I'm applying to jobs at various companies and finding it challenging to write unique and persuasive cover letters. What are recruiters and hiring managers actually looking for beyond just listing my technical skills? I want to explain that I have soft skills and also avoid the typical engineering mistake of being too dry and technical. Any insights?

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I am also struggling a lot with the cover letters. I think it is the perfect place for addressing those soft skills. I’m trying to pick a skill and then include a scenario around it that shows it without just listing off a bunch.

Thanks for sharing

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I've known recruiters to recommend that a cover letter not be a rehash of your resume. It's really an opportunity to highlight things that may not be obvious in the fairly terse resume format. So your instincts about focusing on soft skills are on the money. Show some personality, talk about things that make you a good engineer, and perhaps give an example where your skills at communicating in non-technical ways helped you to make a difference.

Thanks for sharing

Focus on why you are applying for the job. Like if you were to tell your best friend about an exciting opportunity, how would tell them on why it excites you! For example, you may like the company, or the location of the job, or its required skillset matches your background. Highlight all of that. Let’s say I was applying for a Mechanical Engineering position at Microsoft’s Data Center team in Milwaukee, WI. And I don’t have any experience in Data Centers. I would say something a long line of,

I am thrilled to apply for this position because it is the trinity of opportunity to work for world renowned corporation, near my home town, and my aspiration to pivot into the booming Data Center industry. I have X+years of designing HVAC systems for large industrial complexes and higher education facilities. In my next career step, I would love challenge myself to design a cooling system for High Performance Computing Servers, which is the next biggest challenge in the thermal engineering arena.

Thanks for sharing

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