How to make a cover letter if you apply as a dental assistant?

Does this sound like a good Office Assistant cover letter? What can I do to make it better?

• Monday, March 28, 2011 Mr. Jonathan, Manager Printing Company 8290 Mercedes Dr. Biloxi, MS 3953-0286 Dear Mr. Jonathan: I have been tremendously intrigued with the job offer I saw in your AD on the newspaper on Monday, March 28, 2011. I picked up a newspaper at my local area and was instantly delighted when I saw that you were hiring Office Assistants. I would be honored to uphold a position such as an Office Assistant. I personally believe that I would be the best candidate for the job because I have had prior experience in the field of business. There are many times when I would be left in the office to do data entry, stuffing envelopes, filing, and taking calls. I have been able to do all this immaculately. Not only am I a self- starter, but also a quick learner. If there is any enigmatic work, I will have no problem to figure it out. I really believe that I am undoubtedly the best candidate for this position because the work is to my favor. In my previous job, I have had to accounts receivable sales, complete order entries, file new hire papers, complete insurance information, credit apps, and control petty cash boxes, which includes worksheets on where it is spent. Even more of an incentive that you should hire me is this: due to the fact that my previous job did not have IT dept, I had to work on the computers, fax machines, and copiers. I even had to buy supplies and payroll. I have had absolutely no problem with it. I love the job and take it extremely seriously. My typing speed is 55 words per second and I can type by touch. Another reason consider me an adequate candidate is because I am highly adept at filing, organizing info and taking messages .I also have superb computer literacy skills. I am familiar with using programs such as Microsoft Word®, Excel®, or Access®. I sincerely hope that you will take all this into consideration when hiring candidates. Thank you very much for the job opportunity. I will be looking forward to interviewing with you next week. Sincerely, Casey Talbert Enclosure: Résumé

• Answer:

  Your cover letter is trying to take on way too much. Keep in mind that a cover letter's function is to serve as a kind of "teaser" for the resume. With that in mind, I would structure the cover letter as follows: -A BRIEF opening paragraph stating the position you're applying for and describing 3-4 key skills. -A few bullets describing career successes (if available). These can be pulled directly from your resume. -A brief closing paragraph stating your availability for an interview, and promising to follow up within a stated period of time. Keeping it simple for a cover letter is by far the best approach. Good luck!