How to Start a Cover Letter: Opening-Line Builder + Examples
How to start a cover letter so the reader keeps going: five opening styles with examples, what to avoid, and a free builder that writes five first lines for you.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
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Cover letter opening line builder
Enter the role, one result, why the company and any connection. Get five opening lines in different styles, each built to make the reader keep going.
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To start a cover letter, open with the strongest reason to keep reading: your most relevant result, a specific thing about the company, or the person who referred you. Name the role in the same sentence. The builder above writes five opening lines in different styles from your details.
How should you start a cover letter?
In short
With one specific sentence that earns the second: a result that matches the job, something precise about the company, or a referral. Put the role's name in that same sentence. Skip "I am writing to apply", which tells the reader nothing new.
The first lines carry unusual weight because many reviewers read the letter early. In a 2022 Resume Genius survey of 625 hiring managers, 45% said they read the cover letter before the résumé[Resume Genius survey, 2022], so your opening may be the first thing they see from you at all.
What are good ways to start a cover letter?
In short
Five styles work: result first, company first, referral first, career-change first and, sparingly, a question. Pick the one where you have the strongest material; a result with a number beats everything except a referral from someone they trust.
| Style | Example | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Result first | "I recently ran the study that cut checkout drop-off by 22%…" | You have a directly relevant result |
| Company first | "Your redesign of the mobile booking flow is the reason I'm applying…" | You know something specific about them |
| Referral | "Dana Lee on your design team suggested I get in touch…" | Someone inside recommended you |
| Career change | "After years of work where I…, I'm bringing the same skills to…" | You are switching fields |
| Question | "What would it take to build on your redesign of the mobile booking flow? That question is why I'm applying…" | You can name a real problem they face; use sparingly |
Why does a referral opening work so well?
In short
Because a referral transfers trust: the reader now has a colleague's judgment, not just your claims. Name the person in the first sentence, with their team, and only if they agreed to be mentioned.
Research backs the instinct. A study of nine large employers in the Quarterly Journal of Economics found that referred applicants were more likely to be hired and to accept offers than other applicants[Burks et al., QJE 2015]. If you do not have a referral yet, a short cold email to someone on the team is one way to start building one.
Which cover letter openings should you avoid?
In short
"To whom it may concern", "I am writing to apply for", "My name is", a quote from a famous person, and any sentence that would fit every company on your list. Each signals a template; the reader starts skimming.
Our test is simple: could this sentence appear in a letter to a competitor? If yes, rewrite it. Then keep the rest of the letter equally specific. The free cover letter generator drafts the rest of the letter (swap your new first line in at the top), and the length checker flags the generic phrases that creep back in. Reviewers screen for exactly this specificity: nearly 90% of employers in NACE's 2025 survey want evidence of problem-solving[NACE, 2025], and a result-first opening is that evidence in one line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best first sentence for a cover letter?
The one that gives the reader a reason to keep going: your most relevant result, a specific reason you chose the company, or the name of the person who referred you.
Should I start with "I am writing to apply for"?
You can, but it wastes your strongest sentence. Name the role later in the same sentence instead, after something specific.
Is it okay to open with a question?
Occasionally, for creative or product roles, if the question is about the employer's real problem. For most applications, a result-first opening is safer.
How do I start a cover letter if I'm changing careers?
Lead with the result from your current field that maps best onto the new role, then name the move. It frames the change as deliberate.
Strong openings, written for each job
Onward Scout writes the opening, the evidence and the close for every application from your own profile, and you approve each letter before it goes out.
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