Accounting Internship / Intern Cover Letter Sample & Guide

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Please attach your cover letter. Got that. 

Every single accounting internship job posting wants you to write a cover letter. So, you go for a generic one because why bother, right?

Oh, heck no!

Don’t do that. Not to yourself or the company. 

Do you want to be one of many or the one? 

Write an accounting internship cover letter that says you’re the one and only.

This guide will show you:

• An accounting internship cover letter sample better than 9 out of 10 others.
• The step-by-step plan for how to write a cover letter for an internship in accounting.
• Tested scenarios for writing the best cover letter for an accounting internship with no experience.

Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.

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Use this cover letter template

Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter samples and create your cover letter here.

You still haven’t decided which accounting job is perfect for you? See different cover letter samples:

• Accounts Payable Cover Letter Sample
• Bank Teller Cover Letter Sample
• Bookkeeper Cover Letter Sample
• Consulting Cover Letter Sample
• Investment Banking Cover Letter Sample
• Finance Cover Letter Sample
• Financial Analyst Cover Letter Sample
• Business Cover Letter Sample
• Formal Cover Letter Sample
• Entry Level Cover Letter Sample
• Recent Graduate Cover Letter Sample
• Best Cover Letter Samples for All Jobs

Will you be attaching your cover letter to an entry level accounting resume? Compare it with the one that gets jobs: Entry-Level Accounting Resume: Sample And Guide

Do you want to see how a resume with more accounting experience looks like? Head straight to this guide: Accounting Resume With Examples And A Template

Finally, when you gain enough experience, start with writing your: Accounting Cover Letter Sample That Lands The Job

Accounting Internship Cover Letter Sample

To put it simply—

That’s how you do it.

Let’s get down to writing your cover letter for an accounting internship step-by-step:

1. Create a Cover Letter Template

General ledgers have layouts. 

Tax forms have layouts. And—

Successful cover letters have layouts. So, before you write, format your cover letter to make it reader-friendly:

• Mirror your resume template when choosing a cover letter design.
• Set 1-1.15 letter-spacing.
• Left-align your writing.
• Create 1” cover letter margins on every side of the page.
• Use a cover letter font that’s easy to follow. Make it 12pt.
• Space out your paragraphs. But don’t detach them.
• Title your cover letter file like this: Job-Title_Cover-Letter_Your-Name.

There’s one more thing to writing a successful cover letter. It’s economy. Successful cover letters are one-page long.

Wondering already what your cover letter outline should include?

Find this cover letter structure checklist to make your writing experience undemanding:

1. Cover letter header with your contact information.
2. Date and the addressee’s details.
3. Proper cover letter address including your hiring manager’s name.
4. Paragraph #1: Start with a strong cover letter introduction where you hook the reader with one of your accomplishments and make them read on.
5. Paragraph #2: Prove why you’re the perfect person for the internship with your relevant accounting skills and coursework.
6. Paragraph #3: Reinforce your willingness to join the particular company with a few mentions of your experience so far. Or, by sharing the company’s mission, vision, or values.
7. Paragraph #4: Call to action. Ask them to invite you for an interview.
8. Cover letter ending with a formal salutation.
9. (Optional) Postscript with one more achievement to sign the deal.

You can, too, check out: How To Write A Successful Cover Letter For An Internship

Now you know what. So—

Let’s move on to how.

2. Use a Cover Letter Header

When filing a W-2, you need to say who you’re for the IRS to recognize you—right at the top in the Box a.

Who would’ve thought that writing a cover letter is very similar?

You start with sharing your personal information also at the top so that your hiring manager knows who’s writing to them.

This is the information you need to include in your internship cover letter header:

1. Your full name
2. Mailing address (street name, city, state, and zip code)
3. Phone number
4. Email address
5. (Optional) LinkedIn profile

See how this works in practice:

Accounting Intern Cover Letter Header Sample

You can write your name bolded or with a larger font. It’ll also be easier for the reader to remember your name. 

If you choose to do that, format your resume header too. You should use the same design, remember?

How to format a header in an e-mail cover letter? See: How To Format An Email Cover Letter

3. Address Your Cover Letter Right

Alright. Let’s cut to the chase. 

Don’t write To Whom It May Concern.

Be sure as death and taxes that there’s no way to find out your hiring manager’s name when you write Dear Hiring Manager.

What should you do, then?

There’s a hint in the second—yet all the same important—rule. 

Learn your hiring manager’s name. They’re the one who gives you the job. Don’t blow it with a lousy cover letter salutation that says you didn’t even bother to know who you’ll be working for. 

Ouch.

Here’s the right way to do it:

Accounting Internship Cover Letter Address Sample

Right after the date and place, there’s a full name and job title of your hiring manager. Instead of their role, you can mention the department (Accounting Department) or team (Tax Accounting). It’ll do just as well. Next, list the company name and address, and move on to salutation.

Because financial environment is more formal than others, go for a more formal salutation. Write Dear Mr. Hahn rather than Dear Javier.

You find this part tricky? Read: How To Best Address A Cover Letter

4. Start With a Compelling Cover Letter Intro

To get into college or university, you needed to do some essay writing to show why the school should accept you. An essay writing service was a total no-go for you because you don’t cheat. And—

You don’t take shortcuts.

Prove that determined and focused accountant mindset in the cover letter introduction. 

Attract your hiring manager’s attention with one of your relevant achievements, skills, or recent discoveries. Choose whatever makes you stand out, and make your mark already at the beginning of your cover letter. This isn’t a place for you to be shy.

See this example:

Cover Letter for an Accounting Internship With No Experience [Introduction Sample]

Wowza!

So fine results already in high school? Great job! 

With such an introduction, you not only showed your initiative but also an excellent approach to reports. You’ll be handling them a lot during your accounting internship, so great for proving your skills.

Let’s now take a quick look at the below example:

Ugh—

Next!

There’s nothing unique about you here. You created a generic cover letter intro that kills every opportunity for getting an internship. It doesn’t say what your accomplishments or skills are. Nobody would want to carry on.

Now you see for yourself that an opening line of your cover letter is a powerful tool to getting you noticed.

Read more: What Should A Cover Letter Say

5. Make an Offer in Your Cover Letter Middle

What do you do when you want to sell your idea to your boss?

You show up. You pitch. You win.

That’s exactly what you do in the cover letter middle. You prove you really are the perfect intern material by listing your skills and accomplishments.

Now—

You took up volunteering, independent project, or simply did your neighbor a favor. In your cover letter middle, you prove you did it well, and show off your results.

The secret is to be relevant. 

Find keywords in the job description—like you did with your resume—and tailor your cover letter to the desired skills and requirements, e.g., problem-solving skills or a bachelor degree in accounting or business administration. The company may also ask if you already have or work towards getting the Certified Public Accountant designation.

Start by listing your top ten reasons you’re fit for the job. You can use the key achievements you’ve already mentioned in the resume. Don’t worry about repeating yourself. Only elaborate. This way you’ll reinforce your message.

See the structure of the below cover letter mid-part samples:

Cover Letter for an Accounting Internship Mid-Part Sample (No Experience)

And you thought you don’t have relevant experience? 

How could you be so wrong!

Your hiring manager will appreciate you didn’t just sit through school, but you took opportunities to boost your skills and grow your knowledge in finance. There’s nothing more valuable for employers than getting real-life experience, even at a basic level.

Then, with finishing second in the Sudoku competition, you proved you have the skills needed for accounting internships. This is an excellent example of putting analytical and logical thinking skills into practice. Numbers also stand out. They are clear evidence of your impact.

Look at the example below. It’s labeled as wrong for a couple of reasons.

Well—

There’s a story there, but only a story. It won’t make hiring managers invite you for an interview. It’s really great that you did something outside the curriculum, but did you learn anything in the process? No one knows and doesn’t have time to be guessing.

No results = no impact. No impact = no motivation. No motivation = no internship.

Simple as that.

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6. Sign the Deal With the Cover Letter Ending

You nearly finished. But—

Don’t think you can relax now. You can’t afford to lose your hiring manager’s attention at this point. Keep on going as if you were in the middle of the busy season.

A cover letter ending is one more way to say how much they need you. 

You do that by making a promise. It can be anything as long as it’s relevant. Why don’t you tease them by making a promise of growth, increasing metrics, or giving more information during an interview?

Check this out:

Cover Letter for an Accounting Internship [Ending Sample]

You know exactly what direction you want to go. You’re aware of what the company does. And, you put your hiring manager in an authoritative position, which is respectful. 

Pick up the phone when they call you! 

About calling…

Before your sign-off, close your cover letter with a forceful call-to-action. Switch roles and ask them to invite you for an interview. You’ll sound confident and solid. 

So, what about the example below:

Don’t do that. Just—

Don’t. 

It sounds positive when you look forward to something, but you may end up waiting for ages instead of recording entries in the accounting information systems. 

Which one do you choose?

If you want to sky-rocket your chances of getting the gig, use the postscript. It’s optional, though, so think it through. If you have an achievement that makes you drop the mic, then go for it.

Accounting Internship Cover Letter Sample [Postscript]

In accounting and finance internship applications, grades and school achievements play an important role. They show your engagement in education and growth. So that was a fantastic choice!

You can find more cover letter writing tips in our guide:35+ Tips On Writing A Successful Cover Letter

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Just like in a conference meeting, let’s summarize the key points:

• Create an easy-to-read format of your cover letter template.
• Structure your way through the entire cover letter.
• Highlight your name in the cover letter header.
• Address the reader with proper respect.
• Attract your hiring manager in the cover letter introduction.
• Intrigue them with your relevant skills and achievements.
• Affirm they’re right to hire you with your cover letter ending.

And—

You made it!

Thank you for reading our guide and good luck!

Want more info on how to write a great cover letter for accounting interns? Is there any part of an accounting internship cover letter you struggle with? Are there any other ways we can help you?

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