Executive Assistant Cover Letter Example

When there is a role available for an executive assistant in an organization, you know that there are some leaders who are drowning. Much as technology has played a part in making certain responsibilities of an executive assistant redundant, the way it has made executives ever more accessible has created unprecedented demands on their time and attention.

While job opportunities for executive assistants are expected to decline by 17% in the decade to 2026, and as the nature of the role changes to function alongside increasing use of technology, executive assistants continue to occupy a unique and critical niche in the functioning of any organization.

While the entry criteria for an executive assistant are not onerous, it is only those with the right personality and blend of (often self-taught) skills that will thrive in a role that is often filled with impossible demands and challenging volumes of multitasking.

It takes someone special to be a great executive assistant, but it is a greater challenge still to be able to distill that promise into a resume and cover letter. While the resume focuses on the facts of their experience and knowledge, the free-flowing nature of the cover letter allows them to tell the story of their administrative wizardry in a far more expansive form. The cover letter allows their future boss to sense that they will be “in control” of matters from day one.

But where do you start when writing an executive assistant cover letter? Which parts of your experience could you highlight to make yourself stand out from the crowd?

This guide, along with a executive assistant cover letter example will explore how to:

• Choose the best format for an executive assistant cover letter
• Maximize the potential of each cover letter element and paragraph (header, greeting, intro, middle part, closing of the application letter)
• Use recruitment-related tips and tricks in your cover letter writing
• Avoid the most common mistakes in executive assistant cover letters.

The cover letter will always be read at the same time as the resume, so the two documents should work in tandem to tell slightly different sides of the same story. It would be a waste of an opportunity to write exactly the same things, but on the other hand there should be a balance to ensure that any career highlights are fully explored. A cover letter should explore your personality and your “why” at work, while also highlighting some of the specifics of your experience that will make you suitable for this particular job.

Best format for an executive assistant cover letter

Choosing the best format for an executive assistant cover letter is a vital part of making an effective application. Not only does the structure of your cover letter need to be clear, the application letter itself has to flow well and every paragraph/element should perform a certain function. We’ll analyze each part of the cover letter format in more detail below, but for now let’s consider how the document itself should be composed.

The widely accepted cover letter format includes the following elements:

• The cover letter header
• The greeting
• The introduction
• The middle cover letter paragraphs (body of the letter)
• The conclusion
• The signature

Our cover letter guide offers a deep-dive into the general considerations of writing a powerful cover letter, but it is worth exploring some aspects of how to build a cover letter format with specific reference to an executive assistant.

This executive assistant cover letter sample can be used a solid foundation for your own application document:

You can utilize the cover letter sample as a basic inspiration or edit the sections, adapting to your own experience, personality, and skills.

Cover letter header

Most executive assistants will have scrolled through a database and felt annoyed that a certain aspect of someone’s contact details was missing. They might take the time to conduct a Google search for the details, but they may well decide to do it later and then forget about it altogether.

The cover letter header contains the all-important contact details for a candidate, so if the hiring manager wants to get in touch with them, there should be no impediment. Don’t assume that having the details on your resume is enough, and don’t consider that repeating them is a waste of space. Remember that your email address should sound professional and definitely include your mobile number.

If they feel like dropping you a message there and then, that is when you win.

The second reason for including the contact details in the header section is that the recruitment ATS software will expect to see it there. You need the software to recognize the contact information because it will automatically transfer your details to its database. You might not get this job, but you never know what could come up in the future. A company’s own talent pool is always a first port of call when a requirement comes up.

The aim of this part: Allow the hiring manager and ATS software to find your contact details at the first attempt.

Cover letter greeting

Every executive assistant understands the importance of appropriate greetings and the formality and etiquette of addressing a letter or email correctly. Spelling someone’s name incorrectly or using the wrong title will cast a shadow on the words that follow. 

Some readers may brush it off, but for others it may seem to be a sign of a careless approach or lack of attention to detail (both poor character traits for any executive assistant).

The accepted “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms” greeting is fine if you know how they wish to call themselves. It is a little risky to presume a title, so best to ask for this detail before you send it. This level of detail will be expected of you when you begin a job, so don’t be shy to pick up the phone. That sort of question can leave a lasting impression and as long as the call is brief, you will have already made a connection.

If you are not sure about whom to address the letter and do not feel that clarifying would be appropriate (often the case in larger companies), something like “Dear _____ team” would suffice. “To whom it may concern” is a historically polite variant, but you should avoid it if at all possible. It gives your letter a cookie-cutter appearance when it is likely anything but.

The aim of this part: Don’t put off the hiring manager by getting the greeting wrong.

Cover letter introduction

As an executive assistant needs to make an immediate connection with the hiring manager, it is worth spending the first couple of lines painting a picture of who you are rather than what you have achieved.

Highlighting your relevant experience is often the first consideration for most cover letters, but when you need to build that connection with a hiring manager, it is better to plant the thought that they will “get on” with you as early as possible.

Put yourself in their position. What are the sort of characteristics that they would be looking for first and foremost? What adjectives would they use to describe their perfect hire? Take a few hints from the job description and craft an introductory story that paints you in exactly that sort of light.

Try to stay away from the cliched examples of being well-organized and dedicated, etc. Top-notch executive assistants obviously possess all the basic skills and would not want to waste valuable cover letter real estate on them. You need to look a level deeper. What problems will your future boss come up against every day and how can you help solve them?

Consider this cover letter sample and how it showcases the candidate’s strongest achievements right away:

The aim of this part: Work out what personal characteristics and achievements your future boss will be looking for in an assistant and grab their attention from the first line.  

Cover letter middle paragraphs

Most executive assistants are expected to be all-around multitasking experts, so the body of the letter should contain a mix of the most impressive achievements of their career, but always with one eye on what the future role will actually require. 

It is fair to say that future duties may change, so going with your big-hitting achievements is still relevant, but the more tailored your experiences to the job description, the better. Give your future boss a sense of what it is like to work with you. Your choice of what you highlight will in turn indicate to them how you view your impact on those around you.

Listing major achievements in bullet points is always great for catching the eye, especially where there are numbers or statistics involved. Outlining your ability to handle a large volume of work is only believable if you quantify your experiences. Tell them how quickly you can type, how many people you typically chat with one the phone every day or how much money your last project managed to save.

Make sure that you include any industry experience as it will offer a sense that you are “one of them.” Even the mention of the industry or any specific functional expertise might be enough to give you an advantage over others who do not think to mention it. The hiring manager needs to feel that you will be able to solve their problems.

Finally, mentioning how you work closely with others and outlining how you value communication skills are critical aspects of any executive assistant cover letter. While other administrative matters might seem too obvious to mention, these two behavioral aspects cannot possibly be ignored. 

Check out how this cover letter sample deals with career achievements, working philosophy and quantifiable facts, while sneaking in a reference from the previous employer:

The aim of this part: Offer an all-round view of the value that you bring to your boss, your colleagues and your employer.

How to close an exec assistant cover letter (conclusion & signature)

The final part of the cover letter should seek to reinforce the personal connection that you hinted at during the introduction. If the body has covered your functional suitability, you have one last chance to make your candidature stick on the hiring manager’s head. While they might remember how suitable you sounded, they would be more likely to remember how the thought of working with you made them feel.

Tap into that “this is the sort of personality that I would like to work with” feeling in your conclusion and go straight for the heart strings. Appealing to reason will only get you so far when it concerns such a close working relationship. At the end of your cover letter, their gut feel should be compelling them to pick up the phone and arrange that interview.

Last, to end on a positive note, let them know that you are looking forward to the opportunity of meeting them at the interview. Such an approach shows that you, too, are interested in finding the “right” kind of boss and it is only natural to be curious. Believe in your application and don’t be shy – if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

See how the call to action and a transition to the interview stage is handled in this cover letter example:

The aim of this part: Seek to make one last personal connection and ask for an opportunity to get to know the hiring manager a bit better at the interview.

Writing tips and tricks for your cover letter: personality-driven approach

The success of any executive often depends on the abilities and efforts of those around them, and there is no relationship more critical to the success of a venture than that between a boss and their executive assistant. So critical, in fact, that personality should play a larger than usual role in the application process.

Put yourself in the position of a boss, who spends the vast majority of their life at work, and who needs to find someone to share their burden. There is much to be said for talking at length about the depths of your skills and experience in a job application, but the vast majority of bosses will find themselves coming back to the question:

“I wonder what this person is like? Will we get along? How would it feel like working with them?”

If your job application does not allude to some answers to these questions (in advance of answering them more fully during an interview), then you can be sure that your candidature will be forgotten, replaced by those who are brave enough to wear their job search hearts on their sleeves. Being unflinchingly honest about who you are is not always advisable in the resume/cover letter stages of the job process, but for an executive assistant it is essential.

The decisions of selection that an executive may make will also have a beneficial effect on the candidate. If an executive is presented with a personality that “doesn’t sound like they will get along,” it may well mean that the executive assistant would feel the same. Being candid and open about yourself in a cover letter may well also save you the dreaded fate of a boss that you don’t get along with. 

The simple fact is that EAs and their bosses simply have to have a close relationship for it to be productive. Make the first move in your cover letter. Give them a chance to warm to you.

When reviewing the executive assistant cover letter sample presented at the start of this guide, you will notice it offers specifically a personality-led approach in writing.

Match your experiences with the demands of the role

You are sure to be a jack of all trades and master of all of them, but how do you know which skills to feature (in depth) in a cover letter? It does require a little sleuth work, but it is entirely possible to gain an appreciation of the role before you talk to your future employers during the interview process.

It won’t be hugely effective for an executive assistant to wax lyrical about their ability to coordinate projects and plan events if this is not part of their future role. You might be incredibly proud of some achievements in this area, but it is best to stick with experiences of yours that are genuinely relevant (if slightly less impressive).

The first port of call for such information is the job description. No one executive assistant role is the same and it is definitely the case that most bosses will have had a hand in crafting the content, after all, they want to find someone who fits their needs. This might mean that you have to amend the content of each individual cover letter to fit each job, but it will be more than worth it when the interviews roll in. If you can’t find any suitable examples, maybe you just have to be honest and admit to yourself that this particular role might not be for you.

Second (and this happens more than you might think), is the idea to tap into your social network and ask current employees what sort of expectations there are for an executive assistant in the company. This shows a great deal of initiative (a key trait for an EA) and the insights that you receive will inform which stories you choose to share. You should only approach one or two people per company, and only if they are currently in your extended network and likely to have seen you around on socials.

Showing that you understand the demands of the role before you are invited to interview shows that you are ready to hit the ground running on the first day.

Mistakes to avoid in an Executive Assistant cover letter

To overlook some basic errors:

• Spelling and grammar need to be on point. It is one thing writing about your attention to detail and meticulous nature, but if you make even the smallest grammatical error in the letter, it won’t be hard for the hiring manager to draw their own conclusions. Get someone to proofread the letter and use a grammar checker to finesse the detail.
• Make it about your impact on those around you rather than all about you. When writing a cover letter, it is easy to focus on who you are as a person rather than your impact on those around you. The success of any executive assistant can only be measured by how they facilitate the success of others, and in particular their boss, so make sure that the cover letter includes this dimension as well.
• Include detail rather than rely on general statements. It is tempting to make a long list of all the things that you get up to on a daily basis, but it is better to focus on a few of them in detail than offer a general description that any executive assistant could mention about their role. To stand out you have to be specific and memorable.

Key takeaways

1. Choose a solid format for your executive assistant cover letter.
2. Understand and utilize each section and/or paragraph of the application letter for maximum effect.
3. Use our business & management cover letter samples as a reference point for the good cover letter writing and structure.
4. Choose the correct tone for your letter based on your employer’s own communication style.
5. Address the needs of the company to which you’re applying.

Executive assistants need to have an acute sense for detail and an eagle eye for any mistakes that might occur in any communication. Being able to proofread their own application might seem a simple matter, but when your mind is on the story rather than the nitty gritty of the delivery, it is easy 

With Resume.io, writing your cover letter is simple. Clock on one of our free cover letter templates and start writing your job search story. Hopefully we have shared some ideas that might make your task that little bit easier.