In your role as administrative assistant, where you juggle everything from PR and sales to event planning, light accounting, and even making sure the office has enough milk, setting boundaries is crucial.
With such a broad range of responsibilities, it's essential to establish clear limits early on to keep things manageable and ensure everything runs smoothly. This can be a tough task, but if you enjoy work that "makes sense," then being an AA is perfect for you.
Just like planning your daily tasks, crafting your administrative assistant resume is about ensuring everything comes together to show your skills and experience. This guide will help you create a resume that underlines your efficiency and attention to detail from start to finish.
Key takeaways
- Arrange your employment history and career development as an administrative assistant in reverse chronological order.
- Write a persuasive resume summary that emphasizes your top qualifications, approach to administrative duties, and notable accomplishments.
- Underscore both your technical abilities, such as mastery of office software and organizational tools, along with your strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Emphasize the results of your work by using specific metrics, such as increased efficiency or cost reductions.
- Customize your resume for each role by matching your skills and experiences to the specific requirements of the administrative assistant position.
- Provide information about your education and any relevant certifications to showcase your qualifications and expertise.
- If you have limited work experience, focus on internships, personal projects, and volunteer work that demonstrate your administrative capabilities.
Creating a strong resume for administrative assistants is crucial. Let's go over how to best format it to demonstrate your skills and experience.
Administrative assistant resume sample
Here is an example of an administrative assistant resume to help guide you.
Noah Coleman
Executive administrative assistant
help@enhancv.com | @linkedin.com | San Francisco, California
Summary
Dedicated Executive administrative assistant with over 6 years of experience supporting senior leadership in dynamic environments. Skilled in managing calendars, coordinating travel, and organizing high-profile events. Known for a meticulous approach, strong organizational skills, and the ability to maintain confidentiality. Proven track record of working effectively with cross-functional teams and senior executives.
Experience
Executive administrative assistant
Shockwave Medical (Johnson & Johnson MedTech), New Brunswick, NJ
June 2022 - Present
- Provide direct administrative support to the Integration Leader, managing complex calendars, travel arrangements, and expense reports.
- Coordinate with the Integration Management Office (IMO) and other departments to facilitate smooth integration processes.
- Plan and organize leadership meetings, departmental events, and yearly calendar activities, ensuring seamless execution.
- Maintain and manage department materials, including organization charts and distribution lists, and support SharePoint repositories.
- Collaborate closely with team members and other Executive Assistants to enhance team operations and culture.
Administrative assistant
BBVA Compass, Birmingham, AL
November 2017 – May 2022
- Managed executive calendars, scheduled meetings across different time zones, and coordinated travel logistics.
- Prepared detailed expense reports and maintained accurate records of transactions.
- Assisted in organizing large corporate events, including booking venues and coordinating catering services.
- Provided administrative support to the senior management team, ensuring efficient office operations.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration
University of Alabama
Graduated: 2017
Relevant Coursework
- Business Communication: Focused on effective business writing and interpersonal communication in a corporate setting.
Certifications
- Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), 2018
- Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft, 2016
Skills
- Calendar Management
- Travel Coordination
- Expense Reporting
- Event Planning
- Data Management
- Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Word)
Languages
- English (Fluent)
- Spanish (Intermediate)
How to format an administrative assistant resume
When you're putting together your resume as an administrative assistant, it's worth considering three main formats: reverse chronological, functional, and combination. Out of these, the reverse chronological format usually works best for this type of role.
This format lists your work experience starting with your most recent job and working backwards, which helps to highlight your career growth and hands-on skills. It's perfect for anyone with a steady history in administrative roles, as it shows off your progression and relevant expertise.
Here’s a suggested order for your resume sections, which we’ll dive into:
- Header
- Summary/Objective
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Certifications
- Key Skills
- Languages
Recruiters prefer this layout because it's logical and easy to follow. Now, let’s get into the details.
Resume designs
- Maintain consistent margins of about 1 inch for readability, and consider a two-column layout for a sleek, professional look.
- Choose professional fonts like Rubik or Lato, sized between 10 and 12 points, and use subtle colors to underscore your skills.
- Keep your resume to one page if you have less than 10 years of experience. If you are a senior professional with extensive experience, extending it to two pages is acceptable.
Contact information
- Double-check that your name is spelled the same way everywhere in your application. Also, use the job title from the job listing on your resume. If it's "Executive administrative assistant," make sure that's exactly what you write to keep things clear and straightforward.
- Start your resume with a headline to emphasize your main skills and experiences, a great strategy for standing out in the administrative field.
- Include a professional email address, and if your LinkedIn profile is current, add the link.
- To comply with US resume standards and prevent biases, don’t include a photo of yourself.
File format
- Name your resume file clearly, like "NoahColeman_AdministrativeAssistant.pdf," to ensure it’s easy for recruiters to locate.
- Save your resume as a PDF unless the job posting requests a different format. PDFs maintain formatting and are easily parsed by ATS.
Align your resume with the market’s standards – Canadian resumes may have unique layout guidelines.
If you already have a resume, you can check how it will be parsed by an ATS using our free AI-powered resume checker.
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Now, let's dive into one of the key sections of an administrative assistant resume—your work experience.
How to write your administrative assistant resume experience
Showcasing your professional background on an administrative assistant's resume is essential, as it highlights your real-world skills, builds credibility, and emphasizes your office management experience. It gives potential employers a clear picture of your proficiency in handling real-world administrative tasks. Focus on your key accomplishments, backing them up with measurable results, such as boosting office efficiency, streamlining processes, or improving communication.
Keep your resume clear and well-structured by using bullet points and listing your experience in reverse chronological order. Most importantly, customize your resume to align with the job requirements, demonstrating to the recruiter that you're the perfect fit for the role.
The right way to tailor your administrative assistant resume to the job description
When you tailor your resume to match the job description, you’re making sure your best qualifications stand out. This can really help you catch the hiring manager's eye. By zeroing in on the skills and experiences the employer values, you make it clear why you'd be a perfect match for the job. This is what’s called a targeted resume.
Here are some tips for creating a targeted resume:
- Carefully read the job description and incorporate the required skills and qualifications into your resume.
- Point out parts of your previous jobs that align with the job’s needs, such as expertise in scheduling, office management, or administrative software.
- Provide measurable results to demonstrate the impact of your work, like "improved office efficiency by 15%."
- Emphasize job titles and duties that closely match the position you're applying for, even if it means focusing on specific aspects of your past roles.
Here's an administrative assistant job offer we'll use to tailor our work experience section.
Executive administrative assistant
Role Responsibilities
- Maintains calendars; makes travel arrangements, schedules routine meetings, and completes expense reports for senior leaders
- Organizes meetings and visits (agenda, reservations, logistics), ensuring appropriate collection, generation, compilation and distribution of meeting materials
- Orders office supplies and arranges procurement of other departmental requirements. May manage relationships with vendors or service providers
- Creates, edits, and formats written material such as presentations, spreadsheets, and documents
- Develops and provides training on Pfizer’s administrative procedures and processes
- Competent in the use of business technologies required for the efficient conduct of meetings, including scheduling and running of teleconferences, videoconferences and face to face meetings
- Skilled in more advanced Business Technology tools and tasks such as developing and customizing Microsoft Office templates, maintaining departmental intranet sites, generating, analyzing and reporting survey money data
- Assists managers with coordinating interviews and logistics as needed.
- Manages logistical onboarding and offboarding for onsite and regional staff including contractors (e.g. systems and equipment)
- Maintains departmental online storage folders and distribution lists
- Actively administrates all assigned projects, implementing innovative alternatives to ensure achievement of desired outcomes. Provides advice and guidance to other administrative staff
Basic Qualifications
- High School diploma required
- Minimum 5 years administrative experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Highly proficient command of English language, grammar and basic applied business math are required
Preferred Qualifications
- Associate or bachelor’s degree preferred
Physical/Mental Requirements
- Demonstrated working knowledge and skills regarding general administrative functions: telephone, e-mail etiquette, MS Office, internet, expense reporting, travel arrangement, supply/equipment ordering
- Working knowledge and experience in supporting R&D executives and teams preferred
- Exemplary time management and prioritization skills. Ability to multitask in fast paced dynamic environment while demonstrating resourceful positive attitude and superior work ethic
- Strong sense of urgency and efficiency in completing work. Demonstrated ability to complete complex assignments independently, with high quality and speed, and superior problem-solving skills
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters discretely and ensure confidentiality is maintained
Here's how we aligned this section with the role requirements.
03/2016 - Present 
- •Maintained calendars, schedules meetings, and arranges travel, reducing scheduling conflicts by 20%.
- •Organized meetings and events, improving efficiency by 15%.
- •Managed office supplies and vendor relationships, cutting costs by 10%.
- •Prepared presentations, spreadsheets, and documents, enhancing communication.
- •Developed training materials, boosting team efficiency by 25%.
- •Handled teleconferences and videoconferences, reducing setup time by 30%.
This resume addresses the job ad's key points by:
- Featuring comprehensive support for senior leaders, demonstrating strong organizational and administrative skills.
- Emphasizing event and meeting organization, resulting in a 15% increase in efficiency.
- Proving impact with metrics, such as reducing supply costs by 10% and improving team efficiency by 25%.
- Covering essential skills: managing calendars, arranging travel, preparing presentations, and handling teleconferences.
- Suggesting strong vendor management and cost-saving measures, key for maintaining budget efficiency and operational effectiveness.
Each bullet point should begin with an action verb and focus on results. This makes your contributions clear and impactful, particularly in administrative roles. We'll explore why this is a key part of your resume in the upcoming section.
How to quantify your experience on a resume
Adding numbers and results to your resume is key because they show solid evidence of your success.
Focus on things like percentages, cost savings, or time saved, especially in areas like office management, travel planning, or resource use. This way, you’re quantifying your contributions and making your resume more compelling. For example:
- Saved 20% on office supplies by negotiating better deals with vendors.
- Reduced meeting preparation time by 30% through implementing a new scheduling system.
- Increased team productivity by 25% by streamlining administrative processes.
- Cut travel costs by 15% by organizing more efficient travel itineraries.
- Improved document retrieval speed by 40% by reorganizing the filing system.
No experience as an administrative assistant? You can still improve your resume. Learn how below.
How do i write an administrative assistant resume with no experience
Many administrative assistant positions only require a GED or a high school diploma. However, the industry is becoming more competitive, so furthering your education can have significant benefits.
The role of an administrative assistant is expanding to include duties like writing website copy, managing social media, and even representing the boss in meetings. If you lack experience but still want to become an administrative assistant, consider the following steps:
To write an administrative assistant resume with no experience, focus on the following tips:
- Take courses in accounting, bookkeeping, or communication to develop your skills.
- Pursue a certificate program to learn valuable administrative skills.
- Consider further education, such as an associate or bachelor's degree, to qualify for higher-paying and more specialized roles.
- Network by interning, working as a receptionist, or doing temporary work to make connections in the field.
- Opt for a functional resume format to shine a light on your skills and educational achievements.
- Highlight technical skills and familiarity with office software like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
- Emphasize transferable skills gained from summer jobs or internships, such as organization or data entry.
- Mention any practical experience with administrative tasks, like scheduling or managing correspondence.
Resume objective for entry-level administrative assistants
For an entry-level administrative assistant resume, an objective statement is essential as it prioritizes your career ambitions and passion for starting in the field, even if your experience is limited.
To create a strong objective statement:
- State your career objectives or the specific administrative role you're targeting.
- Tailor it to the position and company, incorporating keywords from the job description to demonstrate that you align with their requirements.
- Emphasize key skills or qualifications to reassure hiring managers that you're a good match for the role.
- Explain how your abilities can benefit the company and contribute to its success.
Now, let’s look at an example of a successful objective statement:
Now that we've gone through your job history, let's dive into your skills as an administrative assistant.
How to list your hard and soft skills on your resume
It’s important to include both soft and hard skills in your administrative assistant application. Having a dedicated skills section on your resume shows your technical expertise as well as your ability to work with others.
Here’s what to consider:
- Hard skills refer to your technical capabilities acquired through training and experience, such as proficiency in office software, schedule management, and event coordination.
- Soft skills reflect how you interact with people. These include communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Make sure to feature at least some of these specific skills in your resume:
Best hard skills for your administrative assistant resume
- Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
- Data entry competencies
- Advanced Excel skills
- Database management
- Schedule coordination
- File system management
- Accounting software
- Inventory management
- Budget preparation
- HR software knowledge
- Email management software
- Typing speed
- Experience with QuickBooks
- Records management
- Knowledge of CRM systems
- Presentation preparation
- Experience with Google Workspace
- Customer service software
- Project management tools
- Proficiency in cloud storage systems
HR professionals value interpersonal skills highly. Incorporate them into other sections of your resume such as the summary or experience sections, where they can be clearly illustrated and quantified. For example, you might highlight problem-solving skills with a statement like: "Resolved scheduling conflicts, enhancing overall office productivity by 15%."
Best soft skills for your administrative assistant resume
We've covered the important skills for an administrative assistant, so now let's look at certifications and education. These are great for spotlighting your commitment and industry knowledge.
How to list your certifications and education on your resume
When listing your education on your resume, be sure to emphasize the important administrative and technical skills you’ve gained. Tailor this section to match the job description, just like you do with your work history. Employers will look at it to make sure your education lines up with the skills you’re showcasing.
Important elements to include in your education section:
- Degree and field of study
- Name of the university
- Date of graduation
- Relevant courses
- Awards and honors
Here’s an example tailored to the job description you’re aiming for.
09/2018 - 05/2022 - •Completed coursework in Organizational Management, Communication, and Office Administration.
- •Graduated with honors and served as Vice President of the Administrative Club.
The administrative assistant education example stands out because it:
- Shows a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, which is perfect for this role.
- Includes all the details: degree, school, location, and dates.
- Displays relevant courses and activities, like Organizational Management and being Vice President of the Administrative Club.
- Mentions honors and proves academic excellence.
You can enhance this resume for administrative assistants by including a certifications section. Although not every AA role requires specific certifications, having them can elevate your credentials and open up more career opportunities.
Best certifications for your administrative assistant resume
Education is set, so let's focus on your top administrative assistant strengths in a summary.
How to write your administrative assistant resume summary
The summary section of an administrative assistant’s resume provides a quick but powerful overview of your career wins. Its goal is to grab the attention of hiring managers by focusing on the most important parts of your professional experience.
Here are some tips to make your resume summary stand out:
- Mention how many years you’ve worked in administrative support to showcase your experience.
- Display key skills for the job, like office management, scheduling, or communication.
- Utilize numbers to show the impact of your achievements and contributions.
- Tailor your summary to reflect the job description, making it clear why you’re an ideal fit for the role.
Check out this great example.
This summary is a great example because it shines a light on important administrative experience and accomplishments, showing the candidate’s impact in their past jobs. It combines strong action verbs and measurable results to emphasize the candidate’s proactive nature and success.
Take this approach to build a resume that grabs attention. Enhance your resume with Enhancv’s builder to tailor your content and layout effortlessly.
Additional sections for an administrative assistant resume
Adding optional sections to your administrative assistant resume can give a fuller picture of your skills and personality, making you more attractive to potential employers. These sections can highlight your additional experiences and qualities. Here are some ideas:
- Volunteer work and community involvement: Features your dedication to community service and your support for various causes, reflecting strong ethical values.
- Passions: Adding hobbies and interests can showcase your personality and interests outside of work, such as reading, hiking, or cooking, giving employers a sense of your well-rounded character.
- Professional memberships: Indicates your active participation in the administrative field and commitment to ongoing professional development, like memberships in groups such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals.
- Language skills: Including any additional languages you speak can underscore your ability to work with a diverse range of clients or in multicultural environments, which is especially valuable for companies with international operations.
In conclusion
Follow this guide's resume tips to create an outstanding administrative assistant resume. Demonstrate your skills, experiences, and unique characteristics to engage hiring managers and advance in your administrative career.
Administrative Assistant resume examples
By Experience
Senior Administrative Assistant
Entry-Level Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant No Experience
Junior Administrative Assistant
First-Level Administrative Assistant
Principal Administrative Assistant
High-Level Administrative Assistant
Lead Administrative Assistant
By Role
Construction Administrative Assistant
- The role of a Construction Administrative Assistant emerged from the construction sector. Therefore, trends in construction tend to influence the role and duties of a Construction Administrative Assistant.
- Here are some tips to follow when applying for Construction Administrative Assistant positions:
- Familiarity with construction-related practices and terminologies is crucial. Knowledge of building regulations, safety codes, protocol management are valuable assets in this role. Make sure to highlight such skills on your resume to successfully navigate the application process.
- Focus on administrative tasks that have impacted construction projects. Many Construction Administrative Assistants come from administrative backgrounds. Therefore, emphasizing your administrative skills and the positive impacts made on construction projects or organizations can help.
- Avoid merely listing administrative skills. Try to demonstrate how these skills contributed to successful project results or company achievements. For instance, 'improved project timeline by…' or 'increased team efficiency through…' Follow the format 'skill, action, results'.
Dental Administrative Assistant
Many Dental Administrative Assistant roles have roots in dental healthcare, which has influenced their requirements and responsibilities. To apply for a Dental Administrative Assistant role successfully, consider the following suggestions:
- Expertise with dental line practices is essential. Having knowledge of dental terms, patient record management, handling appointments are important in this position. Highlight these skills during the application process.
- Pay attention to the healthcare experience that affects the dental organization. Administrative skills, when applied in a dental environment, can bring forth noticeable improvements. Make sure to reflect this in your resume.
- Avoid just listing your skills. Show how those skills have been useful in achieving results in a dental setup, like 'enhanced patient satisfaction by...', 'improved administrative procedures which led to …'. Following the 'skill, action, results' format would be advantageous.
HR Administrative Assistant
A strong Human Resources department is crucial to all businesses, which is why a role like HR Administrative Assistant is so important. Here are some tips for when you apply:
- Understanding of HR practices and policies is key. Ability to handle employee records, manage recruitment logistics and assist in HR activities is critical. Incorporate such skills in your resume to enhance its effectiveness.
- Emphasize the HR and administrative background that contributes to company culture. Most HR Administrative Assistants have a background in HR or Admin. Make this your strength by highlighting in your resume how you have made a positive impact on an HR department and to the company as a whole.
- Move beyond simply listing HR skills. Showcase how they have led to improvements within the HR function. For example: 'improved recruiting process by...', 'Enhanced employee engagement through...'. Remember that a 'skill, action, results' approach works well here.
Medical Administrative Assistant
The Medical Administrative Assistant role is a crucial part of any healthcare system. To boost your chances when applying, consider the following tips:
- Knowledge of medical administrative practices is required. Skills such as handling patient records, coordinating appointments, and managing billing can set you apart. Highlight such skills in your resume to enhance its effectiveness.
- Focus on the medical experience that affects a healthcare system. A substantial number of Medical Administrative Assistants come from healthcare backgrounds. Show this in your resume by emphasizing your medical experiences and achievements.
- Instead of merely enumerating your skills, illustrate how they contributed to improved healthcare practices and patient satisfaction, like 'streamlined patient intake process by...', 'improved patient appointment system by...'. Adhere to the 'skill, action, results' approach for positive outcomes.
Real Estate Administrative Assistant
Sales Administrative Assistant
School Administrative Assistant
Temporary Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant Ii
Executive Administrative Assistant
The Executive Administrative Assistant role heavily counts on your organizational and communication skills.
It's crucial to emphasize your experience with various communication tools and administrative software, presenting how they boosted your efficiency.
Detail your project coordination experience and how it enhanced the executive's productivity. Use concrete numbers whenever possible to highlight the impact.
Demonstrate your problem-solving skills, showing how you successfully mitigated crises or proactively prevented issues from arising.
Showcase your time management skills, emphasizing their role in successfully managing the executive's complex schedule.
Indicate soft skills like adaptability and diplomacy, translating these into tangible results in the organization.
