Systems Engineer Cover Letter

Systems Engineer Cover Letter (With Examples)

Writing a cover letter isn’t typically an enjoyable process. However, it is necessary if you want to land a job as a systems engineer, and it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think.

In this article, you’ll find what you should include in your cover letter as well as an example to use as a reference for your own letter.

Parts of a Systems Engineer Cover Letter

1. Your contact information

2. The date

3. The recipient’s information

4. Salutation

5. Opening paragraph

6. Body paragraphs

7. Closing lines

Systems Engineer Cover Letter Opening

Think of your first paragraph as your elevator pitch or the spiel you give to someone when you’re first meeting them at a professional networking event and are explaining what you do.

This section should include the position you’re applying for, the name of the company that’s offering the position, and a few of the main points about your experience, skills, and passions that you’re going to be talking about in-depth later on in the letter.

It may look something like this:

Systems Engineer Cover Letter Body

As a systems engineer, chances are you have or will work with a lot of people who don’t fully understand what you do. This gets more complicated since you’re the only one who understands the systems you put into place, but you aren’t the only one using them. As a result, you’ll likely have to get good at putting your expertise into layman's terms.

Most employers know this, so they want to see that you not only know what you’re doing backward and forward, but that you can communicate that to others who don’t have the same background you do.

Your cover letter is the prime place to demonstrate this, as in a single document, you can show off not only your technical skills and accomplishments, but also your communication skills.

You don’t need to (and shouldn’t) “dumb it down” for this audience like you might for colleagues who have no point of reference for what you do. Still, you need to paint a clear, easy-to-follow picture of your skills and accomplishments with your writing that shows you know how to get your point across effectively.

Here are a few tips for doing that:

1. Match your cover letter to the job posting. Before you start writing your cover letter, go back to the job description and look at what skills and experiences are most important to this particular employer. If you have any of them, you should highlight them in your cover letter.

   If the employer wants someone who is good with Python, don’t just say that you know how to use Python, though. Think of a project you completed that demonstrates your skills with the program, and then talk about that. Hiring managers can see your list of skills on your resume: Your cover letter is your opportunity to flesh those out.

2. Don’t ignore your soft skills. Most systems engineers have similar technical skills — this is what makes you systems engineers, after all. However, not every systems engineer is going to make a good employee. Good employees of any expertise have soft skills such as communication, organization, problem-solving, and adaptability.

   Employers use the cover letter and interview stages of the job application process to determine if candidates have these skills or not. To show that you have these soft skills, provide specific examples of how you’ve used them to create results for past employers or projects, just as you did with your technical skills.

3. Talk about what you enjoy about your line of work. Companies want employees who care about their jobs. Not only does this mean that you’re less likely to burn out and leave in a year, costing them time and resources, but it also means that you’re more likely to do quality work and contribute to the company culture in a positive way.

   When you’re writing your cover letter, share what gets you excited about your work. If you can, relate it to the responsibilities listed in the job description to further drive home the point that this position is a good fit for you.

   Talking about how you relate to the company’s mission and vision to show that you’re invested in the organization as a whole is also a good idea.

Here’s an example of some cover letter body paragraphs:

Systems Engineer Cover Letter Closing Lines

Always wrap up your cover letter with a call to action and a brief paragraph expressing your thanks to the reader for considering you as a candidate.

After your final paragraph, make sure you close with a “Sincerely” followed by your signature and typed name.

This section should look something like this:

Example of a Systems Engineer Cover Letter

Tips for Writing a Systems Engineer Cover Letter

1. Be straightforward about your qualifications. Your cover letter isn’t the time to beat around the bush about your skills, as companies need to know that their systems engineers will produce results. If they don’t, they more than likely won’t hire you.

   Plus, you’re competing for a job against other candidates who are likely just as qualified as you are. Engineering positions of all kinds tend to be competitive, so make sure the hiring managers know what unique experiences and expertise you bring to the table.

2. Proofread. This is an essential piece of advice for a cover letter for any position, but it’s especially important for a systems engineer.

   While hiring a grammar expert isn’t necessarily what companies are trying to do, they want to know that you pay attention to detail, check your work, and even have someone else check it. If you submit a cover letter riddled with errors, it’s going to call the rest of your qualifications into question.

3. Talk about your education as much as is appropriate. If you’re a recent graduate or have only been working for a few years and need some more content for your letter, including your educational background can be beneficial.

   Instead of just saying that you have an engineering degree, discuss what you learned and what projects you worked on in school, especially if you’re a recent graduate.

   If you aren’t a recent graduate but don’t have a lot of work experience, this could be a valuable qualification to include as well. Focus on giving examples of your past work as much as possible, however, cutting out your educational background if necessary.