How to start a cover letter
Starting a cover letter
Information that should be included in the introduction:
- The position you’re applying for
- The company you’re applying to
- How you learned about the job opening
- A statement expressing and explaining your interest in the position
- Any outstanding achievements that highlight your qualifications
The introduction should be
- Enthusiastic
- Direct
- Creative (when appropriate)
- Focused on the company’s needs
- Achievement-oriented
Be sure to mention any mutual contacts if you have at the company as well.
Tips for starting a cover letter
Be direct
To make sure your application isn’t overlooked, write a short cover letter and state the job you’re applying for clearly and concisely in the first paragraph of your cover letter, that way there’s no confusion about your intent.
Example
I’m writing to apply for the Restaurant Manager position at La Fare Bistro. With more than eight years in the restaurant industry as a server, manager, and host, I’m confident that my expertise aligns closely with the responsibilities required of the Restaurant Manager position.
Express enthusiasm for the role
- Employees who are passionate about their work are likely to perform better, stay longer, and make a greater long-term contribution to the company.
- To demonstrate your enthusiasm in the opening paragraph, explain
- what draws you to the position
- how it fits into your career goals
Example
My senior year of high school, I saved up for nearly a year to buy the first generation Oculus Rift headset — my parents thought I was nuts. But ever since, I’ve been obsessed with the potential of virtual reality technology and have been thrilled to see its presence grow in our changing media industry. That’s why I’m excited for the opportunity to put my passion for VR to work as an Engineer at NextGen VR Corp, and help build the future of virtual reality technology.
Example
I’ve been passionate about writing since I was the editor in chief of my middle school newspaper. Throughout my 10+ years of experience, I’ve channeled this passion into a personal blog with 20K+ monthly readers, featured articles on Forbes and Teen Vogue that have garnered over 40K views, and a writer’s workshop I founded for inner-city teens.
Show your excitement about the work being done by the company
Highlight the excitement about a company’s brand, their mission statement, or their products
Employers value candidates who are personally excited to contribute to a company’s goals because it’s a clear indicator that they’d be an immediate benefit to the team.
Example
As a long-term admirer of the contributions to solar panel technology being made by the team at GreenWays Engineering, I’m excited to submit my application for the entry-level technician position. As a recent graduate from the University of Rochester with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering, I’m confident that my knowledge of PV systems, practical experience performing energy modeling assessments, and precise attention to detail will make me an asset to the team at GreenWays.
Example
I was excited to see that Company ABC is hiring an event manager skilled at increasing brand awareness and driving growth with high-traffic events—especially since I’ve attended several of your company’s speaking events myself. With my 5+ years of experience coordinating successful events in the corporate space, I’m confident I’m a great fit for the role.
Impress employers with an accomplishment
- If you have experience in your field, start your cover letter by noting a professional achievement that demonstrates your expertise in your industry.
- Draw a connection between the contributions you made at your previous job
- and how the skills you learned there will help you achieve similar results in your new role
- By being upfront about your relevant accomplishments, you reassure employers that you’re fully capable of performing the job.
Example
I’m writing to you today to apply for the Senior Accountant role at Walker & Company I saw on Indeed.com. As an accountant with 6+ years of experience, I’ve honed my accounting skills and gained a variety of experience that I’m confident will help me contribute significantly to the team at Walker & Co. Last year while working for Smith Johnson & Sons, I balanced a $400,000 budget, while reducing costs by 20% for a client. Given the opportunity, I believe I can achieve similar results in the Senior Accountant role at Walker & Company, while further enhancing my expertise.
Example
Last month alone, I more than doubled Company X’s Instagram followers and ran two successful Facebook ad campaigns that generated $25K+ in revenue. I’d love to bring my expertise organically expanding social reach and delivering ROI to the social media manager position at Company ABC.
Mention a contact
If you were referred to the role by a former coworker, classmate, or friend, mention their name in the opening sentence for your cover letter.
Hiring managers are more likely to take your application seriously if you’ve been recommended by someone they already work with and respect.
Some tips on doing it tactfully:
- Avoid using extreme words like “greatest” or “best”
- Show excitement and gratitude
- Keep it brief and let the recommendation speak for itself
Example
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 work being done at StarWon, and I’m confident that my skills and experience would be an excellent asset to your team.
Example
I was excited to learn of this job opportunity from my former colleague, Alex Johnson. He and I have worked closely together for many years, most recently on a complex data analysis project at XYZ Company. He thought that I would be a good match for this position on your team.
Use humor or creativity (if appropriate)
- Injecting humor into your cover letter opening is an effective way to add personality to your application as well as catch (and maintain) the hiring manager’s attention
- But note
- Depending on the type of position you’re applying for or the company you want to work at, a casual tone might come across as unprofessional.
- Avoid making your cover letter opening longer than it needs to be. While creativity can help you grab attention, many hiring managers will find anything that exceeds standard cover letter length to be tedious.
- So before adding humor to your cover letter, do some research about the company culture and decide whether a casual tone is actually appropriate
Example
As an online native who’s obsessed (yes, obsessed) with the GoGourmet app, I was thrilled to see your listing for the Social Media Manager position at GoGourmet Studios. Before I started watching GoGourmet’s content, I didn’t know the difference between a ham steak and a lamb shank. While I still may not be much of a chef, I would consider myself something of a social media sommelier. With over three years of professional experience as an online brand manager under my belt, I’m confident my adaptability and hands-on branding experience would make me the ideal candidate to help GoGourmet expand their online presence and user base.
Demonstrate what you can do for the company
highlight a problem you’re confident you can tackle for them, or any specific hard or soft skills you bring to the table.
Example
I’m writing to apply for the Software Engineer role at Jasper Development. With over five years of experience as a backend engineer, I’m confident that my expertise would allow me to become an immediate contributor to the team at Jasper. Specifically, I understand that Jasper is looking to expand their services in cloud computing. At my previous job, I spearheaded a new cloud computing project that generated a 15% revenue increase. The Software Engineer role at Jasper would be an exciting opportunity for me to hone my skills in this area while helping your team build their cloud computing capacity.
Bring up something newsworthy
Kick off your cover letter with evidence that you’ve done your research – and a little bit of flattery.
- If the company you’re applying for was recently in the news, mention it in the opening line and tie it into why you admire the company.
- To avoid sounding insincere with your compliments, bring up a specific event, fact, notable statistic or award the company recently won!
Example
When I saw that Company ABC was featured in Fortune Magazine last month for its commitment to renewable energy and reducing waste in the workplace—all while experiencing triple-digit revenue growth—I was inspired. With my track record of reducing costs by 30%+ and promoting greener workplaces, I’m excited about the possibility of taking on the account executive role to expand your company’s growth and work towards a more sustainable future.
Cover letter opening template
Cover letter opening template