Secretary Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2023

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Jobs for secretaries are expected to decline by 9% over the next decade. This is largely due to technological advances that allow people to manage their own schedules and documents. In such a competitive job market, you need to take steps to stand out, and a strong cover letter is one way to make an impact.

If you need help to improve your secretary cover letter, start by downloading one of our four cover letter examples. There are templates for experienced secretaries and those trying to break into the field. This guide also has extra tips for helping your cover letter make a big impression.

Downloadable Cover Letter Examples

Entry-level
Secretary_Entry-level.pdf

Example #1 Entry-level

Mid-career
Secretary_Mid-career.pdf

Example #2 Mid-career

Senior-level
Secretary_Senior-level.pdf

Example #3 Senior-level

Secretary Cover Letter Examples (Text Format)

Years of Experience
  • Entry-level Entry-level
  • Mid-career Mid-career
  • Senior-level Senior-level

Herman James
Secretary | [email protected] | (405) 390-0038 | 345 First Avenue, Casper, WY 30048

May 18, 2021

Sonya Manning
Senior Hiring Manager
All Trees
(485) 285-2009
[email protected]

Dear Ms. Manning,

Receiving a client service score of 99.8% was my crowning achievement of 2020. Respondents mentioned my warm, professional communication style and outstanding telephone etiquette on their feedback forms. I am excited to help All Trees continue to provide incredible customer experiences in 2021.

As an energetic secretary with more than two years of experience, the chance to work for a fast-growing, customer-oriented company like All Trees is compelling to me. I believe that my accuracy and attention to detail can make me an indispensable member of your administrative team. My recent achievements include:

  • Performing data entry tasks with 100% accuracy throughout my employment while exceeding 65% of set timescales
  • Consistently ranking in the top 2% of my department for productivity and efficiency
  • Spearheading an overhaul of the office communication systems to improve data availability by 76% in 2020

Please contact me to schedule an interview to discuss how my experience and impressive skill set can benefit your company. I look forward to exploring how my attentive customer service and problem-solving abilities can further your reputation for client care.

Sincerely,

Herman James

P.S. I would love to tell you how I designed a new scheduling process that reduced appointment wastage for senior managers by 98% last year.

Kelsie Reed
Secretary | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Address St., Omaha, NE 68101

May 22, 2021

Aaron Marshall
Hiring Manager
Pro Consulting
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Marshall,

Given my extensive history as a secretary for companies in various industries and my desire to support my colleagues and clients, I feel that I am an extremely qualified candidate for the secretary position at Pro Consulting.

In my 10 years of secretarial experience, I have had the opportunity to gain new skills and learn the best practices for managing a busy office setting. In my current position as a secretary for Uptown Staffing, I have developed and implemented several initiatives in the workplace to optimize daily business operations. Some of my most notable achievements include:

  • Organizing a company food drive that collected over 1,000 items
  • Sourcing office supplies made from recyclable materials resulting in a 15% decrease in expenses
  • Handling a high volume of calls, emails, and client requests on a daily basis

I am confident that I can exceed the expectations for this role and become a valuable member of the Pro Consulting team. I welcome the chance to explain my qualifications further in an interview.

Sincerely,

Kelsie Reed

P.S. I have been the recipient of an Employee of the Month award!

Rosemarie Tucker
Secretary | [email protected] | (059) 228-4857 | 543 Second Street, Nebraska City, NE 00998

May 18, 2021

Kelvin Morales
Senior Hiring Manager
OrthoNebraska
(400) 485-2049
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Morales,

Last year, I overhauled my department’s data gathering protocols to successfully reduce pre-surgical file omissions by 98%. This project significantly improved the availability of crucial medical information and saved an average of 4 working hours per week. I look forward to leveraging my outstanding organizational skills as the pre-admissions department secretary at OrthoNebraska.

As a seasoned administrator with 12+ years of experience providing efficient secretarial support in hospitals, I am drawn to OrthoNebraska’s reputation for exceptional patient care. I would relish the opportunity to use my skills and experience to ensure seamless treatment pathways for your service users. My recent achievements include:

  • Streamlining the post-meeting administrative process to ensure swift follow-up on assignments, contributing to a departmental productivity increase of 43% in 2020
  • Training five new hires and overseeing their performance, boosting patients’ perceptions of service quality by 34% over two years
  • Implementing a new patient scheduling system that freed up an average of 5 appointments per practitioner per week

I hope to meet you to explore how my skills and extensive experience in healthcare administration can help you continue to provide attentive care. Please get in touch to set up an interview.

Sincerely,

Rosemarie Tucker

P.S. I would love to explain why I won an Admin Award in 2019.

Secretary Cover Letter Checklist

A strong secretary cover letter has five essential elements:

1. Heading. A professional template ensures this information is clear. It should contain your name, title, and contact details, as well as the addressee’s details and the date the letter was written.

2. Salutation. The preferred practice is to greet the hiring manager by name, using Mr. or Ms. and their last name. If you can’t find their name on the job ad or company website, use “Dear Hiring Manager” instead.

3. Introduction. Your opening paragraph should pique the hiring manager’s interest while introducing yourself and expressing your interest in the job.

4. Body paragraphs. These are the two paragraphs where you detail your relevant skills, education, and experience. A bulleted list can help break up the text and let the hiring manager take in your best points at a glance.

5. Closing section. Your conclusion should encourage the hiring manager to take the next step by inviting you for an interview. Include a postscript to highlight one final accomplishment and leave a lasting impression.

Introduction

Your opening paragraph needs to convince the hiring manager to keep reading, while also expressing interest in the available secretary position. The best way to do this is by picking one of your top achievements and building your introduction around it. Choose something that’s quantifiable and demonstrates how well-suited you are for the position. Generic facts, like your level of education, should be avoided.

Good


Implementing a new calendar system that improved office efficiency by 23% was one of my biggest achievements as a secretary. I hope to bring the same level of initiative and effectiveness to NG Consulting as a secretary.

Bad


I’m writing to express my interest in the secretary position you recently advertised. I have six years of experience as a secretary and am well-suited to the position.

Body Paragraphs

Begin the body of your cover letter by expressing your admiration for the organization and your interest in the job. Mention specifics when making these points as it shows you’ve researched the company and position.

In the next paragraph, detail your relevant achievements. Accomplishments to mention here can include educational certifications, successful projects, or promotions. Include a positive, quantifiable outcome for every point you list, as this shows the hiring manager the type of success you can bring to their company.

Good


I have six years of experience as a secretary and I’m drawn to NG Consulting’s dedication to helping small businesses achieve success. NG’s emphasis on innovation and quality service is the ideal fit for my customer-focused work style.

I’m eager to support the NG Consulting team’s continued success. My past successes include:

  • Pioneering a new inquiry management system, resulting in a 34% decrease in customer wait times
  • Researching and using new travel arrangement vendors, resulting in $100,000+ in savings per year 
  • Acting as the first point of contact in a busy office, greeting 20+ visitors and answering 30+ phone calls a day

Bad


In your advertisement you mention that you need someone with at least four years of secretarial experience. I have been working as a secretary for six years and would be a perfect fit for NG Consulting.

My responsibilities in my current role include:

  • Answering phones and greeting visitors
  • Arranging travel for executive staff
  • Forwarding customer inquiries to the correct staff member

Closing

An effective closing needs to encourage the hiring manager to take action by scheduling an interview. If you just thank the hiring manager for their time and attention, you’re missing an opportunity.

A postscript can be a clever way to highlight one final accomplishment, as it draws the eye and leaves a lasting impression. The accomplishment doesn’t need to be strictly professional. You can use this space to talk about an award or volunteer experience, just make sure it’s relevant to the position.

Good


I’d like the opportunity to discuss how my secretarial experience can help NG Consulting continue to grow as a high-quality consultation firm. Please feel free to contact me with an interview time that fits your schedule.

Best regards,

Aaron Morris

P.S. I’d love to tell you about my experience as a finalist for a Spirit Award at the national Admin Awards!

Bad


Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. If I can answer any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Aaron Morris