Software Engineer Cover Letter

We analyzed 700+ job listings to create the software engineer cover letter examples featured on this page. You can confidently base your own letter on them, knowing they reflect employers’ expectations and the latest hiring trends in 2025.

April 22, 2025

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Software engineer

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Entry-level software engineer

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Senior software engineer

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Software Engineer Cover Letter Template

Copy-paste Software Engineer Cover Letter (Text Format)

Entry
Mid
Senior

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: your.email@email.com

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
[456 Company Address]
[Company City, State XXXXX]
[(XXX) XXX-XXXX]
[hiring.manager@gmail.com]

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

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Entry-Level Software Engineer position at InnovaTech Solutions. As a recent graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science from Bay Area University, I am excited to bring my skills in full-stack development and machine learning to your innovative team.

During my studies, I developed a robust foundation in algorithms, data structures, and software design principles. My capstone project involved creating a scalable web application for peer-to-peer tutoring, which showcased my proficiency in React, Node.js, and MongoDB. This project not only honed my technical skills but also demonstrated my ability to work effectively in an Agile team environment.

In my internship at CodeCraft Inc., I contributed to the development of a natural language processing tool that improved customer service response times by 30%. I worked with Python, TensorFlow, and AWS, gaining valuable experience in machine learning applications and cloud computing.

I’m particularly drawn to InnovaTech Solutions because of your commitment to using AI for environmental sustainability. Your recent work on the EcoSmart City project aligns perfectly with my passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems.

Beyond my technical skills, I bring strong communication abilities and a dedication to continuous learning. As the president of Bay Area University’s Coding Club, I organized workshops and hackathons, fostering a collaborative learning environment among peers.

I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my skills and enthusiasm to InnovaTech Solutions’ mission. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how I can add value to your team.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
Haystack Search
47 Westwater Way
Austin, TX 78717

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

With six years of experience in full-stack web development and systems architecture, I am confident I will be an excellent fit for Haystack Search’s next Senior Software Engineer. My experience has provided me with the innovative and technical skills necessary to successfully provide your company with multifaceted technical solutions across a wide range software platforms.

At New Enterprise, I am responsible for leading the development for three high-traffic ecommerce websites that offer 12 million monthly users customizable documents. I oversee the building of innovative systems architecture via Kohana and Laravel frameworks, HTML5, CSS3/SASS, JavaScript/React, MySQL, and ElasticSearch. I was instrumental in structuring several internal systems comprising order entry/management tools, conversion/revenue reporting, and production workflow tracking, as well as designed custom REST APIs built in Python, Laravel PHP, and NodeJS. I also successfully collaborate on solutions with our product, QA, and marketing teams to offer the best user experience to build higher customer lifetime value.

I have refined my strengths through six years of experience in DevOps, where I provided solutions in database technology, programming, operating systems. The following is a snapshot of my broader technical skills:

Agile Project Management
Custom Web and Mobile Applications
Database Programming
Data Science
Networking Devices and Tools

It would be a pleasure to learn more about Haystack’s needs, and I would welcome the chance to provide further insight into my knowledge of project management, technical abilities, personal attributes, and track record of success in building revenue generating web technologies compatible across multiple platforms, browsers, and devices.

Thank you for considering my candidacy for this position. I hope to hear from you soon to schedule an interview.

Sincerely,
Your Name

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
[456 Company Address]
[Company City, State XXXXX]
[(XXX) XXX-XXXX]
[hiring.manager@gmail.com]

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

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Senior Software Engineer position at FutureTech Innovations. With over 12 years of experience in software development, including 5 years in leadership roles, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my expertise to your cutting-edge projects in AI and cloud computing.

In my current role as Lead Software Architect at DataDynamics Corp, I spearheaded the development of a cloud-native, microservices-based data analytics platform that processes over 10 petabytes of data daily. This project increased our clients’ data processing speed by 150% and reduced operational costs by 40%. I led a team of 15 engineers, utilizing Kubernetes, Docker, and Apache Kafka to ensure scalability and real-time data processing capabilities.

Throughout my career, I’ve consistently driven innovation:

Authored 5 patents in distributed systems and machine learning
Reduced backend API response times by 60% through innovative caching strategies and database optimizations
Implemented CI/CD pipelines that decreased deployment times from days to hours, significantly improving our team’s productivity

I’m particularly drawn to FutureTech Innovations because of your groundbreaking work in quantum computing applications. Your recent project on quantum-resistant cryptography aligns perfectly with my interest in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in secure, distributed systems.

I am excited about the opportunity to bring my blend of technical expertise, innovation, and leadership to FutureTech Innovations. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to your team’s continued success in revolutionizing the tech landscape.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Average software 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 software engineer annual salaries by state

States	Salary / Year
California	$168,660
New York	$145,470
Texas	$127,000
Florida	$122,310
Pennsylvania	$111,910
Illinois	$126,200
Ohio	$107,560
Georgia	$127,070
North Carolina	$130,620
Michigan	$103,830
National Average	$118,750

4 software engineer cover letter writing tips

Here’s everything you need to know to write a convincing software engineer cover letter:

1. Add software skills to your cover letter

Because software engineers need to work with various pieces of software, list the specific software you’re proficient with in your cover letter. Depending on your specialty, you could mention some of these common software skills in your writing:

Web tools (HTML, CSS, Google Analytics)
Web development (Ruby on Rails, Python, PHP, JavaScript, Swift)
Artificial intelligence (Natural language processing, Spark, Blockchain)
Statistical software (Apache, MongoDB, JSON)

You should also list the above skills on your resume of course, but use your cover letter to highlight the most impressive software-related achievements you’ve scored for your current or previous company using the technical skills you’ve listed. This allows hiring managers to see what you can do for their company. For example, you might write:

Created 17 ecommerce websites integrated with PayPal, Authorize.net, and other payment gateway APIs.

2. Use the job listing for clues about what to write

Find out which qualifications each company is looking for by paying close attention to their job ad and echoing the language they use. That means crafting a tailored cover letter for each position, as different companies often use slightly different words and phrases to describe similar needs.

To help you out, we analyzed 701 software engineering job ads to identify the most commonly requested skills and qualifications in the sector:

Real Job DataTop Keywords from Real Software Engineer Job Ads

Data

Keyword	Count
Computer Science	275
Software Development	178
X Years Experience	163
Knowledge of Best Practices	155
Communication Skills	148
Bachelor's Degree	145
Problem-solving Skills	99
Hands-on Experience	90
Code Reviews	89
Crossfunctional Teams	87

You can use these words and phrases alongside those found in the job ad to show you’re aligned with the employer’s expectations and well-prepared for the role.

3. Research the company and showcase what you found out

When you’re writing your cover letter, meld your research about the company into your letter’s content. Proving you know something about a company’s past successes and future goals shows hiring managers you’re serious about your application and know what kind of challenges you’ll face if you’re hired.

For example, if you found out that the company signed a deal with a major bank to develop its web banking app for iOS or Android, you can then mention your experience building secure encryption methods into apps. Such an anecdote shows you have the experience to help the company succeed with their new business venture.

Another simple thing to find out is the name of the hiring manager. For instance, if you find out that the software development team lead is Ron Kapoor, you can then start your cover letter with “Dear Mr. Kapoor,”. Using this cover letter salutation shows you’re not just firing off a generic cover letter.

4. Emphasize your soft skills too

It’s common for applicants in highly technical fields like software to neglect talking about their soft skills. That’s because they have so many hard skills that fitting in soft skills seems like a waste of valuable space on their cover letter.

However, even software-industry employers value soft skills because an employee with good people skills gets along well with their colleagues, avoids arguments and personality clashes, and contributes to a positive work environment, boosting productivity and profitability.

Here are some soft skills you can talk about in your software engineer cover letter:

Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Diplomacy
Leadership skills
Negotiation
Attention to detail
Fast learner

Are you particularly skilled in any of those areas? Put these soft skills into context by demonstrating how you applied them to improve workplace processes or attain goals. For example, you might write this bullet point:

Onboarded 3 new hires, with all 3 completing onboarding 17% faster than expected due to my recognized teaching and communication skills.

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Written by

Samuel Johns

Samuel Johns is a Senior Content Editor and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at Resume Genius. In his 6+ years of experience in the careers space, he has helped hundreds of job seekers craft high-quality resumes and cover letters, ace interviews, and land their dream jobs. Born and raised in County Durham, UK, Sam graduated with a bachelor’s degree in French Language and Literature from the University of Bristol, UK in 2013. Samuel’s job-hunt advice has been published in numerous online outlets, including Dollar Sprout, The Enterprisers Project, and Tech Crunch. Feel free to reach out to Samuel through his LinkedIn if you’d like to collaborate. Please note, we don’t accept guest posts and won’t reply to such requests.