Clerical Cover Letter Example

If you’re detail-oriented and can follow directions with accuracy, you’re a great fit for clerical work across different industries.

To convince employers you’re their ideal candidate, pair your resume with a strong clerical cover letter that aligns your talents with what they’re seeking.

Follow these three tips to write a clerical cover letter that boosts your chances of getting a callback:

1. Highlight clerical skills

As a clerical worker, you’re responsible for greeting visitors, organizing files, and completing administrative duties. So your cover letter should mention essential clerical skills like time management skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.

Because clerical work encompasses various jobs, your job responsibilities can vary depending on the industry or role, such as office clerk, administrative assistant, or secretary.

To show employers you’re the right person for the job, highlight key technical skills that are required to excel in clerical positions. For example, if you’re applying to a clerical job in finance, proficiency in accounting software is critical.

Here’s a list of a few key clerical hard skills:

• Data entry
• Record keeping
• Phone etiquette
• Basic math
• Computer literacy
• Google Drive
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Accounting software (Intuit QuickBooks and Sage 50 Accounting)
• Customer relationship software (CRM) software (Microsoft Dynamics, Blackbaud The Raiser’s Edge, and Salesforce)
• Project management software (Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Project, and Mavenlink)
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software (Oracle PeopleSoft and Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne)

Additionally, these soft skills complement your clerical expertise:

• Prioritization
• Multitasking
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Decision-making
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving skills
• Collaboration

2. Open with a strong introduction

Depending on the job, formal requirements can vary — from a high school diploma to a degree in business administration. That said, the job posting is likely to attract attention from candidates who already meet its technical requirements.

To ensure your job application sparks interest in the hiring manager, begin your cover letter with a straightforward but compelling introduction. Doing so gives your job application a boost to help you stand out from those with similar qualifications.

Here’s how to write a strong clerical cover letter introduction:

• Convey enthusiasm for the job opportunity. Employers want to hire someone who’ll be genuinely happy to be there. Not to mention, higher job satisfaction means increased work ethic and productivity.
• Analyze the job posting to uncover job-specific skills, and use this information to tailor your cover letter to the position. For example, if your duties include greeting visitors, customer service skills should be emphasized in your cover letter.
• Lead with an impressive accomplishment to showcase essential clerical skills. Whenever possible, use hard numbers to back up your accomplishments. For example, “Answered a daily average of 30+ calls resolving inquiries, scheduling appointments, and directing calls to appropriate departments.”

3. Emphasize your multitasking skills

As a clerical worker, you’ll spend most of your time answering the phone, verifying information, and maintaining records. So employers seek people who can effectively prioritize tasks and complete them efficiently.

In your cover letter, emphasize your multitasking skills to show them you can take on a diverse set of responsibilities to meet the demands of a busy office.

For example, talk about how you’ve trained new staff members to perform various office duties and your experience ensuring successful daily operations in a similar role.