How to Start a Cover Letter

How to Start a Cover Letter How to Start a Cover Letter: Cover Letter Opening Lines Not quite sure how to start your cover letter? Weve listed six attention grabbing openings for you to check out â€" choose your favorite and start landing more interviews. Make a Cover Letter in Minutes Starting your cover letter effectively will impress hiring managers. Coming off as dull and uninspired will destroy your chances of getting phoned in for an interview. After youve learned how to address a cover letter and figured out the basics of a cover letter format, you must craft a captivating cover letter introduction. Your first paragraph â€" even your first sentence â€" needs to convince the hiring manager that you’re different from (and better than) the competition. So, how do you begin your cover letter? This cover letter intro guide (paired with six good examples) will show you the way. The 6 Best Cover Letter Opening Strategies Job seekers frequently fall into the trap of starting with a generic cover letter intro such as this one: Too Generic Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], My name is [Applicant Name], and I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply for the open position of [Job Title] at [Company Name]. This kind of basic cover letter opening sentence is simply not going to catch the hiring manager’s eye. To distinguish yourself from the pack, you’ve got to employ a different tactic. Here are six good strategies for writing the best cover letter to  attract attention and earn you an interview. 1: Lead With Your Passions If the job you’re seeking aligns with one of your passions, begin your cover letter’s opening paragraph by describing what you love doing and how it ties into that particular role. Having sincere passion for your industry is an attractive job-seeker trait. Companies are looking for employees with good attitudes, who will happily work in any given role for an extended period of time. Cover Letter Opening Example Passionate Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], I’ve had a passion for helping people ever since I was little. Back then, I would help make-believe patients feel better by pretending to be a doctor. Now, after 10+ years of medical school and placements, my passion for helping others hasn’t waned, which is why I’m excited to apply to the open pediatrician role at Mercy Springs General Hospital. 2: Express Excitement If this particular company is your dream workplace (or at least one youd love to join), great! Use your opening to show how thrilled you are about the prospect of working there. Do some research and pepper your introduction with facts about the company, so the employer can tell that you’re actually enthusiastic and not just faking it for the sake of leaving a positive impression. Hiring managers also appreciate this gesture, because its a good sign that you’ll be a happy employee.   Happy employees have been shown to stick around longer than ones motivated by more material reasons. Cover Letter Opening Example Excited Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], Ever since going on a fourth grade field trip to visit the Washington Post headquarters on 15th Street NW, I’ve dreamed of working as a journalist there. As the premier newspaper in the Washington metropolitan area, it would be an honor to join this prestigious team as a full-time reporter. 3: Impress With an Accomplishment If you’ve got significant experience in your field, start your cover letter with a notable, quantifiable achievement that reflects that experience. Employers want to know that hiring you will be worth the effort â€" so why not provide them with a bit of proof? By displaying your relevant accomplishments first, you reassure employers that you’re more than capable of performing the role. Cover Letter Opening Example Including Accomplishments Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], As an accountant with 6+ years of experience, I would be a valuable addition to your team. Last year while working for Smith Johnson Sons, I balanced a $400,000 budget, while reducing costs by 20% for a client. I would love to bring my skills to the open accountant role at Walker Company, with the hopes of enhancing my performance further while under your employment. 4: Reference a Mutual Contact If you heard about the role from a friend or former coworker, mention their name in your cover letter introduction. A contact within the company is a valuable asset to leverage in your cover letter intro. Although this may seem like name-dropping, referencing this mutual contact is effective because it immediately distinguishes you from other applicants. Plus, if your contact is highly respected by their colleagues and/or manager, youre immediately on the inside track for landing an interview. Cover Letter Opening Example Including a Reference Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], I was excited to hear about the open position of social media manager at StarWon from an ex-colleague of mine, Jennifer Henderson. We were on the same social media team at Turbofun for two years, where we worked on eight projects together. I’ve heard great things about the company, and feel that my skills and experience would be an excellent asset to your team. 5: Humor or Creativity If you’re applying for a non-traditional job or to a company that has a quirky company culture, stand out by injecting your cover letter introduction with humor or creativity. Entertaining the hiring manager can keep them reading and make them curious enough to invite you in for an interview. Before you try this approach, however, research the company to ensure that they would appreciate your lightheartedness. Cover Letter Opening Example Humorous Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], With a name like Englebert Nicholas Stanley Humperdinck, I know what it’s like to be that weird kid in class. Now that I’m Mr. Humperdinck, the English teacher with 250+ hours of classroom training and a M.A. in Education, I command a bit more respect in the classroom. That’s why I’m excited to apply for the11th grade English Literature teacher position at Peppercorn Experimental High School. 6: Tie in Company News If your target company has had some recent, publicized success, mention it in your cover letter introduction. This will help you differentiate yourself from other applicants. Doing a bit of research can go a long way in personalizing your cover letter opening. By making a note of such news and tying it in with why you want to work at their company, you show the employer you’ve done a bit of research and aren’t simply mailing out bulk applications. This reinforces the idea that you legitimately care about working for their business, which in turn makes you a more compelling candidate. Cover Letter Opening Example Including Company News Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], When I heard that Lucky Sparks had taken home two awards at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for Best Director and Best Narrative Feature, I was overjoyed and inspired. I’ve been consistently impressed with the work that Lucky Sparks puts out, which is why I’m excited for the opportunity to apply for the open Production Assistant role. Tip Confused about how the rest of a cover letter should look? Check out our 80+ professionally-written cover letter examples for some helpful ideas. 4 Donts for Cover Letter Openings Now that you know the best way to start an interview-landing cover letter, here are some surefire ways to send your cover letter straight into the trash (so you can avoid them). Repeat: DONT do the following: 1. Dont write a generic cover letter opening As mentioned previously, don’t go with the standard, generic opening for your cover letter. Since a cover letter’s main function is to create a more complete picture of you as a candidate by providing information that wasn’t touched on in your resume, it needs to have a unique angle so that you’ll attract the hiring manager’s interest. Similarly, do not address your cover letter with “To Whom It May Concern”. Doing so looks lazy and old-fashioned, neither of which are good impressions for you to make as an aspiring candidate. 2. Dont  waste time getting to the point Your cover letters first paragraph needs to seize the hiring managers attention immediately. Dont waste space with fluff and filler. While you may be tempted to begin your cover letter with “My name is…” or “I’m writing to you to apply for…,” you should instead begin with an interesting hook. The hiring manager should already know your name and the position you’re applying for, so there’s no need for redundant information. Tip Keeping your message brief is especially important when writing an email cover letter. 3. Dont be hyperbolic While it’s good to be confident in your cover letter, avoid using exaggerated phrases like “I’m uniquely suited for the job,” or “I’m the best candidate for the job.” Even though such language is commonly employed by job seekers, it’s better to steer clear of it. Theres no need to come off as bombastic or arrogant. Instead, stick to quantifiable achievements, where you can use data to prove your competence. 4. Dont talk down your potential When writing about themselves, many applicants feel the need to be humble about their abilities. The end result is that they talk down their potential. This is a major turn-off for employers. Using self-effacing language such as “Although I’m not the best…,” or “Even though I don’t have much experience in…,” will harm your chances of landing an interview. Stick to pointing out your strengths, and back up your claims with evidence. Tip Read our guide to how to end a cover letter to put the finishing touches on your application. Key Takeaways for Starting a Cover Letter There are no set rules for how to open a cover letter. Every job is unique, so youll need to develop your own pitch for each opening that inspires you. Armed with our guidelines, were confident youll be successful. Need more cover letter help? We have a long list of cover letter tips. You can also check out our beautiful cover letter templates or our intuitive cover letter builder, and craft your own document with ease.