CAREER FOCUS
Cover Letters Demystified
Writing a cover letter can be intimidating, but with some simple strategies, immediately connecting with a hiring manager is possible.
Written by Robin L. Flanigan
A COVER LETTER IS A FIRST IMPRESSION—an opportunity to introduce yourself to potential employers before they get to the summarized work history outlined in your resume.
“It’s the chance to show that you’re someone who’s going to do due diligence, who will take the time to understand the role as posted, and get to know the company where they’re applying to work,” explained Cameron Carson, senior vice president of engineering for Hawk Ridge Systems, headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. “There’s not a lot of room for error, because that’s your shot to connect with the person who’s recruiting you.”
That may feel like a lot of pressure, especially given that a cover letter needs to say a lot in a relatively short amount of space—one page or less has long been the preferred length, making conciseness even more critical with attention spans as short as they are today, Carson added.
“Trying to show your interest and fit for the role is the key thing,” he said.
Here are some strategies for job seekers to embrace in crafting a cover letter that stands out:
THE GREETING
No need to be too formal when opening a letter, since this is for an engineering environment, which is likely to be business casual, Carson explained. “Somewhere between overly formal and super casual. ‘Hello recruiting team’ is a good example,” he said.
OPENING PARAGRAPH
This section is about “trying to set the visceral, emotional hook,” Carson continued.
Immediately—and briefly—tie into what you understand of the role and your reason for being excited about it. Include what you know, from research, about the company’s product, vision, or culture.
Just make sure that what you write comes across as genuine.
THE MIDDLE
This is the meat of the letter, most likely four or five paragraphs. Here’s where you expand on your understanding of the role and elaborate on specific reasons you believe you’re an ideal fit.
Incorporate keywords from the job posting itself and connect them with your training and experience.
“Use really tight, concise examples, though there’s this fine line where it’s not just a bulleted list of things that are already on your resume,” Carson explained.
Swap generalized, ambiguous examples with specific actions and outcomes, and “be as objective as possible with metrics,” he added.
So if you worked on a team as a lead test engineer, for example, include the percentages by which you helped reduce testing and development times.
THE CLOSING
Return to your enthusiasm about both the role and the company, while remaining sincere. Then put in a call to action, inviting the reader to review your resume and state that you look forward to a conversation.
THE SIGN-OFF
As with the greeting, a positive, semi-casual closing such as “Sincerely” is best.
“Knowing the company’s culture, the products it’s making, its vision, and getting a sense of the engagement level of wanting to be on that team is important.”
Cameron Carson, senior vice president of engineering at Hawk Ridge Systems
Staying concise
Although it may be tempting to try and knock out a cover letter in one sitting, Carson suggested that it’s best to write out all your thoughts before visualizing how they’ll be condensed and edited into a final draft.
“Let your thoughts flow at first,” he said. “Then cut a little here and cut a little there, and the things that are highly relevant will start to emerge. Just whittle and iterate. It’s kind of like pruning.”
In addition to studying up on the role to become acquainted with the skill sets, tools, and training required, it’s also important to familiarize yourself with the company overall.
“Knowing the company’s culture, the products it’s making, its vision, and getting a sense of the engagement level of wanting to be on that team is important,” Carson said.
And if you resonate with something the company seems particularly proud of, reference it in your letter.
Today, many job seekers are turning to artificial intelligence applications to help with letter crafting as well—but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re using artificial intelligence only as a productivity tool and not plagiarizing, it can be extremely helpful with structure and grammar, Carson added.
But don’t underestimate the power of another set of eyes. The last time Carson applied for a job, he hired a consultant company to proofread his cover letter. Even just having a separate friend or colleague review your letter is a good way to get an honest, candid opinion about what you’ve produced.
“Making sure there are no grammatical errors—or errors of any kind—is probably the most important thing because it becomes a barrier to connecting and communicating your interest for the role,” Carson explained.
Simple and professional
Since engineering jobs are likely highly technical roles, things like imagery, graphics, or even a headshot are best left to the side to make way for what’s most important.
“Stay focused on the content,” Carson said.
While letters typically are personal, cover letters—particularly in the engineering field—should remain professional and stay on message.
“Generally, engineering roles require a lot of technical skill, and a serious, professional tone is more of what an engineering manager would be looking for,” Carson said.
Cover letters reflect the kind of employee you’ll be and you do want to stand out from the other candidates—but only in a good way. The best way to do that is to be clear, enthusiastic, and authentic about why you’re the right fit for the job.
“There have been ones that made me think, ‘Do they even know what they’re applying for?’” Carson said.
Robin L. Flanigan is a writer in Rochester, N.Y., focusing on business and workforce issues.
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