How to write an attachment cover letter in Kenya, and what to leave out

Students copy a template from the internet, change the company name, and send it to thirty companies. The letter says things like "I am a hardworking and dedicated student seeking to gain experience at your esteemed organisation." Every HR manager in Kenya has read that sentence a thousand times. It says nothing.

Your letter fails when it could have been written by anyone. It succeeds when the reader thinks, "This person has actually looked at what we do and has skills we could use."

The fix is not better adjectives. It is specificity. What can you do? What have you built? Why this company and not any other? Answer those questions and you have a letter that works.

Four paragraphs. One page. Nothing more.

Paragraph 1: Who you are and what you need. "My name is [name]. I am a [year] student at [university] studying [course]. I am seeking industrial attachment from [date] to [date] as required by my programme."

Paragraph 2: What you can do. This is the paragraph that matters most. List two or three specific skills relevant to the company. If they are a software company, mention the languages or tools you know. If they are a media company, mention content or design skills. Link to your GitHub, portfolio, or sample work if you have one.

Paragraph 3: Why this company. One or two sentences showing you know what the company does. "I have followed your work on [product/project] and believe my skills in [specific area] would allow me to contribute during the attachment period." Do not make this paragraph long. A sentence or two is enough.

Paragraph 4: Close. "I have attached my CV and academic transcripts. I am available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering my application." Done.

"Your esteemed organisation." This phrase adds nothing. Replace it with the company's actual name or a brief description of what they do.

Your life story. The reader does not need to know where you went to primary school or how you developed a passion for technology at age seven. They need to know what you can do now.

Desperation. "I would be very grateful for any opportunity" sounds desperate. "I believe I can contribute to your team" sounds confident. State what you offer, not how badly you need the placement.

Irrelevant skills. If you are applying to a software company, your experience as a Sunday school teacher is not relevant. List skills that match the company's work. Save everything else for your CV's "other activities" section.

Salary expectations. You are applying for attachment, not a job. Do not mention money in the letter. If they offer a stipend, they will tell you. If they do not, that conversation happens later, not in the application.

Email subject line: "Industrial Attachment Application | [Your Name] | [Course] | [University]." Clear, searchable, professional. Not "Attachment Letter" with no name.

Attach your CV as a PDF. Not a Word document. PDFs look the same on every device. Name the file "[YourName]-CV.pdf," not "CV final final (2).docx."

Write a short email body. Do not paste the full cover letter into the email and also attach it. Write two sentences in the email: "Please find attached my application for industrial attachment at [company]. I am a [year] [course] student at [university] available from [date] to [date]." Then attach the letter and CV.

Send to the right person. "info@company.com" works as a last resort, but a direct email to the HR manager or team lead gets better results. Check LinkedIn or the company website for names. Addressing the letter to a person instead of "Dear Sir/Madam" makes a difference.

Follow up once. If you hear nothing after one week, send a short follow-up. "I wanted to follow up on my attachment application sent on [date]. I am still available and would welcome the opportunity. Thank you." One follow-up. Not three.