6 Best Ways How to Start Cover Letter With Samples

If you want your job application to stand out, you need a cover letter that drives the recruiter’s attention from the very beginning. Thus, it is natural to wonder how to start a cover letter.

Although figuring out how to start off cover letter can be rather hard, luckily, the formula for success is simple. A brilliant opening should demonstrate enthusiasm, highlight your level of qualification, and prove you are a perfect fit.

If you’ve been struggling with it all along, we have you covered! Below, you’ll find the top 8 techniques on how to start a resume cover letter with well-written examples from experts in the cover letter writing business.

Start Cover Letter With Conveying Love for the Company

When job seekers apply for open positions, tailoring their applications to a specific company is a way to go. Thus, if you are wondering how to start cover letter, one of the best tactics is to start by expressing your enthusiasm and love for the particular company.

There are several reasons why this tactic is effective. First of all, it’s worth noting that recruiting firms are receiving tons of applications for every job offer, which is why every recruiter will only quickly scan the applications to narrow down the pool of candidates. And, if you fail to attract attention at this stage, you will not likely land an interview. However, personalizing your cover letter can boost your odds of getting employed.

Showing that you know the particular company, its values, and needs is a great way to attract attention and show that you are a perfect applicant for the job. Also, it is a good way to show your passion for your work, which will also add you some extra points.

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Let’s examine three examples, one wrong and two right, of how to start out a cover letter showing love for the company.

Wrong ❌:

I wouldn’t mind working for Company X.

Right ✅ :

What impresses me the most about Company Y is the way you are making emphasis on the professional and personal growth of its employees. That is why I was excited to learn you are currently hiring.

I am a true fan of Company Z’s marketing initiatives that always seem to be hitting the target. As a Digital Marketing specialist with 6+ years of experience, I believe I could contribute to even higher effectiveness of your campaigns and would be happy to become a part of your professional team.

Start Cover Letter With Highlighting a Mutual Connection

Another handy tip on how to start a cover letter for a job is to mention someone both you and the recruiter know.

One thing to remember is that work experience and practical skills aren’t the only things that affect your career. There is no secret that every employer is looking, first of all, for a laborer they can rely on. Thus, most employers will be more likely to hire humans who were referred to a specific role, especially when it comes to filling positions that imply a high level of responsibility.

So, if you do have a mutual connection, be sure to mention it at the beginning of your cover letter to drive attention and build up your credibility in the eyes of a hiring manager. Check out the samples to see how you can do this.

Wrong ❌:

One of your team members told me about the position and suggested I contact you.

Right ✅ :

Mr. Doe, the head of marketing with Company Y, found my skills and qualifications to be a great fit for the role of SMM manager and suggested I contact you to discuss the job.

One of my former customers, Meredith Peterson, recommended that I apply to join the Marketing team at Company Z as she feels I would be a valuable asset to the company.

Start Cover Letter With an Attribute or an Accomplishment

If you want to know how to start your cover letter that will help you get more interviews, another winning technique is to kick off straight with a big achievement or attribute.

Stating accomplishments from your previous or current job is a great way to make companies want to employ you. First of all, stating your big wins adds value to your candidacy in the eyes of employers. Secondly, it enables you to demonstrate your key job-related skills.

And, lastly, if you can find an accomplishment that directly relates to the job description, for example, shows that you can solve one of the employer’s key issues, it will set you apart from the competition.

Now, let’s look at a few examples of how you should and shouldn’t start a cover letter with an accomplishment.

Wrong ❌:

I showed excellent performance at the last place of work, managing the company’s social network marketing campaigns and attracting more followers.

Right ✅:

As Digital Marketing Manager at my past workplace, I successfully managed campaigns with budgets over $400,000 and helped the company generate $60K+ in revenue through a well-planned marketing strategy.

Last month alone, in the role of an SMM Manager at Company Z, I completed several marketing campaigns with a 30% higher ROI and managed to increase the company’s Instagram followers by 67%.

Start Cover Letter With Humor or Creativity

Now, while all the options we discussed previously are quite formal and have a business-like manner, there is another cover letter how to start tactic that is not so serious. You can consider starting your letter in a creative or humorous manner. But, you have to be careful with such experiments.

If you ask any career advice expert, they will probably recommend you stick to a more business-like tone of voice. And they would be right. In the majority of cases, creative or hilarious opening lines can backfire. Instead of making a good impression, you can actually present yourself as an unserious or even unprofessional candidate.

However, in some cases, maybe for less formal job applications, a bit of creativity and humor can give you a competitive advantage.

In any case, you can use it at your own risk. But remember not to cross the line, keep it relevant, and make sure you don’t sound arrogant. Below are a couple of examples to help you see the difference between good and bad openers that engage creativity or humor.

Wrong ❌:

Looking for a marketing rockstar? That has to be me!

Right ✅:

I would love to apply for the role of remote SMM Manager with Company Y, as I can grow your followers base at a lighting speed, generate lots of content that tops trends, and throw marketing pitches people will get hypnotized by.

Please consider my application for the Waiter position at Company Z. I’ve been serving tables since 2015. Oh, and I’m also a size small, so if you hire me, I could save you a penny on sewing uniforms.

Start Cover Letter With Bringing Up Something Newsworthy

If you want another trick on how to start a good cover letter, try to bring up something newsworthy concerning the company you’re hoping to work with.

For this trick, find an interesting fact, recent event, award, or notable statistic related to the company. It will show the employer that you’ve done your research. And, it will also add a bit of flattery, which can help you stand out.

The only thing to remember is to sound natural and sincere. Look at the samples below to find some ideas on how to start a cover letter for an internship or job.

Wrong ❌:

I liked your teams’ performance at one conference and want to apply for a job.

Right ✅ :

I was deeply impressed and inspired by the fact that Company Y was featured in Fortune Magazine as one of the industry leaders committed to creating a fully ecological workplace, meanwhile experiencing enormous revenue growth. In my current job, I organized an initiative to promote a greener and more ecological workplace and, thus, helped the company reduce costs by 32%.

When I saw Company’s Z CEO at the TED conference, giving an inspiring speech about the values and culture in the workplace, I was impressed. Your company’s values perfectly fit my own beliefs, which is why I was excited to see your job posting.

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Start Cover Letter With Expressing Passion for What You Do

If you aren’t sure how to start your cover letter, there is one more tactic that works great regardless of your industry. As we all know, motivations and passions are by far the biggest triggers of progress in everything we do. Therefore, employers always like to see that you are truly passionate about what you do.

Starting off your cover letter by stating your motivations and passions is an excellent way to grab the recruiter’s attention and prove that you can be an ideal employee. However, to make it work, you need to ensure that you provide some real arguments and evidence to support your claims. 

Below are three examples that should help you get started.

Wrong ❌:

I have always been interested in web design.

Right✅ :

Web Design has always been my passion, ever since I designed my first personal website in high school. Now, after 5+ years of experience in this field, I’m still passionate about web design. I have completed 100+ projects and designed a number of web-based applications that ranked in the top 5 based on reviews.

I’ve been passionate about writing since school and used this passion for transforming it into a successful personal blog with 40,000+ readers and dozens of high-quality articles featured in large resources, including The New York Times, Vogue, and Forbes.

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Start Cover Letter With a Creative Story

One more tip on how to start a cover letter examples is to tell a creative story. Storytelling has a stunning effect if the story aligns with the job and demonstrates your passion, motivation, or job-related skills. Let’s see some examples.

Wrong ❌:

When I was young, I once met a journalist. So, here I am now, applying to the Journalist role with Company X.

Right ✅ :

Last month my boss challenged me to create a brand new marketing campaign for Instagram. When everything was ready, the final strategy plan got lost two hours before the critical meeting due to a system failure. We had to gather teams across several departments and redo the entire strategy. The best part? Under pressure, we came up with a brilliant idea that more than doubled the company’s followers and generated 43% more sales.

Funny enough that I had always struggled with writing when I was in high school and college, so no one would ever guess I would become a professional writer one day. Everything changed for me during my first job at the local store, where the team had a tradition to write letters to each other at the end of every week. It all started as a fun game but turned out to be the push I needed to discover my passion.

Start Cover Letter With a Belief Statement

The last cover letter how to start technique we’d like to share is starting with a belief statement. The idea is simple - you need to state a particular value or belief that you sincerely care about and that is relevant to your industry. It can help you highlight your positive qualities and make the right impression.

But, keep in mind that it is not enough to simply state your belief. You should also relate it to the job or the company you are applying to. Check out the examples to see how it should look like.

Wrong ❌:

I believe keeping customers at the core is the key.

Right ✅ :

As a sales manager with 5+ years of experience, I always keep customers at the core and believe that it’s the only way to success and business scalability. I admire the way Company Y is dedicated to building trusted relationships with its clients and believe that my skills and experience can help you contribute to that goal.

As a web developer, I believe that mobile-friendliness is the most crucial thing in the 21st century as it is what makes the users’ lives simpler. I’ve long been fascinated by the mobile-friendly products delivered by Company Z, and I would love to be a part of your team to contribute to your important mission.

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The Bottom Line

Hopefully, this guide was helpful. To sum up, let’s recap the main tips on how to start your cover letter to get the best results:

• Show why you admire the company;
• Mention a referral;
• Begin by stating your accomplishment;
• Stand out with the help of creativity or humor (at your own risk);
• Don’t hesitate to compliment the company by mentioning something newsworthy;
• Highlight your passion for what you do;
• Use storytelling technique;
• State a belief that matches the company’s values.

The choice is yours! Pick the method that feels right for you and use this guide with examples for inspiration.

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