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Customizable Opening Paragraphs for Cover Letters: Letters to Recruiters, Headhunters, Executive Search Firms

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by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

 

When it comes to cover letters, have you got writer's block? Do you feel that if you could just start the letter, you'd be OK? Help is here.

 

Here is a collection of customizable opening paragraphs for cover letters. Remember Mad Libs, the fill-in-the-blank game that resulted in wacky stories? This collection is a little like Mad Libs, except that the intended result is not wacky, but serious, effective openers for cover letter. Following each customizable opening paragraph, you'll find a sample paragraph with the blanks filled in.

 

This set of 7 customizable opening paragraphs is for cover letters for use in writing to "headhunters," formally known as recruiters and executive-search firms. These professionals represent client employers, so when you write to a recruiter, you are not writing directly to the employer but to a firm engaged to fill a vacancy for that employer. Learn more about cover letters for recruiters.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #1:
[Name of referral person] of [name of firm] suggested I contact you and that you might pass my resume on to the appropriate person there at [recruiting firm name]. I am a seasoned professional and highly successful, competent team leader with a background of extensive hands-on experience in key areas of interest to [recruiting firm name] and your client firms. My success has been both internal to the companies to which I've contributed and external to clients, customers, and markets. I'd like to bring that success to one of your client companies.

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

Roberta Franco of Gemini Services suggested I contact you and that you might pass my resume on to the appropriate person there at Glasgow Executive Search. I am a seasoned professional and highly successful, competent team leader with a background of extensive hands-on experience in key areas of interest to Glasgow Executive Search and your client firms. My success has been both internal to the companies to which I've contributed and external to clients, customers, and markets. I'd like to bring that success to one of your client companies.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #2:
My extensive educational and experiential qualifications in [subject-matter area(s)], coupled with my strong [type of skills] skills, would align extremely well with a position with one of your client organizations. If you have a client looking to engage a proven candidate who can deliver excellent results, I'd like to make a strong case for myself.

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

My extensive educational and experiential qualifications in genetics, biochemistry, and clinical immunology, coupled with my strong interpersonal communication skills, would align extremely well with a position with one of your client organizations. If you have a client looking to engage a proven candidate who can deliver excellent results, I'd like to make a strong case for myself.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #3:
Several associates have mentioned your recruiting firm frequently conducts searches for [type of client employers]. They've also informed me that you are searching now for a [title of position] who will drive revenue growth for your client. I am convinced I am that [title of position].

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

Several associates have mentioned your recruiting firm frequently conducts searches for growth-oriented consumer-products companies. They've also informed me that you are searching now for a Chief Marketing Officer who will drive revenue growth for your client. I am convinced I am that CMO.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #4:
Some of my colleagues have praised the quality of your search work for [types of professionals] in this area. [Name of referral person] was particularly complimentary. I think we should get to know one another. My experience and track record in [field(s)] have been excellent. Here's a brief summary:

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

Some of my colleagues have praised the quality of your search work for managers in this area. Ellen Tanninger was particularly complimentary. I think we should get to know one another. My experience and track record in sales and marketing have been excellent. Here's a brief summary:

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #5:
My solid experience in [type of experience], combined with my proficiency in [type of skill] would enable me to enhance your success at one of your client companies in a [name of position] capacity.

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

My solid experience in direct marketing, combined with my proficiency in customer analysis, would enable me to enhance your success at one of your client companies in an Account Executive capacity.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #6:
My extensive and diverse [type of experience] experience -- from [executing actions relevant to the targeted position] to [executing actions relevant to the targeted position] -- may be a tremendous plus for one of your client firms because of [value-added reason employers seek your experience]. Your client would also benefit from my unique combination of [type of expertise] expertise, my strong record of [executing actions relevant to the targeted position] and my knowledge of the [type of sector] sector that is far more extensive than that of most [type of professionals] in the sector.

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

My extensive and diverse senior-level management experience -- from launching startups to overseeing turnarounds -- may be tremendous plus for one of your client firms because of my exposure to a wide variety of companies instead of just one. Your client would also benefit from my unique combination of marketing expertise, my strong record of solving marketing problems and knowledge of the industrial sector that is far more extensive than that of most marketers in the sector.

 

Customizable Opening Paragraph #7:
As [name of position] of [name of employer], I [executed an action relevant to the targeted position] and [executed an action relevant to the targeted position], and am poised to do the same for one of your client firms.

 

Sample customized paragraph based on above:

As President of Canadiana Resort Development Inc., I supervised an international workforce and assumed all the details of daily operations, from marketing and human resources to finance, and am poised to do the same for one of your client firms.

 

Go back to the main page of Customizable Opening Paragraphs for Job-Seeker Cover Letters.

 

 

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

 

Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers, is an educator, author, and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling in the job search at A Storied Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior from Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates and A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by Ten Speed Press), as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her personal Website or reach her by e-mail at kathy(at)quintcareers.com.

 

 

Go back to the Cover Letter Resources for Job-Seekers section of Quintessential Careers, where you will find a collection of the best cover letter tools and resources, including articles, tutorials, and more.

 

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

 

 

 

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