Where can you find a sample cover letter for executive secretary?

Answer 1

Although it's not written specifically for a secretary, there's a sample cover letter linked to the right. (Maybe someone else out there has a good cover letter example for an administrative assistant?)

You might also want to check out the other links including:

• How to write a cover letter (reprinted from Resume Edge)
• Choosing the paper and letterhead for your resume and cover letter (reprinted from Resume Edge)
• Writing cover letters (reprinted from the Federal Citizen Information Center)

Answer

if you have word look under tools and you will find help with cover letters, resumes, etc..

Answer 2

You can do what I did and do a search on "sample cover letter" and then search within those results under "secretary."

Obviously it helps if you have experience in the same sort of business that you are applying for: law firm, doctor's office, dental practice, personal assistant (they don't like to be called secretaries any more than flight attendants like to be called air hostesses) to some vice president.

You need to read and read and re-read the ad. What computer skills are they looking for? Is there a words per minute typing requirement? Do you spend part of your day covering for the switchboard attendant and if so, what switchboard hardware experience do you have?

The point of applying to the job is to prove to someone you can make their life easier by exactly slotting in where someone has obviously just moved out. So your cover letter needs to be something like this:

Paragraph 1. Tell them the job you are applying for (including a job number or whatever they may use; they might be trying to fill 100 positions, so help them out).Tell them why you are interested in the job (looking to move to a bigger company, looking to use the skills you learned at Secretary College, looking to work for a prestigious law firm, but NEVER EVER because you expect to earn more money. NEVER mention money unless the ad asks for a "salary history." They don't want your salary history; they want to know how much you made at your last job (or at your current job, more like). If you are making 70,000 now, you won't be happy to interview for a job that pays half that. If you tell them you make 9 bucks an hour, they'll know that they can get you for 10 even though they would actually be willing to pay 13. It's a tough one to deal with, but you have to put something, otherwise you will likely be weeded out. Sometimes they will ask for your "salary requirements" which is a bit easier because you can say your salary requirements are "Negotiable" which is code for I'll probably take whatever you are offering.

Then your next paragraphs should tell them what skill they are looking for and how you can meet their need:

Your position calls for someone who can use Microsoft Word and type 60 words per minute. As you can see from my resume, I used Microsoft WOrd for 5 years at Bigby Widget company and I can type 90 wpm.

You also need someone who can (whatever it might be). When I was at Solomon Trulie, I (did whatever it was that they want.)

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you are just duplicating what is in your resume, and as soon as they read your resume the light will go on. Truth is, yours is one of only any number of applications, and unless your cover letter tells them that you can do what they want without 6 months of hand-holding or training, they will not even read your resume.

Do you have skills that they haven't asked for? Great. Tell them how much extra value you can bring to the company because they might one day need someone with those skills. They may do now actually; people who write job ads are really not very good at it. If you get an interview with the person who can actually hire you, he might pee his pants when he finds out you know how to fill out customs forms for China, or can speak Italian. You will know if these things are important because you WILL go to their website and read EVERYTHING about the company, so you will know that they sell raw materials to China, and that they have an office in Rome.

Do you not quite have exactly the skills they are looking for? Don't worry about it. Like I said, people who write these ads aren't that good and if you can only type 60 wpm and they specify 70wpm, there's a good chance that you could get by on 35 words per minute. I am a technical writer by profession, and have been for 7 years, but when I sit and try to type something straight out like this, I doubt I am hitting 25 wpm. Sometimes I can go half a day at work without typing a word. Point is, don't psych yourself out of not applying because the chances are the other applicants come up short in some respect too.

There is a sample here http://www.vault.com/nr/main_article_detail.jsp?article_id=20934&cat_id=0&ht_type=9 that shows you how to do the addressing and layout; it's only one of hundreds

So what if you have no skills that can transfer directly to anything you are reading on Monster.com (bearing in mind that you should not only be searching under "secretary" (which is something of an old-fashioned term now) but Administrative Assistant, Personal Assistant to the Vice President, Executive Secretary, Girl Friday, Office Administrator and especially "Entry Level." That's a tough one. If you are just out of college or high school, bug the job placement people until they get you some interviews. That's what they are paid for. Sign up with all the local temp agencies and call them every day and tell them you will do anything anywhere, as long as you get something to put on your resume related to your job search. Ask every member of your family and all your friends if there are any openings where they work. Everybody has to start somewhere.

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These cover letters are samples and everybody has access to them. We strongly suggest that you modify the text and format of these free cover letters. If an employer receives two of the same cover letter because they have been downloaded from the same source, it would spell disaster for both job candidates.

If you are applying for a job in a foreign country you can use these free cover letters, but do not translate them directly since a direct translation does not always make sense. Feel free to view these free cover letters examples and industry-specific letters and use them in your job search:

Answer 3

There are many books for job seekers at most local libraries. There are even books that are dedicated only to cover letters. You can also search the internet for sample cover letters.