You prepare data for analytical or business uses to ensure it’s easily accessible and optimized for the organization’s big data environment. Whether providing expertise on data sources and analysis, creating data pipelines to combine information from multiple sources, or integrating, consolidating, cleansing, and structuring data, you juggle moving pieces with finesse.
You’ve got a full plate, and now you’ve got to write a cover letter and data engineer resume—a royal pain in the rear.
Most cover letters lack substance, but the good news is we have five data engineering cover letter samples to help you create a cover letter that shines a spotlight on you and your data engineering skills.
Why this cover letter works
- Karen hooks hiring managers in with her connection to the Red Cross, which spurs her enthusiasm for the role.
- Leveraging an anecdote is effective when 99 percent of cover letters start with, “I saw your ad on [job board site] and am eager to apply for the data engineering position.”
- In her data engineer cover letter, Karen identifies functional needs discussed in the Red Cross’ job description, such as response time improvement, cost reductions, and data stewardship; then, she shows those skills with specific examples—complete with details and tangible results—from her job at Cigna.
- Use examples with quantifiable results to demonstrate clear results (not just a bunch of technobabble about what you did).
- Maintain momentum in the close with excitement for the role and assurance that you’re aligned with the company’s goals and vision—just as Karen ends persuasively that she’ll “drive better information for systems and applications that are time-critical.”
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Why this cover letter works
- When aiming to impress with your data engineer intern cover letter, never underestimate the power of spotlighting a project or two you undertook during your campus years.
- Take a leaf from Leo, whose Apache NiFi data flow management in a real-time data analytics system showed technical prowess. By drawing out the depth and relevance of your projects, the employer gets a sneak peek into your potential.
Why this cover letter works
- A compelling data engineer manager cover letter isn’t just talking about technical superiority but also about leadership mettle. The hiring manager should feel an aura of authority and mentoring spirit coming from the pages of your cover letter.
- By weaving in stories of moments when you mentored a team of budding data engineers or supervised a crucial project, you’re silently but eloquently stating that you command and lead, not just follow.
Why this cover letter works
- Applying for a role in public health dictates a more formal tone, but you can still achieve this without a sleepy start to your big data engineer cover letter.
- Customize your introduction with the help of a little research. Nerissa checked out the CDPH’s “About” page as her first paragraph reflects the organization’s goals of “shaping positive health outcomes.”
- Nerissa also leverages research in the body paragraphs, tying her data engineering abilities to the CDPH’s needs and challenges outlined in the data engineer job description.
- Since Nerissa knows the CDPH is establishing a center of excellence for its data analytics area and that data acquisition and processing times are significant challenges, she expounds on skills and tasks that yielded significant achievements in these areas.
- Like Nerissa, close your cover letter by reiterating your enthusiasm for the job opportunity and personal interest in furthering the organization’s goals. Though it won’t pay to be cocky, do be confident with an expectation of a follow-up.
Why this cover letter works
- The opening paragraph ties Martin’s deeply personal connection to the company’s primary mission with his engineering background, which makes him a serious contender for the job.
- You don’t have to be as personal as Martin does in your senior data engineer cover letter; the key is to research the company, so you can grab employers’ attention with a meaningful opener that reflects the company’s business objectives, mission, or values.
- Don’t miss the chance to speak to specific initiatives called out in the job description and how your experience has prepared you for this new role.
- Martin links his leadership skills to AbleTo’s key business initiatives, such as designing, building, and implementing ELT/ETL data pipelines, and explains exactly how he can further AbleTo’s success.
- Some abilities mentioned are soft skills, but they match items mentioned in the job description that cement Martin as a well-prepared candidate.
3 Writing Tips for Your Data Engineer Cover Letter
Before you start writing, strategize on how to take your letter to the next level. Looking beyond the job description for more information on the company will help you tailor your cover letter effectively. Finally, revising and editing the tone of your cover letter will only highlight what a great candidate you are!
Tip 1: Take time for research
A good cover letter (and trust us, we haven’t seen many of ‘em) should be specifically crafted for the particular role and company. Take time to research beyond the data engineer job ad. Check the company site for anything that will inform you about the job, the company’s strategies, initiatives that have relevance to data analysis and/or data science, and the company’s goals, mission, and values.
Search for anything of benefit from data engineering like marketing campaigns, new product studies, sales analysis (growth opportunities), and general research and development initiatives. These sorts of things can be leveraged in your letter to highlight how your skills, abilities, and experiences apply to the job and company.
Tip 2: Choose one or two accomplishments to discuss
The main section of your cover letter should talk about some of your major accomplishments. Keep in mind that you want to avoid duplicating your resume.
This is where you’ll use the information you gleaned from the company website. Choose from your accomplishments and find a couple you can tie to one of the company’s goals, objectives, or projects; this will help prove how your talents will benefit the company you’re targeting.
If a company is eager to build a data science center of excellence and you’ve gained strong experience in that, now’s not the time to be shy about it. What did you learn from that experience that will drive your success in your potential new role?
Tip 3: Think about your tone
One of the most important things to do with your cover letter is to keep it to a page and, ideally, under a page. No one wants to read a letter that goes on endlessly. Let’s face it—no one looks forward to reading a stack of cover letters period. Especially when those letters are generic and say the same thing. So, if you keep yours brief AND customized, you’ll find yours at the top of the pile.
Data engineering is a technical and detail-oriented role, so while the hiring manager may be expecting a no-nonsense, to-the-point approach, don’t be fearful of interjecting a little personality. Once again, if you’ve researched the company, you’ll have a strong grasp of the level of formality you ought to adhere to in your cover letter.
Your cover letter is less restrictive than your data engineer resume. Use this as a chance to tie yourself in a personal way to the company or role. Let’s say you’re applying to work for a healthcare company. Perhaps you admired and respected a healthcare provider who supported your family during a serious illness. Leverage your interest to present a strong case for yourself. Yes, even a data engineering role can benefit the customers of a healthcare company!
Use this as an opportunity to tie yourself in a personal way to the company or the role.
Ok. So, now you have a wonderful cover letter, and it’s ready to send, right? Wrong! The most important thing about good writing is editing. But just looking at it yourself doesn’t cut it, no matter how great a writer you are and how methodical you are. Get a few pairs of fresh eyes (data engineering eyes would be ideal) to review it for you.
Give your brain a break while others take a look. Some time away from your document will give you some perspective and allow you to better and more objectively process feedback to make your final revision a quick one before finally submitting it to the hiring manager.
Make an Outline for Your Data Engineer Cover Letter
There’s no need to stare at a blinking cursor on a blank screen. Leverage our cover letter templates above (and try a matching free resume template), or start with this comprehensive outline for your data engineer cover letter that breaks it into discrete sections with clear explanations of what to include in each part:
How to start a data engineer cover letter
Your contact info: Data engineers know details matter, so don’t ruin a great cover letter with sloppiness by misspelling your name or email (yes, we’ve seen it) or accidentally forgetting to change any of the generic contact information if you’re using a template.
- Formatting: Just as you must determine the best resume format to use, you’ll need to decide the format you want to use for your cover letter. Using a template is simple, but if you use a block format, leave your name out of your address.
Date: Always date your cover letter for when you actually send it.
Inside address: Direct your letter to the person responsible for hiring. Include their name, position title, and the company’s address. Don’t be surprised if this takes you the longest to research. Recruiters and hiring personnel are notoriously difficult to track down. Hint: search LinkedIn.
- Formatting: Put each part of the inside address on a new line. Double-space before typing your greeting.
Example
Leonard Chang, CTO
AbleTo
14 East 54th Street, Floor 21
New York, NY 10016
Greeting: Your salutation (funny word, right?!) should set a positive tone. Do this by directing your cover letter to the person in charge of hiring (see our note about this for the inside address above). Avoid a generic greeting.
These are a no-go
- Dear Manager,
- Dear Hiring Department,
- To whom it may concern:
Better:
- Dear Ms. Kelly:
- Dear Mr. Henderson:
How to write your data engineer cover letter
Body: The majority of your data engineer cover letter content will consist of three to four paragraphs describing why you’re interested in the job and why you’re the best candidate as well as reinforcing your eagerness for future discussion.
Opening paragraph: Start with a bang. Spouting generic statements that you’re interested and qualified is frankly boring—and it’s what every other candidate is doing:
Example
I found your posting online, and I am interested in the data engineer position you have open.
Very standard and very boring. Zzz. Instead, try something more like this:
Example
My personal struggles to overcome anxiety and depression have granted me a new perspective on the critical role of quality treatment. With 8 years of overseeing engineering projects in software systems, I would be honored to lead AbleTo’s engineering team in building out new data lake sources and warehouse supporting business-critical functions that will ultimately empower people to get and stay better.
This candidate immediately establishes a personal connection with the company. He also declares a strong interest in the job with details related to the role.
Paragraphs 2-3: Use the next paragraphs to detail some of your best achievements that are directly applicable to the data engineering role. Don’t forget to go beyond your resume. Pick stories with objectives and measurable outcomes like this one:
Example
Similar to your needs, while at CueSquared, I expertly designed, built, implemented, and maintained large-scale batch (ELT/ETL) data pipelines and near real-time streaming processes on Google Cloud Platform (BigQuery, GCS, Composer, etc.), leveraging tools such as Informatica (IICS / CDI / CAI) and Python. These systems and enhanced data processing led to value stream mapping and process improvement to eliminate waste and non-productive activities, increasing output of the production line from 300 to 375 units per month.
The importance of customizing your cover letter is paramount, even more than your resume. While your resume acts like more of a timeline of your past roles, your cover letter should emphasize how a few accomplishments align with the goals and objectives of the company and the role for which you’re applying.
Closing paragraph: End your letter on a strong, positive note. Use a sentence or two to show how your values and experience directly align with what their company and/or organization needs. And, very last, before you close your letter, politely but confidently have your ask—yes, you want a follow-up!
This is your last chance to leave a good impression. This won’t intrigue a hiring manager:
Example
I am excited about this opportunity and feel I am the right candidate for your data engineer position.
Again, we can’t stress enough the need to customize your letter and focus on the benefits you’ll bring to the organization. Stay on point and be creative and genuine in expressing your interest in the job. Finish with a clear and relevant call to action:
Example
Expanding my horizons in big data manipulation and human behavior analysis with regard to emergencies and natural disasters is an exciting prospect. I’m equally excited to further share how my experience working on data projects will drive better information for systems and applications that are time-critical for the Red Cross. Thank you for considering me for this role, and I look forward to connecting with you soon.
How to end a data engineer cover letter
Signature: Don’t forget to thank your reader if you haven’t put that in your closing paragraph. Close professionally and use your formal name.
Example
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Nerissa Radifkoff
Enclosure(s): Always note additional documents included with your cover letter; it’s a professional and logical way to ensure nothing you supply is overlooked.
Be sure to include any additional information the position requires such as applications, references, training, and/or other professional certifications.
Example
Enclosures:
Resume
Application
Even if the job description does not state that certain documents are required, you can’t go wrong by including any certifications or training you have under your belt. You never know when that additional info may come in handy.
Cover Letter Format for a Data Engineer
Though the cover letter templates are a nice touch, sometimes you may need or want to submit a regular ole business letter. Try making this cover letter for a data engineer work for you, and don’t miss our best formatting tips below.
Cover letter formatting tips
- Start with your address in a business letter, but leave your name for just the signature sign-off.
- Use a full-date format like January 5, 2023.
- For the addressee and address, place each section on a new line. Double-space between the inside address and greeting.
- A colon after the greeting is formal, and a comma is less so, which may be acceptable depending on how “professional” the company is. Use your best judgment based on your company research.
- Single-space your lines and double-space between paragraphs to keep your major data engineering achievements to a paragraph each.
- If you need to print your data engineer cover letter, use quadruple spacing between your closing phrase and your name. This will give you space to include your signature in blue or black ink.
- If you have one attachment, then use the singular form “Enclosure” and if you have more than one, then use the plural “Enclosures.” Put each enclosure (attachment) on a separate line.
Data Engineer Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-emphasizing soft skills
- While technical skills like Cigna make excellent additions to your data engineer cover letter, every job role requires soft skills. But for maximum impact, you won’t want to emphasize them too heavily when applying for a technical role. Work your collaboration and cross-departmental teamwork skills in as context for harder data that shows your analytical nature and professional impact.
- Cover letter doesn’t back up claims
- Whenever you lay out an achievement in your cover letter, back it up with metrics. Recruiters want to see how you improved expenditures and reduced work hours on important projects with that Cigna expertise! Take a look at the company website alongside the job description to see what kinds of keywords pop up often: Take inspiration from these for the most impressive metrics to use.
- Writing tone is too over-confident
- We know—you’ve worked really hard to get where you are! And we totally get wanting to showcase the skills you’ve gained. Just don’t take things too far and cross the line between ambitious and arrogant! Revisit the job description to get an idea of the organization’s writing tone, and use that as a baseline for your data engineer cover letter.
- Examples aren’t specific
- Your cover letter should name a couple of specific software tools or programming languages. The recruiter is already somewhat familiar with your role and knows the job description, so don’t hesitate to whip out a few technical details for a strong impression. Stick with just a few examples (maybe two to three overall) so it doesn’t look like you’re keyword stuffing or boasting too much. Don’t say, “used software to analyze data. . .” Instead, state that you used Amazon Redshift to analyze that data!
Next Stop Toward Your Data Engineer Job
Now that you have a great data engineer cover letter, you must have a resume to go along with it. You have updated and upgraded your resume, right? If not, you’re in good hands.
Our resume tips will help you customize your resume just as you have your cover letter, so they both fit together seamlessly and are perfectly matched to the job description. For a solid start, choose a free resume template to ease the process of building your resume. You can save even more time by editing this customizable data engineer resume here:
Big Data Engineer Resume
Need a resume to pair with your big data engineer cover letter?
We know writing and revising your resume is a frustrating and not-so-exciting job, but we’re confident our expert-approved guidance and resources will equip you to make your data engineer resume and cover letter a cut above the rest. Armed with knowledge, you’ll be set and, ultimately, successful in landing that interview to snag your dream role in your data engineering career.
While data engineering is all about numbers, save your financial expectations for the interview instead. It’s much easier to present your dream salary in person in a way that is confident but not smug or presumptuous. Focus on showing off your skills and accomplishments at this point.
You can address the gap in your cover letter if you can spin it in a positive way. For instance, mention that you took a gap year to fully dedicate yourself to a data engineering boot camp. Even if the gap was unrelated to employment, show that you stayed up-to-date by attending coding workshops or conferences or working on a personal project.
Just like your data engineering resume, your cover letter might be scanned with applicant tracking systems (ATS). Include keywords from the job description to show that you’re paying attention. As an example, if the job calls for a data engineer with knowledge of Python, mention how you used that language to maintain a huge data pipeline.
