Start your cover letter with an opening line that speaks about the role and the company, never about yourself first. Forget "I am writing to apply" and "In response to your advert": these phrases are invisible to a recruiter. Instead, open on a concrete fact (years of experience, an achievement, a qualification) tied directly to what the posting needs, and name the company. In Switzerland, the letter fits on a single page, and the introduction is judged in a matter of seconds: it is what decides whether the rest gets read.
"I always get stuck on the first sentence." That is the moment where most applications grind to a halt. The page stays blank, or worse, it fills up with an empty phrase copied a hundred times elsewhere. Yet the opening line is the most valuable part of the whole letter: it is what makes someone want to read on, or what sends your application to the rejection pile.
A recruiter spends very little time on a first pass. Studies on the subject show that a CV is often scanned for only a few dozen seconds, sometimes less than ten, during the initial sweep. Your letter gets the same impatience. In this article, we look at where to start in concrete terms, which phrases to ban, and how to align your opening line with Swiss standards.
What makes a good cover letter opening line?
The opening line is the first sentence (and sometimes the first two) of your letter. Its job is not to say everything, but to give a reason to keep reading. A good opening line meets three simple conditions.
- It is specific. It speaks about this role and this company, not about a generic "job." A recruiter spots in seconds a letter written for them versus a letter copied from a template.
- It offers proof, not a claim. "Motivated and thorough" proves nothing. "Four years managing the stock of a store with 800 references" instantly places your profile.
- It turns toward the employer. The recruiter wants to know what you bring to their team, not just what the role would bring you. The opening that works best connects a concrete strength in you to a clear need on their side.
In other words, a successful opening line is not "original" for the sake of being original. It is precise, proven and turned toward the company.
Where should you start your cover letter?
There is no single right opening, but there are a few reliable angles. Choose the one that fits your situation and the role you are targeting.
| Type of opening | When to use it | Example opening |
|---|---|---|
| The quantified achievement | You have a concrete result to highlight | "In two years, I cut my department's order processing time by 30%." |
| The key experience | Your background maps directly to the need | "With eight years in fiduciary accounting, I would like to put that expertise to work for your firm." |
| The link with the company | You know the company or its sector well | "Your approach to advising SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland matches exactly how I see my work." |
| The qualification or training | You are starting out and your best asset is your studies | "Having earned a Federal VET Certificate as a medical assistant, I am looking for a first role where I can apply thorough patient care." |
The rule common to all four angles: you get to the point from the very first sentence. Use direct verbs in the present tense ("I would like," "I bring," "my goal is"), and name the company rather than staying vague.
A simple method if you are unsure: start with your strongest characteristic for this role (years of experience, highest qualification, a standout achievement), move on to the main skill the posting asks for, then name the company. In three steps, your opening line is ready.
Which opening phrases should you avoid?
Some openings are so common that they no longer say anything. The recruiter has read them hundreds of times: their eye slides right over them. The problem is not that they are wrong, it is that they are empty.
| To avoid | Why it does not work | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| "I am writing to apply for your position." | An apologetic phrase, no content, seen everywhere | Open on what you bring to the role |
| "In response to your advert posted on…" | Purely administrative, zero motivation | Mention the role in the body, not the opening |
| "I am a motivated and dynamic person." | An unverifiable claim, an invisible cliché | Replace it with concrete proof |
| "It is with great interest that I write to you." | Polite but hollow, everyone writes it | Say why this company specifically interests you |
| "I believe I match the profile you are looking for." | Timid, it casts doubt on your application | Assert a fact that proves the match |
The common thread in these mistakes: they talk about the act (I apply, I write to you) instead of talking about the value. A strong opening line does not announce that it exists, it demonstrates something right away. This reflex shows up in most applications that end up discarded; we cover others in our article on the mistakes that get your application rejected.
How do you adapt your opening line to Swiss standards?
In French-speaking Switzerland, applications follow codes of restraint and precision. Your opening line has to match them, or it will ring false.
- The letter fits on one page. This is the strongest norm in Swiss recruitment: a single page, often between 250 and 400 words. Your opening line therefore has to get straight to the point, without flourishes that would eat into that limited space.
- The company comes before you. Swiss recruiters expect a precise, sincere reason why this company interests you, not just the role. An employer can tell within about thirty seconds whether the letter was written for them or copied from a generic template.
- The tone stays measured. A punchy opening, yes; a flashy one, no. Avoid superlatives ("the ideal candidate," "an all-consuming passion") in favour of a confident, factual tone.
- Formal address and formal rigour are expected. A mistake in the first sentence is costly: that is precisely where the reader's attention is at its peak.
If you want the full structure of the letter, beyond just the opening line, our guide to the cover letter in Switzerland details the paragraphs, the format and the expected closing formulas.
What does an opening line that works look like?
Here are three openings built on the method above, for different situations. Note that none of them starts with "I" in a hollow sense: each one states a fact first.
- Career change into personal care: "After ten years in sales, I chose to train in supporting the elderly, a job where my people skills finally make full sense. Your care home in Lausanne, recognised for the quality of its support, matches that commitment exactly."
- Recent IT graduate: "With a Bachelor's degree in software development, I built a management application during my final-year project that is now used by my university of applied sciences. I would like to put that technical rigour to work on your web projects."
- Experienced management profile: "Over five years leading a team of seven, I oversaw three branch openings in French-speaking Switzerland. Your regional manager role is a natural continuation of that path."
Each one fits in two sentences, states a piece of proof, and connects that profile to the company's need. It is that movement, from a concrete fact toward the employer, that sets an effective opening line apart from an empty phrase.
Writing that opening line from your real background, without starting from a blank page, is exactly what candidat.app does: the tool generates a letter tailored to each posting, aligned with Swiss standards, with an opening that speaks about the role and the company without inventing anything about your profile. You adjust, you validate, you send.
Summary
A good cover letter opening line does not talk about the act of applying, it demonstrates value. Ban "I am writing to apply" and "In response to your advert": these phrases are invisible to a recruiter. Instead, open on a concrete fact (a quantified achievement, a key experience, a link with the company or a qualification), tie it to what the posting needs, and name the company. In Switzerland, keep the letter to one page, hold a measured tone, and take particular care with that first sentence: it is the one the recruiter reads first, and often the one that decides whether they read on.
FAQ
Should you start your cover letter with "I"?
Not in a hollow sense. Avoiding "I am writing to apply" or "I believe I match" does not mean banning the pronoun: "I cut costs by 30%…" is perfect. What matters is stating a fact, not announcing the act of applying.
What is the best opening sentence for a cover letter?
There is no single one. The most effective connects your most relevant strength (experience, achievement, qualification) to the precise need in the posting, while naming the company. The ideal angle depends on your profile and the role you are targeting.
Can you start a cover letter with a question?
Yes, as long as it is relevant and not a gimmick. A hollow rhetorical question ("Are you looking for a motivated candidate?") falls flat. A question rooted in a real issue for the company can work, but a factual opening remains the safer bet.
How much time does a recruiter spend on a letter?
Very little. The first sift of a CV often happens in a few dozen seconds, sometimes less than ten, and the letter gets the same impatience. That is why the opening line has to deliver the essentials right away, with no preamble.
Should you mention the job title in the opening line?
It is not mandatory in the very first sentence. The job title and its reference are often better placed in the subject line or in the body. The opening line is there to create the urge to read, not to handle administrative details.