The main purpose of a cover letter should be to highlight why your skills and experience are suited to the specific role you are applying for.

1. Executive Assistants Career Tips
5 Tips for Writing a Winning Cover Letter

2. Number 1:
Make it Specific

3. Executive Assistants Career Tips
Make it Specific The main purpose of a
cover letter should be to highlight why your skills and
experience are suited to the specific role you are applying
for.
Whilst your CV will mostly stay the same for each
application your cover letter should be written afresh each
time.
This may be time consuming but sending a generic cover
letter that clearly doesn’t apply to the role in question is
the quickest way to get your application rejected.

4. Number 2:
Refer to the Advert

5. Executive Assistants Career Tips
Refer to the advert If the advert has
specified the skills needed or main duties of the role,
make sure you address these in your letter.
Your CV will already show whether you have the correct
experience or not but the cover letter is your chance to
highlight why exactly you are the right candidate.
You could either bullet point the skills you have that match
what the advert is looking for or pick out a few points and
highlight examples on your CV that are evident of these
skills.

6. Number 3:
Format Correctly

7. Executive Assistants Career Tips
Format it correctly You may be sending it
electronically but a properly formatted letter makes a
better impression than a casual email and shows that you
have not lost the traditional skills that employers still
value.
This also means accurate spelling and no ‘text speak’
(yes it happens!).
Keep it short. A couple of paragraphs are sufficient to
highlight your skills and sell yourself. Any longer and it is
likely to be skim-read.

8. Number 4:
Keep it Personal

9. Executive Assistants Career Tips
Keep it personal If the advert includes a
name then make sure you address this person directly to
show again that this is not a generic letter.
If the advert is directly for a company and not through an
agency then specify why you want to work for that
company.
If the advert is through an agency and they haven’t
specified the company, focus on why that particular role is
perfect for you and why you want to work in that industry.

10. Number :
Round it Off

11. Executive Assistants Career Tips
Round it off Add any additional information you
think would be useful such as your notice period or the
best way to contact you.
Thank the reader for their time in considering your
application and reiterate your interest in the vacancy.
Finish with your name and contact number if you haven’t
already included it at the top.