Administrative Officer Cover Letter Example

Every milestone in the history of human resources management could be said to bear the stamp of administrative officers in some shape or form. More than ever, it remains a dynamic career full of new opportunities for challenge-seekers. When your next desired job move arises, the importance of submitting an excellent administrative officer cover letter cannot be overstated. 

Resume.io is a leading global source of job search expertise. We’ve produced writing guides and corresponding cover letter examples  for more than 180 specific occupations.

This writing guide, incorporating an administrative officer cover letter sample, looks at the following aspects:

• The modern role of an administrative officer
• Why a cover letter is essential
• The best format to structure a cover letter and components it should include
• How to maximize the impact of each cover letter part: header, greeting, introduction, body and conclusion
• Writing psychology to reveal the person inside the professional

What does an administrative officer do?

Traditionally, all manner of workplaces and workforces have relied on diversely competent staff with extraordinary multitasking skills to keep offices running smoothly and efficiently. More than ever nowadays, the functional scope of an administrative officer’s position varies widely, depending on the size of employer organization, the department and the industry. 

Administrative officer job candidates are typically expected to have business management experience and strong industry knowledge to assist with marketing and business development goals. 

Businesses, governments and nonprofit agencies are constantly reshaping and retooling their operations to keep pace with shifting economic dynamics. Multitasking requirements in the digital age have taken on wider, deeper and more complex dimensions, from website management and accounting functions to sales and marketing support. 

Regarding the impact of e-technology, based on 2019 Canadian research findings, Express Employment Professionals concluded that “administrative professionals have felt some of the most disruptive changes of any profession.” 

Why you need a cover letter

Administrative officers have a lot to prove in the course of a normal workday, which also needs to come across when competing for a new job against other qualified applicants. A well-crafted cover letter can tell your unique story in a way that a relatively impersonal resume cannot.

What all administrative professionals in the 21st century have in common, according to an extensive Manpower study, is the expectation of being “much more than the right-hand person to the executive.” 

While clerical and organizational management proficiencies remain vitally important, administrative officers must continue demonstrating their value as proactive problem-solvers, collaborative decision-makers and versatile team contributors with superior interpersonal skills. 

Best format for an administrative officer cover letter

Compared to a resume, your cover letter is a free-form document where elements of your personality can shine through to a greater extent. Yet it still needs a clear structure of sections, each having its specific purpose. 

All cover letters, regardless of occupation, should containing these components:

• Cover letter header
• Cover letter greeting / salutation
• Cover letter introduction
• Cover letter middle paragraphs (body
• Cover letter ending (conclusion and sign-off)

In addition, keep in mind these basic cover letter ground rules:

1. Keep it your administrative officer cover letter short and snappy. That means no more than one page — 400 words maximum. Also no cheating with shrunken margins or font point sizes!
    
2. Always customize the content, style and tone to the specific employer being addressed. A generic cookie-cutter cover letter will never do.

The following administrative officer cover letter example can be a basis for developing your own employer-tailored versions. 

Now, let’s dive into the specifics of each cover letter part, based on our administrative officer sample.

Cover letter header

Of all the good reasons why cover letters are always a good idea, an attractive header is right up there, literally. The eye-catching advantage could count for more than a passing glance or being passed over altogether. Then there’s the practical importance of clearly and readily identifying who submitted your application and how the employer can contact you.

The header is where your name, occupation, mailing address, phone number and email are displayed prominently. Add LinkedIn or other social media information if professionally relevant. 

Obviously, this part of your cover letter is the quickest and easiest to compose, which is why you shouldn’t mind putting some thought and care into the header design. What once tended to be the blandest and stodgiest-looking lines of plain text on a business letter can now pack just enough pizazz to offset the overall polished, professional look. 

Experiment with a bit of striking typography, but use sparingly. The same goes for other graphic elements and touches of color — keep it simple and tasteful. Strive for proportion and balance between font sizes and weights, and amount of text and white space on the page. Some find it fun to indulge their creativity and fuss with the cover letter header for a short while, especially if their left brain needs a break from the intensity of other job hunting preoccupations. 

On the other hand, if you begrudge what seems like an unwelcome added chore, fret not. Click on over to the free cover letter templates at resume.io and take a look at the dozens of possibilities. Choose one you like, type in your own contact information to replace the cover letter sample text, and there you have it. Voilà! 

Aim of the cover letter header: Visually stand out from other job applications to attract and retain the employer’s attention, while providing essential contact information. 

Cover letter greeting

Properly addressing your cover letter greeting is simple, but not always easy. 

Start with “Dear,” which remains the most widely accepted business letter salutation. Variations such as “Greetings” may be fine in some cultures or companies. Even “Hi” or “Hello” is okay for workplaces with a well-known casual vibe, or if you happen to know the person you are addressing.

That brings us to the question of exactly who is on the receiving end of your cover letter. After “Dear” belongs the name of a specific person, typically the hiring manager unless you are told otherwise. Unless it happens to be someone you’ve met and know well enough to address on a first-name basis, the appropriate greeting is “Dear Ms. Johnson” or “Dear Mr. Green.” 

What if you don’t know the recipient’s name? It’s not uncommon for posted job listings to omit this information, perhaps indicating only a company officer’s title, or even a department title. Make a reasonable effort to find out who the hiring manager is so you can personalize the cover letter greeting. It’s an effective way to make a connection and positive impression up front, by showing more interest than other candidates might in the job and the employer. Your administrative officer background might even come in handy to do some sleuthing online or even make a phone call to the company. 

But if it’s not feasible to come up with an individual name, or your application is addressed to a department or committee’s attention, there are work-arounds that don’t involve “To Whom It May Concern.” These are a few less stuffy, but still respectful, options: “Dear Hiring Manager,” “Dear ABC Inc. Human Resources Team” or “Dear Administrative Officer Hiring Team.” 

Aim of cover letter greeting / salutation: Address the person reading your letter in a professional manner.

Here’s the greeting from our administrative officer cover letter sample.

Cover letter introduction

Just because the introduction comes ahead of everything else in your cover letter, make no mistake treating it like a warm-up act. There’s no time for that! This could be your defining moment in the hiring manager’s eyes, and a moment may be all you’ve got. In the instant it would take in person to shake hands and be seated, your cover letter introduction has to say and do a lot more, but in no more than 100 words or so.

Those opening remarks must not only catch the attention of hiring managers but also captivate their interest enough to read more. It might mean catching them off guard. Fantasize about your cover letter jarring the recruiter in mid-sentence from a mid-afternoon rut of resume overload-induced boredom. 

It can only happen by putting yourself inside that recruiter’s very headspace, starting with a compelling cover letter introduction. To motivate a closer look by this employer, your carefully crafted introduction must say as much as it can in as few words as possible. Your initial draft might be along these lines: “WIth more than 11 years of progressive administrative experience in two dynamically different Toronto workplaces — an aerospace manufacturing firm and a nonprofit social services agency —  I offer …” 

Aim of the cover letter introduction: Grab the recruiter’s attention by focusing your most important selling point on what the job and the employer require.

Here’s an introduction idea from our administrative officer cover letter sample:

Cover letter body

A successful cover letter is not just about you, but about what the employer needs that you are best qualified to deliver. The middle paragraphs reflect your understanding of those needs because you’ve done your homework. It takes the recruiter-targeted greeting and introduction to a deeper level by showcasing qualifications that would make you a lucky find for this employer.

Demonstrating in the cover letter body that you have insight into what the hiring manager is looking for demonstrates a win-win attitude. Clearly, you are a proactive, strategic problem-solver with excellent research skills. Above all, it’s the best evidence you can provide of caring enough about this particular job opportunity to customize your cover letter accordingly.

Mine the work experience section of your resume for the nuts and bolts of your track record, but take it a value-added step further. Never rehash your resume content in the body of your cover letter, but instead provide meaningful context and results-focused interpretation. Quantify the cost and efficiency benefits to your past employers in a way that resonates with your future employer. Productivity or savings gains that translate into dollar amounts are ideal, but don’t hesitate to share anecdotes that might hit home with the hiring manager.

Aim of the cover letter body: Illustrate how this employer would benefit from the attributes you offer as a top-flight administrative officer.

Our administrative officer cover letter sample illustrates what you might include in the middle part.

Cover letter closing (conclusion and sign-off)

A deft touch is needed for the conclusion (final paragraph) to come across as persuasive but not pushy. Reading this far means the recruiter has stayed with your strongest arguments for being a great job candidate. Ideally, you’ve made a case that’s convincing, but with room for wanting to learn more. 

What’s left for the final paragraph of your cover letter is to end on a confident, upbeat note that nudges hiring managers in the direction of getting back to you. It must gently, but firmly, beg not to be ignored by encouraging a response.

Effective cover letters end with a call to action. The expectation of hearing back from the employer is suggested but not demanded. Stating that you relish, or would welcome, the opportunity for an interview is not too presumptuous. You might even suggest a mutually relevant discussion topic. A lower-key variation is to merely indicate you look forward to a reply. More assertively, but still respectfully, you might even ask if it’s OK to follow up with a phone call, perhaps in a week’s time. 

Of course, none of these approaches guarantee you’ll get the job, or an interview. or even an acknowledgement of your application. But any of them could make a difference in getting noticed.

Last but not least comes the easiest part of your cover letter. Sign off with a closing salutation that’s as simple, courteous and professional as the greeting. “Sincerely,” is always perfect. If preferred, “Best regards” or even “Best,” are both acceptable also.

Aim of the cover letter closing: End on a self-assured note that implies you are confident the hiring manager is interested and will be in touch soon.

Below is the closing section of our administrative officer cover letter example.

Writing psychology: the person inside the professional

In harmony with the career high notes on a resume, your cover letter can touch chords that resonate with employers on a deeper and fuller level. It’s like a variations-on-a theme composition, where nuanced colors and undertones reveal the person inside the professional.

Finesse in writing a cover letter from the hiring manager’s point of view, as this guide encourages, can set you apart from other candidates with otherwise similar qualifications. Your understanding of the employer’s core values can be a basis for sharing more personal insights into what motivates you to strive for success in life and on the job. Again, the goal is to put your best self forward for viewing through the hiring manager’s lens.

Reading up on HR subjects related to hiring practices, priorities and trends can provide more clues. Not that your cover letter should blatantly or directly try to answer unasked questions, but it can be useful to know what recruiters generally seek to learn. 

Unsure what your cover letter fusion of personal and professional self should look like? Or stuck on striking a balance between persuasive and authentic? 

At least in the draft brainstorming stage, try a more conversational approach, as if scripting a job interview with this employer. But here you have the upper hand in setting the agenda and tone. 

Key takeaways for an administrative officer cover letter

1. Expectations have never been higher for administrative officers to demonstrate proficiency and versatility in managing a vast range of daily tasks to ensure organizations run smoothly and efficiently at all levels.
2. Your cover letter should showcase your past achievements and deep knowledge of the job.
3. A personal touch, along with some sincerity, add dimension and depth to your cover letter that are difficult to convey in a relatively monochromatic resume. Tailoring your cover letter to the employer’s perspective gives you an advantage over candidates whose approach is relatively impersonal and generic.
4. Use Resume.io's expert-designed cover letter templates to model and improve your perfect application document.