6 Catchy Recommendation Letters for Internship

Most students complete internships before they finish their studies. Internships often allow students to understand the practical aspects of their studies and the general requirements of working in their chosen field of study. These internships are often mandatory requirements for graduation in some technical areas as well. 

Often, employers require students to provide a letter of recommendation before selecting them for internship positions. Students often request that their teachers or someone they know from a related industry write a reference for them.  

If you have been requested to write this letter, it is important to understand what you need to include to make it comprehensive and support the student. This article discusses what a recommendation letter is, why it is essential, and how to write one. Some do’s, and don’ts for writing an effective document will also be shared in this article. 

This article also provides free templates that you can download and customize to write an effective letter supporting a student for an internship position.

If you are a lecturer, instructor, or teacher, you may receive requests to write these letters frequently, and you may find it time-consuming to write a new one every time you need one. You can overcome this issue by using templates for reference letters.

These templates are downloadable and can be edited to suit your needs. They save time because they contain the most basic information. You can therefore concentrate on describing the candidate’s attributes, which is the main reason for writing the letter.

What is Recommendation Letter for Internship?

It is a document outlining a student’s good qualities. It can also be referred to as a “letter of reference.” Employers use it as a character reference. The student may request their former teacher, instructor, or supervisor write the letter.

While internships are easier to get than contract jobs, employers often need to gauge whether the student has the required attributes and soft skills required for their organization. The writer of the letter is expected to provide their personal and professional assessment of the student’s suitability for the internship position.

Why are Recommendation Letters for Internships Important?

While internships are often like training where the student is not required to have experience, employers still need to gauge whether the student would be a good employee.  By providing a reference, you can help the employer understand the student by mentioning their positive attributes.

Some of the reasons why these letters are important include the following:

• Some institutions and workplaces may require a reference letter to be a part of the student’s application.
• The letter allows you to summarize the student’s skills and abilities in addition to other documents provided by the student, including a resume and cover letter. You can also relate relevant events concerning the student to give more context.
• The letter gives unique information about the candidate as it is written from the perspective of an employer or educator. This unique information allows the employer to understand the candidate better.

If you want to write a reference letter to support a student’s application for an internship, it is important to understand the relevant information that should be included in it and the structure your letter should follow.

The steps below can help you write a comprehensive document:

Introduce yourself and explain how you know the candidate

In the first paragraph, you should introduce yourself by identifying your position or title; this establishes your credibility as a reference. Mention the name of the candidate on whose behalf you are writing the letter and how you are connected to them. You should establish a professional connection to solidify your position as a suitable reference.

For example:

I am a lecturer at Fordham University, where I taught and supervised Julie Margaret. I am pleased to recommend her as a candidate for an internship at your company. As her research supervisor and lecturer, I have experienced how passionate she is about advancing her career in the real estate industry.

Explain why the candidate is perfect

Once you introduce yourself, you can describe the student’s positive attributes related to the internship position. This section is often the longest part of your letter; you can describe work-related and personal attributes. The most popular way is by listing relevant skills that the student has demonstrated.

You can also describe the student in comparison to others you have worked with as a way of highlighting their unique characteristics. Essentially, you will be giving the potential employer a candidate profile based on your knowledge of the candidate. In describing the student, you should consider the length of time you have known them, their work experience, and the attributes that relate most to the internship position.

Your description should give the employer a thorough overview of the applicant’s skills so they can determine whether they are suitable for the internship position.

For example:

Julie demonstrated a great ability to learn and adapt to different situations as a student. She was also a competent team leader for the projects assigned to her and her team. In addition, she is an excellent researcher and has good public speaking skills.

Description of candidate’s work ethic

In addition to explaining why you think the student is a suitable candidate, you need to mention their work ethic. This includes their seriousness towards the duties that the student was tasked with.

You can include a description of characteristics and abilities related to the student’s studies if you are providing a reference as a former teacher. This description will help the employer gauge how well the student will adapt to the workplace. It will also allow them to assess the student’s skill levels so they can decide which duties to assign to them. 

For example:

As my supervisee, Julie was quick to understand and internalize concepts. She was also knowledgeable in real estate matters and did very well on her assignments. She is punctual and hardworking.

List the candidate’s special skills

Since most positions have multiple applicants, it is advisable to state what distinguishes your student from others. You can mention the skills that the student seems to have perfected. You can also mention any additional skills, especially a soft skill or participation in an extracurricular activity. 

For example:

Julie loves reading and gathering as much knowledge as possible on any topic. This zeal has helped her solve many work problems. She also has the unique ability to work easily with people of different personalities.

Conclude by recommending the candidate for an interview

After describing the student’s attributes, you should recommend them for an interview. The endorsement further solidifies your confidence that the candidate is suitable for the internship. 

For example:

I am confident that Julie can handle the duties that may be assigned to her during this internship. I would highly recommend her for an interview.

Provide your contact information to offer more details

You should also provide your contact information so the employer can contact you if they require more information or clarification. The most commonly used contact details are a phone number and an email address. 

For example:

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 555 34638 if you need further information.  

Do’s and Don’ts

Recommendation letters are often a critical part of an applicant’s application for an internship position and distinguish him from the rest. As such, it is important to write a comprehensive letter that is unique and effective in supporting their application.

You can use the following tips to ensure the candidate benefits from your recommendation letter:

The Do’s

Before you write your letter, you should understand that the recommendation could be a mandatory requirement for some internship positions. As such, a well-written letter increases the chances of the student being selected.

Therefore, you should consider the following practices to write an effective document:

Be brief and relevant

The preferred length of a reference letter is at most one page. Since the content has to be written within this limit, you should write clearly and accurately about the student and only include relevant information.

Focus on facts

You should then ensure you provide the correct, factual details, as the recipient of the letter may verify them. Do not mention anything that is not true.

Demonstrate your willingness to be contacted

Often, people are more willing to trust you if you provide open communication; they know they can contact you to verify any information you have given. The same applies to recommendations; by providing contact information, you show the recipient that you are willing to provide further information if they need it.

The Don’ts

Some practices are considered careless and may make your letter ineffective. As a professional providing their opinion, it is good practice to ensure you send a well-written letter.

As such, you should consider avoiding the following:

Overly praise the candidate

While your letter is supposed to support their application, you should avoid exaggerating the candidate’s attributes. You must avoid including qualities that the candidate does not have. In general, you should only mention those qualities that you are aware of through personal experience.

Write the letter unwillingly

You may have taught or supervised many people and may not remember them. You should consider rejecting requests from candidates with whom you do not have a strong professional relationship. You may not be able to write a truthful and honest reference letter if you do not remember the student.

Sending without proofreading

It is good practice to proofread and identify spelling and grammar mistakes in your letter. Inspect the style and structure as well, and make any necessary improvements. It would be helpful to use a template, as it will help you identify the best structure for your letter.

A recommendation letter is often used to demonstrate a candidate’s suitability for an internship position. Usually, these letters are written by a candidate’s former teacher or supervisor. Your experience with the student should help you recognize their best qualities. Your role is to identify the candidate’s suitability for the internship. When listing the candidate’s qualities, you may list both the soft and hard skills you have seen the student demonstrate.

You can give examples of where the student has shown the attributes you have listed. Generally, your letter should be straightforward and formal. Additionally, be willing to be contacted for further information.