How to Write a Perfect Admin Assistant Cover Letter (Examples Included)

How to Write a Perfect Admin Assistant Cover Letter (Examples Included)Here at TheJobNetwork, we talk a lot about how to build the perfect resumeafter all, its your option to show a potential employer who you are, what you do, and what you will do for them. But although the cover letter has become somewhat controversial in recent years, with the advent of digital hiring tools and job application apps, its an komponente that you should be able to knock out of the park when you need it.For admin assistants, the cover letter can be a useful way to personalize your resume and packaging for the job to which youre applying. Having been there, I know the pluses and minuses of having versatile admin experiencesure, youve got flexible skills that you can take pretty much everywhere. but when youre trying to frame yourself as a unique candidate, how do you take those universal admin skills and experience and make them fit the exact job you want?First, lets start with the basics of a good cover letter.Necessity 1 An Appropriate AddresseeIf you have a direct name (hiring manager, recruiter, etc.), all the bettermake sure the opener is polite and personalized. If you dont have a specific name, you can still personalize it to the company.For exampleDear Ms. Perkins,Hello Ms. Perkins,Greetings Ms. Perkins,Dear Techedge Industries Team,You need to strike the right balance between conversational and formal. Definitely dont go too casual. The fact that youre likely submitting ansicht online, or writing an email, can lead to a false sense of familiarity with the person.Bad examplesHey Phyllis,Phyllis Perkins,HelloTo Whom it May ConcernAll of ansicht greetings are either too casual, or too vague. To Whom it May Concern is the cover letter equivalent of getting mail addressed to occupant chances are its going to be passed on without reading. It suggests that the cover letter writer is applying indiscriminately. that might not be the case (you might just be covering for the fact tha t you dont have a specific contact person), but they dont know that). its important to be as clear and direct as possible in your cover letter.Necessity 2 Your NarrativeThe whole point of your cover letter is adding context to you, and your resume. On your resume, you have limited space, and the priority goes to potent, high-quality bullet points to illustrate your skills and experience. The cover letter is your chance to craft the larger story of your career, and why you would be a good fit for this job in particular.For exampleAs an experienced administrative assistant and a lifelong home baker, I am thrilled to be applying for this position with Ginas homemade cookie company. Ive worked in companies that are large, small, and somewhere in between, and have found that my skills fit best in a small, close-knit company like Ginas. I have experience implementing new systems that improverecord keepingand bro efficiency, and with working as part of a gruppe coordinating complex schedul es and details while making sure everything gets done on time.Bad exampleI am applying for a job at Ginas homemade cookie company. Please see my attached resume, and let me know if you have any questions.In the good example, the applicant shows that shes done her research on Ginas homemade cookie company (company size, general culture), and is showing how she might fit well in that (as a baking enthusiast and experienced admin). The writer doesnt necessarily go into her life history, but picks highlights that dovetail well with the job description. It also gives the reader a voransicht of the kinds of experience to expect in the resume.In the bad example, the cover letter body says nothing about the writer and does nothing to supplement the resume. Its just an unnecessary attachment.Necessity 3 A Strong FinishAlways have a closing paragraph that restates the highlights (why youre a good fit) and leaves room for follow-up.For exampleI would love to have the opportunity to join your k ollektiv and look forward to hearing mora about this opening. My skills and experience as an admin (and a cookie enthusiast) would be a great fit as an administrative assistant in your company. please dont hesitate to contact me if theres any other information I can provide.Bad examplePlease let me know more about this job opening.In these examples, one writer reminds the reader why she is a good fit the other writer puts the onus on the reader to give more information about the job itself and says nothing about herself in the meantime. You want to make sure youre aligning yourself with the job in the readers mind, and this is your last chance to do so before they read your resume.Necessity 4 Clean FormattingLike with your resume, you want your cover letter to be clear and easy to read. That meansA voreingestellt font.This is not the time to test out fun fonts. Pick something clean and basic, like times.No huge blocks of text.In a letter, unbroken paragraphs can look like the rambli ngs of a manifesto. You want your reader to see a series of separate, elegantly outlined points.Short Length.A cover letter should never be more than a page, and even a full page is definitely pushing it. Brevity is the soul of wit and the friend of application readers everywhere.For exampleMy attached resume goes into more detail about my daily job duties and achievements during my tenure as an administrative assistant at two companies. My experience managing complex schedules, overseeing busy offices, and leading junior staff would be an asset to this role.I would love to have to opportunity to join the team at Ginas homemade cookies, and bring my expertise in managing day-to-day office processes to your company. I believe I can meet and exceed the expectations you have for this role, and I look forward to speaking more with you about my application. Feel free to contact me at any time.Bad exampleMy attached resume goes into more detail about my daily job duties and achievements d uring my tenure as an administrative assistant at two companies. My experience managing complex schedules, overseeing busy offices, and leading junior staff would be an asset to this role. I would love to have to opportunity to join the team at Ginas homemade cookies and bring my expertise in managing day-to-day office processes to your company. I believe I can meet and exceed the expectations you have for this role, and I look forward to speaking more with you about my application. Feel free to contact me at any time.Thats a lot to cram into one paragraph. Crafting shorter, punchier paragraphs can help you focus your letter on the points you want the reader to notice, and keep it visually appealing as well.After that closing pitch, all you have left is the closing. Like with the opening address, it should be simple and polite. Not too flowery (kindest warmest regards, dear recruiter isunnecessary.For exampleBest wishes,Sincerely,Bad examplesThanks.Fondest wishes,nameno greetingPlea se hit me back,And after that, youre done Well, except for the resume, the interview, and the negotiation. But your cover letter is in the books, and you have been introduced to your possible future employer.Lets take a last look at the sample cover letter as a wholeDear Ms. Perkins,As an experienced administrative assistant and a lifelong home baker, I am thrilled to be applying for this position with ginas homemade cookie company. Ive worked in companies that are large, small, and somewhere in between, and have found that my skills fit best in a small, close-knit company like Ginas. I have experience implementing new systems that improve record keeping and office efficiency, and with working as part of a team coordinating complex schedules and details while making sure everything gets done on time.My attached resume goes into more detail about my daily job duties and achievements during my tenure as an administrative assistant at two companies. My experience managing complex sched ules, overseeing busy offices, and leading junior staff would be an asset to this role.I would love to have to opportunity to join the team at Ginas homemade cookie and bring my expertise in managing day-to-day office processes to your company. I believe I can meet and exceed the expectations you have for this role, and I look forward to speaking more with you about my application. Feel free to contact me at any time.Sincerely,Francine WatersShort, to-the-point, informative, appropriate now thats a letter that shows what a good admin assistant francine would beLooking for an administrative assistant job? TheJobNetwork has you covered Search admin assistant jobsin your cityhundreds of jobs in many fields await

10 Email Rules You Cant Ignore, According to a CEO

10 Email Rules You Cant Ignore, According to a CEO Some days, I hate my inbox. I am sure you can sympathize. Like you, I (and every other business woman) receive an average 124.5 emailles a day. Yet, despite the fact that we are all glued to our screen, our email etiquette seems to have slowly disintegrated. Ive seen emails that bedrngnis only contained sloppy errors, but in some instances were downright rude or worse, overly casual. Even seemingly innocuous errors add up. And in some instances, can have serious consequences.Ive outlined some basic rules of etiquette to ensure your electronic communications match your professional image.1. Use a professional greeting.Granted, every company culture is different, but a polite and slightly formal salutation is always appropriate. Using words like hey or yo isnt professional, no matter who the recipient. Instead, use hi, hello, good morning/afternoon, or, to be even more formal, dear.2. Use reply-all appropriately.Group emails can be re al time savers because everyone is included in project updates or whatever else youre sending. Unfortunately, group threads can also spiral out of control and segue into separate topics that the whole group doesnt need to be part of. Think twice before hitting reply-all to consider whether everyone really needs to be looped in.3. Dont use nicknames.Shortening someones name (if youve not been told he/she prefers it) is overly casual, presumptuous and, in some cases, can come across as demeaning. My name is Tiffany. Unless I know you personally, its not appropriate to call me Tiff.4. Avoid using humor.Humor does not often work in email. Whats funny to one person may be offensive to others, or worse, could be misinterpreted as sarcastic or caustic.5. Reply in a timely manner.Even though we are glued to our keyboards, theres no need to play hostage to your inbox. If an email comes in under high priority and you know youll need several hours (or even days) to handle it, reply right away to acknowledge the request. Emails that hang around and gather dust in your inbox can give people the impression that you are overwhelmed or that you are ignoring their requests. Unread emails may also mean missed deadlines.6. Proofread your message.The ease of spell check means many of us rely on it to catch spelling errors, which only gets you about half way there. Consider the work public. If you mistype it and accidentally skip the letter L, the word is totenstill spelled correctly but has an entirely different meaning Its also a good idea to check for missed words or words that sound the same but are spelled (and mean) something different, such as your and youre. 7. Dont forget the attachment.This is an easy one to avoid. If you type the word attachment or attach in the body of your email, Outlook will prompt you if it looks like you forgot to attach something. One way to curtail this error is to start your note with in the attached 8. Avoid using all caps.All capital letters u sed in an email can come across as an affront to your recipients. If something is really important, say so or instead use bold or underline to highlight a key point or phrase.9. Consider a call.If you have a lot to say in your email, it may be more efficient to just pick up the phone or schedule a call. Not only can a phone call save time, it can also prevent any misinterpretation of your message. After the call, document agreed points or follow-up tasks with a concise email message.10. Include a closing greeting.Similar to point 1, its just good practice to include a closing greeting. Think about the last email you received where the note just ended abruptly. Chances are, it felt less like a note and more like an order. Remember, email, like any other form of business communication, is a direct reflection of your professionalism. Making sure your email etiquette is on point shows your colleagues that you are thoughtful, polite, and prompt in zugreifbar exchanges.More on email etiqu etteThe One Subject Line that Gets Me a Response Every Time6 Awkward Emails You Shouldnt be SendingThis Is Exactly How To Introduce Yourself Via Email--Tiffany Couch is the CEO and founder of Acuity Forensics, a forensic accounting and fraud investigation firm that helps unravel complex financial crimes.