A Complete Guide to Writing a Secretary Cover Letter [with 5 Tips and Tricks!]

Writing an exceptional secretary cover letter, or secretary application letter, is an important step in the job application process. While not required in many job applications, a strong cover letter can make you stand out against similarly (or more) qualified applicants. A well-written secretary cover letter provides you the space to embellish your job application with more detailed descriptions of your accomplishments and personal qualities that cannot fit in your resume (learn how to write a resume for secretary position).

Secretaries are responsible for a plethora of office-based and administrative tasks within a company. From acting as a bridge between employees and managers to providing clerical assistance to the administration, the jobs that a secretary is tasked with are intensive and require a strong background in a unique skill set. 

Applying for a job as a secretary, like any other, can be challenging. Due to the technical knowledge required for many areas of work, a secretary may be required to have pre existing knowledge to most efficiently carry out their duties. Your secretary cover letter, therefore, may need to include this knowledge base to be seriously considered for the position you are applying for.

If you are looking to write a well-structured and engaging secretary cover letter, this article is your one-stop shop for all your secretary cover letter needs!

Check out these secretary cover letter examples you can use as a guide to writing your own!

Cover Letter for Company Secretary

Application Letter for Secretary without Experience

The components of a secretary's cover letter are identical to its traditional counterpart. Use this description as a guide to properly structuring each section of your secretary cover letter!

✍🏻 Tailor the letterhead.

Start your secretary cover letter on the right foot by including a full letterhead. This includes your name and contact information, the date, and the contact information of the address, in this case, the hiring manager. Take the time to find the necessary contact information of the company to tailor your letterhead specifically to the company you are applying to. 

✍🏻 Use a professional opening salutation.

Personalize the salutation of your secretary cover letter. Personally addressing the hiring manager in your salutation creates a good impression of you in their mind and shows you are meticulous and take the time to properly research the job before applying. 

Some good examples of opening salutations you can use in your secretary cover letter are:

• Dear  [Mr./Ms./Mrs.][Hiring Manager’s last name]
• Dear [Mr./Ms./Mrs.][Hiring Manager’s full name]

If you cannot find the name of the hiring manager, you could say:

• To Whom It May Concern
• Dear Hiring Manager
• Greetings
  

✍🏻 Introduce yourself and your motivation for applying.

In the introductory paragraph of your secretary cover letter, provide a brief self-introduction and a short description of your motivation for applying for the position. 

✍🏻 Include your technical knowledge and skill set.

Apart from the clerical duties of a secretary, ensure that your secretary cover letter includes your technical knowledge of the field you are applying to work in. For example, apart from your hard and soft skills, if you are working as an executive secretary, your cover letter should include your knowledge of relevant technical information, especially specific terminology. 

✍🏻 Include a call to action (CTA).

In your secretary cover letter’s closing paragraph, reemphasize your interest in the position and thank the hiring manager for reading your letter. 

✍🏻 Sign off on your secretary cover letter.

Close off your secretary cover letter by using an appropriate complimentary closing. Avoid informal closings such as “Cheers”, or “Take care” and opt for something more formal. Here are some examples that you can use when writing your secretary application letter:

• Yours sincerely
• Sincerely
• Respectfully
• Best regards
• Regards

Now that we have reviewed the parts of a cover letter for a secretary job, here are some tips and tricks to take your secretary cover letter to the next level!

💡 Highlight secretary skills.

Effectively carrying out the duties of a secretary requires a certain skill set. Here are some hard and soft skills you can include in your secretary cover letter:

💡 Tailor your secretary cover letter to the job listing.

When drafting your secretary cover letter, ensure that you tailor the content of your letter to the specific job and company you are applying to. 

Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that filters job applications based on the skills and qualifications listed within the application. To increase your relevance to the job and rank higher on the ATS, carefully read the job listing before writing your secretary cover letter and determine the required skill set, experience level, and qualifications you should include!

💡 Illustrate skills using examples & data.

In the main body paragraph of your secretary cover letter, add credibility to your skill set through the inclusion of empirical data to support the skill set you bring. Most importantly, only include relevant examples to back up your claims. Consider these excerpts from an application letter by a fresh graduate for a secretary position:

• 👍🏻 Good: I have taken and passed the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification and have a typing speed of 80 words per minute. 
• 👎🏻 Bad: I hold a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, with a minor in Economics. In addition, during my undergraduate studies, I was the captain of my university football team.

As you can see, good use of examples takes advantage of the space for elaboration that your secretary cover letter provides to embellish the skills already mentioned in your resume and adds further credibility to your qualifications. 

💡 Proofread before sending your secretary cover letter.

The position of a secretary requires meticulous attention to detail and a keen eye for small discrepancies. Your secretary cover letter should be a perfect exemplar of these skills and be free of grammatical or other similar mistakes. Proofread your secretary cover letter before submitting it to ensure it is of the highest quality!

💡 Emphasize key educational qualifications and/or training. 

While experience is gold for any job application, writing a secretary cover letter without experience is still possible! In place of experience, your secretary job application letter should emphasize your prior education, training, and other forms of qualifications that you can use to validate your competency for the position you are applying for. 

For example, highlighting educational degrees, secretary training, and certifications for field-specific secretary positions (such as when writing a cover letter for a legal or medical secretary position) can strengthen your secretary application letter without necessarily having experience. 

Conclusion

Writing a secretary cover letter is not easy and it’s not supposed to be. However, the introspection and level of reflection required to write a solid cover letter allows you to categorize your skill set and can allow for leverage later down the application process. 

When writing your secretary cover letter, remember the following points:

• A strong cover letter for a secretarial position builds on the qualifications listed in your resume and strengthens your candidacy for the job you are applying to. In your secretary cover letter, remember to include relevant details that will draw attention to your achievements!
• Highlight your key skills and relevant technical knowledge in your secretary cover letter to add credibility to your resume.
• When writing an application letter for a secretary position without prior experience, demonstrate a clear understanding of the position you are applying to, and back up your application with an emphasis on your other qualifications/experiences.
  

An eye-catching secretary cover letter is a surefire way to boost your application package and land an interview in no time! With these tips and tricks, you should be well on your way to writing a secretary cover letter that will knock the socks off of anyone who reads it!

— Originally written by Alexander Coye —