How to Start a Cover Letter (3-Step Formula + Examples)

Once you get going, you’ll be fine.

But here’s the problem:

How to start a cover letter in the first place?

Good news:

There’s a simple formula that blows employers away.

Step 1: Pick your biggest achievement that fits the job.

Step 2: Personalise with company needs, facts, events, or name-dropping.

Step 3: Know how to address a letter of introduction, and to whom.

That sounds hard, but there’s a quick way to do it right.

This guide will show you:

• How to start a cover letter that erases other applicants.
• Sample cover letter introductions you can use.
• How to begin a cover letter with the right salutation.
• Why the best cover letter intros start with accomplishments (and how to nail ‘em).

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Here’s how to write an attention-grabbing cover letter first paragraph.

Cover Letter Introduction Example

That’s how to begin a cover letter.

Need more cover letter introduction examples? Want to know how to address cover letters without names?

That’s next.

1. Start a Cover Letter With First Paragraph Gold

“When I destroyed Sauron...”

If you’re Frodo, that’s how to start a cover letter.

You don’t talk about your grasp of written Elvish.

You tease your biggest win.

But—it’s got to fit the job like a custom Rolex.

These two cover letter introduction examples show how:

How to Open a Cover Letter Examples

1. Your best achievement is boosting sales by 35%.
2. The job ad calls for delegation skills.

Dear Catherine,

Before I led the team at Sevenquist Products to (1) increase sales by 35%, I wouldn’t have thought it could be done. It came down to (2) delegating key projects like increasing our open rate by 27% and slashing churn by 23%. When I read about Davis & Locklin’s drive to increase revenue, I had to apply. I’ve been following your firm since 2012, when you received the Caples award.

Dear recruiter,

I'm a marketing specialist with 3 years of experience, with extremely solid marketing skills. I've worked for several large and well-known firms, partnering with cross-functional teams to deliver the right message to turn top-of-funnel into sales. I think my unique skill set makes me an ideal marketing professional for your business.

See that?

The achievement in the first of those cover letters shrink-wraps you to the job.

Achievement Examples

Use these examples in your cover letter openers:

Improved Company Metrics

• Raised revenue 30%.
• Slashed costs 20%.
• Boosted customer retention 15%.
• Delivered all projects at least 3 days before deadline.
• Led the team that raised customer appreciation scores by 22%.

A Great Personal Achievement

• Scored 99 out of 100 in 2 of 4 sections on the CPA exam.
• Manager said I’m the “most professional person he’s ever met.”
• Chosen as team mentor.
• One of my projects received a Webby award.
• Project-managed seven multi-million dollar construction projects.
• Promoted in just 2 months.

Expert Hint: How do you know your big achievement will impress the hiring manager? Connect with a couple company employees on LinkedIn (or phone) and talk to them.

2. Make Your Cover Letter Personal

Your cover letter introduction must be attention-grabbing.

To guarantee dropped jaws—

Tie it to the manager and company.

How?

By adding one of these key facts:

• Company Needs. Do they need cost-cutting most, or marketing ROI? Find out in the job ad, or by reaching out to employees.
• Company Facts. Do they value employee development? Innovation? Learn this on their website or by reaching out.
• Name Dropping. Are you connected to someone at the company? Can you be? Check Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and contact them.
• Company Events. Did they just make the Fortune 500 list or win a huge award? Search news headlines for this cover letter opening trick.

But—

How to use key facts in a cover letter intro?

Do it like these how to start a cover letter examples:

Cover Letter Opening Paragraph Examples

1. Your big achievement: Increased development efficiency 32%.
2. Company event: Their Agile push was written up in TechCrunch last month.

Dear Katie,

I was honoured to lead the team at Cryptoconic that (1) increased development efficiency by 32% through applying Agile best practises. Naturally, (2) when I read about Cloudwallop’s Agile charge in TechCrunch, I was excited, especially since I’ve been a devotee of your software applications from day one.

Dear Manager,

I'm a top-notch software engineer with 5 years of experience in creating next-level solutions through adept creative coding skills. I think you’ll agree that my expert skills in C#, PHP, SQL, HTML, JavaScript, and Ruby make me the perfect candidate.

That first cover letter first paragraph lists a huge achievement. Best, it mentions news the hiring manager is proud of. Guaranteed heart-string tugger.

Expert Hint: Starting a cover letter with the hiring manager’s name is gold. Don’t know it? Call, or do some LinkedIn hunting. Still don’t know it? That’s up next.

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Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

3. Find Out Who to Address a Cover Letter To

Now you know how to start a cover letter.

Still stuck?

Who should you address your cover letter introduction to?

How to Start a Cover Letter—Examples

Check these how to begin a cover letter examples:

Starting a cover letter with names works. Why? Our own names pull attention like electromagnets.

How to Begin a Two Whom It May Concern Cover Letter

Can’t find the name?

No sweat.

Use one of these:

Those cover letter intro examples work because they’re not generic. That’s vs a To whom it may concern cover letter opening statement.

Expert Hint:  Don’t know a female employer’s first name? Use Ms. instead of Miss or Mrs. It’s not linked to marriage status and won’t irk the hiring manager.

4. Address a Cover Letter Properly

Finally.

Had enough introductory paragraph examples?

Just need to know how to write an address on a cover letter?

List your address, the date, then their address.

Do it like this how to start a cover letter example:

Cover Letter Openings—Example

That letter of introduction example is clean, professional, and does the job.

Expert Hint: In an email cover letter, don’t use full mailing addresses. Your web URL, phone number, and email address are plenty.

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Key Points:

Here’s a recap of how to start a cover letter:

• The best cover letter openers start with your most pulse-pounding accomplishment. It could be raised revenue, an award, or a high test score.
• Pick an achievement that fits what the job offer is asking for. If they want cost-cutting, don’t talk about high customer-appreciation scores.
• Mind-meld your accomplishment to the job. Cite company facts, needs, news, or name-dropping in your cover letter opening lines.
• Address a cover letter with “Dear” + the person’s name. Don’t know it? Use “[XYZ] team hiring manager.”

Still wondering how to write a cover letter opening? Can’t find company facts to use for cover letter openers? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

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