How to craft an effective manufacturing engineer cover letter
Manufacturing engineers play a vital role in any production environment by helping to design products, develop production solutions, and more. To become a manufacturing engineer, you need a well-written cover letter that convinces employers you are the right engineer for the job.
In this guide, we will teach you 5 essential steps for writing a cover letter as a manufacturing engineer. Keep reading to learn about:
- How to create a manufacturing engineer header & headline
- Why you should personalize your manufacturing engineer cover letter
- What to say in your manufacturing engineer cover letter introduction
- Ways to showcase your professional value as a manufacturing engineer
- How to persuasively conclude your manufacturing engineer cover letter
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1. How to create a manufacturing engineer header & headline
Starting off, your very first step when writing a manufacturing engineer cover letter is to create a well-designed header and headline.
The cover letter header is the first element to focus on, featured at the top of the document and including essential information, such as:
- Your name and professional title
- Your professional contact information
- The name & department of the company you are applying to
- The address of the company (especially important if the company has more than one location)
Here is an example of a well-formatted manufacturing engineer header
Jack King, QA Engineer
(123) 456-7890 | jackking@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jack-king
To: Gerald Manufacturing Solutions
Engineering Department
1234 Street Address
Savannah, GA 31302
With your header in place, your next step is to write a compelling cover letter headline. To make your headline effective, you should include
- A highly relevant keyword (such as the position title)
- An eye-catching number or trigger word
- A memorable verb and/or adjective
- A promise statement that ensures the employer the letter is specifically for them
Here is an example of a manufacturing engineer cover letter header, followed by a brief explanation of its main components
My 3-Step Approach to Manufacturing Engineering & How It Can Greatly Benefit Your Business
Trigger Word/Number: 3-Step Approach
Keyword: Manufacturing Engineering
Adjective/Verb: Greatly Benefit
Promise: Your Business
2. Why you should personalize your manufacturing engineer cover letter
With your header and headline in place, there’s still one more step to take before you can begin writing the actual body text of your cover letter: you must research the company you are applying to.
By researching the company beforehand, you can find out key information about the company that you can reflect on and reference in your letter. This information can include:
- The company’s values and goals
- Any projects the company is currently involved in
- Who at the company is responsible for reviewing job applications
This last detail can be used to create a personalized greeting, a type of greeting that addresses a specific person by name. Including a personalized greeting indicates to the reader that you have taken the time to tailor and personalize this letter.
Here are 3 examples of personalized cover letter greetings
- Dear Hiring Manager John Doe,
- Dear Mr. John Doe,
- Dear Factory Supervisor Mike Mills,
3. What to say in your manufacturing engineer cover letter introduction
As a manufacturing engineer, it is critical to make a stellar first impression on employers — and the best way to do that is with a killer introduction.
Your cover letter introduction should include:
- A concise summary of your professional history and specializations
- A statement on why you are the right person for this position
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible) — naming a mutual acquaintance shows employers you are well-connected, as well as giving them an immediate trusted professional reference. To grow your professional network and gain more mutual acquaintances, try connecting with relevant professionals on LinkedIn.
Here is an example of a good manufacturing engineer cover letter introduction
Dear Factory Supervisor Mike Mills,
I am a manufacturing engineer with 10+ years of experience designing energy-efficient warehouse equipment. As an award-winning engineer, I believe I can bring the level of quality and professionalism that you are searching for to this role. My professional colleague, Ms. Kate Lee, is one of your current lead engineers and strongly recommended I apply for this position.
4. Ways to showcase your professional value as a manufacturing engineer
With your introduction out of the way, you can now begin writing paragraphs that delve deeper into your best professional qualifications, skills, and accomplishments.
As you write these paragraphs, make sure you include details that are highly relevant and contextual. For example, rather than simply stating you have collaboration skills, describe how you have worked in teams in the past and how these skills helped you to succeed.
Additionally, try including quantifiable information whenever possible, such as specific data or statistics. This can help you to show employers the real-life value you have to offer.
Here are 6 examples of manufacturing engineer skills to describe in a cover letter
- Designing manufacturing products & equipment
- Developing manufacturing processes
- Investigating production problems
- Enhancing manufacturing efficiency
- Team collaboration & communication
- Creative problem-solving
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a manufacturing engineer cover letter
As a manufacturing engineer at [Former Employer], I was able to improve energy efficiency by more than 45% by sourcing and implementing new production equipment. Additionally, I designed a new manufacturing process that helped to boost productivity by nearly 20%.
5. How to persuasively conclude your manufacturing engineer cover letter
To conclude your manufacturing engineer cover letter, you need a well-written closing statement that persuades employers to contact you. This conclusion should include:
- The best way to contact you
- What days and times you are available
- When you intend to follow up
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of a persuasive closing statement from a manufacturing engineer’s cover letter
I am thrilled to be considered for this opportunity and look forward to speaking with you directly soon. To best reach me, call me at (123) 456-7890. I am available to call or meet any day of the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. As I am eager to learn more about this position, I plan to follow up next Thursday afternoon if I have not heard back by that time.
With Appreciation,
[Applicant Name]
If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.