Senior administrative assistant cover letter

Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter (With Examples)

Are cover letters even important anymore? Seeing many job applications list them as optional would probably lead you to believe not. So why waste your time writing one if it isn’t required?

Writing a cover letter is definitely not a waste of time, even though there’s a good chance it won’t be read by a recruiting manager.

Come again?

Submitting a cover letter, even if it’s not required, does have some valuable benefits:

1. It shows you have a good work ethic and you won’t hesitate to put in extra time and effort.

2. It allows you to provide additional context and talk about your experiences in ways that aren’t as easily conveyed in bullet points on your resume.

3. It serves as an opportunity to introduce yourself professionally to a company and make a good first impression.

4. Even if your cover letter is never read, you now have a list of your best talking points ready to discuss in an interview.

Hiring managers are used to skimming through stacks of generic cover letter templates sent as a formality rather than a genuine attempt at an introduction. Many of these letters were downloaded from the web and tweaked to include the applicant’s name and position without providing any personal information about the candidate.

This is why, if your cover letter is going to have any hope of breaking through the manager’s trance as he or she skims and flips, your letter needs to demand attention right from the start. And no, that doesn’t mean you should try to stand out by printing it on colored, scented paper or using funky fonts. Those letters will end up in the reject pile without even a glance.

Your goal is professionalism and quality content. If you follow the cover letter examples and tips in this article, your letter may give you a substantial edge over your competition and help you secure that coveted interview.

Parts of a Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

The day-to-day duties of a senior administrative assistant often overlap with the role of a secretary, receptionist, or executive assistant and can include making travel arrangements, arranging meetings, taking notes, managing phone calls, scheduling appointments, organizing calendars, and other similar administrative tasks.

Organization, multitasking, and communication skills are a must to handle this type of role, so those are the skills you should prominently highlight in your cover letter. As an exciting job prospect for former executive assistants, there will likely be a lot of competition for these types of jobs, especially in the wake of COVID.

Whether your cover letter is for an internship, promotion, entry-level job, or a career change, a senior administrative assistant cover letter should include these standard key components:

1. Your contact information

2. The organization’s information

3. Dear [Manager Name],

4. First paragraph: intent and the opening hook

5. Second paragraph: main body with key skills and accomplishments in relation to the job requirements

6. Third paragraph: closing lines with a compelling call to action

7. Best regards, followed by name and title

Proper formatting should include fitting your cover letter on one side of a single sheet of paper, which means you have a limited amount of space to work with. Make sure every sentence contributes to your pitch in a constructive way.

Your cover letter needs to look professional. If you’re unsure about proper layout and formatting, browse free cover letter templates for help and inspiration.

Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter Opening

Start with your contact info. It’s important to include the contact information for both you and the company to which you are applying at the top of the letter. Don’t forget, your goal is to be contacted for an interview, so don’t make a hiring manager hunt for this information.

If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name, use a gender-neutral greeting such as “Dear [Company Name] Recruitment Manager.” If at all possible, you should address your cover letter to the hiring manager by name.

Tip: Using “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To whom it may concern” is not a good start to your letter. Such a generic greeting may inadvertently raise a red flag and make a hiring manager suspect that you are sending a mass letter to multiple companies without taking the time to personalize each one. Even if that’s an incorrect assumption, it’s still not a great first impression.

Although a neutral “Dear Hiring Manager” or similar phrase is acceptable in place of a name, you should strongly consider mentioning the company and/or department for a little more personalization.

The opening to your cover letter should start with your announcement that you are applying for the position and be immediately followed with an impactful accomplishment. Numbers are proven eye-catchers, so if you’re able to quantify your achievement with statistics or dollar amounts, your letter will be starting strong.

Note that the applicant in the example didn’t rely on market buzzwords and empty, generic claims about increasing revenue. Instead, she personalized her cover letter by providing exact numbers to demonstrate her years of experience and her commitment to cutting costs.

This type of technique is likely to catch a hiring manager’s attention, and it immediately indicates that this isn’t just another cover letter template downloaded and passed off as original.

Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter Body

The opening is designed to grab attention. Once you have that, the cover letter body should continue driving that enthusiasm straight into the main pitch to sell yourself and prove that you’re the best candidate. You need to explain:

1. Why you want this job

2. The skills that qualify you for the specific requirements of the job

3. Why you are the perfect fit for the position

Don’t drop the ball here by resorting to the common cover letter mistake of simply listing off general skills and accomplishments that are irrelevant to the job listing. Those skills should already be listed in your resume; don’t repeat them verbatim.

Instead, it’s much more important to demonstrate that you’ve not only taken the time to research the position and company but also fully understand what’s expected of you. Then, tie your most relevant skills directly to the company’s needs.

Note that the applicant first stated her goal, then demonstrated that she understands the company’s needs. She then provides a full breakdown of specific personal examples to prove that she is capable of fulfilling the company’s demands. This easy-to-read format draws a clear connection to show why she’s a great candidate.

Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter Closing Lines

Your final sentence should end the letter on a high note that leaves a lasting impression. You don’t want to leave your strong pitch hanging, after all. Keep your momentum going all the way to the very end.

A strong conclusion should consist of a quick recap and optimistic closing that reminds the hiring manager why you are a great candidate who deserves an interview.

In this example, the applicant wrapped up her closing in a way that showcases her knowledge, enthusiasm, and desire for the company’s short-term and long-term success. This sets her up to continue this conversation about her goals in the interview phase.

Example of a Senior Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

Putting all the parts together illustrates how the ideal cover letter should start with an attention-grabber and maintain that same level of energy and competency throughout the entire pitch.

Final Thoughts

Following the format laid out in this article will help your cover letter shine. To help bolster your application, you may also consider mentioning a referral in your cover letter and following up your submission or interview with an email thanking the company for their consideration.

Crafting a good cover letter seems to be a dying art these days, but even if cover letters aren’t in high demand like they used to be, they can still go a long way toward showing off your skills in a way that goes beyond the confines of your resume.