Engineering Cover Letter Example & Expert Writing Tips

Engineers are involved in designing and developing concepts, products and projects across a broad range of industries including construction, design, aviation and automobile and there are many opportunities to specialise in an area of particular interest. The competition is fierce - but the good news is Engineers are always in demand and the future prospects for a career in engineering are excellent. In this post, we’ll explain how to construct the perfect Engineering cover letter to help you stand out and start getting interviews. We’ve also included an example letter that you can download and use as a template if you need some extra inspiration.

What are employers looking for in an Engineering cover letter?

Engineering is a technical career choice requiring high standards of knowledge and hands-on experience. Some employers will insist on a degree in Engineering, but there are opportunities to train on the job too, including apprenticeships, for those with alternative education backgrounds.  To be a successful engineer also requires great interpersonal skills – teamwork, customer service and the ability to build working relationships with third party agencies, vendors, contractors and designers - so employers are looking for a well rounded professional with the confidence and ability to contribute to team and customer success.  Your cover letter should open with your qualifications, explain your technical expertise and then give some examples that cover both technical experience and soft skills. Refer to the job description to get the balance right and don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only your technical skills count. 

Using keywords

Keywords are the most important feature of any CV or cover letter, because the more you can match the job description, the more likely it is you’ll be invited to an interview. Using them properly requires a little bit of skill and practice though as they need to be seamlessly integrated into your text. Try to use each keyword in a full sentence and avoid repeating the job description word for word or you’ll end up with a clunky letter that’s difficult to read.  You’ll find the keywords that you need in the job description, under requirements and person specification. Each employer has their own vision of what the perfect candidate looks like, and of course technical requirements will vary significantly depending on the nature of the role, but there are lots of commonalities that you’ll see time and time again.  Great oral and written communication skills, teamwork, IT capabilities, strong organisation and an awareness of heath, safety and environment legislation will be found in almost all engineering job descriptions and these are a good starting point for putting your letter together. 

Tone & style

Engineering is a technical profession and therefore a good engineering cover letter needs some technical language but, like all good letters, it also needs to be engaging and easy to read. Check out the language in the job description and you should find the technical aspect is there but softened, by enthusiastic language and some details about the benefits the company offers its employees. You need to aim for the same tone – technical knowledge softened by enthusiasm and teamwork. 

Bringing it all together

To make sure you have the best chance at securing an interview, you need to format your letter correctly, create early engagement and then keep up the pace throughout. The attached example demonstrates the best way to achieve that objective. On average you need just 4 paragraphs. A short, snappy introduction, an overview of your qualifications, some quantitative examples from your professional history and a warm, enthusiastic conclusion with a subtle call to action such as ‘I look forward to meeting with you soon.’ Avoid repeating things that are already in your CV so that your cover letter offers unique value and remember to express genuine enthusiasm for the role.

Engineering cover letter example showcasing best practice

Below is a sample engineering cover letter that puts the tips we've talked through into practice. Go ahead and download the template as a Word Document here and use it as a starting point for writing your own cover letter.

To: [Name of Recruiting Manager, Name of Business, City & Postcode] Re: [Title of vacant position; Job Ref where known] Dear [Joe] [Mr. Bloggs] [Recruiting Officer] [Sir/Madam], I am pleased to submit my application for the role of Assistant Engineer at [insert company name] and to attach my CV for your attention. In 2018 I graduated from [name of University] with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering and quickly secured a training position with [name of company], where I was able to put my academic knowledge into practice including preventative and corrective maintenance, accurate fault diagnosis, modifications and repairs across a broad fleet of domestic and commercial vehicles. During my time there I also discovered a flair for explaining technical information to non-technical colleagues and customers, which has proven valuable in building customer relationships and inspiring trust. I’m an effective and confident communicator, an advocate of strong teamwork and a confident decision maker. I also have experience in planning end to end technical projects (using AutoCAD) and creating high value reports and documentation. Even as a child I was tirelessly inquisitive and loved to understand how things worked, which in later years sparked my interest in engines and automobiles. I’m a creative problem solver with strong lateral thinking, I enjoy the hands-on nature of engineering and I’m excited by the prospect of working in a fast-paced technical environment with ever changing, customer-centric challenges. Confident that I can offer the knowledge, team ethos and hands-on efficiency that you require from your team of engineers, I’m grateful for your time in considering my application and I look forward to meeting with you soon. Yours sincerely,   Name Goes Here 0123 456 7890