This blog post provides specific guidance on crafting a cover letter that effectively balances the foundational theories gained through your major with the practical experience honed in the workplace.
Growth Process
“Reasons for Choosing the Secretarial Studies Major”
From a young age, I naturally understood and developed an interest in office management and secretarial work. This stemmed from growing up observing my father, who worked in office management, and my mother, who built a long career as a corporate secretary. My father handled office management and general affairs at an IT company, gaining practical experience across diverse environments while working for both large corporations and small-to-medium enterprises. The way he maintained pride in his work and sustained his professionalism throughout his long career left a deep impression on me. Meanwhile, my mother worked as a corporate secretary for over 20 years, consistently earning trust at work through her thorough work ethic and meticulous nature. Seeing both parents, who worked in the same field, frequently discuss work-related topics and share information also naturally became part of my memories.
Growing up in this environment, I didn’t have a clear career plan from the start during high school. However, when I reached my senior year and began seriously considering my future, I was strongly influenced by my mother. I shared many similarities with her, such as enjoying organization and having a meticulous nature. I became convinced that these traits would align well with the role of a secretary. Above all, my mother, who had worked professionally for many years, sincerely supported my choice. Her encouragement and advice solidified my decision.
Even after enrolling in the secretarial studies program, I continued my studies while having many conversations with my mother. Whenever I struggled with difficult parts of my major courses, she would personally consult with me or offer practical advice without hesitation. These experiences greatly aided my studies. What stands out particularly is that during my university years, my mother was appointed as a professor in the Department of Secretarial Studies, leveraging her extensive practical experience. Seeing her become a professor in the very department I had chosen filled me with immense pride and satisfaction. This allowed me to approach my studies with even greater enthusiasm and enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of and connection to the profession of secretarial work.
Thus, my parents’ role and influence have been profoundly significant in my growth and career decisions. Witnessing my parents work with a professional mindset over many years inspired me to pledge that I too would take pride in and give my best to any future responsibilities. This background led me beyond mere interest in the secretarial role to the goal of becoming a truly competent professional in that field.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Personality
“A Person with a Willingness to Learn”
I constantly strive to live with a willingness to learn. Growing up in my environment naturally cultivated this attitude, and I still consider it essential to my life today. At home, my parents were always my first teachers. Through them, I learned much about life attitudes, values, and human relationships. Additionally, having two older brothers allowed me to indirectly experience diverse perspectives and experiences from a young age. Not only at home, but also at school, I had particularly good relationships with seniors. Many seniors were willing to help me, and I received a great deal of advice and support from them. In this way, I naturally learned to communicate with those who had more life experience than me in various settings, cultivating an attitude of learning to become a better person.
Some people are reluctant to accept others’ advice or see learning from someone younger as a matter of pride. But I am not like that. Rather, regardless of age or status, I have an attitude of willingly listening and learning if it is something that can help me. The reason I can do this is because I know I still have many shortcomings. Therefore, if someone offers me advice, I believe it comes from a place of caring for me and I try to accept it sincerely. If the advice or feedback from those around me can guide me in a better direction, I don’t want to miss that opportunity.
This open attitude cultivates flexibility in my thinking and prevents me from becoming trapped in fixed perspectives. If someone knows more about something I haven’t tried, I make an effort to listen to their insights. When I receive advice about methods I haven’t attempted or new ideas, I develop a willingness to actively try them. Consequently, I believe I am constantly attempting new challenges and becoming someone who can respond flexibly to change. Moving forward, I aim to grow into someone who listens to others’ advice rather than stubbornly clinging to my own ways, constantly refining myself. I believe this attitude will ultimately lead me to become a person with a broader perspective and deeper thinking.
School Life
“Study slowly and strive for perfection.”
During my university years, I majored in Secretarial Studies and focused on building a solid foundation in my field step by step. Rather than rushing for quick results, the approach of learning slowly, mastering each element thoroughly, and deepening my understanding suited me better. Secretarial Studies isn’t a common, general discipline; it often deals with specialized knowledge and skills for specific fields. This made every single major course feel invaluable. The practical, hands-on curriculum unique to our department and the professors’ lectures, drawn from their vivid real-world experiences, became invaluable assets to me. I was able to meticulously learn even the detailed competencies required for general office or service work, making this period of study extremely beneficial and meaningful.
I didn’t focus solely on acquiring knowledge for personal gain. I clearly recognized that the role of an executive assistant is not something one can perform solely through individual effort. I believed that harmoniously integrating within an organization, collaborating with diverse individuals, and generating synergy were paramount. Therefore, even during my school years, I made significant efforts to naturally mingle with students from other majors and learn teamwork. Studying while deliberating and cooperating with others actually deepened my understanding and enhanced the completeness of my learning.
Slowly but steadily, I completed my major courses, and only after faithfully finishing my graduation internship could I finally say, “I have properly majored in one field of study.” This experience from my student days instilled in me the habit of approaching any task without rushing, focusing instead on accuracy and depth. Even now, I strive to remember that attitude, aiming to complete any task slowly but surely.
Career History
“Worked as a secretary at a financial services company.”
Prior to applying to your company, I worked as a secretary at a financial services company for five years. After majoring in secretarial studies in college, I joined a startup specializing in financial services. There, I grew alongside the company’s expansion, gaining diverse practical experience. When I joined, it was an early-stage venture, but within just five years, it rapidly developed into a small-to-medium enterprise. I found immense fulfillment in directly participating in the company’s growth journey and dedicated myself to learning and mastering as much as possible every moment.
Initially, I began by taking over the duties of the senior secretary. Whenever I encountered unfamiliar tasks or felt inadequate, I actively sought to learn by asking questions without hesitation. The senior secretary guided me, sometimes strictly, sometimes warmly, serving as an indispensable mentor and guide. Thanks to this process, I gained broad experience across all aspects of secretarial work. Once I became sufficiently skilled, I often handled tasks independently without needing assistance.
Fundamentally, I handled customer calls, managed the reception room used for meetings, and took on preparatory tasks like coordinating schedules, booking venues, and providing guidance for various meetings and conferences. For office management, I organized reports and official documents, collected relevant news and newsletters, and compiled them into well-presented reference files. Most of these formal tasks had detailed manuals, allowing me to process them systematically according to procedures.
In contrast, supporting my boss’s personal tasks required designing and organizing workflows from scratch, as no manuals existed. For instance, when organizing personal documents, I had to create new templates based on the situation and flexibly adjust editing methods to meet my boss’s specific requests. Even within repetitive tasks, I constantly sought improvements and strived to develop better approaches.
These experiences cultivated more than just practical skills; they developed my ability to identify and solve problems, communicate efficiently, and proactively adapt to change. Based on these practical competencies and attitudes, I am confident I can faithfully fulfill the role of a professional secretary at your company. I believe my past experiences form a solid foundation that will enable me to adapt quickly to new environments and add necessary value.
Motivation for Applying and Aspirations After Joining
“I will serve as your career-focused executive assistant.”
I understand your company to be a specialized enterprise encompassing software development, collaborative projects with partners, and diverse investments and business support within the IT sector. I was drawn to apply by your systematic business structure and stable growth potential, specifically focusing on the executive assistant role. I am especially excited that your company operates its secretarial role within the administrative team rather than as an independent department. This structure indicates a larger organization and greater opportunities to experience diverse tasks. While I have accumulated extensive experience performing various practical tasks centered around secretarial duties at my previous workplace, I believe it would be unwise to approach a new workplace with an attitude of “I already know everything.” In fact, I believe such an attitude not only renders experience meaningless but also risks creating communication barriers within the organization.
As the saying goes, “Look before you leap,” I believe that the more familiar the task, the more caution is required. The moment one becomes complacent, thinking they know it all, minor mistakes can occur, and those mistakes can quickly lead to issues of trust. Therefore, should I join your company, I will always approach my work with a beginner’s mindset and a willingness to learn. I will strive to adapt quickly to the new environment, meticulously learning each task step by step, much like a new employee.
I anticipate that the administrative team will include not only experienced secretaries like myself but also members with diverse years of experience and backgrounds. I believe mutual respect and an open attitude are crucial for smooth communication within the organization, regardless of experience level. I will foster teamwork by communicating horizontally, not only with existing team leaders but also with newly hired employees. I will strive to be evaluated as a ‘suitable team member’ who can interact naturally and harmoniously with anyone.
I believe the role of an executive assistant extends beyond simple support tasks; it represents the company’s image externally. Therefore, I will approach my duties with a sense of responsibility and pride, always mindful that I am the face of the company. From the minutiae of tasks to the mindset required as part of the organizational culture, I will be diligent and thoughtful in every moment, aiming to grow alongside your company.
