FREE How to Start Your Cover Letter [ With Samples ]

Competition in the economy when it comes to looking for jobs is intense nowadays. You need to make a great resume that is equipped with the right cover letter. But how do you make a cover letter stand out? We’ll tell you something and it’s actually no secret—the beginning of your cover letter, if written in a strong manner, can help you make the cut!

The first few words of your cover letter are crucial for grabbing the attention of the recruiter. You might think that the body of the letter matters the most but we think otherwise. What is a great steak cut without the right seasoning anyway, right? You want your cover letters to stand out from the rest of the applicants right away. Your opening statements should make the recruiter want to find out more about you and should convince them to continue reading your letter and go through the rest of your application documents.

We hope to help you out and we sure have prepared guidelines and quick tips to a standout cover letter. Plus, we have a few cover letter samples that would be of help. They range from job cover letters to academic cover letters.

Basic Sample Cover Letter

Cover Letter Sample

Employment Cover Letter Sample

Basic Cover Letter Format

Application Cover Letter Format

Starting Your Cover Letters Right

A strong opening is key to making your cover letters stand out from the rest of the applicants. It should catch the interest of the recruiter the first time they read it. Basically, it should have the WOW factor. To help you out, we have gathered a few tips that can help you make a strong opening statement.

• Be straightforward. Your first two sentences should introduce yourself and let the recruiter know what position you are applying for.
  • Example: I am writing to express my strong interest in the Marketing Associate vacancy. My proven track record of being in the Marketing field for two and half years makes me a good candidate. I have helped make the marketing strategy for the successful advertisement of XYZ product. 
• Mention the person who referred you, if applicable. If you have been referred by someone you know who is working in the company, ask this contact if you can mention his/her name in the letter or mention him/her if you get invited for an interview.
• Be excited. Give the impression that you are enthusiastic about becoming a part of the company.
• Go through the job posting. Review the job posting and incorporate these with the skills and qualifications that you already have.
• Check out the samples. Refer to the cover letter examples and read through the opening statements of each sample.
• Personalize your cover letter. There are a few reasons why you should customize your cover letter. You want to make sure that your cover letter is targeted for the position you are applying for. This helps to give the impression that you know what you want and that you are highly interested in the available position.

 

If you follow all of these, you are sure to end up with a splendid cover letter!

Reminders

• You are not writing a novel. Ensure that you keep it short. Think of the first two sentences as the elevator pitch of your cover letter. It should grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager the first time they read it. It should entice them to go through your resume after they read your cover letter.
• You have to make sure that the employer will be getting their money’s worth once they consider you as a potential employee for their company. Let them know that you are capable of meeting their needs and that you are the best candidate to be considered for the position.

Academic Cover Letter Sample

Cover Letter for Internship

CV Cover Letter Sample

Sample Cover Letter Template

Anatomy of a Cover Letter Sample

What NOT to Do on Your Cover Letter

• Do not repeat what you already discussed in your job resume. Instead, use your cover letter to talk about the items that have not been covered by your resume.
• Do not sell yourself short. Be confident and enthusiastic about getting the job.
• Do not forget to pay attention to every single detail of your cover letter. Make sure you proofread and check your cover letter for misspellings and grammatical errors.

 

To sum up this article, we are basically trying to tell you that if the employer does not find you as a good fit based on your opening statement, then expect that you will not get that call you have been waiting for. Try to reassess your resume and take your time in writing one.

Nowadays, it is common for companies nowadays to make use of robots or scanning machines to go through job applications. It cuts the job of the recruiters in half, and if you miss a mistake, your application documents are sure to end up in the shredder or the bin. That is something that we definitely want to avoid. With the tips we have given regarding how to write a cover letter with a strong opening, we hope that you get to apply this to all of the cover letters that you will be writing. For sure, you will be getting multiple calls from the companies that you have applied for. This, in turn, will give you a wide variety of choices to choose from should they consider to give you a job offer letter. We wish you well and luck in the endeavors that you will undertake. Take baby steps and you will surely find the right job sooner or later. Good luck!