Targeted Cover Letters for Marketing

For an MBA internship

• "As a first-year student, I have decided to focus my summer internship search on strong marketing and product development programs, which will leverage the skills I developed as a management consultant at X firm. As my section representative for the marketing club, I have been active in using the club to research brand management internship opportunities.

  I found X company's brand management internship to be very attractive for its flexibility in allowing interns to work on well-defined projects within an individual brand group while also teaching key skills required of associate marketing managers.

  Because I am looking to move from consulting into a general management career, a strong foundation in brand management would offer a challenging and rewarding entry into longer-term career options at X firm."

• "It was a real pleasure meeting you at the House of Blues reception on Thursday, October 23. Our conversation regarding the challenges and opportunities that the brand management division faces has made me even more enthusiastic about pursuing a summer internship with X. Given X's focus on innovation and consumer understanding, and my background in creative marketing, I feel that we would be a perfect fit."

• "I am a first-year student at X school and am pursuing summer internship opportunities in marketing with pharmaceutical companies.

  I am particularly interested in X because of its recent restructuring to address the fundamental changes occurring in the health care market. This indicates not only the company's commitment to meeting the shifting needs of the market, but also promises opportunities for employees to assume new responsibilities and help shape the direction of the company. I feel that my consulting skills and experience with the managed care market have prepared me well for the summer position."

• "I developed a real passion for understanding consumer needs during my four years at X. As an account supervisor serving the needs of consumer products companies such as Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and Johnson & Johnson, I spent much of my time analyzing market trends and consumer dynamics, and developing creative and innovative strategies that would differentiate our clients' products in the marketplace. I gained broad exposure to a number of marketing functions and learned quickly how to build leadership, analytical, and creative problem-solving skills. My time spent on new product development and international assignments heightened my ability to set the strategic direction of a brand and manage multifunctional teams."

• "My three years at X were critical in helping me build a strong foundation in strategic analysis and quantitative techniques for understanding business problems. Nearly all of my engagements were strategic assignments which forced me to understand our client's constraints not only from an internal perspective but also in light of changing industry parameters. I was promoted to the associate level while at X, traditionally a post-MBA position, and had the opportunity to lead significant pieces of work with client teams. During my summer internship at X, I focused on improving my ability to work with different functional groups, a prerequisite for new venture projects, and an important skill which can be leveraged with clients.

• "As described in your career presentation, X searches for individuals with initiative, leadership, analytical skills, communication skills, creativity, and the ability to work with others. During my years in public accounting, I developed and displayed all of these general management skills and also gained strong supervisory, time budgeting, and project management experience. My background and enthusiasm provide me with an excellent foundation from which to be a valuable contributor to a brand management team."