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This example comes from the pen of Philip Garside, trainer, author
and consultant and source of SEEK's hugely popular job
interview column.
Philip was coaching a young woman we will call Alice, who was applying
for a personal assistant role. She was facing retrenchment because the
company she worked for was being taken over and there was much talk of
restructuring. Alice had broad administrative skills and was working as
a secretary and PA.
Alice's cover letter initially did little more than note the position
she was applying for, where she had seen the ad, and direct the reader
to her résumé. "The problem is that this letter wastes an
opportunity to sell Alice for the position," notes Philip Garside. The
job ad was detailed, but Philip coached Alice to call the number for more
information on specific topics. Alice asked about the structure of the
company, where the advertised position fitted into the company, the company's
products and its markets.
Here's the letter she then wrote with Philip's help, which won Alice
an interview.
Dear Mr Klein
I wish to apply for the position of Personal Assistant (your reference
0900/A) as advertised on SEEK.
For your consideration I have enclosed a copy of my résumé.
I believe that my résumé will demonstrate that I have
the complete range of skills and experience to be able to achieve in
the advertised position including the communication and computer skills
mentioned. It is harder in a résumé to demonstrate the
personal qualities and beliefs that I have which are also necessary
to be a good Personal Assistant (PA).
The manufacturing industry is going through a period of significant change
and it is important that senior managers are able to devote their energies
to ensuring that gains result from this change. I believe that PAs should
assist in this process by freeing senior managers to devote time to
the serious issues while the PA takes care of the more peripheral issues.
To do this successfully the PA must be able to develop a relationship
with a senior manager built on understanding, trust and the ability
to keep confidences. It is the quality of this relationship which often
is as much the measure of the efficiency of a PA as the technical skills.
A good PA also has a broad understanding of the structures of the
company, the industry in general, the markets for the company products
and influencing factors on those markets.
I understand the importance of a good PA and I am sure that my referees
will attest to my good nature and my personal qualities as well as my
skills and experience. This is why I am applying for this position.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. I am available for interview
any time at your convenience.
Yours sincerely
Alice Smith
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