Cover letter/e-mail note intern

Hello, I just discovered this wonderful website and I am posting here with the hope that you can have a look at my letter and help me improve it!Thank you very much for all your work!

I am applying for an internship/work experience in a cultural association. Here what I have found on ther website

"The XX offers a variety of work experience and unpaid intern opportunities for suitably qualified individuals. If you are interested in spending time working with the XX, please send a CV and cover note to XX outlining your areas of interest".

So it is not like I am responding to a particular ad but I am offering my candidature. I am a grad student and of course I would like to get a job and not a unpaid intern position, but I am willing to listen what they have to offer (if they will offer me something of course) so how should I introduce myself?As seeking job or intern?

Then, do you think what I wrote is too long as a cover not?If so, how should I arrange it?

Thank you very much for your time!

Dear XX,

I am writing you to express my interest and motivation in applying for an intern position or work experience at XX.

I am a XX citizen graduated in “ XX” at XX University in XX and currently second year student in a master programme in Japanese Studies at XX in XX. I am specializing in sociology of Japan with a focus on minorities and educational policies in contemporary Japan.

After completing my bachelor in my home country I decided to enroll to enroll to XX University as one of the most established institutions for the study of Japanese and its programme provides with unique insights into a comprehensive range of cutting-edge topics in modern and pre-modern Japan. Also, the desire of immerse myself into an international environment and experience life outside XX played a great role in my decision to move to XX.

I will complete my studies next summer and then I would like to further challenge myself with an experience in a serious and well known organization like XX in a multicultural and stimulating city such as XX.



During my formation I have seen many different aspects of the Japanese culture and I got intrigued by them. I could further my knowledge and understanding of it also thanks to participating first to a short exchange programme in a language school in Japan and then in a one year exchange programme at XX University, one of the most prestigious university in Tokyo.

During my first exchange I lived with a Japanese family for 3 months and this certainly contributed immensely to my understanding of Japanese society and Japanese cultural dynamics. I also had the possibility to attend several cultural activities, such as tea ceremony, Sumo match watching and calligraphy classes. In my year at XX University I conducted research for my final dissertation on Japanese minorities and the role of educational policies instituted to promote their integration. This involved several trips around Japan, visit of various associations dealing with problems of minorities and human rights in Japan, informal and formal meetings with Japanese scholars and all this made me get in contact with a very important segment of Japanese society that it is not widely known to the major public. I believe this enriched me as a person and as an academic as I could gather a lot of material and speak with people of different background. Beside my work as researcher I took Japanese language classes as well as classes focused more on culture and society, allowing me to expand my knowledge in these fields. Also, taking part to after classes activities with Japanese students, such as the excursion club and international club helped me to integrate and build a strong understanding of Japanese mentality and manners.



Beside my specialization in the Japanese culture and society I have also had a very intense training in the Japanese language during my university years. Next July I will be in XX to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Level 1 and I am currently involved in extra-curricular activity as translator with the XX. I also have a good command in writing and speaking English, as the language of instruction of my graduate programme is English, so I believe I will not have any difficulties in being in a completely English speaking environment.

During my school years I also developed very good informatics skills and I am able to use efficiently most of the programs, such as Excel, Power Point, Word, Internet, E-mail Programs and the like. I have experience also in bibliographic and iconographic research and I am able to interrogate a range of textual and oral resources. Thanks to my master training I am able to conduct research independently and isolate areas of critical interest in a field.



I have a deep interest in the fine arts and since I was a child I have been encouraged in developing my artistic skills taking part in several activities. As a result I had been playing the violin for 10 years under the supervision of Professor XX and took part to musical activities since young age. I also took ballet and modern jazz dance classes at the cultural association “XX” with which I had the opportunity to travel all around North-East of XX taking part in various theatric shows. I have also a great interest in literature and art, especially Japanese works of Murakami, Tanizaki and Mishima. That is why I would like to be taken in consideration for a position in the art and cultural section or life-style section of the XX.



In terms of interpersonal communication, I am very responsive and I am eager to help whenever possible. I am a fast learner and willing to listen advices on how get better and ameliorate myself, I am very positive and I do not get easily discouraged by difficulties. I believe I am very dynamic and active person, always seeking for challenge and I like to measure myself in different environment and different situations. I am good at team work thanks to the several group activities I took part in during my university years and I am able to consider and analyse different opinions and take the lead when necessary. I am good at persuading others by creating relationships based on mutual trust and understanding. Furthermore, with my experience gained during my formation in XX, XX and Japan I would be able to adapt to a constantly changing work environment, and I easily get along with individuals of different culture backgrounds. Also, the extensive experience abroad made me able to cope with many different kind of situation and be ready to act even in stressful and unexpected eventualities.



With all my experiences around Europe and Japan, with my cultural background I believe I can give a great contribution to the XX in what is its goal to promote the study of Japan and its people in all their aspects, traditional and modern, and to make the results of such study more accessible to the general public. I strongly believe I can be part of the bridge which connects Japan to Western Countries and I would be very proud of participating to such a noble purpose.





Attached to this e-mail you can find my qualifications and skills in the enclosed resume. If you would like to have more information, please contact me.

I hope you can keep in consideration my profile.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.



Yours sincerely