Sending a cold email for an Internship can be embarrassing. Many people do not feel comfortable talking about their desires directly, and some may feel intrusive or rude by asking for what they want. The good news is that cold email can be an effective way to get training and job opportunities. And it’s not hard to master how to handle cold email to get training using a few simple steps.
How to find “potential clients” to cold email for an internship
One of the most important parts of a successful cold email is the ability to find many potential clients. A potential client is a professional you want to chat with.
So how do you find a good introduction? The short answer is LinkedIn. LinkedIn provides many advanced search filters so you can basically “Google” everyone in the professional world that fits your criteria. All you have to do is do a search on LinkedIn, filter the results and guess their email.
Suppose an example: Suppose you want to train in private equity, which is known to be difficult to break into a niche in finance first, compile a list of private equity professionals with varying levels of seniority.
- Use search operators to find the right people on LinkedIn
Search operators are little things you can add to regular Google or LinkedIn search to narrow your selection. One of the most important factors is the use of quotes around the term you want to search for on LinkedIn.
ALSO READ: Capitalize To Whom It May Concern
This tells the search engine to include only personal files that contain the phrase “private property”. If you do not use quotes, the search will include “private” or “proprietary” profiles. The words “private” and “shares” do not separately mean the same thing as “private ownership”. Anytime you search for a job or job with a specific title / phrase, make sure to use quotes.
There are several operators that you can use to limit your search. Here’s a detailed article on the popular ones.
- Implement Related Filters with All People Filters
LinkedIn allows you to filter search results by many different criteria.
How to Cold Email for an Internship
1. Set up a professional email account
This is likely to be intuitive, but it is imperative that you have an email account that looks professional. If you’ve used your childhood cat’s surname as your email address since middle school, it’s time to upgrade.
Set up a new email account to use for future professional or educational communications. Gmail and Outlook are great options, and they can be set up for free. When creating your new email address, look for something simple and straightforward.
Consider a combination of your name or initials to make the email unique. You may also need to include numbers if other options are made. Also, make sure to use the appropriate capitalization when entering your name for the account as it will appear in someone’s inbox exactly as you typed it. Once you set up your email account, you’ll be ready to start sending a cold email.
2. Choose your recipient
When it comes to knowing how to send email for an internship, the first thing you need to know is who you are sending it to. The main rule is to send it to a specific person. Don’t send a cold email to a generic email address that begins with something like info @ or worker @.
If you already have a company contact, this is a good starting point. Even if this person does not have a role in hiring or making decisions about training, they will likely be able to connect you with the right person doing it.
If you don’t have a current relationship with anyone in the company, do your research to find out who is the best person to contact. Usually, this person will be a recruiter or hiring manager.
Start on the company’s website. If you cannot find a person listed on the site, check LinkedIn or other social media channels. Often times, the hiring person will also reach out on social media so that it is easy to find them there.
Google Search is another tool that might be useful. A simple query about the company name and the term “hiring manager” or “recruiter” can lead you to the appropriate contact. After finding out who to send your email to, you are ready to start drafting your email.
3. Write a specific subject line
Successful email begins with the subject line. This is often overlooked or sometimes even thrown as an afterthought. However, the subject line is really your first impression, so think about it carefully. The subject line is what the recruiter or hiring manager will see first when your email appears in their inbox.
The strong subject line is direct and specific. Instead of writing “Training Opportunities,” add the company name so it appears more personalized and personal. To make it more specific, you can even point to a specific project they are currently working on.
For example, if you were emailing a Houghton recruiter and were interested in the new CAD software for designing prosthetics, the strongest subject line would be “CAD Design Internship Opportunities at Houghton.”
ALSO READ: How to prepare for an internship interview
4. Address the recipient correctly
Knowing how to send a cold email for internship involves addressing the email recipient with the appropriate name and address. It may take a little more espionage to find out if someone is the master, the lady, or the dr. However, he spent that time well because it shows that you have done your research and genuinely care about making a personal connection.
Just as you did when deciding who to email, start by checking the company’s website for clues. Then expand your search to LinkedIn or Google if needed. LinkedIn may tell you what level of education someone has achieved, so if they have a PhD. Or another PhD, maybe the title of Doctor is appropriate. Otherwise, usually the master or the lady are safe bets.
However, it is worth noting that many organizations today boast their ability to foster an informal company culture. Research the company’s website and social channels to get an idea of its style and behavior.
One clue is how to address each other in social media posts, especially if the post was written by a lower person in the company’s totem column. If the new employee calls the CEO by his first name and this appears to be the norm, there’s a good chance the hiring manager or recruiter’s first name will be used as well.
Whatever you do, avoid writing “To Whom It May Concern”. This is generic and can indicate that you do not think it is worth your time or energy to know who to call. Correctly addressing the recipient sets the tone for the rest of your emails.
5. Craft a meaningful introduction
When it comes to writing your cool email, think of it as a condensed version of a personalized cover letter.
To get started, you will need to include details that show that you have thoroughly researched the company. You should be able to talk about why you are interested in that particular company in a way that stands out from other inquiries.
A strong introduction includes two things:
- Your interest in the company
- Your clearly stated desire to train with them
When you announce that you want to train with the company, be sure to include the time frame you have available. If you are only able to participate in a summer internship, be clear about it. This prepares you to create a connection in your next paragraph.
6. Establishing relationships with the company
After the introductory paragraph, provide some brief background information about how your life experiences, both professional and academic, fit the company well. Highlight one or two specific accomplishments and link them to current projects with the company.
Doing so shows that you are a perfect fit and that you are committed to a career path that aligns with their goals.
7. Conclude with a call to action
As you finish your initial email, include your call-to-action. This is a call to connect so you can discuss the opportunity further. Here’s how you might want to frame it:
Thank you for taking the time to review my attached CV. I would like to talk more about the opportunities available at [your company]. Feel free to email me at the address above, or call me at [insert phone number] to arrange an appointment. To hear from you. “
8. Follow-up
It can be frustrating to send out so many cold emails and never receive a phone call or email reply, but don’t give up. Sometimes it takes a little more hustle to stand out.
Allow some time to pass by after you send your first email. After a week has passed, do not hesitate to proceed again. This could be in the form of another email, or if you’re feeling bold, you can phone the person you email you with.
If you choose to contact, be sure to check their website and contract online publications. If they do not request any phone calls, you should respect their limits and stick to email.
In your e-mail, identify yourself and say that you have been following your e-mail from the previous week and want to make sure that it has been received. Next, ask if there is a good time you can schedule a call to further discuss the opportunity.
