Personal assistants are the unsung heroes of many a business. You are the right-hand man (or, indeed, woman), making sure that everything runs smoothly from start to finish.
As you might imagine, this role requires you to work closely with your manager, ensuring that their every need is met. When hiring for this all-important role, the recruiter will be looking for someone who not only meets the criteria but also has the right character.
That’s where your personal assistant cover letter comes into the picture. It’s the most freeform part of your application and it gives you the opportunity to dazzle the hiring manager with your personality. Writing an engaging and informative cover letter is a real art form. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place to get all the information that you need.
Here at Resume.io, we have just what you need to support your job search. You can expect an extensive library of cover letter examples and accompanying writing guides. In the following guide, and corresponding personal assistant cover letter sample, we will be looking at how you can sell yourself professionally in 400 words or less. Here’s what you will learn in the coming sections:
- The best format for a personal assistant cover letter
- What to write in each cover letter section
- How to succinctly end a personal assistant cover letter
- The most common mistakes and how to avoid them
- How to write a cover letter with no experience
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Best format for a personal assistant cover letter
Sure, your personal assistant cover letter needs to show character, but it also needs a sturdy format too. Before you start working on this document, you need to know how to best structure it. There’s a simple format that you can use, which most hiring managers expect. With that in mind, your cover letter should include the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting/salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
Within each of these sections, you will have the freedom to express yourself and share some choice anecdotes. However, it’s smart to stick to this structure as it means that the letter flows well and includes all of the main points of interest. If you want more advice on this part of the process, we’ve got your back. Check out our complete formatting guide.
Dear Mr Bates,
I am writing to apply for your advertised position of Personal Assistant position to the CEO of Scorch Consulting. Having spent three years as the personal assistant to the CEO of luxury eyewear brand VisuaX, I believe I am well-equipped to provide exceptional support to Ms Brookes in her role as CEO.
In my role at VisuaX, I played a pivotal role in ensuring the CEO's daily operations ran smoothly. This included organising complex travel itineraries and responding to emails on the CEO’s behalf.
A key requirement for this role is fluency in French. I am a fluent French speaker. At VisuaX, I liaised with the design team located in our Paris office, including arranging meetings and facilitating seamless communication between teams. This highlighted my ability to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps within a global organisation. The CEO frequently provided positive feedback on my ability to make important interactions with the French team run smoothly and began to trust me with more responsibility in liaison with the Paris design team.
One of my most notable achievements was consistently preparing reports and presentations in both French and English that were error-free. These materials were instrumental in client interactions and played a significant role in client satisfaction. As a result, clients frequently renewed their contracts with the company, solidifying our business relationships. My role in linguistic and cultural mediation also relieved workload from the design and marketing teams, allowing them to focus more time on achieving results such as increasing the brand’s market share by 5% during my time at VisuaX.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience and skills to your consulting firm. I am confident that my attention to detail, organisational prowess, and bilingual capabilities align well with the requirements of this role. My previous employer would be happy to provide a glowing reference if you wish. I hope to be able to discuss this opportunity with you further in an interview.
Sincerely,
Sam Bridges
Don’t get too creative with the format!
When you’re working on your personal assistant cover letter, you may be tempted to showcase your creative flair. Take care. Many recruiters now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter incoming applications before they review them.
If you want to get past the ATS, you need to make sure that the entirety of your application is easy to read. Playing around with the format or using an unusual structure is an error. If the software is unable to locate certain details — such as your name and contact information — your application could end up straight in the bin.
Cover letter header
The cover letter header serves an important purpose. This section covers the basics: your name, location, and contact details. Make sure that it is clear and legible. Both the hiring manager and the ATS need to find this information quickly and easily. Be mindful when you’re picking the fonts and be sure to proofread this area thoroughly too.
Cover letter greeting
Next up, you need to start the cover letter with a greeting. You may have to address the application to the person you will be working with. If that is the case, be sure to do your research. Using their title and surname is the way to go. For example, you may open your cover letter with a simple “Dear Mr. Major” or “Dear Ms. Hunt”.
Of course, you may not know the professional’s name. In that case, you can address the entire department. For instance, you may want to go for “Dear _____ Team”. Avoid using “To Whom It May Concern”. It’s an outdated practice that will make you look out of touch.
Cover letter introduction
You’re going to be up against a load of savvy personal assistants. So, what makes you different? This is the question you need to answer in your cover letter introduction. The first few sentences of your letter need to pack a real punch. Consider what you have that nobody else possesses. Perhaps you are a pro at scheduling calendars. Maybe you ace crisis management. Whatever your strongest card is, now is the time to play it.
Dear Mr Bates,
I am writing to apply for your advertised position of Personal Assistant position to the CEO of Scorch Consulting. Having spent three years as the personal assistant to the CEO of luxury eyewear brand VisuaX, I believe I am well-equipped to provide exceptional support to Ms Brookes in her role as CEO.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle paragraphs of cover letters allow you to expand on your skills and experience. When the reader scans this part of your application, they will be checking to see how well you meet the job criteria. For that reason, it’s smart to go back to the job advert and role specifications. Take note of what the hiring manager is looking for and edit accordingly.
Don’t merely describe your previous work or duties. Dig deeper and tell a story about your work history. You may want to colour the cover letter with some interesting anecdotes or add evidence to support your claims. If in doubt, take a look at our cover letter sample.
In my role at VisuaX, I played a pivotal role in ensuring the CEO's daily operations ran smoothly. This included organising complex travel itineraries and responding to emails on the CEO’s behalf.
A key requirement for this role is fluency in French. I am a fluent French speaker. At VisuaX, I liaised with the design team located in our Paris office, including arranging meetings and facilitating seamless communication between teams. This highlighted my ability to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps within a global organisation. The CEO frequently provided positive feedback on my ability to make important interactions with the French team run smoothly and began to trust me with more responsibility in liaison with the Paris design team.
One of my most notable achievements was consistently preparing reports and presentations in both French and English that were error-free. These materials were instrumental in client interactions and played a significant role in client satisfaction. As a result, clients frequently renewed their contracts with the company, solidifying our business relationships. My role in linguistic and cultural mediation also relieved workload from the design and marketing teams, allowing them to focus more time on achieving results such as increasing the brand’s market share by 5% during my time at VisuaX.
How to close a personal assistant cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
When you’ve finished writing the bulk of your personal assistant cover letter, it’s time to sign off. A powerful conclusion leaves a lasting impression in the hiring manager’s mind. Make sure that your final sentences are compelling and highlight your passion for the opportunity. Read your conclusion back. It should sound positive and professional.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience and skills to your consulting firm. I am confident that my attention to detail, organisational prowess, and bilingual capabilities align well with the requirements of this role. My previous employer would be happy to provide a glowing reference if you wish. I hope to be able to discuss this opportunity with you further in an interview.
Sincerely,
Sam Bridges
Personal assistant cover letter with no experience
When you’re looking to break into any sector, it can be intimidating. However, everyone needs to start somewhere. When you have a grand total of zero experience, your cover letter is the best place to explain yourself. Use this space to talk about why you are hoping to become a personal assistant, the skills you have that suit the position, and why you believe that you are the right person for the job. Should you have any, include personal examples of times when you have carried out complex admin tasks successfully.
Basic mistakes in a personal assistant application letter (and how to avoid them)
You don’t want to mess up your chance of landing an interview. Before you send off your cover letter, there are some final things mistakes you need to be on the lookout for:
- Spelling mistakes. Hiring managers expect you to have a high level of attention to detail. If you make silly errors in your cover letter, it will work against you. Take the time to proofread your application and even use a platform, such as Grammarly.
- Too much information. As a general rule, your cover letter should be between 300 and 400 words long. If you are writing more than that, you need to edit your letter. Hiring managers don’t have the time to read long paragraphs of text.
- Generic information. Using a “one size fits all” approach is a mistake. When writing your cover letter, make sure that you tailor it to the vacancy at hand. Hiring managers will appreciate the additional effort and it may land you an interview.
Key takeaways
- Personal assistants play a core role in keeping things running smoothly. In your cover letter, you can showcase how well you fit the job criteria.
- Make sure you don’t do anything too wild with your formatting. Keep it simple.
- Wherever possible, include evidence to back up the claims that you make.
- If you want to nail this part of your application, use one of our field-tested cover letter templates now.
