The cover letter that accompanies your resume focuses on skills and experiences that set you apart from other candidates. You do not want to reproduce your entire resume in your cover letter, but it's important to highlight skills and accomplishments when they match specific requirements in the job description. Sales professionals look for assistants who understand the differences in the way sales teams and other departments operate. The International Association of Administrative Professionals lists the kinds of skills that set sales assistants apart from other administrative assistants.
Instructions
1. Describe general administrative experience in terms of sales needs. Use phrases such as "planned sales meetings" rather than "planned meetings," and "scheduled sales appointments" instead of "scheduled appointments."
2. Give the largest number of sales staff you have previously supported. Use a statement such as, "I have experience providing direct support to 15 sales professionals."
3. Note your experience supporting local and remote sales staff, if applicable. Field sales professionals require different types of support than in-house staff, such as processing expense reports for field office supplies. If you have experience supporting international sales professionals, emphasize it.
4. Mention any experience coordinating the submission of sales proposals and tracking their progress. Sales environments that require complex proposals may rely more heavily on sales assistants with proposal-coordination skills.
5. State your expertise in sales-focused software. Sales teams use specialized applications to track sales prospects and leads. If applicable, mention current certifications or recent training courses for the software, and highlight any skills in maintaining or managing sales databases.
