Sample Public Relations Internship Cover Letter

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By
Penny Loretto
Penny Loretto

Penny Loretto is the Associate Director in the Career Development Center at a Skidmore College, a small liberal arts college. She has her own career counseling practice, Career Choice, where she works with adults in career transition. She conducts career planning workshops including researching career options, job search strategies, and resume development.

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Updated on 01/16/20

A strong cover letter is essential for job applications in any field, but in public relations (PR), a well-written cover letter of the biggest factor considered. PR is all about effective communication and companies and agencies are looking for top-notch talent who are fantastic writers. Your cover letter is a chance to show off your writing chops and demonstrate your skills. 

What to Include in Your Cover Letter

Don't rehash your resume; your public relations cover letter should take things a step further and explain how you can successfully fill the job's responsibilities based on your background and experience. Whether you managed a major event as a school club president or wrote a press release for a local non-profit, this is an opportunity to highlight your best work. 

You should also demonstrate your knowledge of the company and your interest; don't use a template version. Include a mention of a recent PR event they held or a press conference they ran to show them you are up to date with their work. Taking these extra steps will set you apart as an outstanding candidate.

Sample Cover Letter for a PR Internship

This is an example of a cover letter for a public relations internship. Download the PR internship cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Screenshot of a sample public relations internship cover letter
©TheBalance 2018

Sample Cover Letter for a PR Internship (Text Version)

Jan Nichols
2001 Broadway
New York, NY 12000
516-352-6000
jnichols@nyu.edu

September 1, 2018

Kimberly Johnson
NYU Hiring Coordinator
58 Columbia Circle
New York NY 12000

Dear Ms. Johnson,

Please accept my application for the Public Relations internship position recently posted on New York University’s website. I am currently an Assistant in the Career Services Office, which is where I heard of this great opportunity for your internship. Public relations is an area I am very interested in and I believe that interning at Katnow would provide me with real-world experience in a field that I enjoy.

Working in various offices on campus, such as Career Services and Residential Life, I have gained valuable skills that can be useful in any office environment. My daily tasks involve general office work, in addition to publicizing both offices to students.

I have the ability to learn quickly and work well with clients that come into the office as well as over the phone. Being an officer for a multicultural organization on campus, I have developed excellent teamwork skills in order to accomplish club goals and have often taken on the challenging task of advertising club events and gaining student body participation.

Along with these skills, I am a responsible and respectful individual who takes pride in his work. I am also accustomed to taking the lead on projects when necessary. My role as a peer mentor has furthered my ability to take responsibility and to develop my skills as a leader of my peers. These experiences have helped me to enhance my social skills as well as work with my peers on a variety of different levels.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I will contact you in a few days to discuss my qualifications. Also, I will be in New York City during spring break the week of March 11th – March 15th and would welcome the opportunity to speak or meet with you during this time. I look forward to speaking with you about this internship opportunity.

Sincerely,

Jan Nichols