The salary of a civil engineer in America is $88,570. However, before you can reap the benefits of this career, you need to get past the application process.
Civil engineering jobs are competitive to land, so you will have to ensure that your cover letter is the best it can be.
But, if this is your first time applying to jobs or it’s been a while since you’ve looked for a job, you might have a few questions. For example, how do you write a cover letter for a civil engineering job?
Luckily, this article will help you with the fundamentals of writing a civil engineer cover letter, and how to stand out from the crowd when applying for your dream position.
You want to begin with the cover letter details before you add your personality to the page. Then, you can start to think about how to craft compelling paragraphs about your experience and skillset.
In the first section of the cover letter for your civil engineering job application, you should include your full name, home address, contact number, and email address.
It’s also a good idea to use a header to outline this section so your potential employer can note down your key information. You don’t want to forget this part of the cover letter as it’s how the hiring team can get in touch with you.
Otherwise, you might miss out on the perfect role!
The next section of your cover letter should be introduced with a professional greeting. Now, some people think that the way you address your reader doesn’t matter when you’re applying for a job.
However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you address the reader as “Hey!”, they won’t be impressed. You need to remember that this is a job position for a paid role.
Therefore, you want to set the right example from the very beginning. That means, it’s better to choose a phrase like, “Dear” or “Hello”, but nothing too colloquial.
Another tip is to look for the name of the person in charge of recruitment, or you can simply use the company name when writing the letter. Either one of these options is acceptable in a cover letter.
Once you’ve covered the formalities like your contact details and type of greeting, you can move on to introducing yourself.
A common mistake that people make when applying to civil engineering jobs is they wait until the end to tell the reader about themselves. However, you should use the first paragraph to tell the reader about yourself.
You can mention how you found the job, why you decided to go into civil engineering, and what makes you different from other applicants. Just try to keep it brief and stick to one paragraph for this section.
At the end of the day, your cover letter is a chance for you to demonstrate your skills and expertise in the world of civil engineering. So, you want to include any qualifications you have and your skills.
Ideally, you want to read over the job advertisement details and pick out some points that you can use to highlight why you’re good for the role.
Besides the general university credentials and other qualifications, it’s crucial that you convey how you will make a lasting impact on their company. You can use past experience for this, or emphasize your enthusiasm to work.
Anything you can use that will make you sound like a unique candidate will help your success with the application. When it comes to civil engineering, you want to be specific about your skills.
In this line of work, you want to portray your strengths in hard and soft skills. The technical skills will depend on the job and the employer you’re applying to, but there are several soft skills you can highlight.
Here are some of the main soft skills:
All of these qualities are great to incorporate into your cover letter when trying to find a job in civil engineering.
Towards the end of the cover letter, you want to summarize the important points that showcase your abilities and strengths in civil engineering. You also want to create a strong ending.
It’s always a nice idea to say thank you to the reader for taking the time to look over your cover letter and demonstrate your gratitude for the opportunity.
After all, you want to come across as humble and friendly, so ending on a positive note will leave a good impression on the hiring staff. However, the last paragraph is also a great chance to encourage them to reach out.
You can use a sentence where you request a follow-up, or enquire about the interview process. Showing interest in the next stages of the application process will make you appear eager and excited.
So, the reader will see that you care about the job and want to know the outcome. Sometimes, this can make or break the result of your application.
Without a doubt, proofreading cover letters should be the last phase before submitting them to the company. Therefore, it’s vital that you leave enough time to double-check everything!
If you need some help structuring your civil engineering cover letter or simply don’t know where to start, download our free civil engineering cover letter template now. This letter can be edited to suit your own experience and background. Once you’ve finished entering your own information, you can save it and send it, along with your CV, to prospective employers.
Download Our Free Template Civil Engineering Cover Letter.
In order to send a cover letter, you need to find civil engineering jobs that suit your skillset. Thankfully, our platform is there to help you discover your new job.
You can find a range of job advertisements for various positions across different organizations. All you need to do is select a few and submit your cover letter!
Our recruitment agency cares about supporting you through the application process, so we’ll also be happy to answer your questions. You can find our number and other contact details here.
Browse our page and find the best civil engineering job today.
