Entry-Level Cover Letter Examples & Writing Guide
How to write a cover letter with no experience, a first job cover letter, or an entry-level cover letter that makes the best impression.
Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter Examples & Templates (2023)
Every project needs a blueprint. When it comes to mechanical engineering cover letters, there is no time for prototypes. Let’s design the solution.
Time spent on design is time saved on maintenance.
Luckily, mechanical engineering cover letters have far fewer moving parts than gyroscope-based self-balancing robots.
Writing it becomes simple when you assume your normal mechanical engineer mindset.
You create solutions to everyday problems.
A mechanical engineer cover letter is nothing more than a solution to a prospective employer’s problem.
Let’s take a look at the blueprints.
In this guide:
- Mechanical engineering cover letter examples: one for an internship, and one for an experienced candidate.
- Step-by-step tips on how to write a cover letter that will land you more interviews.
- A template cover letter for mechanical engineering positions that you can update with your details and have ready within minutes.
Create a cover letter that matches the design of your resume—pick from 18 professional templates and get a powerful resume + cover letter combo now.
Looking for other cover letter examples for positions in engineering, tech, and science? See:
- Architecture Cover Letter
- Data Analyst Cover Letter
- Engineering Cover Letter
- Engineering Internship Cover Letter
- Computer Science Cover Letter
- Software Engineer Cover Letter
- Apple Cover Letter
Is it your first time writing cover letter? See:
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Cover Letter Examples.
First, let’s do some market research. Here are two mechanical engineering cover letter examples. See how they’re structured and what boxes they tick before we delve into writing yours.
1. Mechanical Engineering Cover Letter Examples
The first sample comes from Matthew, who’s applying for a mechanical engineering internship.
The job calls for a self-starter, with proven CAD skills and an analytical mind.
Here’s his mechanical engineer cover letter example:
Example #1: Cover Letter For Mechanical Engineer Internship
Text version
Matthew Crockett
1360 Heritage Road
Los Angeles, CA 93657
559-787-0836
mcrockett@me.com
Los Angeles, Sept 29, 2019
Elon Musk
The Boring Company
216 Park Rd
Burlingame, CA 94010
Dear Elon,
As a long-time follower of The Boring Company’s innovative escapades, I was thrilled to find a Mechanical Engineer Internship opportunity on your website. As a ME student with a 3.9 GPA and several additional electro-mechanical projects under my belt, I am confident I am the right candidate.
Your job post calls for an independent self-starter with an analytical mindset and strong CAD skills. I have always taken initiative in reaching my goals, so in my spare time I have completed 20+ side projects, the most complicated and exciting being the AI-based pathfinding vehicle. I submitted it to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers student competition, where it won 1st prize in its category. At Georgia Tech, I have been top of my class in CAD, in addition to maintaining a 3.9 GPA and a Dean’s List fixture. I have an extreme, independent hunger for knowledge, and I believe I have the necessary academic and extracurricular prerequisites to make a great Mechanical Engineering Intern at The Boring Company.
I love that at the Boring Company, you are committed to solving such ubiquitous, and seemingly insolvable problems as traffic congestion, and spend a lot of your money to try and offer a solution not only to benefit your business, but to do something really important. This resonates with my own personal values, which is why I am extremely motivated to secure this position at the Boring Company.
When would be a good time to connect to discuss how I can add my two cents to helping you beat the traffic in Los Angeles?
Thank you,
Matthew Crockett
559-787-0836
mcrockett@me.com
You can be sure Matthew is going straight to production.
Need to see a more experienced mechanical engineer cover letter sample?
Here it is.
Sandra is applying for a Senior Mechanical Engineer position which requires strong collaboration skills with other engineering disciplines. She is required to be knowledgeable in mechatronics, testing methods and common machining and fabrication.
Example #2: Mechanical Engineering Cover Letter Example
Text version
Sandra Saylor
937 Roane Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21202
301-256-2934
sandra@saylor.com
Baltimore, Sept 31, 2019
Elon Musk
The Boring Company
216 Park Rd
Burlingame, CA 94010
Dear Elon,
While browsing your blog, I was excited to see an opening for Senior Mechanical Engineer. As a Mechanical Engineer with 4+ years of experience, and vast expertise in mechatronics, I believe I fit the description perfectly.
The ad on your website calls for an engineer knowledgeable in mechatronics, testing methods, and machining and fabrication, that can collaborate within a multidisciplinary team. In my current position at SciTech, I have been given the opportunity to lead 2 projects of 20+ engineers from different disciplines—both of which were completed within schedule and budget. An innovator in mechatronics, I have been able to fabricate new parts and solutions for our bomb disposal robots which decreased the weight of our flagship model by 8%, and improved arm movement precision by 21%. The testing protocols I have developed for our mechatronics projects have helped to save almost 15% of time per testing cycle, adding up to 2000 hours saved in the past year by all engineers. I believe I have the experience necessary to take lead of a team at The Boring Company.
I admire your company finds the time to do fun projects, while toiling hard to solve real-world problems. To me, the balance is extremely important, which is why I believe The Boring Company is the best place for me to work at.
When could we schedule a call or a meeting to discuss how I can improve the testing protocols and therefore improve the bottom line at the Boring Company?
Best Regards,
Sandra Saylor
301-256-2934
sandra@saylor.com
These are two frictionless mechanical engineer cover letters that break the surface tension right away, and compress all the necessary information.
Don’t have a resume ready yet? See a dedicated example here: Engineering Resume Sample—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips
2. Write a Conducive Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter (Ready-to-go Template)
Here’s how to write a job-winning mechanical engineering cover letter:
1. Choose the Right Cover Letter Format Model
We know that you’re a hot candidate.
Your cover letter for mechanical engineering positions must conduct that heat better than graphene.
Before you start any project, your workspace needs to be prepared.
Same applies here.
Once you have the hiring manager pick up your cover letter, you want to pull them in like iron cobalt.
Getting the format right helps at all stages—making your mechanical engineering cover letter easy and pleasant to read.
These are our top cover letter format tips:
- Pick the right font—one that matches your resume font, and is easy on the eyes: Helvetica, Noto, Cambria, Georgia, etc.
- Align-left, with no justification.
- Space the lines out by 1.15. Space out every section and paragraph with an empty line.
- Use even margins on all sides—at least 1 inch.
- How long should a perfect cover letter be? 1 page.
Now that you have the tools at the ready, it’s time to fabricate the perfect piece. Here’s what you should include in your cover letter.
2. Put Your Contact Information In The Header
Make sure the header of your mechanical engineer cover letter matches your resume header, in case they get separated.
Check that you have your up-to-date contact details—including email, phone number and LinkedIn.
Drop a space, write down the city and date, and below, put down the details of the hiring manager. Double-check every cover letter before sending when applying to multiple places!
Compare against this template to check you got it right:
Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter Example Header
[ Your Full Name]
[ Your Job Title ] (Optional)
[ Address ]
[ Phone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ LinkedIn Profile ]
[ City and Date ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Full Name ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Position ]
[ Company Name ]
[ Company Street Address ]
[ City and Zip Code ]
Expert Hint: ASEE reports that around 30,000 bachelor and 8,000 master’s mechanical engineering degrees are awarded annually. The Bureau of Labour Statistics projects only 12,800 new mechanical engineering jobs in the next decade. Make sure your resume is up to scratch with our resume 101 guide if you want to secure your spot.
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume maker now.
3. Identify The Job You’re Applying For and Make An Introduction
Energy cannot be created or destroyed.
Fortunately, your hiring manager is not a thermodynamic system.
You can save their energy by getting to the point, right away.
Address your cover letter to the hiring manager, by first name. If it’s not in the job posting, be creative—use LinkedIn, and if you must, get the old telephone out of storage.
Right away, when starting your cover letter, identify the position you’re aiming for, and magnetize them with your biggest achievement or most notable project—fitting the profile of the company you’re applying to, of course.
If you’re in a rush, you can fill the [blanks] of our mechanical engineering cover letter example.
Cover Letter for Mechanical Engineer: Introduction
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name]:
When I noticed that you are looking for a Mechanical Engineer at [Target Company Name], I was thrilled. As a [Mechanical Engineer/Previous Position Title] with [number of years]+ years of experience, I have been able to [biggest engineering achievement/notable projects/other relevant skills you have]. I believe I can be an effective part of the team at [Target Institution Name].
Expert Hint: Data USA reports that the areas with highest mechanical engineering opportunities are: Troy & Rochester Area PUMA, MI, Oakland County (Southwest) PUMA, MI, and Oakland County (Southeast) PUMA, MI. Considering a move to Michigan? Check out our compilation of other job search statistics.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
4. Explain Why It Should Be You They Hire
After you make your introductions, your mechanical engineer cover letter should get thermodynamic.
This here is the graphene part.
Conducing what a hot candidate you are is easy—
Reverse-engineer the job description and find the most important and unique requirements—the ones that will set you apart. Think about the problem you are trying to solve for them—you are the solution.
Look through your old projects and achievements to find things that suit these aspects. Numbers help. It’s nice to know what you did—but what effect did it have? What improvement, saving, performance increase?
If the position is more senior and involves managing other engineers, think about the times you trained, managed, and helped other people—once again, with numbers.
See an excerpt from one cover letter for mechanical engineer jobs.
Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter Example: Middle Paragraph
Your position requires a Mechanical Engineer skilled in [refer to the requirements of the job]. At [Name of Your Previous Employer], I have been able to [relevant responsibilities, duties, or projects you’ve successfully completed, supported by metrics, if possible]. My background in [an aspect of engineering important to this company] makes me the perfect candidate for this position.
Expert Hint: Are you at the beginning of your career? Need to show an ability to develop holistic solutions and work in multidisciplinary teams? See Design For America for events, courses and ideas. Putting these projects, achievements and awards on your resume will boost your chances.
5. Explain Why You Chose Them
Your mechanical engineering cover letter has given them the reasons to hire you.
Now it’s time to show them not only are you capable, you are interested.
Spend time researching the profile of the company you are applying for, what they do, and how exactly do they do it.
Identify something that resonates with you personally—a way of working, the projects they do, values—and write about it.
First, this research will help you see if you really want to work there. Second, it will show the employer that you have a genuine interest in working there.
Something like this:
Sample Cover Letter For Mechanical Engineer: Third Paragraph
I am really impressed that at [Target Employer Name] you commit so much of your time to [something you genuinely admire about the company/values/way of working/infrastructure]. This resonates with me personally, as I believe […]. That is why I’m motivated to take on the position as a Mechanical Engineer at [Target Employer Name] and help you achieve [their goals].
6. Seal The Deal: Use a Call to Action
When writing a cover letter for mechanical engineer positions, there is no room for ambiguity.
Don’t leave the result up to chance.
Don’t “hope to hear from you.”
At the end of your cover letter—
Ask for that interview, or at least a call.
See how we sign off our mechanical engineering cover letter examples:
Cover Letter for Mechanical Engineer: Sign Off With a Call to Action
When would be a good time to connect and discuss how my [your best, most relevant skill/experience/their most important requirement] can help [Target Employer Name] achieve [something important to this employer]?
Best regards,
[Digital Copy of Your Handwritten Signature]
[Your Full Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
With ResumeLab’s resume builder you’ll write your resume in a flash. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Just pick one of 21 resume templates and get started now.
Key Points
When building your mechanical engineer cover letter, always:
- Make sure the cover letter and resume header match, and have your up-to-date information. Check you have pasted the right manager’s details.
- See what you can use from our mechanical engineer cover letter examples—and if you’d like to see more prototypes, see ResumeLab’s other cover letter templates.
- In the first paragraph, identify the position you’re applying to—and introduce yourself with a strong achievement right away.
- In the second paragraph, reverse-engineer the job post to see what’s important to the employer, and pick out the best achievements from your resume that match.
- In the last paragraph, use something you have researched about the companyto show your genuine interest.
- When signing off—include a call to action.
Do you have any more questions about writing a cover letter for mechanical engineer jobs? Did you find our mechanical engineer cover letter examples helpful? Leave us a comment, I’ll be more than happy to hear from you!
