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15 Administrative Assistant Resume Examples - Here's What Works In 2024
Your resume is key to landing an interview in today’s competitive job market. in order to make your resume appealing, you’ll want to tailor your resume to the specific job by using relevant keywords, action verbs, and skills. here are five templates that will get you started on your resume for an administrative assistant position in 2023..
Administrative assistants are the backbone of the office. They act as liaisons and points of contacts between internal teams and with external teams as needed. Responsibilities include scheduling meetings, managing calendars, ordering office supplies, answering phone calls, taking notes, and supporting management and the team as needed. Administrative assistants help to keep the department organized and running smoothly overall. There are various types of administrative assistants as well, ranging from departmental support to support for executives and other leadership. They vary in salary, responsibilities, and required experience. The role may range from requiring one year of experience or more. Since administrative assistants are typically responsible for clerical tasks, decision-making, preparing reports and documents, you will want to showcase your communication, collaboration, and time management skills. Examples include improving efficiency in the department and ways that you maximized productivity by streamlining processes. Now, let’s dive into what successful administrative assistant resume templates look like in 2023. We’ll examine five different examples of different administrative assistant roles to showcase the various positions and offer a strong place to start with your resume. After, we’ll go over a list of strong action verbs to emphasize your work experience and a list of the most common skills that recruiters are looking for in administrative assistants.
Administrative Assistant Resume Templates
Jump to a template:
- Administrative Assistant
- Senior Administrative Assistant
- Executive Administrative Assistant
- Entry Level Administrative Assistant
- Sales Administrative Assistant
- Legal Administrative Assistant
- Office Administrative Assistant
- Medical Administrative Assistant
- Experienced Administrative Assistant
Jump to a resource:
- Keywords for Administrative Assistant Resumes
Administrative Assistant Resume Tips
- Action Verbs to Use
- Bullet Points on Administrative Assistant Resumes
- Related Administrative Resumes
Get advice on each section of your resume:
Template 1 of 15: Administrative Assistant Resume Example
An administrative assistant is a professional who helps organize, optimize, and execute day-to-day business tasks. Administrative assistants help a company ensure their administrative business practices are organized and efficient. As an administrative assistant, you may be responsible for tasks such as filing, faxing, organizing and cataloging invoices, purchasing office products, monitoring and organizing databases, and more. To become an administrative assistant, you will need superb attention to detail and organizational skills. For this role, hiring managers will typically look for someone with a minimum of an associate's degree in a related field, though a bachelor's degree can help you stand out. More importantly, hiring managers will look for a candidate with prior experience in organizational support roles, such as experience as an office coordinator. Ideal candidates for this position will be organized, efficient, and great multi-taskers.
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Tips to help you write your Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
showcase your ability to successfully manage and organize documents.
The organization and preservation of important documents usually falls on the administrative assistant. As such, it’s important to showcase your ability to keep track of documentation effectively. Since documents can be stored physically or digitally, it’s a plus if you can showcase any database tools you have used to optimize a company’s filing procedures.
Consider obtaining certifications related to the role of administrative assistant
There are certifications you can earn to show your knowledge when it comes to administrative work. The CAP (certified administrative professional) credential will look great on a resume for this role and show hiring managers you have the skills needed to succeed.
Skills you can include on your Administrative Assistant resume
Template 2 of 15: administrative assistant resume example.
As an experienced administrative assistant with years of professional work history, you’ll want to primarily highlight your previous administrative work at companies. This administrative assistant resume template emphasizes strong experience supporting various groups and teams with specific and measurable numbers of accomplishments in the role. You should also supplement your experience with education and skills to create a complete picture to your potential employer.
Detail your professional experience in administrative support
If you have as much work history experience in related administrative roles, you’ll want to make sure you use lots of detail about your achievements with specific numbers. Good examples that this template uses are “established workflow processes, monitored daily productivity, and implemented modifications to improve personnel efficiency by 15%” and “registered and withdrew 50+ students annually.”
Longevity of relevant administrative roles in work history
Recruiters prioritize candidates not only with relevant experience, but also longevity in previous positions which shows commitment. Sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding requires time and money. Recruiters don’t want to pass along candidates who’ll stay for a short time and have to start the cycle over again. Do your best to mention relevant roles to an administrative assistant on your resume.
Template 3 of 15: Senior Administrative Assistant Resume Example
A senior administrative assistant is a position that highlights your extensive experience supporting higher management and overseeing other employees in the department. Since you’ll have plenty of experience to share, you’ll want to detail your accomplishments with specific numbers and highlight your transferable skills from previous roles. This template will show you how to combine both to create a lasting impression on the recruiter.
Tips to help you write your Senior Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
highlights training and leadership experience, which are transferrable skills key to administrative assistant roles.
Since this role is a senior position, you’ll be expected to train new employees per the company’s needs and support senior management. This resume template uses examples like “managed administrative staff of 15 personnel,” “hired, trained, and managed over 355 part-time workers per year,” and “supported Senior Vice President of Manufacturing.” Make sure to emphasize your relevant senior experience.
Relevant administrative assistant certifications in education section
Besides just your education, you’ll want to spotlight any relevant certifications that you have to demonstrate your fluency in this role. This senior administrative assistant resume template uses the example of Administrative Assistant Certificate Series from the Growthsi Business School. Additional certificates show your dedication to additional training for the position.
Skills you can include on your Senior Administrative Assistant resume
Template 4 of 15: executive administrative assistant resume example.
The executive administrative assistant is someone who provides high-level, tailored administrative support for the executives within a company. They will often be assigned to a group of executives, and help these leaders organize and optimize their daily efficiency. As an executive administrative assistant, you may assist executives in planning travel, booking meetings, answering incoming calls, planning events, overseeing office operations, and more. To become an executive administrative assistant, you will need to demonstrate prior excellence in administrative roles. Most hiring managers will look for someone with a minimum of an associate’s degree in a related field. Moreover, because this role handles high-level administrative duties, the ideal candidate will have 2-5 years of experience in related roles like as an administrative assistant or office manager. Superb candidates for this role will showcase organizational excellence, as well as a professional attitude and great time management skills.
Tips to help you write your Executive Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
highlight your experience planning and scheduling travel.
Executive administrative assistants are responsible for managing the executive schedule, and this includes creating travel plans. As such, any experience you have booking and organizing travel for others should be detailed on your resume.
Showcase your time management skills
Executive administrative assistants must juggle leader’s scheduling conflicts with grace and creativity. It’s important to demonstrate on your resume how you have used your time management skills to effectively organize schedules in the past.
Skills you can include on your Executive Administrative Assistant resume
Template 5 of 15: executive administrative assistant resume example.
An executive administrative assistant manages all clerical tasks for executive managers. This includes welcoming guests, and handling communication between stakeholders, clients, and partners. Additionally, an executive administrative assistant often performs basic bookkeeping duties, so this is another skill you might want to highlight in your resume. Other responsibilities include preparing documents, negotiating with vendors, managing corporate inventory, reviewing incoming documents, etc. This is a role that requires attention to detail and strong communication skills.
Demonstrate your time management skills on your resume by using accomplishments.
Executive administrative assistants often work under pressure. They need to meet tight deadlines and make sure everyone on the clerical team is on top of everything. That’s why having time management skills is essential for this role. If you want to demonstrate this in your resume, you should use accomplishments and mention projects that you coordinated effectively and on time.
Showcase your communication skills on your resume.
Since communication is essential in this role, this is exactly what you want to reflect on your resume. Rather than just saying you have excellent communication skills, use the appropriate vocabulary and structure on your resume, such as strong action verbs like "Communicated", "Directed" or "Influenced". If you've worked with senior execs or CEOs, it's worth mentioning things like "Presented to senior stakeholders..." on your resume.
Template 6 of 15: Executive Administrative Assistant Resume Example
An executive assistant works closely with a high-level executive or a small group of high-level executives in overseeing projects and anticipating business needs. On the other hand, an executive administrative assistant tends to focus more on task management and administrative duties, such as calendar scheduling, data entry, and handling calls. In your executive administrative assistant resume, make sure to highlight your experience and relevant skills accordingly.
Highlight relevant executive administrative skills
When writing your executive administrative assistant resume, make sure to demonstrate your proven ability to carry out administrative tasks. You should highlight relevant skills you have in these capacities, and include skills that pertain to the job description. This candidate includes a list of administrative capacities in their skills section, such as Calendar Management, Travel Arrangements, and Organization Skills, and expands upon them in their work experience.
Use strong action verbs and numeric metrics to describe your administrative accomplishments/responsibilities
In your work experience section, make sure to use strong action verbs and to quantify your positive impact to the company. Executive administrative assistants should be experts at performing administrative duties, especially in areas of facilitating smooth operation and in catalyzing productivity. Use words such as “streamlined”, “orchestrated”, or “facilitated” to describe your contributions, and make sure to accompany them with tangible quantitative metrics.
Template 7 of 15: Executive Administrative Assistant Resume Example
As an executive administrative assistant, you will be supporting one or multiple executives in the company. A high-level of discretion and anticipation of what your executives need is a must. To tailor a resume for this position, you’ll want to focus on your experience supporting previous executives and how you resolved pain points for them.
Quantify your administrative accomplishments in the office
In this role, you’ll have familiarity with streamlining and implementing processes. This resume uses great examples like “reduced cell phone expenses, resulting in savings of $5,000+” and “organized new office and designed systems to maximize office function efficiency by 30%.” Make sure to showcase what you did to make the office better for the team. Numbers talk!
Show promotions in your work history
This template demonstrates a promotion from an administrative assistant to an executive assistant. Growth shows that your previous company was impressed with your work and trusted you with more responsibilities, like supporting five executives. You should also highlight why you were promoted. If you took on additional work, became a mentor to others, or more, make sure to share it.
Template 8 of 15: Entry Level Administrative Assistant Resume Example
As an entry-level administrative assistant, you will be able to get your feet wet in the world of operations and business management. Entry-level administrative assistants will quickly learn how to monitor and optimize day-to-day business practices. They may be responsible for cataloging paperwork, ensuring office facilities are in working order, answering general phone calls, providing support with training and onboarding, and more. To land this role, you will need to show a strong interest in administrative work and superb organizational skills. Hiring managers will look for someone with a minimum of an associate’s degree in a related field. Since this is an entry-level role, a lengthy resume is not necessary. However, you should showcase work you’ve done at past jobs, internships, or in volunteer roles that required organizational skills, time management, and/or great people skills.
Tips to help you write your Entry Level Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
highlight relevant coursework you have completed.
Given that this is an entry-level role, it’s a perfect opportunity for a recent graduate. To bolster your resume, be sure to highlight any projects or research you’ve completed relating to business efficiency, human resources, or operations, and what you learned from the coursework.
Obtain certifications to strengthen your resume
Certifications can help entry-level applicants stand out. There are many certifications that relate to administrative work, including the CAP (certified administrative professional) or the certified professional secretary credential. These courses can often be found online and adding these credentials to your resume can showcase your knowledge in the field.
Skills you can include on your Entry Level Administrative Assistant resume
Template 9 of 15: entry level administrative assistant resume example.
Just like senior and executive-level administrative assistants, there are also entry-levels administrative assistant positions out there. Don’t worry if you don’t have administrative assistant work experience or if you’re looking to change careers — you should use your education and other related administrative experience to supplement it. You should also highlight relevant skills that are transferable to showcase previous experience with them in different environments.
Use of strong action verbs related to administrative duties
Action verbs are important tools and phrasing is everything. Your resume should have powerful action verbs to bolster your accomplishments. Some excellent examples of action verbs in this resume template are “directed,” “oversaw,” “generated,” and “drafted.” We’ll also go into more detail about action verbs down below for more ideas.
Transferable administrative skills from previous roles
You typically want to emphasize technical skills but that can be difficult for an administrative assistant position compared to a role like a project manager. In this resume, skills such as “customer service, “telephone reception,” and “data entry” are listed. The skills are implied in experience like “answered an average of 35 calls per day by addressing customer inquiries.”
Template 10 of 15: Sales Administrative Assistant Resume Example
A sales administrative assistant is someone who helps a sales team optimize daily business practices relating to sales and marketing. This can be a great opportunity to transition into a sales and/or marketing role for many. Sales administrative assistants will assist with tasks such as answering phone calls to the sales line, planning and organizing meetings, assisting in invoice processing, assisting with proposal writing, and more. To become a sales administrative assistant, you will need a mix of relevant experience in both sales and business administration. Hiring managers will look for someone with a degree in business administration, business operations, or another related field. Moreover, the ideal candidate will have both customer-facing and organizational experience. Prior roles as a sales representative, customer service representative, or administrative assistant will stand out for this role. Overall, a candidate for this role should be a team player, who has strong organizational skills and an eagerness to learn.
Tips to help you write your Sales Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
highlight any experience you have drafting proposals for prospective customers.
Salespeople with a high workload may rely on their administrative assistant to help with proposal generation. Showcasing any work or educational experience you have with drafting pricing and product proposals can help you stand out for this role.
Showcase your ability to engage with customers
Unlike many other administrative roles, the sales administrative assistant will help sales teams communicate with customers. In this role you may be responsible for handling incoming questions, concerns, or requests from customers. For this reason, it’s important to highlight any customer-facing experience you have on your resume.
Skills you can include on your Sales Administrative Assistant resume
Template 11 of 15: sales administrative assistant resume example.
Sales are a key function to any business. Without the sales team, the company would probably have a hard time earning revenue for their products or services. As a sales administrative assistant, you’ll want to spotlight your related sales and administrative experience to demonstrate that you can do both. You may not only just support the sales team, but also contribute to sales pitches, presentations, and generating leads as well.
Focuses on relevant administrative & sales experience
Since this role requires familiarity with selling, make sure to showcase your previous sales experience. This template uses related positions such as sales clerk and sales coordinator. If you’ve worked in retail or similar roles before, mention it with examples like “managed $300,000 monthly sales figures operating at an average of 30% profit margin” and “conducted 50+ sales presentations.”
Quantify your accomplishments and project results
Sales is all about numbers. This resume template specifically mentions a project of “creat[ing] sales tracking database in Access that decreased overall deficiencies by 20%.” Recruiters want to see hard numbers of how you contributed to increasing sales and generating leads. Emphasize what you did in past roles to show what you could do for your potential employer.
Template 12 of 15: Legal Administrative Assistant Resume Example
Legal administrative assistants support a law firm’s lawyers and paralegals. Some tasks you can expect include drafting legal documents, doing legal research, ensuring the office runs smoothly, handling schedules, speaking with clients, etc. You will be expected to have a strong legal educational background and some experience in the legal field would be highly preferred. The legal industry is also a high-pressure industry so the ability to work under pressure and have a high level of productivity is essential. Take a look at this strong resume sample for the position.
Tips to help you write your Legal Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
mention a variety of administrative tasks in your experience section..
Above this being a legal position, it is an administrative position. Make sure your experience section shows recruiters the range of administrative tasks that you have experience doing.
Include administrative positions in other industries.
If you don’t have a lot of experience in the legal field, include any administrative experience you have had in other fields. There is overlap in the tasks and most of the skills are transferable.
Skills you can include on your Legal Administrative Assistant resume
Template 13 of 15: office administrative assistant resume example.
This is an entry-level position where you work to ensure the office runs smoothly. You will be tasked with everyday needs like reception duty, maintaining files, prepping and scheduling meetings, managing calendars, etc. Great communication, a helpful and polite demeanor, and a go-getter attitude will be highly desired for this position. Likewise, any experience in an administrative position will be appreciated. Here is a recruiter-approved resume sample.
Tips to help you write your Office Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
add an ‘office administrative assistant’ title to your resume to get past ats..
You may not have a lot of experience in this job, so add the job title to ensure you get past any ATS resume filters in place.
Have a varied technical skills list.
An administrative position requires a varied skill set due to the varied tasks you will need to complete. Ensure the list of your technical skills is equally varied.
Skills you can include on your Office Administrative Assistant resume
Template 14 of 15: medical administrative assistant resume example.
A medical administrative assistant will take charge of the clerical tasks needed in a medical facility. You may have front desk duties, you may maintain patient files, and you may be in charge of assuring the waiting area is in order, among other responsibilities. Important to note, however, is that, unlike a medical assistant, you will not handle patients’ care in any way. Regardless, a background in health or medicine will be highly beneficial to your application and resume.
Tips to help you write your Medical Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
include medical industry knowledge in your skills section..
There is very specific industry knowledge and very specific tasks you should be able to perform in this field. Knowledge includes things like HIPAA while the tasks include things like insurance billing and healthcare management. Make your skills section very medical-industry-specific.
Use healthcare keywords in your resume.
Little changes like changing ‘customer’ to ‘patient’ can make a huge difference in showing recruiters that you are experienced in the healthcare industry. Pepper your resume with healthcare keywords as this applicant has done.
Skills you can include on your Medical Administrative Assistant resume
Template 15 of 15: experienced administrative assistant resume example.
As the name suggests, this administrative assistant is not new to the industry and has had some professional experience in the field. Your tasks will be varied as you do your best to assist in whatever day-to-day tasks need to be completed. In this position, you may be working solely for the CEO or certain staff members, or you may be working for the entire office or department. Tasks may range from making travel arrangements to scheduling meetings, to maintaining files. Take a look at this resume sample to get an idea of what yours should entail.
Tips to help you write your Experienced Administrative Assistant resume in 2024
get relevant certifications..
Show your dedication to the career by gaining administrative certification. This applicant is a certified professional secretary and administrative professional.
Highlight transferable skills from related positions.
If you have had experience in a related position like a secretary or receptionist positions, include those in your resume and highlight the tasks and skills that an executive administrative assistant would also have. There is a lot of overlap in these positions.
Skills you can include on your Experienced Administrative Assistant resume
We spoke with hiring managers at companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google to find out what they look for in an Administrative Assistant resume. Based on their insights and our research, we've put together these tips to help you create a strong resume that will get you noticed by top employers.
Highlight your organizational skills
One of the most important skills for an Administrative Assistant is being organized. Showcase your ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and keep things running smoothly.
- Managed calendars, scheduled meetings, and coordinated travel for a team of 10 executives
- Developed and implemented a new filing system that increased efficiency by 20%
- Tracked and ordered office supplies, ensuring the office was always well-stocked and within budget
Emphasize your communication abilities
Administrative Assistants often serve as the first point of contact for a company, so strong communication skills are essential. Highlight your ability to interact with people at all levels, both verbally and in writing.
- Handled a high volume of incoming calls and emails, consistently providing professional and friendly customer service
- Drafted, edited, and proofread correspondence, reports, and presentations
- Served as a liaison between departments, facilitating clear communication and collaboration
Showcase your technical proficiency
In today's digital age, Administrative Assistants need to be comfortable with a variety of software programs and tools. Make sure to list your technical skills and experience.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Experienced with computers
Instead, be specific about the programs you know and how you've used them:
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), with the ability to create complex spreadsheets and dynamic presentations
- Experience with CRM software, including Salesforce and HubSpot, to manage customer data and support sales efforts
Demonstrate your problem-solving skills
Employers value Administrative Assistants who can think on their feet and find solutions to challenges. Use your resume to showcase times when you've successfully tackled problems or made improvements.
- Identified and resolved issues with the company's invoicing process, resulting in a 15% reduction in late payments
- Implemented a new system for tracking and managing employee time off requests, streamlining the process and saving hours of administrative work each week
Tailor your resume to the job description
Every company and position is unique, so it's important to customize your resume for each job you apply to. Pay close attention to the skills and experience mentioned in the job description, and make sure to highlight your relevant qualifications.
For example, if a job posting emphasizes the need for strong event planning skills, you might include:
- Planned and coordinated multiple successful corporate events, including annual conferences, product launches, and holiday parties
- Managed all aspects of event planning, from booking venues and vendors to creating schedules and managing budgets
Use a professional summary
A well-written professional summary at the top of your resume can grab an employer's attention and encourage them to keep reading. Use this space to highlight your most relevant skills and experience.
Highly organized and detail-oriented Administrative Assistant with 5+ years of experience supporting executives in fast-paced environments. Skilled in managing calendars, planning events, and providing exceptional customer service. Proficient in Microsoft Office and experienced with CRM software. Proven ability to prioritize tasks, solve problems, and communicate effectively with all levels of an organization.
Remember to keep your summary concise and tailored to the specific job you're applying for.
Administrative assistants are responsible for maintaining a smooth flow in the office. They coordinate scheduling, support the team and management, take meeting notes, create documentation, answer and direct phone calls, and more. They are fluent in the standard software required for an office environment, while having excellent verbal and written communication skills. A sense of urgency and the ability to prioritize is required for this role, alongside time management in order to complete necessary projects and fulfill daily duties. Now that we’ve reviewed what administrative assistants do, let’s go over some tips on how to make your resume stand out to recruiters in 2022:
List relevant administrative software you have proficiency in.
When carefully reading the job listing, make sure that you find the relevant hard skills and software that the company wants. Depending on the industry, this could include software like customer relationship management (CRM) software like Salesforce, Quickbooks, and PeopleSoft. Please only mention your proficiency and experience with the software if you have used it in other roles or capacities. It is important not to stretch the truth and make up your experience with the programs, as it could easily cost you the job if found out and you want to make sure you get the training that you need if you land the role.
Tailor your administrative assistant resume based on the job listing.
Administrative assistants generally have the same types of responsibilities, but they can vary depending on if they are executive administrative assistants or sales administrative assistants as we’ve seen in the resume templates. Make sure that your resume is specialized and fits the criteria for the role. You don’t want to submit a general administrative assistant resume for a sales administrative assistant role, or vice versa. It’s worth having multiple versions of your resume and you can update the verbiage of each job in your work experience to match the specific position. For example, if you led sales presentations in a past role and are applying for a general administrative assistant, you might want to leave that section out and instead focus on how you supported your team and management.
Specifically detail your administrative experience supporting teams and management.
Since administrative assistants need to support a variety of people in a professional work environment, you’ll want to explicitly explain how you did in past roles. For example, did you manage their calendars, schedules, and order office supplies to make sure the department didn’t run out? Don’t be shy about sharing the position of the person you were supporting if they’re an individual and an executive, such as the Chief Executive Officer or Senior Vice President of a company. People in executive and higher management roles are often busy with packed schedules, so it makes it all the more impressive that you successfully wrangled their calendar and kept them on track.
Emphasize your transferable skills as an administrative assistant.
Transferable skills are extremely valuable, as many companies in 2022 are looking for the best candidates with experience. Previous experience in an office or other business setting will prove useful, such as coming from roles like a secretary, office assistant, or even something like a recruiter. In these positions, you should have experience with customers, answering the phone, scheduling, calendar management, ordering office supplies, taking notes, and other related skills. You’ll want to take these skills and expand them through your numeric achievements, with examples like “managed 700+ student information in Aspen; updated information every month to ensure 100% accuracy.” This statement demonstrates that you handled a high volume of customer information in specific software, as well as being detail-oriented and thorough.
Writing Your Administrative Assistant Resume: Section By Section
header, 1. put your name on the first line.
Your name should be the most prominent element in your header, on its own line. Use a larger font size than the rest of your header details.
For example:
- Jane Smith | 123 Main St | [email protected] | 555-123-4567
Combining your name with your other details makes it harder for hiring managers to quickly find your name.
2. Include your phone number and email
Directly below your name, include your phone number and email address. These are the two primary ways employers will contact you.
Use a professional email address, ideally [email protected] . Avoid outdated email domains or unprofessional handles like:
- [email protected]
A professional email will reinforce the competent, detail-oriented image you want to project as an administrative assistant.
3. Add your location, not full address
Include your city and state to let employers know where you're based. For administrative assistant roles, employers typically expect you to be local.
- Chicago, IL
- San Francisco, CA
However, you do not need to include your full mailing address. In fact, for privacy reasons, it's better not to include your exact home address on your resume.
123 Main St, Apt 2B Chicago, IL 12345
The above example provides more personal details than needed. Just your city and state will suffice.
4. Consider including your LinkedIn URL
If you have a strong LinkedIn profile, consider adding the URL to your header. This gives hiring managers another avenue to learn more about you and your professional background.
Use a clean, shortened URL like:
- linkedin.com/in/janesmith
Rather than the default URL with random characters:
- linkedin.com/in/jane-smith-12345a6b7c8d9e0f
A custom URL looks cleaner and takes up less valuable space on your administrative assistant resume.
Summary
A resume summary for an Administrative Assistant is an optional section that highlights your most relevant skills, experience, and achievements. While a summary is not required, it can be beneficial if you have extensive experience or are making a career change. On the other hand, an objective statement should never be used as it focuses on your goals rather than what you can offer the employer.
When crafting your Administrative Assistant resume summary, focus on showcasing your abilities in areas such as organization, communication, and technical proficiency. Tailor your summary to the specific requirements of the job you are applying for, emphasizing the skills and experience that make you a strong candidate.
To learn how to write an effective resume summary for your Administrative Assistant resume, or figure out if you need one, please read Administrative Assistant Resume Summary Examples , or Administrative Assistant Resume Objective Examples .
1. Highlight your key administrative skills
In your Administrative Assistant resume summary, emphasize the essential skills that make you an effective support professional. Consider the following examples:
- Proficient in managing calendars, scheduling meetings, and coordinating travel arrangements
- Skilled in handling multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail
- Experienced in managing office supplies inventory and maintaining organized filing systems
Avoid generic or overused phrases that do not provide specific information about your abilities:
- Hard-working and dedicated professional
- Team player with a positive attitude
Instead, focus on concrete skills and experiences that demonstrate your value as an Administrative Assistant.
2. Tailor your summary to the job description
To make your Administrative Assistant resume summary more effective, customize it to the specific job you are applying for. Review the job description carefully and identify the key skills and requirements the employer is looking for. Then, incorporate those elements into your summary.
For example, if the job description emphasizes experience with a particular software or database, mention your proficiency with that tool:
Administrative Assistant with 5+ years of experience, skilled in managing multiple projects and proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced Excel functions. Adept at handling sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
By tailoring your summary to the job description, you demonstrate that you have the specific skills and experience the employer is seeking, increasing your chances of securing an interview.
Experience
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished and how you've used your skills to drive impact. When applying for administrative assistant roles, focus on highlighting experiences that demonstrate your ability to organize, communicate, and support a team. Here are some key tips to make your work experience section stand out:
1. Highlight your organizational skills
Administrative assistants are the glue that holds an office together. They keep everything running smoothly by being highly organized. Showcase experiences where you've demonstrated strong organizational abilities, such as:
- Implemented a new filing system that reduced document retrieval time by 50%
- Managed executive calendar, scheduling over 30 meetings per week while ensuring no conflicts
- Created and maintained databases to track office inventory, reducing waste by 25%
Whenever possible, use metrics to quantify your impact. Numbers jump off the page and really get a hiring manager's attention.
2. Showcase your communication abilities
Excellent communication is a must-have skill for administrative assistants. You're often the first point of contact for clients or customers, and you need to communicate clearly with your team. But don't just say you have "strong communication skills" - prove it with examples:
- Answered phones and responded to emails
- Collaborated with team on projects
Instead, highlight specific accomplishments and provide details:
- Handled 50+ customer inquiries per day via phone and email, resolving 90% of issues without escalation
- Wrote and distributed monthly internal newsletter to keep 100+ employees informed of company updates and events
3. Demonstrate your technical proficiencies
Most administrative assistant roles require proficiency with certain software programs and tools. Be sure to call out your technical skills in your work experience section. For example:
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and Salesforce CRM. Created complex spreadsheets to track and analyze department budget, identifying opportunities to reduce spend by 10%.
If you've completed any relevant training or certifications, like a Microsoft Office Specialist certification, include that as well. Experience with industry-specific tools, like legal billing software or medical coding systems, is also valuable to highlight.
4. Show your career progression
Hiring managers love to see candidates who have grown and advanced in their careers. If you've been promoted or taken on increasing responsibility, make that evident in your work experience section. You might format it something like:
Administrative Assistant, XYZ Company Executive Assistant (2018-Present) Provided high-level administrative support to CEO and CFO Managed expense reports and travel arrangements for 5 executives Administrative Assistant (2016-2018) Greeted visitors and answered multi-line phone system Maintained office supply inventory and placed orders as needed
This format clearly shows your progression from an entry-level admin to a senior-level executive assistant, with increased responsibilities along the way.
Education
The education section of your administrative assistant resume should be concise and relevant. It's an opportunity to showcase your academic background and any specialized training that qualifies you for the role. Follow these tips to create an effective education section that will catch the attention of hiring managers.
1. List your highest degree first
Start with your most recent or highest degree and work backwards. For each degree, include:
- Name of the institution
- Location of the institution
- Degree obtained
- Field of study
- Graduation year
If you have a bachelor's degree, you can leave out your high school information. Here's an example:
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Graduated: 2018
2. Highlight relevant coursework and academic achievements
If you're a recent graduate or have completed courses that are directly relevant to the administrative assistant role, consider listing them under your degree. This can help demonstrate your knowledge and skills. For example:
Bachelor of Science in Office Administration San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA Graduated: 2020 Relevant Coursework: Business Communication, Office Management, Project Management, and Administrative Technology
Additionally, if you graduated with honors or received any academic awards, include them in this section to showcase your achievements.
3. Include certifications and professional development
If you have completed any certifications or professional development courses that are relevant to the administrative assistant role, include them in your education section. This can help demonstrate your commitment to learning and staying up-to-date with industry trends. For example:
Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) International Association of Administrative Professionals Completed: 2019
However, be cautious about listing online courses or non-substantial education, as they may not carry the same weight as more formal certifications or degrees.
4. Keep it brief if you're a senior-level professional
If you have several years of experience as an administrative assistant, your education section should be brief and focus on your most recent and relevant degrees. Hiring managers will be more interested in your work experience and accomplishments. For example:
Master of Business Administration University of Washington Seattle, WA
Avoid listing outdated or irrelevant education, such as:
- High school diploma, class of 1985
- Associate's degree in an unrelated field from 20+ years ago
Instead, focus on education that showcases your skills and expertise as a seasoned administrative professional.
Action Verbs For Administrative Assistant Resumes
Each bullet point in your work history section should begin with an action verb. These action verbs are strong ways to showcase your experience and achievements by showing, rather than telling. Examples of great action verbs for an administrative assistant are “negotiated,” “supervised,” “calculated,” “established,” and more to speak to your accomplishments in the role. These words imply the ability to effectively communicate with vendors, leadership and management of other team members, proficiency in numbers, and creating something new. Descriptors such as “responsible for,” “helped,” “assisted with,” and “handled” imply that you did the responsibilities of the job, but leave the recruiter wanting to know what you specifically achieved in your past roles.
- Established
- Interviewed
For more related action verbs, visit Customer Service Action Verbs .
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs .
Action Verbs for Administrative Assistant Resumes
Skills for administrative assistant resumes.
When you’re applying for an administrative assistant position, your relevant administrative skills that are transferable from other roles will play a big part. This may include skills such as customer service, data entry, technology, and more. Make sure that you take the time to carefully read the job posting for the required skills and preferred skills to identify what the recruiter will be exactly looking for in an ideal candidate. You’ll want to tailor your resume for each position that you apply for with this in mind, especially since the company is likely using an applicant tracking system (ATS). There will be key words scattered throughout the job posting that you want to strategically use throughout your resume while keeping it natural. To get you started, here’s a list of relevant skills that recruiters and companies are looking for in administrative assistants.
- Administrative Assistance
- Office Administration
- Accounts Payable
- Human Resources (HR)
- Event Planning
- Administration
- Customer Service
- Spreadsheets
- Inventory Management
- Microsoft Access
- Executive Administrative Assistance
- Accounts Receivable (AR)
How To Write Your Skills Section On an Administrative Assistant Resumes
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
Skills Word Cloud For Administrative Assistant Resumes
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Administrative Assistant job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
How to use these skills?
Resume bullet points from administrative assistant resumes.
You should use bullet points to describe your achievements in your Administrative Assistant resume. Here are sample bullet points to help you get started:
Created Monte Carlo simulation using Pandas (Python) to generate 30,000 sample portfolios with 8+ constraints
Managed user engagement analytics strategy, providing first insight into how users interact with our apps on their tablets and mobile devices
Analyzed brand's pricing, advertising and distribution data and identified seasonal trends and white space by integrating consumer insights; recommended strategic changes in portfolio and marketing plan to C-suite executives, reversing sales slump (+6.5%)
Recommended multi-brand strategy for a leading restaurant chain company to enter fast casual market by evaluating core competencies and performing market analysis
Developed pricing strategy for a digital subscription service by segmenting potential users by behavioral and psychographic attributes from survey data
For more sample bullet points and details on how to write effective bullet points, see our articles on resume bullet points , how to quantify your resume and resume accomplishments .
Other Administrative Resumes
Finance director.
Underwriter
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- Tips for Administrative Assistant Resumes
- Skills and Keywords to Add
- Sample Bullet Points from Top Resumes
- All Resume Examples
- Administrative Assistant CV Examples
- Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
- Administrative Assistant Interview Guide
- Explore Alternative and Similar Careers
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