Production Assistant Cover Letter: The All-In-One Guide

The financial benefits, career opportunities, and the influence a production assistant position would bring to a candidate has resulted in an increased demand for these jobs.

Therefore, to land an interview, it’s vital to stand out from the rest of the applicants from the beginning. The cover letter adds just the right splash of color to your application to make it stand out.

In this comprehensive guide, we will:

• Explain to you the exact step by step process to write a cover letter that will place you among the top 5% candidates.
• Give you a perfect assistant cover letter example that you can tailor to your requirement and write your cover letter like an expert.
• Show you how to write a job winning production assistant cover letter, even with no experience.

How to write a production assistant cover letter

Production managers and directors are busy people. In fact, that's exactly why they need an assistant. They are getting hundreds or may be thousands of applications everyday depending on the position.

Your cover letter should grab their attention in seconds. To do this, you need to structure your cover letter well.

Here’s a time tested cover letter structure for Production Assistant jobs,

• Header
• Opening greeting
• First Paragraph: Introduction
• Second Paragraph: Why you are the ideal candidate
• Third Paragraph: How hiring you will benefit them
• Fourth Paragraph: Call to Action (CTA)
• Complimentary close
• Postscript if applicable

Now, let’s break down how to write your cover letter step by step.

Start with the header

Candidates often make a mistake with their cover letter: not realizing this is about a formal letter. Yes, you should be following a formal letter structure.

Therefore, your header should start with the information of the sender and the receiver.

Start with your name. Use the first name and the last name followed by the position you apply for.

Write down your email and the contact number. Try using a professional email as much as possible. Avoid using the work email of your current employer.

State where you live. You don’t have to write your full address here.

Put the date.

And then the name and the address of the receiver as in a formal letter.

Here is an example of a Header for a Production Assistant cover letter.

Opening Greeting

Start with a formal greeting.

Eg: Dear Benjamin or Dear Mr. Lawrence

Don’t stress yourself on how formal you should be. It all depends on the organization you apply for and the person who receives the letter. Just be simple.

Start by introduction yourself

Your first paragraph will make or break your chances of getting an interview. Start with an introduction. This should be a simple and short paragraph highlighting your best skills and expertise.

Here comes the importance of reading the job description. Identify who exactly they’re looking for. If you have previous work experience or internship experience in the same, that’s where you should start.

CORRECT EXAMPLE

Having worked in a Netflix production crew for the last two years as an assistant video composer, I was excited when I found your opening for a Production Assistant Position of your next blockbuster. Being in the industry for the last 5 years after graduating from Southern California FIlm school, I always wanted to be part of an exciting project.

INCORRECT EXAMPLE

My name is Jason Brown. I completed my bachelor’s degree in film production from the University of southern California in 2015. Later I joined a film production crew and worked there for about 5 years. Last week I saw your job advertisement and thought it would be a great opportunity for me.

Do you identify the difference between the two approaches?

Both have demonstrated the same information in the introductions but in different ways.

This is why the first approach is better than the second: it starts with the experience. The experience is the most valuable information in any job application and it’s the same here in your cover letter.

The first sentence makes the hiring manager interested about the applicant so that they want to read more. Then only you expose why you further suit this position by unveiling your expertise one by one.

Explain why you are the best fit for the role

You can either take 1000 words to tell the hiring manager that you are the best fit for this role or you can state results you achieved in your previous position.

We recommend the second angle.

In the first paragraph, you have given an overview of yourself. Now in this, you need to dig deeper into your background and expertise and pick the ones that most relate to the role you are applying for.

Read the job description and identify the greatest fears and pain points of your hiring manager or the production manager.

This is where it gets beautiful. The Director is not looking for someone with the same experience as the role. They’re looking for someone who has answers to their problems. Even if you have no previous work experience, you can relate your internship work, course work, or project experience to communicate the answers to their problems.

CORRECT EXAMPLE

In my previous production with Netflix on the TV show “Dirty Money”, with director Alex Gibney, we achieved the second fastest production time in Netflix history in terms of video and audio composing. We completed season two in just 45 days, saving 6 million production budget to the company.

INCORRECT EXAMPLE

In my previous position as a video composer, I was also involved in many other roles. My strength is to work in stressful environments and still make progress. As a video composer, I got many compliments from my seniors on this.

Straightaway you can see which paragraph makes more sense, which paragraph gives more credibility to your work. In the second approach though you tell you have got many compliments, there’s not enough proof to back it up.

In the first paragraph, with the use of specific project names, people names, and numbers, it gives more credibility to the experience you are citing.

What’s the benefit of hiring you?

Write a short third paragraph on how hiring you will benefit them. Because at the end, that is what their main focus is.

In your second paragraph, you addressed their pain points with your previous experience. Now you should let them know that you can do the same for them.

CORRECT EXAMPLE

I am fully confident that I can be a great asset to your production team to increase efficiency, while improving the overall production quality, saving more time and money for the company.

INCORRECT EXAMPLE

I wish to be a part of your team because I personally like the Movie you are currently working on.

See the difference. In the first approach, we have identified the production manager’s pain points. Production quality, efficiency, saving more time, and saving more money. Those are in fact the key performance indicators (KPIs) of a director.

A cover letter of an applicant with such statements will definitely leave an impression.

Finish your production assistants cover letter with a Call to Action (CTA)

In the last paragraph, you need to tell them what to do next. That is your Call to Action.

You need to make this statement as compelling as possible to make them take this action just after reading your cover letter.

CORRECT EXAMPLE

It will be my pleasure to discuss with you my role as a production assistant in your project and demonstrate how my previous experience can easily be incorporated into your project for greater success.

INCORRECT EXAMPLE

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience

The second CTA is not wrong, but that is what the hiring managers see in 9 out of 10 applications. If you want to write that 1 cover letter that leaves a different impression, go for a different one. Let them know that you are willing to discuss and share your expertise with them in a meeting.

How to enhance your CTA

• Keep it short and to the point
• Have a friendly and respectful, yet confident tone
• Use power words in your CTA such as demonstrate, discuss, explain
• Mention that you’re ready for even a quick informal discussion which could fasten the process instead of waiting for a formal interview

The farewell: cover letter closing

Now you have completed your cover letter. It’s time to thank the hiring manager or the director who read it. Be respectful and use a standard letter closing statement.

How to finish your letter

You can use a letter ending such as “Your sincerely” or “Best Regards”.

Also consider the following,

• Yours truly
• Regards
• Kind regards
• Warm regards
• Respectfully
• Most sincerely

What you have to avoid

To be on the safe side, avoid using informal salutations to end your cover letter. These would work for some companies, but not worth taking a risk.

• Take care
• Ciao
• See you
• Cheers
• Fondly

Tips to improve your production assistant cover letter

As you have gone through the structure of your cover letter, here are a few tips to take your cover letter from good to great.

• Do your research: Try to find out who receives the cover letter so that you can use their name in the greeting. This will make your application 10 times better than a general cover letter with the greeting “To whom it may concern”
• Keyword research: Read the job description carefully and note down the keywords they have mentioned. Most companies use automated applicant tracking systems to shortlist cover letters and resumes. Your cover letter should be naturally rich with these keywords
• Pain points: Identify the pain points of the recruiter or the director. Especially when hiring a Production Assistant, they have certain expectations. If you can identify few of them, you can address them in your cover letter and tell them how you can help
• Mention your most applicable experience: Tell exactly how your expertise and skills helped in those projects. USE NUMBERS and write to the point
• Keep it formal: Your cover letter should be written in formal language. Do not use abbreviations, informal words, or slurs

Key points: writing a production assistant cover letter masterfully

• Follow the structure we have recommended for the cover letter. It’s time tested!
• Avoid abbreviations and casual language
• Tailor your cover letter to the particular job. Don’t write another resume
• Have a friendly tone and be respectful
• Include a short and specific call-to-action that encourages the reader to contact you about the offer
• Showcase your energy and personality throughout the writing

Complement your cover letter with a resume

The resume is the main part of a job application. Therefore, accompany your cover letter with a great resume. The resume covers professional work experience, complete education, and skills.

In most cases, hiring managers only read the resume. The shortlisted set of resumes together with the cover letters goes to the director.

The resume provides the recruiter an overall picture of the candidate while the cover letter addresses the recruiter in a more personalized manner.

FAQs

Is a cover letter necessary for a Production Assistant?

Simple answer is YES. First you need to write a compelling resume for the Production Assistant position and send it together with a personalized cover letter to your recruiter.

A cover letter addresses a few things that you don’t get to talk about in a resume. The resume is about you. The cover letter is about them. Focus of your cover letter should be to introduce yourself to the recruiter and describe how your experience and expertise would benefit them.

How to write a cover letter for a Production Assistant?

Start your letter like a formal letter template writing the header with your name, contact details and the receivers details.

Write a quick introduction in your first paragraph. Write why you think you are the best candidate for this position in your second paragraph. Use the last paragraph to communicate why hiring you would benefit them and how you can support their growth. Make the hiring decision easy and risk free for them by writing your previous experience and achievements.

Finish the letter with a Call to Action. Tell them what action they should take after reading the letter. Make it easy for them to call you for a quick discussion.