Apply and Stand Out

Quality beats quantity

Sending the same CV to 100 places rarely works. Ten tailored applications usually do better than 100 generic ones.

Tailor your CV in five minutes

For each application:

1. Read the advert and highlight the skills and tools it mentions.
2. Make sure those words appear in your CV, where they're true.
3. Move your most relevant project or experience to the top.
4. Update your one-line summary to match the role: "Economics student with Excel and Power BI skills, seeking a data analyst internship."

A short cover letter

Keep it under 200 words, in three paragraphs:

Dear Hiring Manager,

I'm applying for the Data Analyst Intern role at Kolanut Foods. I'm a
300 level Statistics student at UNIBEN, and I'm available from
January to June 2027.

In my coursework and personal projects I've cleaned and analysed sales
data in Excel and Python, and built a Power BI dashboard showing revenue
by region (portfolio: [link]). I'd enjoy helping your team turn data
into clear reports.

Thank you for considering my application. I'd welcome the chance to
discuss how I can help.

Kind regards,
Efosa Igbinedion

1. Why this role, who you are and when you're available.
2. One or two examples that match what they need.
3. Thanks and a clear close.

Track your applications

Use a simple Google Sheet:

Add a Status dropdown: Saved, Applied, Interview, Offer, Rejected.

Follow up

If you haven't heard back in about two weeks, send one short, polite follow-up email. Then move on. Don't take silence personally; it's normal.

Try it

1. Pick one internship advert and tailor your CV to it.
2. Write a three-paragraph cover letter for it, under 200 words.
3. Set up your application tracker and add every role you've saved.
4. Apply to at least one role this week.