How do I Write a Software Engineer Cover Letter?

To write a software engineer cover letter, you should be sure to have a sense of who you are writing to and what you should be communicating. You should typically begin your cover letter with a salutation directed at a particular person and convey that you know something about the company you are contacting. It can also be helpful to present an overview of your professional experience in software design and development, especially with regard to any special knowledge or skills you may have. You should conclude your software engineer cover letter politely and maintain a tone of professionalism and assertiveness throughout your letter.

A software engineer cover letter is a communication that typically accompanies your résumé and provides an introduction on your behalf to a potential employer. You should typically address your cover letter to a particular person, which may require some research on your behalf, and include your contact information at the top of the letter. The first body paragraph of your software engineer cover letter should mention any information you know about the company. This can include the name of a friend or relative who works for the company, recent software the company has developed, or its professional philosophy.

The rest of the body paragraphs of your software engineer cover letter should be used to provide information about you and your professional experience. You should mention any software development work you have done that is well known or of which you are especially proud. If you have any particular skills or specializations, especially ones you know the company is looking for, then you should mention those as well. Keep in mind, however, that a hiring manager may not necessarily have a background in software development and design, so try to avoid excessive jargon or language in your cover letter that is overly obtuse.

Your software engineer cover letter should conclude with a final body paragraph that thanks the person you are contacting for his or her time and indicates how you will be following up on your letter and résumé. The tone of this conclusion should be assertive; indicate that you will contact him or her in the following week or two, rather than state that you look forward to hearing from him or her. You should then conclude your software engineer cover letter with a close, such as “With Regards” or “Sincerely,” and your name. If you are sending a hard copy of your letter to someone, then you should leave room between the close and your name to sign the letter.