Engineering has always been an important part of human development. It means that getting an engineering job can secure your employment for most of your life. Of course, a big company would want to hire the best of engineers. In this case, aside from resume/CV, you might also need to write an engineering cover letter.
So, what exactly is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a document consisting of 250-400 words that is sent with your resume to provide employers with additional information alongside your skills and experiences. The purpose is to display detailed information upon the achievements in your resume/CV, your strengths, and explain why you are the perfect candidate for the job.
An engineering cover letter is important when applying for engineering jobs because recruiters would want you to elaborate on past experiences working on projects, how you achieve accomplishments, how you overcome challenges and problems, etc. They want to hear proof and stories to be sure that you are the perfect candidate for the job.
In this article, you'll learn about:
Recruiters may receive hundreds of job applications in a day. By this, your cover letter needs to stand out among hundreds of others. So what does an eye-catching engineering cover letter look like?
Here is a sample cover letter for engineering jobs that could attract hiring managers.
Jesse Gibson | Engineer
818 Devan Villages Road, Austin, TX 62910
+1 (762) 706-1291
[email protected]
12/2/20
Cassie Walters
Engineering Lead | Gamins Tech
1121 Baskerville Street, Chicago, IL 20912
Dear Ms. Walters
When I saw Billboard50 featured Gamins Tech as one of the most prominent and impactful tech industries in America, I knew this wasn’t an opportunity to be wasted. With more than 7 years of experience in engineering, I am thrilled about joining as an engineer at Gamins Tech to achieve the company’s goals and contribute to future technology and sustainable growth.
In the last 7 years working for past companies, here are my top achievements:
My progressive experience in this field has motivated me to always work on challenging but meaningful projects as well as undertaking the job from the perspective of the company’s greater objectives. Moreover, your goal to developing green technology by 2030 inspires me and I am sure my contributions to Gamin Tech will bring technology to a greater impact in people’s life.
If you could grant me the time, I would love the opportunity to discuss my research, analysis, and how they could be valuable to your company’s objectives.
Best Regards,
Jesse Gibson
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Well, there you have it! Any hiring manager would have an eye for Jesse’s numerous achievements and strong motivation.
You can also make an engineering cover letter as powerful as Jesse’s.
But first, let’s break down each section of a cover letter for engineering jobs.
What should an engineering cover letter (engineering motivation letter) include?
Here are the components that made up a cover letter for an engineering job application with examples.
First things first, the cover letter header consists of three main parts: your contact information, date, and the hiring manager’s contact information. These include your name, position, address, phone number, and email.
Taylor Hunt
Software Engineer
3394 Bellarosa Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 22307
+1 (773) 704-7828
[email protected]
2/20/21
Savanah Atkinson
Hiring Manager
Blue Prism
0015 Cross Bridge Road
Warrington, UK 34217
Simply start by greeting your hiring manager by his/her name. This will leave a good first impression on the company. You can easily search for their name through the company’s website or other platforms (eg. LinkedIn).
Dear Ms. Cecilia,
Then, grab the hiring manager’s attention with a couple of eye-opening sentences as the opening of your engineering cover letter. Make sure you do this part right because you need to differentiate yourself from other competitors from the very start of your application letter for the engineer position.
In the context of a job application letter for engineers, there are several ways to do this:
As ECOLAND is awarded World Silver Winner by FIABCI World Prix Awards 2021 and has been developing green buildings for the past years, I am thrilled when I saw the job opening of Civil Engineer Lead. As ECOLAND is one of the most pioneering property developer companies, it would be an honor to work with ECOLAND and assist your company in achieving more wins in the future.
I'm writing to express my interest as a Software Engineer at A-Plus Code. My friend Kate Percy, who is a Data Analyst in A Plus Code mentioned this job opportunity knowing that I have accomplished successful achievements in my previous company, ABC Computers.
I am applying for the position of Biomedical Engineer in MedHelp Inc. In the past three months in XYZ Company, I developed a prototype neural implant that could possibly treat nervous system injuries. Through this experience, I am sure I can assist Med Help Inc. to run more projects and in turn improve the healthcare industry in America.
In this section of a cover letter for an engineering job, you can mention your strengths, achievements in the past and explain why you are the best candidate for this position.
You can write it in paragraphs or in bullet points. Here are some examples:
In paragraph:
Employed with One Nuclear, I have demonstrated strong problem-solving skills and my ability to work in challenging environments. In the last few months of working at One Nuclear, I successfully developed thermal fluid systems that increased energy transfer by 300%. With all of these achievements, I am sure I can achieve the same result when working with your company.
In bullet points:
In this part of an engineering cover letter, you will explain your motivation in applying for the position. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how well you know about the company and its products, as well as how much you resonate with the company’s values.
Tech For Us is merging with TransX and I see this big revolution as an opportunity for me to contribute greater to the development of technology. Also, I thrive on devising algorithms to solve complex network and security challenges, which is why this opportunity appeals to me greatly.
Although a cover letter does not necessarily have to include this segment, it can gain you some extra points. You can bring up your portfolios, projects, personal special circumstances, etc.
Moreover, my passion for teaching drives me to start teaching Data Science at Udemy. By sharing my knowledge, I believe it could help people with no Information Engineering background learn Data Science from zero.
When reaching the end of your engineering cover letter, you can mention further opportunities that you look forward to (eg. telephone call or Skype call). Also, don’t forget to express gratitude. It is a way of expressing politeness that anyone would love to hear.
If you allow me, I would love the opportunity to discuss my research, analysis and how they could be valuable to your company’s objectives. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Last but not least, sign off with your name and signature.
Best regards,
Bella Lang
Now that you’ve seen segments of an engineering cover letter as well as examples of cover letter for engineering jobs, here are some tips for different engineering professionals you shouldn’t miss when writing your engineering cover letter.
💡 Tip: Note that you can always search for cover letter examples on the internet. Be it civil engineering cover letter examples, mechanical engineering cover letter examples, or network engineering cover letter samples, etc.
Then you ask:
“I’m a fresh graduate, I don’t have the skills and achievements as stated above.”
“How am I gonna write an engineering internship cover letter with no experience?”
Are you a fresh graduate looking for ways to writing an entry-level engineering cover letter?
No matter it is a job application letter for electrical engineer freshers, a cover letter for mechanical engineer freshers, or a cover letter for software engineer freshers, the following 5 tips can for sure take your cover letter to the next level!
Though an application letter for an engineering fresh graduate may lack experience, you can still put emphasis on your career objectives. Write about why you want to work for the company, what you’d like to achieve from the company, or how you can bring benefits to the company.
Let us not underestimate having a diploma/degree because knowledge and experience accumulated in education help shape who we are. You also can share about your laboratory research, thesis project, or study cases. Mentioning these are a great way to show your strengths in a cover letter for a fresher engineer.
Engineering applicants tend to weigh on technical skills, therefore neglecting soft skills. However, when scanning for engineering internship cover letters, recruiters often look for a candidate’s soft skills. While hard skills can be taught, interpersonal skills are difficult to come by.
Doing research about the company’s history, mission or any current challenges is an effective strategy to show your sincerity and enthusiasm towards the position. Apart from expressing how much you want to work for the company, try elaborating how much you understand the company, how you resonate with their values, and how can you contribute to the company.
Many companies utilize a software called Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter candidates’ cover letters. It scans for relevant keywords and evaluates whether the candidate’s skills match what recruiters are looking for. For example, if programming languages like Python and Java are stated in the job description, don’t forget to specifically include them in your cover letter. But, make sure it is really a skill you have.
Last but not least, always proofread your work to make sure there aren’t any typos or grammar mistakes. This is extremely crucial because it mirrors your attentiveness and attitude towards the job.
Still have no idea on writing your application letter for the engineer position?
That's okay! Here is an engineering cover letter template made for you!
[ Your Full Name]
[ Your Job Title ] (Optional)
[ Address]
[ Phone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ Date of Writing ]
[ Hiring Manager’s First & Last Name ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Job Title ]
[ Company’s Name ]
[ Company’s Street Address ]
[ City, State, Zip Code ]
Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Manager’s Name],
I was thrilled when I saw a job vacancy for the [Position Name] position at [Name of Company]. As a [Current Job Title] with [#] years of engineering experience, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and skills on [Your Expertise]. I am sure my expertise would make me an asset to your engineering team to help [Name of Company] reach more goals and overcome future challenges.
In my current role as [Position Name] at [Name of Company], I am responsible for [Your Job Responsibilities and Specialty]. Within [#] months/years, I am able to help the company achieve [Give Several of Your Greatest Engineering Tasks, Preferably With Numbers]. With [Name of Company] mission/value on [Include Some of the Issues/Goals the Company Promotes], I am optimistic that I’d be able to achieve similar results.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I'm looking forward to learning more about the [Engineering Job Title] position and also [Company Name].
Sincerely,
[First Name and Last Name]
There you go!
Now that you have an understanding of writing a cover letter for different engineering jobs, it is time for you to achieve that dream job of yours. Good luck!