Writing an Effective and
Persuasive Cover Letter
ENC3246 Professional
Communication for Engineers
UF Writing Program
What is the Purpose of
the Cover Letter?
To demonstrate you are an
excellent candidate
To highlight qualities that are
not included in a résumé
Evidence for how and why
your qualities match the
company’s needs
Intangible skills such as
creativity, problem-solving,
communication, and
teamwork
Format the Cover Letter as a Business Letter.
1234 Main St
Everywhere, FL, 55555
January 1, 2025
...
Left-aligned,
block paragraphs
Left-justified only
(not fully justified)
All portions of letter
begin on the left
(not centered)
I am writing to apply for the R&D Product Development Summery Intern position, found on the
University of Florida’s Career Connections Center website. I am a junior pursuing a Bachelor of
Science in Mechanical Engineering at UF. With my engineering coursework and project
experience, my innovative mindset and affinity for problem solving, and my history of successful
team projects. I believe I am a strong candidate for this role.
As an undergraduate, I have balanced a rigorous course load and a number of extracurricular
activities that have allowed me to enhance my skills relevant to this role. Specific to engineering,
through my academic project work I have developed abilities in 3D design and modeling, an
understanding of materials, and have practiced different manufacturing technologies. For
example, in my Machine Design and Manufacturing course, I along with two teammates, created
mechanical drawings and designs in SolidWorks. We then modeled. machined and assembled the
parts of a working Stirling engine, meeting or exceeding all requirements and deadlines. I have
also developed the strong interpersonal and communication skills required to succeed as the
R&D Product Development intern; in addition to academic team projects that require
collaboration and strong writing and presentation skills, I have been selected by my peers for a
leadership role within Penn's Formula SAE team this year and am an active member of our ASME
chapter. Throughout all of my experiences, I have used my dedication to efficient and creative
problem solving and my ability to prioritize and manage competing demands to positive ends. I
Single spaced
Adjust to true
single space
UF Writing Program
Extra line between
paragraphs
(do not indent)
Dear Mrs. Kendi:
11- or 12-point serif font
Times New Roman, Cambria
(Adapted from Purdue Online Writing Lab, 2020)
Sarah Student
Your Name
Key Idea
Write cover letters with a
“What can I do for you?” mindset.
UF Writing Program
Data Analyst Intern
PayPal
Melbourne, FL 32901
Important
Caveat:
Mirror the language of
the job ad, especially
when demonstrating
how your experiences
meet the requirements
or preferences for the
position’s duties.
Basic Requirements:
• Must be earning a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer
Science, Math, Statistics or related field
• Experience with one or multiple of the following will be highly
desirable; Python, Java, Tableau, Jupyter Notebooks,
Teradata, Hadoop/Hive, Oracle, JavaScript, SQL, Airflow,
Linux, Perl, PHP
• Excellent understanding of computer science fundamentals,
data structures, and algorithms
• Demonstrated experience, familiarity and ease with handling
large data sets and crunching numbers
• Information Retrieval (search/recommendation/classification)
experience or Human Judgment/User Interface experience
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability
to translate complex problems into simpler terms, and
effectively influence both peers and senior leadership
Position Location: Varies
We're a purpose-driven company whose beliefs are the
foundation for how we conduct business every day. We hold
ourselves to our One Team Behaviors which demand that we
hold the highest ethical standards, to empower an open and
diverse workplace, and strive to treat everyone who is touched
by our business with dignity and respect. Our employees
challenge the status quo, ask questions, and find solutions. We
want to break down barriers to financial empowerment. Join us
as we change the way the world defines financial freedom.
Lxxxx Axxxx
XXXX Stadium Rd.
Gainesville, FL XXXXX
(XXX) XXX XXXX
XXXXXX@gmail.com
January 25, 2021
Paypal
Melbourne, FL 32901
Greetings,
I am extremely interested in the data analyst internship offered at
your Melbourne location. I found this internship through Indeed. I
am currently a second-year computer science major at the
University of Florida, pursuing a minor in mathematics. I have
collaborated with students on multiple projects, building up a
large teamwork skill-set. I have also developed leadership skills
throughout my education experience, both through
extracurricular activities and work within the classroom.
The listing for your position details that your team desires an
intern who has experience with Java, and I have been coding in
Java for around a year now and have created multiple projects
within the language. The position also asks that the intern have a
Bachelor's in Computer Science, Math, or Statistics, and I am
pursuing a degree in computer science - with a strong knowledge
of Python, as needed - who is also working to earn a minor in
mathematics, as detailed above. Within my mathematics
coursework. I am gaining more knowledge in statistics, which
aligns me with this position's need for someone who can analyze
large datasets and crunch numbers.
Paragraph 1
What position are you applying for?
This is particularly important in large corporations.
How did you find out about the position?
This helps companies understand how best to spend advertising money.
Tell the company why you are a good fit.
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Write a catchy final sentence that highlights
qualifications & foreshadows content.
Dear internship coordinator,
After speaking with the campus recruiter at the University of Florida, I am interested in applying for an internship as a
manufacturing engineer at ExxonMobil. In addition to my excellent academic standing, I worked as a manufacturing
engineering intern at Ascend Performance materials in Houston Texas, where I learned skills that will make me a
valuable asset at ExxonMobil.
Greetings, Ms. Rxxxx.,
I am writing in response to a notice on the Intern Match website about your company's internship opportunities. I would
like to be considered for the mechanical engineering intern position. I believe that my interest in using engineering for
biological systems along with I my experience in programs such as Solid Works and Excel would qualify me for this
position.
Good afternoon, Embry-Riddle recruitment team:
I write with strong interest in the aeronautical internship position offered at the Fort Worth Location. I found the
internship on your company's website, under the career tab. Currently, I am in my third year of mechanical engineering
at the University of Florida, pursuing a minor in electrical engineering. I work very well on group projects and tend to
bring out the best in others. In addition to my success in the classroom, I have developed leadership qualities through
many extra-curricular activities.
Paragraphs 2-3
Demonstrate with a mini story: What’s the experience, what did you gain, & how does it help the company?
Examples should be directly
relevant to the position.
Include paragraphs about
education and experience, etc.
Demonstrating unrelated skills
is effort wasted.
Every example must show
you have the skill.
The cover letter isn't a
summary of the résumé.
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Each paragraph should have
a single theme.
As an engineer at Ascend, my main project was to analyze the efficiency of the linear alkylbenzene (LAB) unit's hydrogen fluoride
recovery process. To do this, I utilized root-cause analysis, investigated key process variables using Aspen Process Explorer, and
communicated with operations personnel and engineers. I also did a meticulous investigation of the HF alkylation area. Having a thorough
understanding of process safety, I was allowed more time in this area than any other intern. While at Ascend, I took initiative on several
other projects; for instance, working with one of the controls systems technicians, I developed a graphical interface for the production
engineers using Aspen Graphics Editor and VBA. In addition, I became the first intern to give a presentation at Huntsman Corporate
Headquarters, speaking in front of the Vice President of Operations and other top-level executives.
As a member of the Machine Intelligence Laboratory (MIL), I understand the benefit of having a hands-on experience that is often not
found in the classroom alone. As an undergraduate student in MIL, I both assist and learn from graduate and PhD students on numerous
fully autonomous robots, which include a submarine, boat, five quad copters, and seven RC cars. Through this organization, I have
learned to collaborate with others to form successful groups.
In my last two semesters at the University of Florida, I have taken classes that have given me skills to perform well as a mechanical
engineering intern at BioFire Diagnostics Inc. These classes have given me communication skills, along with experience in the program
Solid Works. I have also recently taken a class on anatomy, which provided me with some background knowledge to keep up to speed
with the technical vocabulary used by your company. With a 4.0 GPA in 27 credit hours of mechanical engineering courses, I think that I
would be a good candidate for the internship.
I worked on a few projects with a local electric company, Jonesville Electric and Underground. I helped to clear landscapes and wired a
sorority house in Gainesville known as Phi Mu. Although these responsibilities do not have a direct relation with the type of work at BioFire
Diagnostics Inc., the work gave me experience in communicating and solving problems in a group setting, which I would consider to be
vital in all engineering employment positions.
The Closing Paragraph
Quick note that
résumé is
enclosed
Polite &
enthusiastic
request for
interview
Available times
& contact info
More information regarding my education and experience can be found on my
enclosed résumé. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my qualifications
for the mechanical engineering intern position whenever is convenient. Please
feel free to call or leave me a message anytime at (555) 555-555 or send me an
email at xxxxxxx@gmail.com.
I am looking for a career where I can grow both professionally and intellectually,
and I believe that career starts at ExxonMobil. As an engineer at Exxon, I will
provide the same initiative, expertise, creativity, and problem-solving attitude that
made ExxonMobil the company it is today. I can be contacted via email
(xxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com) or phone (555-555-5555) to schedule an interview. I
look forward to hearing from you.
You have reached the end of
the presentation.
UF Writing Program
References
Cover Letter Workshop: Formatting and Organization. (n.d.). Purdue Online Writing Lab.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/job_search_letters/cover_letters_workshop/formatting_and_org
anization.html
UF Writing Program