Create the perfect first impression for an Engineering job by getting your cover letter in gear. Take a look over our example Engineering cover letter below to find out how you can optimize your application to perfection.
Written by Resume and Cover Letter Experts Updated on July 1, 2024
You’ve found it. A job opening that is looking for an engineer. It comes with great benefits, hours, the whole package.
You’ve used a resume template to write your resume, so you know your job application is on point so far.
There is just one problem, the job posting asks for a cover letter along with the rest of your application.
In theory, it doesn’t take too long to create an engineering cover letter, but you want to do it the right way, so let’s not rush it.
If you write a run-of-the-mill cover letter, it will end up in the rejection pile before the hiring manager even gets halfway through reading it. You’ll want to ensure your cover letter stands out and grabs the employer’s attention right away.
Luckily, there is a tested method to create a cover letter that will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to:
You’ll also get some useful cover letter tips for engineering, and be able to see expertly-written engineering cover letter samples.
To familiarize yourself with what a good cover should look like, you can review this cover letter sample below, along with a resume example.
Cover letter Copy to clipboardHiring Manager’s name
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms. [Hiring Manager Name]
I’m very excited to be applying for the [POSITION] at [COMPANY]. As an Electrical Engineer with more than 4 years of experience working in component design and manufacture for production lines, I am confident I can bring the attention-to-detail and professional oversight necessary to achieve great results.
During my professional work as an Electrical Engineer so far, I have become familiar with formulating solutions to complex problems in circuit board design and power management, as well as preventing component malfunctions in the production line process. In fact, during my last year with [CURRENT COMPANY], my work helped to decrease production downtime by 23%.
Additionally, I am well versed in managing large scale projects, overseeing more than 20 employees, and creating a productive and safe working environment. Furthermore, I bring excellent communication skills, experience in training staff, and first-class accuracy with regards to diagnostics.
I was initially compelled to apply for this position as it focuses on industrial production. This is a field with which I am very familiar and am eager to further progress by taking on a position with more responsibility. However, I also feel that [COMPANY]’s devotion to high standards compliments my own well.
I have attached my resume which details my full career experience and training credentials. I hope that we can meet in person in the near future to discuss the opportunity and how I can help advance the goals of [COMPANY].
Please feel free to contact me via [PHONE NUMBER] between 5 pm and 8 pm any day of the week. I am also available at any time via [EMAIL ADDRESS].
Thank you for your consideration.
Address
Phone number
Email address
In addition to these samples, you can use a cover letter or resume builder to make the entire writing process go much smoother.
Having experience can help you a lot when you’re writing your cover letter. However, including any of your prior work experience is only half the battle.
Remember, your cover letter is not supposed to be exactly like a resume.
You want to show you are motivated and going to be valuable to the company you want to work for.
If you don’t start and end your cover letter well, there’s a good chance the hiring manager will not continue with your job application.
So getting your engineering cover letter right is essential!
So how do you start your letter?
Let’s take a look at the correct way and the wrong way.
I am an engineer with 5 years of experience. I am writing this letter as part of my application for the engineering vacancy at your company.
This is a very generic opening that won’t grab the manager’s attention at all. It also says very little about you except that you have some experience.
After 5 years of being a team lead that increased productivity at x company by 25%, the engineering vacancy at x company jumped out at me and seems like the perfect opportunity to continue improving and applying my skills.
This is a much better example as it shows an achievement, your experience, and your motivation to do well and even improve.
This opening paragraph should set up the rest of your letter to state the skills you have and your motivation for working at the new company.
To end your letter, make sure you review the company’s needs and how your experience and skills meet those needs.
Remember to keep it personal as well.
When looking at cover letter and resume examples for inspiration, you may have a tough time figuring out what to include if you’ve had a gap in your employment history.
With a gap in your employment history, you may think you have no chance of landing the job.
However, that doesn’t necessarily need to be the case.
There are plenty of good reasons someone did not work for a certain amount of time.
So what are some things you should include in your cover letter if you were out of work for an extended period?
When it comes time to interview, you should also be prepared to answer any question related to your gap in employment.
You could even turn your gap into a positive. You can briefly mention any relevant skills you learned in your cover letter or resume.
However, remember to stick to the correct cover letter and resume format when creating your documents.
One thing a lot of applicants read that stops them from even applying, is when the posting wants someone with job experience.
If you see that and don’t have any engineering experience, don’t delete your application.
Even with no engineering experience, you can create a cover letter that shows how your qualities match the vacancy and that you are a fantastic fit for the available position.
So what’s the secret?
What you should do is, fully understand what the company needs. That means analyzing what they want from their employees and what the goals of the company are.
Once you do that, use your education and any internship experience to demonstrate that you are a good fit.
In your cover letter, make sure to give examples of your personality and internship or freelancing experience and touch on:
By including those 3 points, it will make the hiring manager feel you know what you’re doing.
You may not be as experienced as other applicants, but you can show you fill the company’s needs and be a valuable employee.
When writing the motivation statement, you have the opportunity to convince the employer you’re ready to learn and will work harder than the rest of the applicants.
Engineering jobs are technical and specific in nature. The field of engineering is very wide and can range through civil, electrical, and mechanical disciplines amongst others. It’s therefore critical that you tailor your letter as much as possible to the type of job on offer and to communicate your specific experience.
Double-check everything before you hit send on your application. One small mistake can absolutely scupper your chances of getting the job.
It’s important to throw in some examples of where your efforts have yielded results. A few carefully chosen statistics such as any percentile improvements in efficiency you helped achieve, production increases or cost savings that occurred on your watch will all help to do this.
Also, remember that Engineering is a career that is highly regulated and often requires a state license. Because of this, it is highly worth mentioning the status of your PE (Professional Engineering) license, especially if the job description specifies it.
Finally, don’t forget to proof everything once done and to be mindful of the amount of industry-focused keywords you use in your letter. The level of complexity for an Engineering covering document should be detailed enough to show you know how to do the job but accessible for a recruiter to be able to understand without a background in engineering itself.
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