Mechanical Engineering Cover Letter Example

Written By The Resume Genius Team

Reviewed By Samuel Johns, CPRW

Build the perfect mechanical engineering cover letter by following our job-winning sample and writing tips.

August 12, 2024

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Mechanical Engineering Cover Letter Template

Make sure you use proper cover letter format to ensure that your cover letter is readable and professional.

Copy-paste Mechanical Engineering Cover Letter (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: your.email@email.com

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

December 15, 2022

Hiring Manager’s Name
341 Company Address
Newark, CA, 95555
(xxx)xxx- xxxx
hiring.manager@gmail.com

Dear [Mr./Ms./Mx.] [Hiring Manager’s Last Name],

My name is [your name] and I’ve been working with [previous employer] for the last [number of years] years. The description you’ve outlined for the mechanical engineer position at [company name] strongly matches my experience and qualifications, especially prototype design of industrial machine components. As such, I’m highly interested in joining your team.

I have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley and have worked as a mechanical engineer for [number of years] years. In my time at [previous employer] I was able to:

Develop three prototype components of the SuperDrill 9000 that was commercially employed
Act as lead machinist and component designer on four separate engineering products for [previous employer]
Win “Best Machinist – Western Region” (nominated twice)

I’m aware that [company name] has been engaged in some exciting projects and initiatives in the industry in recent years, especially with [project name or activity]. As you can see, I’ve been involved in similar work and know I could greatly contribute to [company name]’s goals in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application and for your consideration. I’d love to come in for an interview and am looking forward to hearing from you. I understand you have probably received a number of applications, so I’ll check in next week if I haven’t heard anything by then. Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Average mechanical engineer salaries in the US

The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data is presented based on the top states by downloads in the USA.

Average mechanical engineer annual salaries by state

States	Salary / Year
California	$122,550
New York	$97,410
Texas	$103,190
Florida	$92,810
Pennsylvania	$97,340
Illinois	$99,420
Ohio	$92,360
Georgia	$84,080
North Carolina	$95,490
Michigan	$98,760
National Average	$97,128

How to write your mechanical engineer cover letter

Working in one of the most diverse engineering disciplines, mechanical engineers design and develop systems and machinery in many different industries. Employers interview only the most qualified candidates for their mechanical engineering job openings, so you’ll need to highlight your top skills and experience in an exceptional cover letter.

Here are three tips for writing a strong mechanical engineer cover letter that helps your application stand out:

1. Highlight your mechanical engineering skills

Mechanical engineers require an excellent grasp of engineering science to do their jobs well. So employers look for candidates who have a lot of technical knowledge.

Show them you have the right expertise by including these hard skills — technical abilities you develop in class, self-study, and on the job — in your mechanical engineer cover letter:

Knowledge of design principles (blueprints, drawings, models)
MathWorks MATLAB
Minitab
Autodesk Revit
Bentley MicroStation
C++, Python, G-code, R, Perl
Microsoft Visual Basic, Verilog, National Instruments LabVIEW

Although mechanical engineering is highly technical, employers want to see that you’d be a well-rounded employee. Show them you have more than just technical skills to offer by including these soft skills (personality traits you use to work with others) in your mechanical engineer cover letter:

Time management skills
Organizational skills
Decision-making
Leadership skills
Project management skills
Analytical and critical thinking skills
Communication skills
Teamwork

2. Open your mechanical engineer cover letter with a strong introduction

Companies hiring mechanical engineers often have hundreds of applications to review, making it difficult for you to stand out from the competition.

So explain your unique value with a concise cover letter introduction to differentiate yourself.

Here’s how to write an attention-grabbing introduction for your mechanical engineer cover letter:

Showcase a relevant achievement

Lead with more details about an impressive accomplishment from your resume that emphasizes your job-essential mechanical engineering skills.

Show your passion

Convey your enthusiasm for the industry or role to show employers that you have the skills and the passion to succeed.

Highlight your research on the company

Research the company, and then open by showing how your talents line up with what they’re looking for. If there are any challenges they’re currently facing, you can address them in your cover letter.

Here’s an example of a mechanical engineer cover letter introduction that emphasizes a relevant accomplishment (several patents for machine component designs):

A mechanical engineer cover letter introduction example that emphasizes the applicant — Put job-specific details in your cover letter introduction to get the employer’s attention.

3. Quantify your achievements with hard numbers

Whether it’s maximizing production capacity or reducing mechanical errors, the success of a mechanical engineer is measured in numbers.

To show employers what you’re capable of and that you’re results-driven, back up the skills and accomplishments you talk about in your cover letter with data.

Below are three examples of quantified mechanical engineering skills in a cover letter:

Completed all projects according to specifications and at 15% under budget
Helped plan workforce use and equipment layouts to optimize workflow, leading to a 6% increase in production capacity over 1 year
Maintained a production error rate consistently below 3% through precise attention to detail and expert care

But what if you’re a fresh mechanical engineering graduate or a student writing a cover letter for an internship and don’t have any professional achievements? You can still quantify your relevant education or volunteer experience. Here’s an example that shows how:

Last semester, I participated in a student-led engineering project that converted 35% of the university’s fossil fuel–based energy consumption to wind and solar energy.

Dreading the writing process? Make it easier for yourself by using a free AI cover letter generator to write a mechanical engineer cover letter that makes your application stand out.