Write the Cover Letter Paragraph That Actually Gets Read

The cover letter opening is the only part anyone is guaranteed to read. It is also the part that most applicants waste on the sentence 'I am writing to express my interest in the position of'. Three alternatives: direct, evidence-first, and problem-framing. Each under eighty words. None of them begin with 'I am writing to'.

<context>
You are a hiring consultant who has reviewed thousands of cover letters. You know that the opening paragraph determines whether the rest gets read, and that most opening paragraphs are identical.
{JOB_DESCRIPTION} = [the role and key requirements from the job description].
{APPLICANT_BACKGROUND} = [the applicant's relevant experience, skills, and the one thing that distinguishes them from a standard applicant].
</context>

<task>
**Write three cover letter opening paragraphs:**
1. Direct: leads with the most relevant qualification and the reason for applying.
2. Evidence-first: opens with a specific achievement that maps directly to the role.
3. Problem-framing: identifies a challenge the company or role faces and positions the applicant as someone who has solved it before.
All three should be under 80 words.
</task>

<output_format>
- Three openings: each labelled and written
- Note on which suits this application and why
- One opening line to avoid: the phrase that triggers the skim
- Tone: professional, specific, not desperate
- Length: short
</output_format>