserves to secure the internship agreement afterward. This marks your last chance to prove how qualified that person is.

How to Create the Best Internship Recommendation Letter

Indeed, internship recommendation letters are great enough to help candidates get noticed by any organization with free slots for interns. But it is more than just getting noticed. You have to write carefully and with a compelling touch to increase the chances of getting considered. So once you have the responsibility to write the internship recommendation letter, don’t forget to apply these useful steps:

Step 1: Optimize an Editable Internship Recommendation Letter Template

Simply refer to the list of sample internship recommendation letters above and choose a sample template of your choice. The best part is you can customize the letter however you want because these templates are editable and printable. Feel free to alter the letter’s design, layout, format, and other customizable features. And there is no need to stick to a generic-looking document since personalizing it is welcome. Besides internship recommendations, you can also check out other downloadable templates such as internship contracts.

Step 2: Review the Student’s Educational Background Thoroughly

The last thing you want to commit is writing inaccurate details in your letter. Always fact-check your work because even your own credibility is on the line upon writing this document. The best approach is to do research on the student’s educational data first. Academic records include student performances, extracurricular activities, college applications, and school essays. You may also conduct an interview with these students to set a proper evaluation while writing.

Step 3: Be Specific with Whom to Address

To whom are you writing this letter for? Do not simply be generic by stating, “To whom it may concern.” It works best to address it to the receiver’s complete name and even with the appropriate pronouns. Hence, apply research to your target audience too. Get to know what the company is looking for and even their usual standards. Whether the target is at a government firm, university, accounting department, or anything, knowledge means a lot. Having enough knowledge about the target lets you become wiser since you will know what to write and not to write in the document.

Step 4: Insert the Necessary Inclusions

Remember the discussion earlier about what to include in a basic internship recommendation letter? Make sure to add those elements individually to your letter as well. From the title down to the writer’s details and experience, those inclusions will make your letter more informative and substantial. In fact, you may add other inclusions that you think are relevant to your internship recommendation. So you need not limit only on the inclusions from the examples given earlier.

Step 5: Keep It Brief and Professional, but also Personal

Internship recommendation letters don’t have to be lengthy documents. Just keep it brief as long as you can keep a balance of professional and personal letter writing. By professional, that means you add technical data such as the recommended student’s name, internship details, and qualifications. Meanwhile, personal details welcome your experiences with the student, the kind greetings, and other aspects that make your letter more friendly. Bring some life into the letter too.

Step 6: Close the Internship Recommendation Letter on a Positive Note

Once you are confident with the details and have followed the previous steps effortlessly, don’t forget to end the internship recommendation letter on a positive note. Summarize what the main intent of the letter is and how confident you are about the student’s abilities or character. You may end up with a riveting closing statement as well. Also, incorporate your contact information to signify that you entertain questions afterward. And ensure that you get an answer as soon as possible or that you will respect the recipient’s decision whether it is a yes or a no.

FAQs

What should you do in an internship recommendation letter?

Here are some things worth doing for your internship recommendation letter:

  • Always do your research about the company the student wants to be an intern in.
  • Look into the best qualities of the recommended students that you think would interest the company.
  • Keep your writing professional just like how employment letters are written.

What should you not do in an internship recommendation letter?

Here are some things you need not do for your internship recommendation letter:

  • Never lie about the recommended student’s information; honesty is still the best policy.
  • Refrain from using biased opinions about a candidate as you are only meant to state the facts.
  • Do not submit a letter with poor organization and dismal discussion flow as that will only confuse whoever is reading it.

How long is an internship recommendation letter?

An internship recommendation letter doesn’t have to be long. A one-page business document is enough as long as it consists of the opening, body, and closing. Most importantly, it contains the standard inclusions of internship recommendation letters.

No matter what field a student is interested in being an intern in, it is always safe to have an internship recommendation letter from a qualified adult to land that internship goal seamlessly. Remember that lots of other candidates could have the same dream as yours. And being competitive with a recommendation letter puts you in a better spot than not having any character reference at all. Thankfully, creating compelling internship recommendation letters is easy, as thoroughly discussed earlier. Download a sample template now!