Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
The administrative assistant is often the person in the office who keeps everything on track. They may greet and route visitors, help executives with communications, schedule repairs and services on office equipment, purchase supplies, schedule meeting rooms, and more. When something isn’t working as it’s supposed to, everyone else often seeks out the administrative assistant.
This is busy, yet rewarding work. If this is the job for you, your resume should reflect that you are proactive, have great communication skills, and are organized to a fault. Here are some tips to help you accomplish that goal.
Administrative Assistant Resume Sample (Word)
Download resume example (.docx)
Resume for Administrative Assistant (Plain Text)
Profile
Highly motivated, detail oriented administrative assistant with over five years of experience. Capable of handling duties relating to front desk reception, office management, billing and invoicing, and vendor relationship management.
Professional History
Acme Inc. (Sept. 2013 – Present)
Administrative Assistant: Executive Suite
Duties: Maintain employee and customer database, create and modify employee profiles, send email communications and invoices to clients, issue payment authorizations to vendors, schedule meeting rooms and A/V equipment, assist sales team members with travel arrangements. Directed incoming customers. Placed and followed up with service orders.
Awarded: Support Professional of The Year: 2012
Davis Exteriors (Aug. 2011 – Aug. 2013)
Office Manager
Duties: Scheduled appointments, called clients for confirmation, placed orders for construction supplies, issued badges and name tags to employees and visitors, maintained client database and price sheets, composed and edited emails and other communications. Ordered office supplies. Performed other administrative duties as needed.
Education
Chicago Community College: May 2011
Associate in Applied Science: Administrative Office Systems
Certificate of Proficiency: Microsoft Office Applications
Memberships: Treasurer, Oak Park Chamber of Commerce (Aug. 2012 – Present)
Pepper Your Resume With Action Words to Show Your Accomplishments And Abilities
Avoid using passive verbs like ‘did’, in your resume. Instead, use specific, action-oriented verbs that reflect the work you did. Try:
- Communicate
- Managed
- Scheduled
- Distribute
- Assist
- Lead
- Organize
- Generate
- Facilitate
- Coordinate
These are the words that will leave the impression that you are competent and capable.
Open With a Great Personal Statement
Depending on the type of organization you are applying to, you may want to choose between a standard resume objective and a personal statement.
Corporate employers typically prefer the objectives. So you’ll want to put something like this at the top of your resume:
To obtain a job as an administrative assistant at a company that offers a great work environment, and opportunities for advancement.
More lax and creative companies (e.g. startups) are more keen to see a less formal statement. The one that communicates your skills, and the value you will bring to the company. You can check out a great example of this in the sample resume for an administrative assistant below.
Use Keywords to Impress And to Navigate Recruiting Software
Companies use different tools to streamline the hiring process. Part of this is using ATS software to scan resumes for relevant keywords. Make sure your resume contains words and phrases that show you are qualified for the position. You can get keywords from the job listing, and simply by listing your relevant skills and experience in your resume. This might include:
- Microsoft Office Experience
- Conf. Scheduler 2K
- 5 Years Administrative Assistant Experience
- Data Entry
- Service Scheduling
- Vendor Management
Show Your Eye For Detail With a Well-Edited Resume
No resume should have spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. However, certain jobs require greater attention to detail and organizational skills than others. Good grammar and formatting are two ways to communicate these skills in your resume. Don’t rely on your standard spell checker. Use a decent tool like [af_link id=”3776″ rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”]Grammarly[/af_link].
Formatting is important as well. Your resume should be easy to read and well organized. Here are a few great tips:
- Use a font without serifs for your text. It’s easier to read that way.
- Use plenty of white space.
- Put the most important element of your resume first.
- Add lists and bullet points to make the right elements stand out.
- Try different resume templates that will relay your information in different ways.
Focus on Hard And Soft Skills
Your hard skills include creating excel spreadsheets, using a multi-line phone system, or understanding how to use video conferencing software. List these in a ‘skills’ section on your resume, or put them in context of your education and experience.
Next, think of the soft skills that help you to be a better administrative assistant. These include communication, teamwork, time management, and communication. All of these skills are also important. Remember that a company can train you to use a specific software package. They can’t help you become a good listener.
Final Thoughts
Land your next job as an administrative assistant by demonstrating that you are organized, efficient, and capable. You can do that by writing a great resume, and pairing it with the perfect cover letter!
