An essential part of landing one of the best engineering internships is crafting an impressive cover letter and resume that details your career experience. As an aspiring engineer, you may have little or no practical engineering experience. Your cover letter and resume should highlight any relevant experience you have, along with your passion and willingness to learn.
As a student, participating in an engineering internship has a lot of benefits, including steering you towards achieving your career goals. Internships are a good way to build practical skills in the engineering field and to simplify your job hunt after graduation. To secure a reputable internship, you need an impressive cover letter and resume devoid of all the common mistakes.
Engineering Internship Cover Letter Guide
To create a strong engineering intern cover letter that highlights all your relevant accomplishments and communicates your passion for the job, you should educate yourself on the role and company you’re applying to. This will enable you to discern what should be included in your letter. In general, it should be concise, personalized, and error-free.
Why Does Your Engineering Internship Cover Letter Matter?
Employers want candidates with substantial work experience, even for entry-level positions. An internship is an opportunity to build hands-on experience in your engineering field so you can increase your chances of securing good-paying jobs with prominent employers after graduation. An impressive cover letter can help you secure that opportunity you’ve been looking for.
Your engineering cover letter is a good opportunity to convey your passion for engineering to the hiring manager. Since most applicants lack the relevant skills needed for the job, employers will base their hiring decision on the academic track record of an applicant. A cover letter is your chance to use your communication skills to grab the attention of your recruiter.
According to a research paper in Sage Journal, 56 percent of employers prefer candidates who submit a cover letter as part of their job application. That’s why you need to create an impressive engineering internship cover letter and resume that boosts your competence and gives the impression you’re an enthusiastic candidate.
Essential Components of Your Engineering Internship Cover Letter
As an intern, your cover letter should be written in a simple format. It should comprise these key components to ensure you’re able to efficiently get your message across.
- The subject of the letter. Usually, the subject of your email cover letter should be the title of the job stated in the job posting. However, if it isn’t explicitly stated, you should write a direct and brief title, such as “ Engineering Internship Position” as the subject of your message. This isn’t necessary for a document letter.
- Salutation. If possible, your salutation should contain the name of the hiring manager. In situations where you’re unable to obtain the name of the employer, you should address the letter to the office of the recruiter. An example would be “Dear Hiring Manager”.
- Opening and closing statements. Your opening paragraph should contain your interest in the role. You should sound enthusiastic. Your closing statement should list your resume attachment, express gratitude, and disclose your contact information.
- Body paragraphs. Once your introduction has captured the interest of your reader, the succeeding paragraphs should capitalize on that and establish why you’re the right fit for the role. The paragraphs should highlight your educational qualifications and your skillset.
- Signature and contact information. Make sure to include your full name and contact information at the end of your email cover letter. You could also add an electronic signature along with your name and contact information. For a mailed letter, use a handwritten signature.
5 Tips for Writing a Strong Engineering Internship Cover Letter
Take a look at these tips to ensure that you sound professional and present yourself as an ideal candidate in your cover letter.
- Sound confident. Just because you’re applying for an internship role doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to offer. You have your passion, enthusiasm, innovation, and quick learning abilities to offer. Show the recruiter that the experiences and skills you do have are why you’re the right fit for the position.
- Choose a simple but professional cover letter layout. Don’t try to be too fancy. That’s not the precedent you want to set as a burgeoning professional. When writing your engineering internship cover letter, bear in mind that everything matters, even something as minute as a font style. This is your chance to make a good impression.
- Include your contact information. Ensure that your email address doesn’t look unprofessional. Aside from your email address, leave an alternative way for the recruiter to contact you.
- Be concise. In just a few paragraphs, tell the reader why you’re the best candidate for the job. Your cover letter is your opportunity to be strategic. If it’s too lengthy, the reader might lose interest.
- Check for errors. You might have a lot to offer but your reader won’t find out if they can’t get past the first few sentences. Always check for grammatical or spelling errors. Ensure there is a logical flow in your writing.
Engineering Internship Cover Letter Example
If you’re struggling with how to structure your engineering internship letter, our sample cover letter sample below can provide some guidance.
Engineering Internship Cover Letter Sample
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[(123) 098-7654]
[Your Email Address]
[Date of Application]
[Hiring Manager]
[ABC Company]
[ABC Company City]
Dear [Hiring Manager],
I am interested in the mechanical engineering intern position at [ABC Company]. I am a third-year mechatronics major at [University] and an internship at your company is an incredible opportunity to benign a successful career in robotics. I want to participate in this program so that I can contribute in any way possible to the development of revolutionary robot systems.
My passion for robotics led to my taking on a job as a part-time manufacturing assistant at [Current/Past Employer]. I work with the production staff to ensure efficiency. I also have responsibilities as student president for the engineering school at [University].
These opportunities allowed me to gain experience in designing applications and assembling electronic components for robotic systems and organizing a fundraiser which raised $900,000. My GPA currently stands at 3.94.
My skills and educational qualifications include 3D designing, programming, hardware assembling, and data visualization. I currently hold a high school diploma and a Microsoft Excel certificate.
My resume will shed more light on my accomplishments and reaffirm that I am a great fit for this internship position. Should you consider my qualifications and passion sufficient enough to meet with me, I would be happy to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Engineering Internship Resume Guide
It only takes an average of 7.4 seconds for most hiring managers to lose interest in candidates, according to a study done by TheLadders in 2018. A good cover letter draws attention to the most impressive aspects of your professional history.
Why Does Your Engineering Internship Resume Matter?
Securing an internship gives you a 70.4 percent chance to receive a job offer, according to a survey report by Nace in 2019, and a strong resume enables you to take advantage of that opportunity. If you care about securing a well-paying job after graduation you should care about creating a great resume.
Essential Components of Your Engineering Internship Resume
To promote a professional image, your engineering internship resume should comprise certain components. We’ve listed some of the components so you’ll get a feel of how your internship resume should be structured.
- Contact information. This section should include your personal information such as your phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile, and personal website or professional portfolio.
- Professional objective or summary. This section is located at the top of the resume, just below the contact information. It should be treated as your statement of purpose. It tells the reader of your professional accomplishment or aspirations. As an intern, you should go with a professional objective that details your career aspirations.
- Engineering experience. Recruiters want applicants who have some sort of relevant work experience, even for internships and entry-level roles. This is your opportunity to list paid or unpaid positions you’ve held in the past to improve your chances.
- Educational background. The educational background section should detail your formal education. This is the chance to brag about your academic accomplishments. List your high school diploma, your college courses, and projects you’ve participated in.
- Skillset. This is the section where you state key skills. List both hard and soft skills in this section, especially since you may not have many technical skills due to your limited practical experience.
- Additional information. In the additional information section, list volunteer experience, seminars you’ve attended, and certificates you’ve acquired. List your relevant interests and any publication you’ve been included in. This section should show your personality and communicate your individuality to the hiring manager.
5 Tips for Writing a Strong Engineering Internship Resume
Follow these tips to write a quality resume. Use them as guidelines and apply them to your personal situation.
- Choose a professional template. The resume you send out to recruiters should have a professional layout. Avoid using a resume with too many graphics for an engineering internship application. They can be distracting and can cause the reader to miss the major points in the resume or even lose interest in your application.
- Create an attention-grabbing professional objective. Your professional objective should be well-crafted. Ensure it portrays you as a good contender for the position. Use facts and figures wherever possible. Coordinate your sentences to express your interest and passion to build your engineering career.
- Use bullet points. Your resume might seem too complicated to the reader if it’s not well-spaced and bulleted. Bulleting the contents in each section will draw attention to the major points you want to highlight.
- Use statistical data to boost your resume. To emphasize your points, use statistical data. This would make it easy to assess your performance and compare it to other candidates. It would also make your accomplishments seem more prominent than they are and this is good for your image.
- Ensure your resume is free from errors. Go through your resume more than once to ensure it is free from grammatical or spelling errors. Use grammar editing tools to improve the quality of your content. Before sending it out to recruiters, ask someone whose judgment you trust to look it over.
Engineering Internship Resume Examples
To minimize deviations in constructing your resume, we’ve attached a template and sample engineering internship resume to serve as a visual guide when drafting yours. This sample was constructed using data that highlights the key components and contents of a professional engineering internship resume.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Engineering Internship Resume Sample: The Professional Objective Section
Motivated mechanical engineering student with two years of part-time work experience as a manufacturing assistant at Gent Technologies and competence in developing applications and assembling electronic components for robotic systems.
Sample Engineering Internship Resume Template
First Name Last Name
Address, Zipcode · Phone number
Email · LinkedIn · Website
[Put your mission statement here]
Experience
Start year – End year
Part-time job, Company
- [Skill 1]
- [Skill 2]
- [Skill 3]
Start year – End year
School appointment, Company
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Education
Month and Year
Degree Title, School
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Month and Year
Diploma Title, School
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Skills
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Additional Information
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Engineering Internship Resume Template Resources
- VisualCV Engineering Intern Resume Builder. VisualCV is a resume resource that allows users to edit engineering intern samples to create theirs.
- ResumeLab Engineering Intern Resume Builder. You can build your next engineering intern resume using the ResumeLab engineering intern template.
- Zippia Engineering Internship Resume Builder. Zippia provides you with a range of engineering internship resume templates to choose from.
Importance of an Engineering Internship Cover Letter and Resume
Your engineering intern cover and resume represent the only chance for the hiring manager to get to know you before the interview. It is a major aspect of the hiring process because the recruiter will most likely base their decisions on how they perceive you. Take the time to create a good impression with your cover letter and resume.
Engineering Internship Cover Letter and Resume FAQ
Your resume should include everything you want the hiring manager to know about your educational and professional development. Details like your awards, volunteering efforts, and certificates should be included in your resume. Ensure your personal information includes links to your website and professional profile.
The first step to writing a strong engineering internship cover letter is using the right cover letter format for this field and writing as many drafts as possible. Your cover letter should contain essential sections and details.
Most engineering internships look for innovative and driven candidates, candidates who are passionate, unique, and can communicate well. They want candidates with some sort of work experience and technical skillset.
Having an engineering internship increases your chances of being hired. Most employers have high retention rates for their interns. It is one of the ideal ways to gain the required practical knowledge for your field. If for some reason you can’t participate in an internship, attending a coding bootcamp to learn engineering is a viable alternative.
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