Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your multitasking abilities and organisational skills can be a significant challenge as an office manager. Our comprehensive guide offers tailored advice and practical tips to highlight your competencies, ensuring your CV stands out to potential employers.
- Design and format your professional office manager CV;
- Curate your key contact information, skills, and achievements throughout your CV sections;
- Ensure your profile stays competitive by studying other industry-leading office manager CVs;
- Create a great CV even if you happen to have less professional experience, or switching fields.
When writing your office manager CV, you may need plenty of insights from hiring managers. We have prepared industry-leading advice in the form of our relevant CV guides.
Resume examples for office manager
By Experience
Senior Office Manager
- Content presentation with clarity and structure - The CV is decisively structured, allowing easy navigation through sections that are clearly marked. The professional summary effectively synthesizes over eight years of office management experience, focusing on leadership and efficiency improvements, ensuring that core competencies immediately capture attention.
- Impressive career trajectory in healthcare administration - Daniel Baker's career progression from an Administrative Assistant to an Office Manager showcases a strong upward mobility within the healthcare sector. This path reflects a continuous enhancement of responsibilities and a dedication to administrative excellence, aligning perfectly with industry norms and expectations.
- Achievements with meaningful business impact - The CV emphasizes tangible achievements, such as leading a team to increase departmental efficiency by 20% and reducing administrative errors by 25%. These metrics not only denote personal success but also illustrate a direct positive impact on organizational productivity and efficiency.
Assistant Office Manager
- Efficiency and Results-Driven Achievements - Ethan Palmer's CV is remarkable for its focus on clear, quantifiable outcomes in office management and administrative efficiency. Key achievements like a 30% improvement in office efficiency and a 25% cost reduction in supplies highlight his impact on business operations, demonstrating a commitment to tangible business improvements.
- Diverse Skills Portfolio and Adaptability - Ethan's background showcases a blend of administrative technical skills and soft skills that are essential for office management. His proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, diary management, and corporate credit card reconciliation, combined with leadership in planning and communication, underscores his adaptability across multiple functions within an organization.
- Extended Experience Across Premier Firms - The career trajectory shows steady growth through positions of increasing responsibility at prestigious firms like KPMG, Deloitte, and PwC. This progression not only underscores Ethan's capability to thrive in high-pressure environments but also reflects his ability to adapt and innovate across various organizational structures and industries.
Junior Office Manager
- Emphasizes Organizational Skills and Efficiency - The CV is structured to highlight Florence Knight's exceptional organizational and efficiency-enhancing capabilities. By featuring specific achievements, such as increasing office efficiency by 20% and streamlining processes, it showcases a clear impact on operational improvements in administrative settings.
- Demonstrates Versatile Experience Across Educational Institutions - Knight’s career trajectory illustrates her adaptability within the education sector. Her progression from an internship to an Office Administrator at different educational institutions underscores her growing expertise and the ability to transition smoothly across roles within the educational environment, enhancing her credibility as a specialist in school office management.
- Strong Focus on Digital Transformation and Innovation - The CV uniquely addresses industry-specific advancements, such as implementing a new electronic filing system to reduce paper usage by 50%. Knight's experience in digitizing administrative records and using digital tools for office management reflects her commitment to innovative solutions and modernizing traditional practices within her field.
By Role
Office Manager in Healthcare
- Structured Career Advancement - Poppy Griffiths' CV showcases a clear upward career trajectory from Administrative Coordinator to Office Manager over the course of 14 years. This progression highlights her ability to steadily grow within the healthcare administration field, taking on increasing levels of responsibility and leadership in each role.
- Detailed Achievements with Business Impact - The CV meticulously outlines specific accomplishments that demonstrate Griffiths' ability to achieve impactful business improvements. For example, her initiatives led to a 20% improvement in patient satisfaction and a notable 15% increase in collections, proving her capacity to drive significant enhancements in operational effectiveness.
- Leadership and Mentorship Emphasis - Throughout her career, Griffiths has consistently exhibited strong leadership and mentoring skills. Her role in supervising finance functions, training new staff, and spearheading compliance initiatives illustrates her capacity to lead teams effectively and foster a collaborative working environment, which is crucial in healthcare settings.
Office Manager in Education Sector
- Clear and Structured Presentation - Edward Mitchell's CV is logically structured, beginning with a concise summary of his program management experience, followed by a chronological listing of his work history. Each position description includes bullet points that succinctly outline his responsibilities and achievements, making it easy for the reader to quickly grasp the scope of his roles and contributions.
- Demonstrated Career Growth and Progression - The CV showcases Edward's progressive career journey within clinical care and education, highlighted by promotions from Assistant Program Manager to Senior Program Manager. This indicates not only his effectiveness in each role but also recognition of his capabilities and potential by his employers, which is compelling for potential hiring managers.
- Impactful Achievements and Business Relevance - Edward's achievements section is particularly striking because it highlights tangible impacts such as saving £300,000 annually through budget optimization and improving procedural efficiency by 25% with clinical technology integration. These metrics demonstrate his ability to contribute to operational efficiency and cost savings, key indicators of business success.
Office Manager in Financial Services
- Clear structure and concise presentation - The CV is well-organized, starting with a detailed header and a succinct summary that effectively communicates Joshua Patel’s core expertise and professional focus. The structure allows for easy navigation through sections like experience, education, skills, and achievements, providing a comprehensive view of his qualifications in a straightforward format.
- Demonstrated career progression and industry competence - Joshua’s career trajectory shows a clear path of growth from a Financial Analyst at KPMG to a Senior Financial Analyst at PwC. The progression showcases his increasing responsibilities and expertise within the financial sector, especially in donor funds and scholarship management, highlighting his understanding of the industry’s demands and nuances.
- Noteworthy achievements with substantial impact - The accomplishments listed in the CV are quantified and highlight significant contributions such as enhancing scholarship fund utilisation by 30% and saving over £500K with new budget strategies. These achievements illustrate his capacity to drive improvements that directly benefit organizational operations and educational support, underscoring his ability to make impactful business decisions.
Office Manager in Non-Profit Organisations
- Cohesive and Clear Presentation - Oliver Smith's CV is structured for clarity and impact, with well-defined sections for experience, skills, education, and achievements. Each section is concise yet informative, allowing potential employers to quickly grasp his professional qualifications and specific attributes that align with the role of an Office Manager.
- Impressive Career Growth - Oliver's career trajectory showcases a clear progression in the field of administrative management, moving from a Finance Officer role to positions with increased responsibility such as Administrative Coordinator and Office Manager. His consistent upward mobility within the veterans' affairs sector reflects his capability and commitment to advancing in this industry.
- Demonstrated Leadership and Soft Skills - Beyond technical proficiencies, Oliver's CV highlights leadership and soft skills, such as supervision of staff, fostering a proactive team environment, and maintaining a high standard of customer service. These competencies are crucial for thriving in an office management role, which requires effective team and resource management.
Office Manager in Construction Industry
- Clarity and Structure - The CV is well-organized, offering clear sections such as experience, education, skills, and achievements. This structure allows readers to quickly identify key information, ensuring the individual's qualifications are easily accessible.
- Career Progression and Growth - Archie Clark's career trajectory exhibits solid growth, beginning as an Administrative Assistant before advancing to an Office Administrator, and eventually, a Construction Office Manager. This progression within the construction industry highlights consistent professional development and readiness for increased responsibilities.
- Soft Skills and Leadership - The CV emphasizes essential soft skills, such as fostering team dynamics, enhancing communication channels, and focusing on efficiency improvements. These elements, combined with a track record of successfully managing office operations, underscore leadership capabilities.
Office Manager in Retail
- Conveys Career Growth through Varied Roles - Lily's CV highlights a progressive career trajectory where she transitions from an HR Coordinator to an Office Manager position. This progression illustrates her ability to take on increasing responsibilities and adapt to different aspects of office operations and HR management. It reflects her adaptability and leadership potential as she moves towards more complex managerial roles.
- Showcases Tangible Business Impacts through Achievements - Several achievements within the CV are quantified, such as reducing office expenses by 20% and improving productivity by 25%, providing concrete evidence of Lily's effectiveness in her roles. These figures are not mere statistics; they represent her capability to implement strategic improvements that directly benefit business operations.
- Demonstrates Cross-Functional Expertise and Soft Skills - The CV includes a blend of skills across office management, HR administration, and IT coordination. It further highlights her proficiency in communication, problem-solving, and strategic planning, indicating her ability to work seamlessly across various departments to improve workflows and foster a cooperative environment.
Office Manager in Hospitality
- Clear and Concise Content Presentation - The CV's content is neatly structured and well-organized, which enhances readability. Bullet points across various sections succinctly convey accomplishments, responsibilities, and capabilities, making it easy for hiring managers to grasp the candidate’s qualifications at a glance.
- Progressive Career Trajectory - Lily's career path demonstrates a clear upward trajectory with increased responsibilities. Starting as a Hotel Assistant Manager and progressing to Reservations Manager, each role change reflects growth within the hospitality industry, showcasing her ability to adapt and excel in diverse managerial positions critical for driving operational success.
- Emphasis on Industry-Specific Achievements and Impact - The CV effectively highlights achievements with quantifiable outcomes pertinent to the hospitality sector. The focus on boosting guest satisfaction, optimizing reservation processes, and enhancing revenue through strategic initiatives demonstrates not only numeric success but also the significant positive impact on business operations and customer experiences.
Office Manager in Real Estate
- Clear and logical content structure - The CV is meticulously structured, presenting information in a clean and concise manner. Each section is clearly defined, facilitating easy navigation across Max Wright's professional background. Descriptions are brief yet rich in detail, highlighting key roles and achievements without overwhelming the reader.
- Progressive career trajectory - Max Wright’s career demonstrates a clear trajectory of growth within the real estate industry, from a Sales Manager to an esteemed position as a Real Estate Broker and Office Manager. This progression showcases his capability to adapt and thrive in increasingly complex roles, suggesting a strong potential for leadership and strategic impact.
- Achievements emphasizing business impact - The CV doesn’t just list achievements in terms of percentage improvements but contextualizes them within the business impact, such as productivity increases, cost reductions, and compliance improvements, demonstrating Max's direct influence on business growth and operational excellence.
Front Office Manager
- Effective Content Presentation - The CV stands out for its structured and concise presentation, making it easy for the reader to grasp the key information quickly. Each section is clearly defined, with bullet points under job experiences that succinctly highlight the candidate's responsibilities and achievements, providing a clear narrative of their career journey.
- Clear Career Growth Trajectory - Ruby Gibson's career trajectory reflects steady growth in the hospitality industry, moving from a Front Desk Supervisor to an Assistant Front Office Manager, and eventually to a Front Office Manager at a renowned hotel company. This progression not only highlights her capability for advancement but also her dedication to developing and refining her leadership skills over time.
- Distinctive Skillset in Hospitality Management - What makes Ruby particularly impressive is her unique blend of skills specific to the hospitality industry, such as team leadership, operational efficiency, and guest services. Her ability to implement a new check-in strategy and reduce costs is a testament to her strategic thinking and technical depth in managing front office operations effectively.
Back Office Manager
- Clear and Concise Presentation - The CV uses a structured and well-organized layout, presenting information in an easily digestible manner. Bullet points are employed to summarize responsibilities and achievements, making it quick to read and understand. This clarity ensures that readers can efficiently evaluate the candidate’s skills and accomplishments.
- Demonstrated Career Progression - The candidate’s career trajectory illustrates a clear path of growth within the luxury retail industry, moving from a Customer Service Manager at Tiffany & Co. to becoming a Back Office Manager at Boodles. This progression highlights their capability to take on greater responsibilities and their potential for further advancement.
- Industry-Specific Methods and Tools - The CV details the implementation of advanced inventory control systems and showcases specific training in luxury retail management, demonstrating technical depth and industry-specific expertise. This knowledge is pertinent to roles focused on inventory and operational management within luxury retail environments.
Office Manager in Manufacturing
- Clear Organization and Concise Presentation - The CV is structured in a way that allows for easy navigation, with distinct sections for each aspect of the candidate’s professional life. This clarity is complemented by concise content that avoids overwhelming detail, instead focusing on key highlights and accomplishments, making it easy for recruiters to pinpoint relevant information quickly.
- Impressive Career Progression and Leadership Skills - The candidate’s career trajectory demonstrates steady growth through progressively responsible roles, from Operations Coordinator to Office Manager. This path showcases an ability to lead and improve team performance, with a focus on elevating productivity and fostering strong team environments, as evidenced by high employee satisfaction rates.
- Integration of Technology and Process Enhancements - In an era where technology is integral to office management, this CV stands out by emphasizing the candidate’s adept use of tools such as SAGE and Shopify. These mentions illustrate their capability to leverage technology for financial accuracy, operational streamlining, and sales optimization, which are crucial for maintaining business efficiency and growth in a competitive industry.
Office Manager in IT Services
- Clear and Structured Presentation - The CV stands out for its clear and structured format, ensuring all essential information is easily accessible. Key sections are clearly defined, and bullet points aid in presenting experiences and achievements in a concise manner, facilitating quick comprehension by recruiters.
- Progressive Career Trajectory - Isaac Scott’s career trajectory showcases significant growth, moving from a Project Coordinator to an Office Manager. This indicates his capability to handle increased responsibilities, showcasing his adaptability and leadership in expanding roles within the communications and HR domains.
- Impact and Achievements - The CV emphasizes measurable impact through detailed achievements. For instance, implementing an induction process that reduced onboarding time by 30% not only shows project management skills but also highlights a direct contribution to business efficiency and employee retention.
Office Manager in Legal Practice
- Logical Structure and Clarity in Presentation - The CV is well-organized, starting with a concise summary that sets the context for the candidate’s competencies. Sections are clearly delineated, each serving a distinct purpose, which enhances readability and ensures that key achievements and skills are easily identifiable.
- Strategic Career Growth and Industry Experience - Sophia has demonstrated a clear trajectory of progress in her career, transitioning seamlessly from an Office Administrator to a Financial Office Manager. Her promotions within reputable firms reflect a solid track record in the financial sector and an ability to take on increasing levels of responsibility.
- Emphasis on Leadership and Team Development - Throughout her career, Sophia has shown strong leadership abilities, such as managing recruitment processes and implementing training programs that improved team performance. Her proactive engagement with staff and clients highlights her aptitude for fostering an effective work environment.
Office Manager in Logistics
- Clear and Systematic Career Progression - The CV effectively details Elsie Murray's career growth, illustrating a trajectory from a Transport Supervisor to a Senior Transport Manager. This progression not only showcases promotions within the same field but also demonstrates a solid foundation in the logistics industry with increasing responsibilities and more complex leadership roles.
- Technical Proficiency and Industry-Specific Expertise - Elsie's CV highlights her expertise in tools and methodologies critical to the logistics sector. Significant mentions, like the implementation of a Transportation Management System (TMS) and the orchestrated compliance training programs, reflect her ability to leverage industry-specific technology for operational improvements and regulatory adherence.
- Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration - Her experience underscores a strong skill set in team leadership and cross-functional collaboration. Managing diverse teams and coordinating between drivers, office personnel, and clients showcases her capacity to lead effectively. Furthermore, her ability to handle complex client relations with high satisfaction rates exhibits excellent interpersonal skills that are essential in fostering a positive team environment and successful stakeholder management.
Office Manager in Human Resources
- Chronicle of Progressive Career Growth - Freddie Hughes's professional journey is characterized by a steady ascent through the HR field, beginning as an HR Assistant, advancing to an HR Coordinator, and finally becoming an HR and Office Manager. This trajectory indicates a strong capacity for taking on increased responsibilities and leadership roles, underlining their reliability and expertise in human resources.
- Effective Use of Digital Tools - Throughout Freddie's career, there is a consistent focus on leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. This includes implementing a digital document management system to streamline office administration and save resources. Such use of technology highlights their aptitude for optimizing processes and embracing innovative solutions in their sector.
- Achieving Business Goals Through Community Involvement - The CV makes a strong case for Freddie's ability to intertwine business objectives with community engagement. Organizing charity events that raised £50,000 and engaging in initiatives that led to significant retention improvement are examples of their strategy to meet business goals while fostering a positive community impact. This dual focus is crucial for an HR professional in today's socially conscious landscape.
Office Manager in Marketing Agency
- Clear Content Structure Enhances Readability - The CV is meticulously organized, presenting each section with logical headers, which makes it easy to navigate. The use of bullet points for job responsibilities and achievements ensures that the content remains concise and reader-friendly, allowing hiring managers to quickly absorb key highlights and accomplishments.
- Progressive Career Trajectory in Management Roles - Charlie Thomas demonstrates a clear upward trajectory in their career, transitioning from a Hospitality and Events Coordinator to an Operations Manager. This progression not only reflects their growing expertise and leadership capabilities but also highlights their adaptability to increasing responsibilities and challenges within the customer service and operations domains.
- Impactful Achievements Demonstrate Business Savvy - Achievements like increasing revenue by 20% and reducing operational costs by 15% indicate not just efficiency and strategic thinking but also a strong understanding of business impact. These accomplishments are clearly tied to the company's profitability and operational success, underscoring the candidate's ability to drive real-world results.
Office Manager in Public Relations
- Clear Career Growth and Development - Ruby Gibson's career trajectory demonstrates a strong pattern of progression, showcasing her ability to ascend from a PR Communications Specialist to a PR/Content Marketing Manager within six years. This advancement signifies her growing expertise and recognition in the PR and content marketing industry.
- Integration of Cross-Functional Teams - Ruby's experience in leading cross-functional teams to execute product launches and trade shows highlights her capacity to collaborate effectively across different departments. This adaptability implies strong interpersonal skills and an ability to visualize and implement strategies across varied teams to achieve significant outcomes.
- Effective Use of Advanced Tools and Techniques - The use of media monitoring tools like Meltwater and the development of crisis communications plans indicate Ruby's proficiency in leveraging industry-specific technologies and methodologies. This technical depth is critical in ensuring continuous improvement in media outreach and crisis response strategies.
Structuring and formatting your office manager CV for an excellent first impression
The experts' best advice regarding your CV format is to keep it simple and concise. Recruiters assessing your CV are foremost looking out for candidates who match their ideal job profile. Your white space, borders, and margins. You may still be wondering which format you need to export your CV in. We recommend using the PDF one, as, upon being uploaded, it never alters your information or CV design. Before we move on to the actual content of your office manager CV, we'd like to remind you about the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS). The ATS is a software that is sometimes used to initially assess your profile. Here's what you need to keep in mind about the ATS:
- All serif and sans-serif fonts (e.g. Rubik, Volkhov, Exo 2 etc.) are ATS-friendly;
- Many candidates invest in Arial and Times New Roman, so avoid these fonts if you want your application to stand out;
- Both single and double column CVs can be read by the ATS, so it's entirely up to you to select your CV design.
PRO TIP
Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a office manager CV
- Professional Summary highlights your managerial expertise. It offers a snapshot of your skills and experience valuable for office management roles.
- Key Office Management Skills section showcases your relevant abilities. It's vital as it demonstrates your competence in organisation, communication, and leadership.
- Work Experience details your job history. Including specific managerial roles with achievements is necessary for showing your professional growth.
- Educational Background displays your formal qualifications. This section is important as it proves your foundational knowledge in business or administration.
- Office Technology Proficiency outlines your IT skills. It's essential for modern office management, showing you can handle computer-based tasks efficiently.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your organisational skills by detailing how you've successfully managed office supplies, coordinated schedules, or implemented filing systems to enhance productivity and efficiency.
- Emphasise your communication abilities, showcasing instances where you've effectively liaised between departments, facilitated internal communication, or handled external vendors and stakeholders.
- Demonstrate your leadership qualities by mentioning any team management experiences, training you've delivered, or conflict resolution within the office environment to illustrate your ability to maintain a harmonious workplace.
- Focus on budget management skills, providing examples of how you've optimised office expenditure, negotiated contracts to company advantage, or managed financial records in line with compliance regulations.
- Include any relevant software proficiency that's essential for an office manager, such as expertise in MS Office Suite, database management, or project management tools, to show your capability in handling office technology seamlessly.
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Making a good first impression with your office manager CV header
Your typical CV header consists of Your typical CV header consists of contact details and a headline. Make sure to list your professional phone number, email address, and a link to your professional portfolio (or, alternatively, your LinkedIn profile). When writing your CV headline , ensure it's:
- tailored to the job you're applying for;
- highlights your unique value as a professional;
- concise, yet matches relevant job ad keywords.
You can, for examples, list your current job title or a particular skill as part of your headline. Now, if you decide on including your photo in your CV header, ensure it's a professional one, rather than one from your graduation or night out. You may happen to have plenty more questions on how to make best the use of your CV headline. We'll help you with some real-world examples, below.
Examples of good CV headlines for office manager:
- Office Manager | Certified in Business Administration | Expert in Process Optimisation | 5+ Years Experience
- Senior Office Manager | HR Procedures Specialist | Lean Six Sigma Certified | 10 Years in Leadership Roles
- Experienced Office Manager | Financial Oversight | Project Management Professional (PMP) | Over 8 Years' Expertise
- Office Management Professional | Facilities Coordination | Advanced IT Skills | 6 Years Progressive Experience
- Junior Office Manager | Emerging Leader | Bachelor of Business Administration | 2 Years Hands-On Experience
- Office & Operations Manager | Strategic Planner | Customer Relations Maestro | 12+ Years Industry Veteran
What's the difference between a office manager CV summary and objective
Why should it matter to you?
- Your office manager CV summary is a showcasing your career ambitions and your unique value. Use the objective to answer why your potential employers should hire you based on goals and ambitions. The objective is the ideal choice for candidates who happen to have less professional experience, but still meet some of the job requirements.
Before you select which one will be more relevant to your experience, have a look at some industry-leading CV summaries and objectives.
CV summaries for a office manager job:
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your office manager CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Streamlined office operations by implementing a new filing system, reducing document retrieval times by 30%.
- Managed a team of 5 administrative staff, providing ongoing training and performance evaluations to ensure high-quality support services.
- Developed and monitored the office budget, cutting costs by 20% through supplier negotiations and smarter procurement practices.
- Coordinated scheduling and logistics for board meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and following up on action items.
- Implemented a new inventory management system for office supplies, reducing waste and achieving a 25% reduction in supply costs.
- Oversaw office refurbishments and liaised with vendors, ensuring projects were completed on time and within budget while minimising disruption to staff.
- Updated office health and safety protocols and conducted regular training sessions, resulting in a 40% decrease in workplace incidents.
- Enhanced communication within the office by establishing regular staff meetings and updates, improving overall team morale and productivity.
- Handled sensitive employee data and managed payroll administration with strict confidentiality, achieving a high level of trust amongst staff.
- Spearheaded a team of administrative staff to streamline office operations, increasing efficiency by 25% through process optimization.
- Led the transition to a paperless office system, implementing digital filing and communication systems that reduced office expenses by 20%.
- Negotiated with suppliers to reduce office supply costs, achieving an annual saving of £5,000 without compromising on quality.
- Managed office financial tasks, including budgeting and forecasting, for a staff of 50, ensuring fiscal responsibility and cost-effectiveness.
- Orchestrated the successful relocation of the head office, including logistics, layout planning, and minimal disruption to operations.
- Oversaw the introduction of a new CRM system which enhanced customer data management and increased interdepartmental communication efficacy.
- Cultivated a robust workplace culture by organizing team building activities, leading to a 15% increase in employee satisfaction.
- Managed recruitment and onboarding for over 30 employees, ensuring a smooth integration into the company’s workflows and culture.
- Championed the adoption of energy-efficient office appliances, resulting in a 10% decrease in energy costs annually.
- Directed daily office operations within a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high level of professionalism and ensuring staff adherence to company policies.
- Initiated a customer service training program for the administrative team, which was correlated with a 12% improvement in client satisfaction scores.
- Implemented a comprehensive file management protocol, upgrading data retrieval times and bolstering the security of sensitive information.
- Developed and enforced administrative policies that led to an organised and efficient office environment, reducing administrative errors by 30%.
- Served as a primary liaison between department heads, facilitating inter-departmental projects and collaborations for improved company-wide synergy.
- Coordinated with IT department to enhance network security measures which reduced the risk of data breaches and protected client information.
- Devised a new document control system that improved document retrieval times by 40%, significantly boosting productivity.
- Managed office layout restacking projects accommodating 100+ employees, achieving a more collaborative and efficient workspace design.
- Collaborated with HR to refine performance review processes for administrative staff, leading to a more structured progression and reward system.
- Implemented an agile project management approach for administrative duties, reducing task completion times by 20%.
- Played a pivotal role in establishing the company’s first overseas office, ensuring legal compliance and a cohesive operational start-up.
- Liaised with technology vendors to update office hardware and software, thereby enhancing overall productivity and the technological proficiency of the team.
- Managed scheduling and logistics for executive meetings, including international videoconferences with stakeholders, improving external communication efficiency.
- Pioneered the establishment of health and wellness programs for employees, contributing to a significant reduction in reported workplace-related health issues.
- Facilitated change management during rebranding initiatives, ensuring seamless transition for staff and preservation of organizational culture.
Writing your CV without professional experience for your first job or when switching industries
There comes a day, when applying for a job, you happen to have no relevant experience, whatsoever. Yet, you're keen on putting your name in the hat. What should you do? Candidates who part-time experience , internships, and volunteer work.
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PRO TIP
If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your office manager CV:
Budgeting and Finance Management
Office Administration Procedures
Project Management
Records Management
Database Administration
Human Resources Practices
IT Skills (MS Office, SharePoint, etc.)
Scheduling and Calendar Management
Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Facilities Management
Leadership
Communication
Problem-Solving
Organisational
Time Management
Adaptability
Attention to Detail
Decision-Making
Teamwork
Stress Management
PRO TIP
If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
Listing your university education and certificates on your office manager CV
The best proof of your technical capabilities would be your education and certifications sections. Your education should list all of your relevant university degrees, followed up by their start and completion dates. Make sure to also include the name of the university/-ies you graduated from. If you happen to have less professional experience (or you deem it would be impressive and relevant to your application), spotlight in the education section:
- that you were awarded a "First" degree;
- industry-specific coursework and projects;
- extracurricular clubs, societies, and activities.
When selecting your certificates, first ask yourself how applicable they'd be to the role. Ater your initial assessment, write the certificate and institution name. Don't miss out on including the completion date. In the below panel, we've curated relevant examples of industry-leading certificates.
PRO TIP
Order your skills based on the relevance to the role you're applying for, ensuring the most pertinent skills catch the employer's attention first.
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Key takeaways
Impressing recruiters with your experience, skill set, and values starts with your professional office manager CV. Write concisely and always aim to answer job requirements with what you've achieved; furthermore:
- Select a simple design that complements your experience and ensures your profile is presentable;
- Include an opening statement that either spotlights your key achievements (summary) or showcases your career ambitions (objective);
- Curate your experience bullets, so that each one commences with a strong, action verb and is followed up by your skill and accomplishment;
- List your hard and soft skills all across different sections of your CV to ensure your application meets the requirements;
- Dedicate space to your relevant higher education diplomas and your certificates to show recruiters you have the necessary industry background.