by Natalie Fisher | August 15, 2018
re-posted from Vault

When you get the chance to submit a cover letter for the perfect job opportunity, you want your letter to stand out. So here’s a simple trick you can use to get the person reading your cover letter to become quickly interested in you and what you have to say.

The trick begins with the first sentence of your cover letter. Most cover letters that hiring managers receive start out something like this:

“I’m writing in response to the marketing associate position at xMatters that was recently advertised.”
“I am writing to apply for the marketing associate position at xMatters.”
“I am writing to apply for the marketing associate position at xMatters, as advertised on LinkedIn.” 

Instead, consider beginning your cover letter like this:

“I’m thrilled to apply for the marketing associate position at xMatters.”

This sentence shows enthusiasm, and is much more powerful than writing, “I’m applying for …” or “I’d like to be considered for …”

The next part of the trick is writing something like this as your second sentence: 

“There are three reasons why I would be the perfect match for this position.”

This is the kicker. Saying that you have three specific reasons why you match up for the position is very compelling and will make any hiring manager keep reading. A hiring manager or recruiter will not be able to help but find out what your three reasons are.

Then, after this sentence, you include your three reasons, while adding in some personality. Keep in mind that the person reading your cover letter has never met you, so if you sound like every other person they will not continue to read your letter. That’s why it’s so important that your beginning stands out and catches their eye.

For example, here are some ways to write your reasons while adding in personality:

“The first reason is I’m slightly obsessed with … [insert something that relates to the role; if you’re going for a marketing analytics role, being slightly obsessed with pivot tables would be a plus].” 

“The second reason is I have direct experience with … [insert a short, concise story of your experience related to the role].” 

“The third (and most important) reason is I’m fascinated with … [insert something that highlights your personality and shows how passionate and enthused you are about the role you’re applying for].” 

Of course, there are a few other ways to approach writing a successful cover letter. And note that the type of cover letter you write will depend on the type of company, role, and industry you’re applying to, for, and in. These will all determine how you approach your cover letter writing and which type of letter will get the best response.