Putting together your resume can seem pretty difficult, but when it’s time to write your cover letter for an engineering position, it can be a whole new level of stress. If you don’t have a lot of experience in writing these letters, there are a few tips that you can follow to ensure your resume gets read and you get a chance at an interview.
1. Structure – Your cover letter should have an introduction, a middle that gets into why you’re a great candidate and a strong conclusion. Letters without structure run the risk of wandering and losing the reader’s attention.
2. Customization – We get it – you’ve got lots of cover letters to write. But take the time to customize each one to the position. If you’re using a boilerplate, it’s going to read like a boilerplate and you won’t stand out from the crowd.
3. Let Your Passion for Your Career Shine Through – There’s nothing worse than a boring, dry cover letter. Remember, these hiring managers may be reading through dozens if not more of these letters every day. If you show your passion and excitement for your career, they’re going to get excited about you!
4. Short and Sweet – No cover letter should ever exceed one page in length. It might be tough to keep it short but start with a first draft and hone it down from there. Find better ways to state your accomplishments and keep that word count as low as possible.
5. Remember Your Tone – Remember how we said nothing’s worse than a dry letter? We need to say it again. The tone that you use is going to dictate how the reader responds. If you want to be a candidate that they need to strongly think about hiring, keep your tone engaging.
6. Double-Check The Little Things – Spelling, grammar and structure are vital parts of your cover letter. Even if your word processor says there are no errors, you still need to print it out and read it out loud. Even better, get someone else to proof it for you. Two sets of eyes are always better than one!
While some of these tips might seem small in stature, when it comes time for a hiring manager to read your letter, they’ll consider them pretty large. Take the time to really craft an excellent cover letter and you’ll find a lot more doors will be open to you.
Need more help finding a career in the engineering field? Solopoint Solutions is here to help!