"I am submitting my CV for your consideration in response to your recent advertisement for the post of Staff Accountant in the New York Times."
B-O-R-I-N-G!! Additionally, the decision-maker likely just read this sentence—or one extremely similar to it—about 50 times. Keep in mind that you want to SELL yourself to the decision-maker and CAPTURE their attention.
Don't say the obvious because your cover letter should sell you to potential employers. It is a waste of time to write a cover letter that does not excite and intrigue the reader, and it is also a waste of time for the reader to read it.
In response to your recent New York Times advertisement for the Count the number of times you say "I" or "my" in a sentence. If there are more than five Is and Mys in the letter, circle them all with a pen after writing it. Perhaps some of the sentences should be revised.
Here is an example showing how to achieve that: Instead of saying, "I'm looking for a new job with a chance for promotion. You can state, "A background in retail management and a demonstrated track record of achieving outcomes as a Store Manager are significant components in qualifying me for consideration as part of your team. I feel well-qualified for the Store Manager position with your organization.
Keep in mind that the purpose of the cover letter is to promote your skills, emphasize your background in the best possible light, and convince the reader that you deserve an interview. To be successful, you must convey to the reader the BENEFIT of what you can provide, which cannot be done by repeatedly stating what you WANT.
One of the strategies I prefer to employ in cover letters is to select the top 4 or 5 accomplishments and list them alongside the letter in bullet style. It acts as a fantastic focal point for readers' eyes and immediately directs their focus to your areas of strength. In what would naturally be a larger cover letter, here is a small highlight:
… My track record of accomplishments demonstrates that I am a motivated professional and a high performer. During my time as Regional Advertising Manager, I increased new business by 58%, increased client media coverage by 50%, and formed ties with previously unprotected media contacts.
There are numerous ways to express ideas, but as you can see, some words are more effective at influencing readers than others. You can instantly alter the reader's perception in cover letters, e-resumes, and conventional resumes by switching out other terms or phrases for more conventional (and out-of-date) vocabulary. Look at the summary below:
COMMON VERBAL LANGUAGE
create an entirely new department
closely collaborated with department heads
Assisted in the creation of $3 million in sales; knowledgeable about capital markets and corporate finance; assisted new hires
assistance with bids and plans for the marketing department
decreased costs by 10%
AGGRAVATED LANGUAGE
from its beginnings to successful operation, the established department
cultivated connections with department heads
contributed to the $3 million in revenue
aided newly hired staff
knowledge of corporate finance and the financial markets
actively took part in developing marketing plans
Reduced (or reduced) costs by 10%
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