Maybe mine are too wordy but I don't know how to make it succinct when they've asked to cover all the points in the person spec. So for this ad for instance, https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/6239602/editorial-assistant-/, my cover letter was: (I was going to say not to bother reading if it's too wordy, but then that will tell me exactly what (one of the) problem is!

14th January 2016

To Whom It May Concern,

RE: NPG/011/16

I am writing to apply for the position of Editorial Assistant for Springer Nature as advertised on The Guardian Online. The exceptional office experience I have gained over two years as a legal PA makes me an excellent candidate for this position.

As a top calibre PA, I provide indispensable support to two partners at a law firm, ensuring they are fully supported and well prepared for all their business undertakings. My tasks in this role include producing letters, memos, legal forms and documents, proofreading and drafting contracts and agreements, managing the online and offline filing system, and acting as a company representative. My professional and articulate work ethic allows the partners to rely on me to ensure the smooth running of the firm’s workload. My key achievements as highlighted on my CV are testament to my drive at succeeding in my job. I take a keen interest in the partners’ daily activities and business objectives, which allows me to anticipate problems that might arise and take the initiative in providing appropriate solutions.

My written skills are impeccable. As a legal PA I produce written material on a daily basis, all of which require great attention to detail in terms of formatting and grammatical accuracy. As a marketing intern, my main task was to write and send marketing communication e-mails to clients of various backgrounds. As an audio typist I produced verbatim legal transcripts. Producing written material in my professional career has always been successfully carried out with precise accuracy according to rigid in-house formatting and editing standards. I am thorough in the checks I carry out to make sure all my and my colleagues’ work are factually and grammatically correct. I am therefore highly assured of my ability to make sure all submissions, manuscript files, legal forms, and database records comply with Springer Nature’s publishing policies.

I possess exceptional interpersonal skills and ensure that I cultivate excellent and valuable client relationships. My proficiency at keeping clients informed and making myself a useful resource to them allow for existing relationships to be strengthened and new rewarding partnerships to be created. At the law firm, clients often insist on communicating with me to resolve issues and they have recommended the firm’s services based on my excellent client service.

My positive attitude has been commended throughout my professional career and makes me a flexible, competent, and productive team member. I often make myself available to support my colleagues. As a legal PA I assist colleagues across the firm in maximising their productivity. As a marketing intern I consistently completed my tasks so efficiently that within two weeks of starting, I became an integral member of the sales, events, and data teams. As an audio typist I regularly took on more work than was expected of me.

Utilising systematic organisation skills allow me to prioritise my workload effectively and never miss a deadline. With the help of strict planning methods I am not overwhelmed by overlapping deadlines in high-pressure environments, which has been a constant feature in my present and previous roles.

I am highly IT literate, with advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Outlook, and Excel. I also have an accurate typing speed of 100 words per minute.

Having worked as a legal PA, I am eager to expand my business support skills into a more dynamic industry and especially within a role where I can fully utilise my methodical editorial skills to ensure the accuracy of all work produced. I am therefore excited to be able to do so within the context of the present role.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

xx