Module 3 · Get Your First Internship
Apply and Stand Out
Write a short cover letter that gets read, tailor your CV to each role, and track your applications so none slip through.
About 20 minutes
Quality beats quantity
Sending the same CV to 100 places rarely works. Ten tailored applications usually do better than 100 generic ones.
Tailor your CV in five minutes
For each application:
- Read the advert and highlight the skills and tools it mentions.
- Make sure those words appear in your CV, where they're true.
- Move your most relevant project or experience to the top.
- Update your one-line summary to match the role: "Economics student with Excel and Power BI skills, seeking a data analyst internship."
A short cover letter
Keep it under 200 words, in three paragraphs:
Output
Dear Hiring Manager,
I'm applying for the Data Analyst Intern role at Kolanut Foods. I'm a
300 level Statistics student at UNIBEN, and I'm available from
January to June 2027.
In my coursework and personal projects I've cleaned and analysed sales
data in Excel and Python, and built a Power BI dashboard showing revenue
by region (portfolio: [link]). I'd enjoy helping your team turn data
into clear reports.
Thank you for considering my application. I'd welcome the chance to
discuss how I can help.
Kind regards,
Efosa Igbinedion- Why this role, who you are and when you're available.
- One or two examples that match what they need.
- Thanks and a clear close.
Track your applications
Use a simple Google Sheet:
| Company | Role | Link | Date applied | Status | Follow-up date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolanut Foods | Data Analyst Intern | … | 2026-10-02 | Applied | 2026-10-16 | Referred by Tolu |
Add a Status dropdown: Saved, Applied, Interview, Offer, Rejected.
Follow up
If you haven't heard back in about two weeks, send one short, polite follow-up email. Then move on. Don't take silence personally; it's normal.
Try it
Use a real internship advert you'd like to apply for, or this one:
Output
MARKETING INTERN (6 months) - Ibadan
We're a growing skincare brand looking for a marketing intern to help run our
Instagram and WhatsApp channels, create simple designs in Canva, and track
weekly results in Google Sheets. Final-year students or recent graduates.
Start date: January 2027.Task
15 minWrite a three-paragraph cover letter for the role, under 200 words: why this role (with who you are and when you're available), one or two examples that match what they need, then thanks and a clear close.
Your work is checked for
- A greeting
- Names the role
- Says when you're available
- Gives an example matching the advert (Instagram, Canva, Sheets, WhatsApp, a project…)
- At least three paragraphs (blank lines between them)
- Thanks them
- Under 200 words
- No generic AI phrases (passionate, dynamic, synergy, leverage)
Task
5 minSet up your application tracker in Google Sheets. Write its header row, then one real or example row, with values separated by |.
Your work is checked for
- A header row with Company, Role, Status and a date column
- A follow-up date column
- A data row with a date in YYYY-MM-DD form
- A status from the list (Saved, Applied, Interview, Offer, Rejected)
Then apply to at least one role this week, and set a reminder for your follow-up date.
Earn your badge
Take the module check
Questions on this module. Pass and you earn the Strong Applications badge, free.
Create a free account to earn the badge