What the Perfect Administrative Assistant Resume Looks Like
Administrative assistants organize and manage order at the office. Working time is always optimized thanks to them and meetings take place flawlessly.
You might have heard that they earn a pretty good salary and can sometimes advance to become assistant managers or even HR or marketing specialists. According to Payscale, administrative assistants earn around $15.05 hourly in the US and can reach $21 per hour. You have all the reasons to desire such a job, so we have put together some information to help you get it!
In this post, we will outline a bit of the tasks and skills of an administrative assistant and show you what a successful administrative assistant resume should look like.
Brief administrative assistant job description
It’s about time you begin planning the information you should emphasize and include in your resume. Once you read the below list and see if you’re prepared for the responsibilities, you can start researching. Begin by finding a resume for an administrative assistant position which is appealing to recruiters.
Here is a rundown of what administrative assistants do in their everyday work:
- Greeting and assisting visitors of any kind
- Answering telephone, email, social media inquiries and all company-related correspondence
- Organizing possible stock levels, ordering supplies and managing documents
- Bookkeeping and comprising reports
- Developing business meetings minutes
- Booking tickets for travels and business meetings outside the company
- Coordinating schedules of managers
Necessary skills as an administrative assistant
An administrative assistant was previously known as a secretary. However, it isn’t just the name that has changed – this job requirements have also evolved over time.
- Time management and punctuality
Delays are out of question for administrative assistants – including being late for work. Many administrative assistants get to work a before everyone else, to ensure things are running smoothly right from the start of the day.
- Computer knowledge
Microsoft Word and Excel are essential. You will also need to have good typing skills and be able to quickly verify your work before sending it.
- Oral and written communication and persuasion
You will get in contact with business partners, suppliers and potential clients, so you need to be pleasant and polite, as well as have good grammar and spelling.
- Team work and tasks management under stress
You may need to organize events or conferences, so these two skills save you from any potential errors. Being able to manage various tasks with a cool head are key to being a great administrative assistant.
- Attention to detail
When ordering supplies or setting up meetings you need to have correct information. No mistakes. So having a keen attention to detail is essential for admin assistants.
- Initiative and problem-solving abilities
Taking initiative and having great problem-solving skills will help you keep order in the office, while noticing and trying to solve any work issues.
- Flexibility and the ability to solve an urgent task
Let’s say you’re writing an email and a boss comes in and asks you to schedule an urgent meeting with a business partner. Flexibility allows you to manage both tasks and prioritize.
What to include in your administrative assistant resume
For this guide we will exclude the basics of resume-making such as education, work experience, skills or awards.
1. Responsibilities
You may have worked as an assistant before or in a similar position, or you might have had a slightly different job. However, recruiters need to see if you’ve handled similar tasks previously – and you might have.
Outline your former responsibilities so that employers can see details about your background. If you worked as an assistant, including the specific tasks is an essential ingredient to your resume, as they are a means to emphasize your skills.
2. Computer knowledge
You will need to type documents and emails fast as an administrative assistant. It’s mandatory to have knowledge in Microsoft Office and experience writing professional emails. Your resume is also your chance to mention any software you have worked with that may be applicable to an office setting and the administrative assistant position you desire.
Companies usually have additional software for daily or occasional usage. You might already know them or be an expert in a similar one. Mention any task, document or work-related software.
3. Achievements
Achievements speak about your implication and initiative. They show recruiters that you had personal targets regarding your job and contributed to the overall wellbeing of the company. Make sure to include numbers and results of your initiatives which recruiters can verify with the former employer.
Achievements are your way of promising that you won’t be just a secretary who works for the money. It works as a slight replacement to the cover letter which shows that you can optimize a work environment.
4. Recommendations
You can include recommendations from former managers in your application file. Many add that “References available upon request” sentence to the bottom of their resume, but often that isn’t necessary.
The recruiting process typically goes from reviewing the resume (and sometimes cover letter), then contacting the person to set up either a phone or in-person interview. Few employers ask for recommendations, but if you have some that you think are vital to your success or you are asked, you may consider including them at the bottom with the person’s name, title and contact details.
However, remember to keep your resume realistic. Don’t exaggerate and never include skills or any other information you didn’t do or own.
5. Detailed skills
Each position has skills required for functioning. Some of them are less general than the ones we’ve mentioned above. Experience helps you gain skills and abilities. Therefore, don’t be shy when it comes to including skills in your resume.
You can even add a shortlist of skills relating to any former position, to be even more specific. Just make sure that your background doesn’t include too many jobs, so that you can keep the resume short.
This is the main information you should include in your resume. Before sending the file, make sure you also researched on what your resume should never contain. You’re planning to become and administrative assistant. Therefore, your potential speaks for itself before any interview. This is your presentation card, so make it as a true assistant!
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About the Author Elizabeth Heron
Elizabeth Heron is an HR Manager with a Masters of Journalism and Mass Communication from Kent State University. She helps employees find their career goals and pursue them. She is Senior Editor for iResumeCoverLetter.com, where she gives advice and examples for cover letters and resumes.