Applying for executive assistant (EA) roles, require some specific approaches. This includes following tips for the perfect executive assistant cover letter. This is because of the unique nature of the EA - often a bridge between management and the rest of the organisation, yet in an intensely close working relationship with the executive.

Your CV is the bedrock of any application. However, it is your cover letter which opens the door to the recruiter even reading your CV. It’s the cover letter which evokes the emotional response which is the hidden strength of an exceptional application.

So, here we reveal the 7 tips for the perfect executive assistant cover letter:

1. Personalisation and customisation

If you forget all other tips, remember this one. The EA role is personal. Whilst you are being employed by the organisation, you are also working in such close relationship with the executive that this has to be the dominant consideration. Therefore, make sure you’ve done your research, perhaps via LinkedIn, and tailor your cover letter to the individual you will be working for. This means, realistically, you cannot use an executive assistant cover letter template. It needs to be customised to each and every role you apply for.

2. Communication skills

Ultimately, your cover letter is a chance to show your written communication skills. These skills will likely form an important part of the job, where you’ll be representing the executive. Therefore, they will be looking for excellent spelling and grammar, as well as a clear writing style.

3. Address the role

It’s essential, in a cover letter, to state why you are applying for this role over any other. You may know that you’re sending out multiple applications, but this cover letter needs to reflect this role. So address why you are applying for this role, and how you believe you can aid the executive’s success, as they strive to meet the organisation’s objectives. This will show that you have a clear understanding of what the role and the organisation are about.

4. Add in your personality

All cover letters should be professional. However, you need to strike a balance which still includes professionalism, but also gives an insight in to your personality. As an EA, you will work very closely with the executive. You will need to get on, in order to work effectively together. Therefore, try to show something of yourself, in a friendly, yet professional, way.

5. Be succinct

Whether your cover letter is read solely by the executive, by a recruitment agent, or HR, you need to keep things succinct. Demonstrate that you won’t waste their time, so keep your cover letter to well under one page of A4. Use short paragraphs and break things up with bullet points.

6. Expand on your CV

Choose a few elements of your skills and experience to highlight in the cover letter, ideally in direct relation to the job description. You can then whet their appetite, showing that you don’t just list a talent or skill, but have actively applied it with success. This helps the executive to imagine you in the role they are offering.

7. Edit and review

Crafting this customised and tailored cover letter will take time. Don’t let yourself down at the last hurdle, by not reviewing it. Read it through several times, ideally on different days. Then get someone you trust to check it too. Only when you are sure that it is top notch, should you send it off.

Cover letters are often underrated compared to CVs. However, as an executive assistant, your cover letter is a weapon in the arsenal of your success. Use it wisely, and it’ll contribute powerfully to a successful application. If you are looking to move on from your current job, or are searching for your first graduate job, take a look at our live roles here.

Andrew Fennell is the founder of CV writing advice website StandOut CV – he is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to websites like Business Insider, The Guardian and FastCompany.