Software engineering internship cover letter

Software Engineering Internship Cover Letter (With Examples)

Cover letters are often considered optional when it comes to job applications these days. If that’s left you wondering if a cover letter is even necessary, the answer is yes.

Is an employer going to read your cover letter? Surprisingly, the chances are rather low, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t send one anyway. Doing so proves that you’re serious about the job, willing to put in a little extra work, and ready to introduce yourself.

In a lot of cases, recruiting managers are simply skimming through cover letters. Many applicants send in a generic cover letter template they downloaded and added their name to, so it’s not worth a hiring manager’s time to read through each one.

That’s why your cover letter needs to stand out.

What Is a Cover Letter and Why Is It Important?

A cover letter is a brief letter of introduction that usually accompanies a resume. It gives you an extra chance to introduce yourself, highlight your skills, accomplishments, and goals, and explain what you hope to bring to the company if hired.

One significant benefit to a cover letter is the ability to elaborate on your past experiences and provide more information that may not be as easily conveyed in the typical bullet-point format of a resume.

Parts of a Software Engineering Internship Cover Letter

Software engineers are professionals in the field of computer science who draw upon their extensive knowledge of programming and engineering principles to build desktop and web applications, run network control systems, develop mobile apps and computer games, etc.

This type of job requires a set of well-developed technical skills. Software engineers are also frequently expected to collaborate with designers, data scientists, and project managers.

No matter what type of cover letter you’re drafting, whether it’s an entry-level position, legal cover letter, government job, promotion, or high-level career change, there are key components to the standard cover letter formula that you need to include:

1. Your contact information

2. The organization’s information

3. Dear [Manager Name],

4. First paragraph: intent and opening hook

5. Second paragraph: main body with key skills and accomplishments in relation to the job requirements

6. Third paragraph: closing lines with a compelling call to action

7. Best regards, followed by name and title

Your cover letter should be formatted correctly on a single page, which means space is limited, and you need to make sure every sentence counts. If you’re concerned about having a professional-looking layout, take advantage of free cover letter templates.

Software Engineer Internship Cover Letter Opening

Start with the basics and list the contact information for both you and the company you are applying to at the top of the letter. You want to make sure a hiring manager can quickly and effortlessly locate this information so they can reach out for the interview.

If possible, you should address your cover letter to the hiring manager by name. If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name, use a gender-neutral greeting such as “Dear [Company Name] Recruitment Manager.”

Tip: starting your letter with “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” isn’t just unoriginal.

The impersonal, generic greeting may raise a red flag and cause a hiring manager to suspect that you might be sending a mass cover letter to multiple employers without taking the time to personalize each one. It’s not a great first impression and also guarantees a spot in the reject pile.

While a neutral “Dear Hiring Manager” or similar phrase is acceptable in place of a name, consider mentioning the company and/or department to make it a little more personalized.

The first few sentences of your opening need to immediately grab a hiring manager’s attention. Once you’ve announced your application to the position, follow with an impactful achievement.

Providing numbers is an eye-catching technique that breaks away from the mold of a copied-and-pasted template, so if you can utilize statistics, percentages, or dollar amounts, your letter is much more likely to stand out.

Note that the applicant in the example started strong by listing specific growth measurements rather than relying on industry buzzwords and empty, generic claims about increasing revenue and cutting costs. This technique is proven to be a reliable way to catch attention.

Software Engineer Cover Letter Body

Now that you have a hiring manager’s attention, you need to keep it. The best way to do that is to clearly lay out how and why you’re the best candidate for the position. The cover letter body should explain:

1. Why you want this job

2. The skills that qualify you for the specific requirements of the job

3. Why you are the perfect fit for the position

Don’t list off general skills and accomplishments that have nothing to do with the specifics of the job. This is a common failure in many cover letters.

Instead, you need to prove that you did your research. You fully understand what’s expected of you in this job position, and the skills you have to offer tie directly to the company’s needs.

Note how the applicant breaks down her exact qualifications to meet every requirement for the position in a concise, easy-to-read format. She clearly understands what is expected in the job description, and she leans on her past successes to prove that she’s capable of handling the company’s needs.

Software Engineer Cover Letter Closing Lines

By now, the hiring manager should be thoroughly invested in what you have to offer, but you need a strong closing to efficiently wrap up your pitch and ensure you leave a lasting impression.

As you prepare to sign your cover letter, keep your energetic momentum going all the way to the very end. Provide a quick recap and optimistic closing to remind the hiring manager why you are the perfect candidate for the job.

Note that the applicant wrapped up her closing in a way that demonstrates her knowledge, enthusiasm, desire for the company’s success, and goal of being with this company long-term. She summarized her earlier pitch without repeating her talking points verbatim.

Example of a Software Engineer Cover Letter

Putting all the parts together illustrates how the ideal cover letter should start with an attention-grabber right off the bat and keep that same level of energy and competency throughout the entire pitch.

Tips for a Software Engineering Internship Cover Letter

• Include your salary requirements only if requested to in the application. Providing this information unsolicited may result in negative consequences, such as a hard pass or being locked into a lower salary than the company was ready to offer.

• Be confident. Avoid timid words and phrases like “might have” or “possibly” that undermine your skills and instead choose absolute phrases like “I do have” or “I am confident that.”

• Cite quantifiable achievements to make a bigger impact. For example, instead of saying, “I helped my previous company grow its annual revenue,” provide a specific number: “I facilitated an annual 26% growth increase.”

• Teamwork is usually expected for software engineers, so providing specific examples of how you incorporated your hard and soft skills in a team environment will carry greater weight than simply bulleting out those points on a resume.

Final Thoughts

In the wake of COVID, the job market is more competitive than ever. You need to stand apart from other applicants, which means you can’t afford to opt out of a cover letter.

Even if you have a great resume filled with all the right Software Engineering Internship skills, the cover letter just might elevate your application above someone who didn’t send one or instead chose the lazy avenue of copying and pasting a template and sending it “To Whom It May Concern.”

Personalizing your cover letter with your accomplishments and identifying exactly how you can satisfy the company’s needs gives you a much greater chance at success. Even if your letter is never read, you now have great talking points prepared for an interview.