When hunting for the perfect job, you’ll want to seize every opportunity to “speak” to recruiters. How else will you tell them how amazing you are? The bad news: your resume gets only six seconds of review time at a recruiter’s desk. That’s not a lot of time to sell your greatness. But there’s brighter news: when you include a cover letter, that cover letter gets reviewed for a full minute.

Maybe you’re thinking, Pssh, big deal. Is an extra minute worth my time to customize a cover letter? To that we say YES. For you numbers folks, 1:06 is a 1000% increase over 6 seconds. You want 1000% more time to “speak” to recruiters. And you don’t want to miss any opportunity to sell yourself in this competitive job market.

So now that you know to write a cover letter, it needs to stand out from the pile. And what better way to catch a recruiter’s attention than with a killer opening statement? Let us recommend a few (Hint: you won’t see “Please accept this application in response to…”):

1. Play the numbers game. If you loved our percentages up above, here’s your chance to shine! Numbers demonstrate concrete results. Recruiters love results. So if you can use numbers to illustrate your accomplishments, by all means do.

   Example: 20 promoted employees. 15 % increase in customer satisfaction. 10% increase in sales. That’s the award-winning team I developed as a retail department manager. And those are the results I would like to strive for as Department Manager at Big Box Retail.

2. Tell a personal story. If words are more your thing, go for a story. An anecdote is a memorable way to show you’re more than your achievements. You can also show whether you’re a good fit for the company culture. Start with an engaging read about what brought you to this job, industry, or company.

   Example: I have always loved baseball. Anyone who has seen that baby photo of me in a Sacramento Squirrels onesie knows that. Once I could walk, I made sure never to miss a televised game, even while earning my marketing degree at Prestigious U. So imagine my excitement to see a position that combines my education with my lifelong passion—the Assistant Marketing Director with the Sacramento Squirrels.

3. Show you care about the company. Recruiters love to know you’re interested in working for their company. Interest means passion and loyalty, and hopefully employee retention. If you’re especially excited about a company, say so!

   Example: I have been playing SuperFun Video Games since childhood. So when I saw you were hiring, I jumped at the chance to apply. For 20 years, you’ve captivated me as a customer, and now I want to give back by sharing your company’s values with the world. I would love to join your team as its Public Relations Coordinator.

4. Show you know about the company. Current sales figures? Partnerships? New product launches? You’re on top of that. Discussing company news will make you look interested and diligent. And what’s better, you can use that news to show you’d be great for this job.

   Example: It’s all over the news: Cozy Sleep Company’s partnership with Fancy Tech Inc. to develop a self-making bed. When I read about your ground-breaking solution to this age-old problem, I knew I had to be a part of it. As someone with extensive experience in hotel housekeeping, I know a thing or two about well-made beds, which is why I would be a great choice to become your next Quality Assurance Manager.

5. List your job title and standout accomplishments. This approach dives right in to show that you’re a great fit for the job. It is more common than the others, but is also extremely effective.

   Example: As Human Resources Manager for Big City Police Department, I drive the talent acquisition process for a 300-employee organization that is always in need of new hires. By implementing an innovative online recruitment campaign, applications have increased by 200 percent in the last six months, with all of our new hires graduating in the top 5 percent of their academy class.

During your extra minute in the spotlight, choosing a great opener can make your application packet pop. Just remember to customize your cover letter to every job you apply for, because personalization is key. Go ahead and get noticed!