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Free Computer Science Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

We can help you build a computer science cover letter that allows you to express your talents and skills and demonstrate why you’re the best person for the job. Use these computer science cover letter examples along with our tips to help you grab the attention of the hiring manager.

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By Ho Lin 5 minute read

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Free computer science cover letter sample: software engineer

Here is another professionally-prepared sample computer science cover letter that targets a specific computer science job. This cover letter is written for a software engineer role that you can use to build your own cover letter.

Dear Mr. Smith,

When I first wrote an algorithm for a company that resulted in them seeing a 1,000% increase in click-through rates for their advertisement, I was ecstatic. I realized that with my knowledge of programming languages like JavaScript, SQL, and Python, I had the technical skills I needed to help companies extend their reach to people who actually seemed interested. This is why I’m excited to apply for the information technology job at [Company Name].

Today, as a computer scientist, I do more than just function as a programmer. I also help people with troubleshooting hardware, I am a web developer, and I help people untangle problems with their algorithms. My ability to pinpoint where an algorithm went wrong has saved multiple companies from having to rewrite their code from the ground up.

I am excited to talk to you more about how my skills could potentially help your company use its time more wisely. I look forward to bringing my computer science skills to your organization.

Sincerely,

Phyllis Kincade

Computer science cover letter: 5 key tips

Begin your letter with a prominent professional header and salutation. This header will feature your contact information, including your phone number and any related professional links such as your LinkedIn profile. Remember to also use the hiring manager’s name rather than a generic introduction like “Dear hiring manager.” Next, follow these tips to write the rest of a powerful cover letter.

1

Get to know the company and its goals

Research the company you’re interested in joining to read about the employer’s specific mission and goals. In your cover letter, you can mention specific projects you worked on that align with the company's values. To make it easier to read, place those highlights in a bulleted list in the body paragraphs of the cover letter.

2

Start your letter strong, emphasizing why you’re a good fit

In the first paragraph, you need to hook the prospective employer as quickly as possible. Aim to tell a story about how your software development skills achieved success. You want to say something that will keep a recruiter reading your cover letter. Be sure to name a few relevant programming languages, targeting the requirements of the job description for the job position. This will establish your credentials and connect it to your work experience. Look at computer science cover letter examples for wording suggestions.

3

Give specifics on key accomplishments and experiences

Now that the hiring manager is reading your cover letter for computer science, you can continue to discuss why you’re the best fit for this specific job position. Mention years of experience and what qualifications make you stand out from the competition. Look at the specific tasks from the job description and find related accomplishments from current or past jobs that demonstrate your qualifications.

4

Mention soft as well as hard skills

You can give the potential employer a glimpse into your personality, qualifications and work ethic through your soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills are personality traits and abilities that describe how you approach a work situation. Hard skills are job-specific technical skills learned on the job or through training. There are a variety of computer science skills that a job candidate will need to demonstrate on a cover letter that they can perform. Relevant job skills should match the required skills as noted in the job posting of the role you’re applying for.

5

Sign off with a call to action

Finally, the applicant includes a call to action for a job interview at the end of the letter: “I am excited to talk to you about how my skills could help your company.” This assumes that the job interview is a done deal, which is a great way to encourage a hiring manager to actually schedule the job interview with you.

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Write a computer science cover letter in 6 steps

You can write a powerful computer science cover letter by including the following sections:

Cover letter heading

In your cover letter heading, feature your contact information along with your name presented in a slightly larger font so the hiring manager can see it clearly.

Here are the contact details you should include:

  • Your full name
  • Your location
  • Your phone number
  • Your professional email address
  • Professional profile like LinkedIn or portfolio link

Example:

Susan Smith
123 Street Address
City name, State, Zip Code
Susansmith000@email.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susansmithlinkedinpage/

Cover letter salutation

Experts suggest that you direct your letter to the attention of the specific hiring manager’s name. It is not recommended that you say, “To Whom It May Concern.” If you research to find the person’s name with no luck, you may use “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Example:

Dear Mr. Jones:

Cover letter introductory paragraph

The opening of the letter is where you’ll introduce yourself, mention the job role that you’re applying for and give a quick summary of your most relevant credentials. Mention the most impressive accomplishments tailored to the job description that will immediately catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Example:

I’m excited to submit my application for the software developer position at Greenvale Associates. With a B.S. in Computer Science and more than seven years of experience creating and testing 40 new applications, I’m confident that I’d be a strong addition to your software development team.

Cover letter body paragraph(s)

In your cover letter body paragraphs, you’ll explain why you’re the ideal candidate for the computer science job role that you’re applying for. Explain how your hard skills and soft skills, work experience and computer science knowledge are tailored for the job listing.

Example:

As a software engineer for the state of Florida, I helped my team identify and fix bugs, as well as code in Java, Python and Swift. My hands-on experience implementing UI enhancements and assisting the marketing team with updating 1,000+ web pages in WordPress, using HTML, CSS and JavaScript can be used to help your company do the same. As proven in my current role, my excellent verbal and written communication skills help me identify software needs and offer effective problem-solving solutions. I am currently obtaining my master’s degree in business with an expected graduation date of May 2025.

Cover letter closing

Your closing gives you a quick opportunity to thank the hiring manager for their time, recap why you’re the best candidate and request a job interview.

Example:

Thank you for your consideration and for taking the time to review my resume for the software developer position. I look forward to providing you with further details about my software development accomplishments, proven successes and discussing how I can align with your company’s mission and help reach your business goals.

Cover letter sign-off

Feature a formal cover letter sign-off line such as “Sincerely” or “Best Regards.”

Example:

Sincerely,

Susan Smith

Key skills for a computer science cover letter

The type of cover letter skills that a role in the computer science industry needs will be a combination of both hard skills (technical knowledge) and soft skills (interpersonal and intangible abilities). Here are some important skills that you should consider listing on your computer scientist cover letter and professional resume:

Computer science hard skills

  • Programming languages like C++, GO, JavaScript, PHP, Python and Swift
  • Technical writing
  • Software development
  • Data analysis
  • Mathematical
  • Engineering

Computer science soft skills

Create your computer science cover letter (and resume) with our help

We’re continually updating the tools, templates and examples you need to create your own cover letter and resume in minutes. Here are some resources that you need to check out:

Cover Letter Builder – Our Cover Letter Builder guides you every step of the way with job-specific writing suggestions and a wide range of cover letter templates.

12+ Free Resume Cover Letter Templates & Samples for 2024 – Choose your favorite template and make as many changes to it as you need before downloading it as a text file or PDF, with our free trial.

Cover Letter Examples, Samples & Templates for 2024 – Browsing industry-specific cover letter examples gives you a head start on cover letter writing.

How to Format a Cover Letter – Outlines & Examples for 2024 – Our cover letter formats show you how to set up a professional from font type and font size to margins, and more.

Best Computer Science Resume Example for 2024 | ResumeHelp – Create a job-winning computer science resume to accompany your professional cover letter and job application.

Best Software Developer Resume Examples | ResumeHelp – We have many resume-writing tips and tricks to help you start writing your own software developer resume.

Stunning Computer Engineer Resume Examples | ResumeHelp – Discover how to create a professional computer engineering resume that will land a job interview for your dream job.

Software Engineer Resume Examples to Make a Good Impression – Learn how to highlight your most powerful software engineering skills and work experience to get the engineering role that you’ve always wanted.

Systems Engineer Resume Examples for 2024 | ResumeHelp – Gain lots of resume writing tips and resume examples to create a systems engineer resume that makes you stand out from other candidates.

FAQ: Computer science cover letter examples

Have questions? We’re here to help.

In addition to your updated contact information, a computer science cover letter should demonstrate why you’re interested in the computer scientist position that you’re applying for. This is where you can do a bit of storytelling by going over your experience, skills and accomplishments in the computer science field. Try to feature measurable achievements that show your on-the-job successes and convince the hiring manager, recruiter or potential employer that you’re qualified and worthy of a job interview. ResumeHelp can help you create a convincing cover letter that will help you stand out from the competition.

In addition to your contact information, there are five parts that you should include in your cover letter for computer science.

  1. Professional header
  2. Introduction stating the specific computer science role and why you’re interested in the position
  3. Body paragraphs that use measurable accomplishments to highlight your computer science qualifications
  4. Closing/call to action thanking the reader and asking for a job interview
  5. Professional sign-off

A good computer science cover letter is tailored to the job description that you’re applying for. Be sure that your computer science cover letter format is organized and easy to read. Our cover letter builder and cover letter templates can help you create a cover letter in a few minutes.

Yes. A computer science resume can significantly benefit from a professional cover letter because it helps you indicate who you are to your hiring manager. Additionally, it can help to answer some questions that would be asked at an interview, such as “What is your biggest achievement?” You can write your own cover letter with the cover letter builder at ResumeHelp.

You should aim to have a cover letter that’s anywhere from half a page to 3/4 of a page. A cover letter with the right length needs to be long enough to explain your best qualifications but short enough that a recruiter won’t lose interest. Around 3/4 of a page or just under it is usually the right length for a job search.

Even if you don’t have much experience, you can still use this cover letter format. You just need to substitute whatever experiences you do have. Maybe you have freelance gigs, personal projects, or academic experience that you can include. As long as previous experience features important skills or abilities, you can use this cover letter example. As long as previous experience features important skills or abilities, you can feature them. Look at our other cover letter examples and resume examples for inspiration.

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WRITTEN BY Ho Lin

Ho Lin is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

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