Administrative Assistant Resume Examples & Templates
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Jump-start your career with an administrative assistant resume. If you’re not sure how to start, follow our tips and examples to inspire your writing. Our comprehensive guide will help you create a winning resume for an administrative assistant and stand out from the competition!
Here is a sample of an administrative assistant resume:
Start by editing this administrative assistant resume template, or explore our 40+ resume templates to find the best one for you.
Administrative assistant resume example (text version)
Sasha Cooper
Philadelphia, PA 19111
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Dedicated and results-driven administrative assistant with a solid track record of 10 years in providing seamless administrative support to executives and teams. Skilled in calendar management, travel coordination and document preparation. Adept at handling confidential information and maintaining a high level of professionalism. Known for efficient multitasking and exceptional organizational abilities.
Work History
November 2019 – Current
AFG Inc. – Philadelphia, PA
Administrative Assistant
- Coordinate and manage executive calendars, scheduling appointments, meetings and conferences.
- Create, edit and proofread various documents, presentations and reports, ensuring accuracy and adherence to company standards, minimizing errors in communication materials by 96%.
- Oversee daily office operations and implement a supply tracking system, reducing waste and lowering procurement costs by 20%.
September 2016 – October 2019
Robert Half – Philadelphia, PA
Secretary
- Organized monthly meetings and domestic and international travel arrangements, including booking airfare, hotel and ground transportation for 12 staff members.
- Implemented a digital filing system, reducing document retrieval time by 25% and minimizing the risk of data loss or misplacement.
- Coordinated bookkeeping activities in QuickBooks and Lawson, including invoicing and accounts payable.
June 2013 – August 2016
Prime Connections – Philadelphia, PA
Receptionist
- Efficiently managed the front desk, greeting over 100 daily visitors, answering calls and directing inquiries to appropriate personnel.
- Managed incoming and outgoing mail and packages, ensuring timely distribution and accurate record-keeping.
- Achieved a 95% accuracy rate in data entry, minimizing errors and facilitating more reliable reporting for management.
Skills
- Record keeping
- Spreadsheet management
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
- Customer service
- Microsoft Office
- Database management
- Communication and teamwork
- Time management
Education
Temple University Philadelphia, PA
BBA Business Management
Certifications
Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) – (Updated 2023)
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification – (2021)
Important resume sections
Contact details
The contact section or your header must have the information needed to reach you. Include your full name, city, state and ZIP code. Also, add your phone number and email address. Finally, add any professional website, LinkedIn profile or any other professional networking profile, such as a specialized organization. Remember to keep it strictly professional, with no side hustles or personal websites.
Personal statement
This section will come immediately after your name and is the first section that a hiring manager will read. Also known as the resume summary or objective statement, it highlights your career, professional accomplishments and years of experience. Pick your best and create a summary of no more than five sentences. Remember to use concise, strong words.
Skills
Whether you’ve acquired your skills through education or experience, your skills also known as core qualifications on your resume play an important role in your document. It shows what you bring to the table to help the company succeed. Include a mix of hard and soft skills, like active listening, language, discretion, resilience and organizational skills.
Although placing your resume skills section directly under your summary is optional, we recommend placing it at the top of your resume template. Doing so helps potential employers find your core qualifications quickly when they scan your resume for relevance, and it is often the section that recruiters and hiring managers value most.
First administrative assistant job? No problem. Add transferable skills from employment in other industries, volunteer opportunities, internships and those learned in school.
Work history
List your current and previous work experience in reverse-chronological order. It’s best to place it in the first quarter of your resume so potential employers can find it easily. Showcase your work history with a bulleted list of three to five job-specific accomplishments for every job you list in your resume employment history section.
If you are starting your career and have no experience, you can still include relevant work experience by adding community service, volunteer work and extracurricular activities.
Education
Depending on your level of experience and field of study, you can arrange the education section of your resume in any order, similar to the skills and work history sections.
Use bullet points and include the educational institution’s name, the degree conferred and graduation year. Provide your GPA if you got a 3.5. or higher, and note academic honors, awards, grants, scholarships, or fellowships. If it has been 10 years since your graduation, you can omit the date. If you did not attend college, list your high school and any other post-high school course you’ve completed.
Optional resume sections
Depending on your professional history and the focus of your resume format you can add optional sections that can strengthen your resume. Some of these sections are:
- Certifications
- Research
- Publications
- Awards and honors
- Languages
- Grants, fellowships and scholarships
- Volunteer work
- Conferences and speaking engagements
- Relevant hobbies and interests
See why MyPerfectResume is a 5-star resume builder
Action verbs for an administrative assistant resume
An administrative assistant keeps a company running smoothly. Powerful action words will help demonstrate the valuable experience you already have.
Check out the list below and include them on your administrative assistant resume.
- Administer
- Manage
- Appoint
- Arrange
- Delegate
- Enforce
- Coordinate
- Execute
- Maintain
- Prevent
- Protect
- Distribute
- Gather
- Supply
- Secure
- Solicit
Use these words to create a strong resume for an administrative assistant. Write it quicker and easier with our resume builder. Our resume Maker has step-by-step guidance and expert suggestions to get your administrative assistant resume to the next level.
Best skills for an administrative assistant resume
Review the job description carefully and match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
Your skills might include:
- Data entry
- Attention to detail
- Discretion
- Filing systems
- Planning and scheduling
- Organization
- Time management
- Written and verbal communication
- Foreign languages
- Database management
Certifications for an administrative assistant resume
A resume for an administrative assistant that includes certifications will backup the entire document. Certifications add value to your knowledge and reiterate your training and experience. These are some certifications you can consider:
- International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
- Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE)
- Certified Administrative Assistant (CAA)
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
FAQ
How to write a resume for an administrative assistant?
To write an administrative assistant resume, start by adding the five primary sections with detailed information.
- Contact information
- Personal profile
- Skills
- Job history
- Education
Once you’ve taken care of the basics, include additional sections to help you stand out from the pool of applicants.
- Professional memberships or associations
- Presentations
- Publications
- Certifications and licenses
- Volunteer experience
- Hobbies and interests
Remember to include what the employer is looking for by adding keywords from the job description.
Visit our How to Make a resume page for more detailed information on writing a resume.
What are the top 3 skills for an administrative assistant resume?
The top three skills to include in a resume for an administrative assistant will depend on the company. Always pay close attention to the job description and website to include transferable skills that suit their needs.
Communication skills, like language, written and verbal communication and active listening will always play an important role, no matter the industry. Organization skills, like time management and attention to detail are also among the top skills to include in your
The top three skills to include in a resume for an administrative assistant will depend on the company. Always pay close attention to the job description and website to include transferable skills that suit their needs.
Communication skills, like language, written and verbal communication and active listening will always play an important role, no matter the industry. Organization skills, like time management and attention to detail are also among the top skills to include in your resume.
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How do I make being an administrative assistant sound good in my resume?
Administrative assistants are a vital part of any company’s backbone. Their ability to anticipate needs, communicate with numerous departments and coordinate within the intricacies of a company makes them an incredible asset and resource. An administrative assistant resume should reflect that through its primary sections.
To make your resume shine, follow these tips:
- Add a section for extra training, certifications, awards and honors.
- Include a special section for community initiatives and volunteer work.
- Create subcategories for your skills under the skills sections. For example, a technical section for your computer knowledge, a soft skills section for communication and people skills, and a hard skills section for industry-specific skills.
For additional inspiration, visit our resume examples page!
Best practices
- Include measurable achievements: Use measurable achievements to describe your administrative assistant skills and experience.
- Add action words: Enhance the impact of your resume with dynamic verbs that convey your capabilities effectively to make an impact on your administrative assistant resume.
- Customize your resume: Tailor your resume to your target administrative assistant job.
- Use keywords: Incorporate keywords from the job description to align your resume with potential ATS scans and employer expectations.
- Format your resume: To improve readability and response, ensure your resume is formatted for easy reading by both ATS software and hiring managers.
- Falsify experience: Never lie about your administrative assistant experience and skills. Honesty is crucial in establishing trust and professionalism.
- Overstate abilities: Avoid boasting about your “incomparable” administrative assistant abilities, as these can seem unprofessional and unsubstantiated.
- Mention irrelevant information: Exclude irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Include non-relevant skills: Do not list skills and experiences that do not pertain to administrative assistant work.
- Skip proofreading: Always proofread your resume to avoid risks of appearing unprofessional due to typos or grammatical errors. An administrative assistant resume with errors is unprofessional.
Interview tips
Learn about the company before your interview.
It’s crucial to learn more about the company’s values and goals before the interview.
This will show the employer your interest and commitment. It’ll also help you catch a glimpse of the company culture.
Being able to show that you have in-depth knowledge about your potential employer shows genuine interest, dedication and commitment — traits that hiring managers look for in every job candidate they talk to. Plus, having a glimpse of the company culture before you arrive will give you an idea of what to expect on arrival so that you can feel confident.
Rehearse at home.
Practice makes progress. While researching the company, take some time to review the most common interview questions, such as:
Then, ask a friend or relative to help you practice by performing a mock job interview. They’ll ask you questions and give you feedback on how you did. Write down the answers that worked and continue practicing. Do it in front of a mirror to see your facial expressions and body language. You’ll be ready for the interview in no time.
Be proactive and ask questions.
The rule of thumb is to ask three questions at the end of the interview. Being prepared will show the hiring manager that you have a genuine interest and are enthusiastic about the position.
Here are possible questions for your list:
- What goals have you set for this position?
- What is the expectation for the role?
- What is the biggest challenge faced by this position?
- What motivated you to apply to this company?
- How would you describe the company culture?
- Are there opportunities for advancement in this position?
Round up your references.
A potential employer will want to check your previous employers. Be one step ahead by reaching out to possible references, like a previous manager or colleague and requesting their assistance. Whoever you reach out to should be able to vouch for your work ethic and skills. Explain to them where you are in the process and let them know that they could receive a phone call or email. Also, ask if they could prepare a letter of recommendation for you.
If this is your first full-time job, you can request a reference from other areas of your life, like a former professor, community leader or volunteer coordinator that can vouch for your skills.
Cover letter examples for the next step in your administrative career
- Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
- Clerical Assistant Cover Letter
- Data Entry Clerk
- Data Entry Specialist Cover Letter
- Executive Assistant Cover Letter
- Office Administrator Cover Letter
- Office Assistant Cover Letter
- Office Clerk Cover Letter
- Office Manager Cover Letter
- Personal Assistant Cover Letter
- Practice Manager Cover Letter
- President Cover Letter
- Receptionist Cover Letter
- Store Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
CV examples for the next step in your administrative career
How we reviewed this article
Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Forbes Administrative Assistant Job Description [With Examples]
- Travel Perk 10 tips to become the best administrative assistant
- U.S. News Administrative Assistant Overview
- O*Net OnLine Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
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Administrative Assistant Resume Example
Nilda Melissa is a Certified Professional Resume Writer who has written for The Washington Post and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in Journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
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