As you have learned in the previous articles on cover letter writing, the overall impact of your cover letter is the first impression your potential employer will have on you. It is in your letter that you can concisely describe your achievements and highlight relevant elements in your background which are not fully discussed in our resume. Yet, one important step is to have your recipient read the rest of your cover letter, in the first place.

So how do you make sure your entire cover letter is read? This is where a cover letter introduction plays its role. You know that all cover letters follow the same format, that is, they consist of a header, introduction, body (second and third), and the closing paragraphs.

Each part of a cover letter is unique and has specific functionality. In this section, we will discuss the secrets in writing cover letters introduction, to help you create hard-hitting and captivating resume introductions. For more information about cover letter letterheads, please see separate section.

What to include in your introduction

After the guidelines on how to write a cover letter, you must have already have some pretty good idea about what information to include in your own cover letter. However, it goes farther than that. Next to crafting a professionally-looking header is how to come up with an interesting cover letter introduction that will convince your reader to further read the next paragraphs.

Like any letter, a cover letter should begin with a greeting for your recipient, which can be a simple "Dear Ms. Mercado". Succeeding the greeting is the first paragraph where you get the opportunity to creatively introduce yourself, how/where/from whom did you learn about the advertised job opening, your specific request or intent, and why you are a good candidate for the position.

Catching your reader's attention

After looking into piles and piles of cover letters and resume, your potential employer has finally found yours. This is critical because you need to stand out among the hundreds of applicants vying for the same position. So, just how do you make the introduction to your cover letter outshine or equal the best? Below are some tips on which information to include in this part:

• Always state the university from which you graduated, the degree you finished, and the position for which you are applying;
  
  
• Mention where you learned about the job opening
  
  
• Bring up any previous interview with your reader, if any.

Here's a cover letter introduction sample:

I'm a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a major in Industrial Engineering. I'm so happy that Professor Roberto Panganiban mentioned about this opening in Intel Corporation, and urged me to send my application immediately. I am highly-spirited, and believe that a company's success stems from team work and strong work ethic - qualities which I know I can bring to your company.

The important point to emphasize in a cover letter introduction is to ensure that you are making a strong claim about your candidacy and that you meet the qualities a certain position requires.