Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your multitasking and organisational skills can be a daunting challenge for an administrative assistant. Our guide provides tailored advice and practical examples to help you highlight your expertise and make a lasting impression on potential employers.
In this Enhancv administrative assistant CV guide, you'll find out more about how to:
- Answer job requirements with your administrative assistant CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your administrative assistant CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
Resume examples for administrative assistant
Explore additional administrative assistant cv samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Experience
Senior Administrative Assistant
- Showcases a Strategic Career Progression - Oscar's CV exhibits a strong career trajectory within educational administration. He has moved from an Administrative Assistant role to a Senior Administration Assistant, highlighting his growth and readiness for increased responsibilities. His career path demonstrates a clear commitment to the educational sector and a consistent development of skills pertinent to his roles.
- Emphasizes Achievements with Impactful Metrics - The CV effectively highlights achievements with metrics that underscore their significance, such as reducing stationary costs by 15%, improving parent feedback response rates by 30%, and enhancing document retrieval times by 40%. These details not only demonstrate Oscar's capability to streamline processes but also illustrate the tangible impact of his contributions to organizational efficiency.
- Integration of Technology and Methodologies - Oscar demonstrates his ability to leverage industry-specific tools and methodologies, such as the implementation of Bromcom and the development of digital communication strategies. This shows his adeptness at utilizing technology to improve operational processes and enhance communication within educational environments, bridging traditional administration with modern digital solutions.
Junior Administrative Assistant
- Clear and Concise Structure - The content of the CV is presented in a structured and concise manner, making it easy for the reader to quickly grasp the applicant's qualifications. The use of bullet points aids readability, allowing key achievements and responsibilities to stand out.
- Consistent Career Progression - Grace Bailey’s career trajectory shows a logical progression, transitioning from an intern role to a Junior Administrative Assistant position, demonstrating career growth within administrative functions. Her roles have increased in responsibility, reflecting promotions and growing expertise in the administrative sector.
- Soft Skills and Leadership Qualities - The CV highlights Grace's collaboration and communication abilities, crucial for roles within administration and customer service. Achievements noted in the document reflect her initiative and impact on team performance, underscoring her leadership potential and effective teamwork contributions.
Chief Administrative Assistant
- Comprehensive Career Growth - Theodore Green's career trajectory illustrates a steady progression in administrative roles, showcasing growth from an Office Administrator at Health Education England to an Administrative Assistant at NHS England. This shows a strong foundation in healthcare administration, augmented by experience across different medical organizations, yielding a deep understanding of the industry's nuances.
- Strategic Achievements with Impact - The achievements section highlights strategic accomplishments such as “Database Optimisation Project” which enhanced data retrieval speeds by 50%, and the “Training Programme Enhancement” leading to a 20% increase in member engagement. These accomplishments reflect Theodore's ability to drive process improvements and deliver substantial impact, which are crucial for supporting administrative efficiency and innovation.
- Diverse and Relevant Skills - Theodore's skill set is clearly tailored to administrative excellence, encompassing both essential software proficiency like Microsoft Office and critical soft skills including communication, multi-tasking, and minute taking. These skills are complemented by specialized training such as the Advanced Microsoft Office Specialist, ensuring readiness to tackle complex tasks in high-pressure healthcare environments.
By Role
Administrative Assistant in Healthcare
- Concise and structured presentation - The CV is well-organized with distinct sections such as experience, education, skills, and achievements, making it easy to navigate and find relevant information quickly. This clear structure allows potential employers to readily evaluate the candidate’s qualifications and suitability for the role.
- Consistent career advancement in healthcare - Evie Perry’s career trajectory illustrates consistent growth within the healthcare sector, progressing from a receptionist role to an administrative coordinator. This advancement showcases her increasing responsibilities and skills, suggesting a strong commitment to the healthcare field.
- Implementation of industry-specific methodologies - The CV highlights experience with patient administration systems and data management tools explicitly relevant to healthcare. Additionally, the candidate’s initiative to introduce data literacy workshops and a double-check system emphasizes her technical depth and proactive approach to enhancing operational efficiency.
Administrative Assistant in Education
- Concise and well-structured presentation - The CV is skillfully organized, with clear headers and sections providing an at-a-glance understanding of the candidate's qualifications and experience. This structure allows for quick reading while delivering comprehensive insight into Henry's career journey and competencies.
- Lateral growth within related sectors - Henry demonstrates a steady career trajectory within administrative and educational contexts, reflecting a commitment to roles that support child welfare and education. The transition from administrative roles at Barnardo’s to significant involvement in timetabling at NSPCC shows adaptability and increasing responsibility.
- Emphasis on direct impact and business value - Achievements are highlighted with substantial business relevance, such as enhancing stakeholder engagement by 30% and reducing operational costs significantly. These examples underline their capability to drive both cultural and financial improvements within organizations.
Executive Administrative Assistant
- Impressive communication and leadership skills - The CV demonstrates strong interpersonal skills by highlighting experience in leading cross-functional teams, mentoring junior staff, and participating in industry panels. There's a clear emphasis on effective communication with stakeholders, which is crucial for any leadership role.
- Adaptability through diverse industry experiences - The candidate's work history showcases a career that spans various sectors including technology, retail, and finance. This diversity not only reflects adaptability but also offers valuable insights into industry-specific challenges and solutions, showcasing a transferable skill set.
- Focus on strategic impact in business settings - Beyond just numerical achievements, the CV details broad initiatives that had strategic significance for the businesses involved, such as leading a company-wide digital transformation effort and developing competitive strategies that substantially increased market share.
Legal Administrative Assistant
- Well-structured and concise presentation - Ivy Ward's CV is organized into clear sections such as experience, education, skills, and achievements, each succinctly summarized. This layout allows for quick assimilation of her professional background, clearly highlighting her qualifications as a legal administrative professional.
- Diverse and progressive career trajectory - Ivy's progression from an Office Administrator to a Legal Administrative Assistant illustrates significant career growth. Her transitions within reputable firms like Allen & Overy and Farrer & Co demonstrate a consistent upward mobility and increasing responsibilities within the legal administrative sector.
- Achievement-oriented with substantial business impact - The CV highlights specific achievements that not only quantify results, such as reducing processing time by 20% and recovering £15,000 in outstanding fees, but also demonstrate a direct positive impact on business efficiency and financial health, establishing her as a results-driven professional.
Administrative Assistant in Human Resources
- Structured Presentation - The CV is organized with clarity and precision, featuring distinct sections that encompass experience, education, skills, and achievements. This structured format enhances readability and allows for quick identification of key career highlights and qualifications relevant to the HR Administrative Assistant role.
- Robust Career Development - Edward Mitchell's career trajectory illustrates significant growth from an HR Assistant to an HR Administrative Assistant, showcasing a consistent upward progression within the human resources field. This progression is marked by expanded responsibilities and contributions to prominent healthcare organizations, reflecting a dedicated career path within a consistent industry.
- Evidence of Impactful Achievements - The CV effectively highlights accomplishments that go beyond numerical metrics by emphasizing their business relevance. Achievements such as enhancing departmental workflows by 20% and contributing to a 25% increase in employee satisfaction underline the tangible impact of Edward’s efforts on organizational success, aligning his contributions with business goals.
Administrative Assistant in Finance
- Content Presentation Excellence - The CV is presented with remarkable clarity and structure, making each section easy to navigate. The concise bullet points in the experience section make it effortless to identify the candidate's accomplishments and responsibilities, emphasizing their ability to manage complex tasks efficiently.
- Impressive Career Trajectory - James Lewis's career progression from Administrative Coordinator to Senior Executive Assistant reflects a clear growth trajectory within the realm of administration. Each step has involved increasing responsibility and complexity, showcasing his adaptability and drive for professional development within academic environments such as King's College London and the University of Edinburgh.
- Achievements and Their Value - The CV highlights tangible achievements, such as increasing efficiency by 25% and improving employee engagement scores by 30%. These are not mere numbers but demonstrate a significant positive impact on organizational operations and culture, underscoring his strategic influence and commitment to enhancing workplace standards.
Administrative Assistant in Marketing
- Content Presentation and Structure - The CV is well-organized with clearly defined sections for experience, education, skills, and achievements. Each section is succinct, providing concise bullet points that efficiently convey relevant information without overwhelming the reader, making it easy to navigate.
- Career Trajectory and Industry Shifts - Daniel Baker's career progression from Customer Service Representative to Administrative Assistant reflects a clear advancement in responsibilities and scope. The transition from customer service to a broader administrative and marketing role highlights adaptability and growth within related industries.
- Adaptability and Cross-Functional Experience - The CV demonstrates Daniel’s ability to seamlessly transition between roles in customer service, administration, and marketing. This adaptability is further evidenced by the integration of tools like Excel and Mailchimp across multiple positions, indicating a versatile skill set applicable to various functional areas.
Administrative Assistant in Non-Profit
- Concise and Structured Presentation - The CV is well-organized with distinct sections for experience, education, skills, courses, achievements, and passions, allowing for easy navigation. Each section is presented concisely with bullet points that clearly outline achievements and responsibilities, enhancing readability and giving a quick insight into Florence Knight's capabilities.
- Diverse Experience in Health and Event Management - Florence Knight's career trajectory shows a clear path of growth within the healthcare and events sectors. Starting as an Office Administrator with the NHS, she has taken on increasingly complex roles, culminating in her position at the British Heart Foundation. This progression highlights her adaptability and skill enhancement over time, transitioning from administrative support to leading significant fundraising efforts and volunteer recruitment.
- Measurable Impact on Business Goals - The CV emphasizes achievements with quantifiable results, showcasing Florence Knight's ability to drive significant impact in her roles. Examples like a 15% increase in fundraising and 20% cost savings through strategic vendor negotiations are evidence of her analytical and strategic capabilities, underscoring her contribution to organizational success.
Office Administrative Assistant
- Crisp and Well-Structured Presentation - The CV is clear and concise, with a logical structure that makes it easy to read. Each section is clearly titled and contains focused, bullet-point lists that succinctly convey the key details of each professional experience, resulting in a streamlined document that effectively highlights the candidate’s strengths.
- Consistent Career Progression - Freya’s career reflects a steady upward trajectory in administrative roles, marked by an advancement from receptionist to office coordinator and finally to administrative assistant. This career path showcases her ability to take on increased responsibilities and advance within the leisure and hospitality industry.
- Impactful Business Achievements - The CV effectively underlines Freya's achievements with a focus on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Achievements such as improving satisfaction ratings, reducing operational errors, and enhancing database accuracy highlight her capacity to make significant contributions to business operations and customer-focused services.
Bilingual Administrative Assistant
- Effective Use of Structured Content - The CV is organized with distinct sections for summary, experience, skills, education, and additional achievements. This structure allows for quick identification of key areas like information management expertise and past roles in prominent companies, ensuring the content is concise and reader-friendly.
- Diverse Career Progression across Industries - Isaac Scott's career trajectory indicates significant growth from a receptionist role to an administrative coordinator at a university. This not only showcases an ability to adapt to different industries but also highlights a clear progression in responsibilities and expertise, demonstrating professional development over time.
- Demonstrated Leadership and Soft Skills - The experience section highlights Isaac's leadership skills through examples like supervising teams, leading onboarding sessions, and facilitating community events. These examples, paired with soft skills such as communication, organisation, and teamwork, emphasize Isaac's capability to manage and motivate teams effectively.
Administrative Assistant in Real Estate
- Structured and Clear Content Presentation - The CV is clearly organized, allowing for quick identification of key information. Each section is concise yet detailed enough to convey the candidate's role and impact in various positions, making it easy to follow and understand.
- Career Trajectory Reflecting Growth and Expertise - Throughout the CV, there's a noticeable progression in roles, from a Customer Service Advisor to a Lettings and Sales Administrator. This trajectory indicates an increase in responsibility and skills development in the property and client relations sector.
- Unique Industry-Specific Achievements - The CV includes examples of impactful contributions, such as redesigning enquiry systems and enhancing property listings, demonstrating the candidate's ability to implement strategic improvements that benefit the business beyond just numerical achievements.
Virtual Administrative Assistant
- Concise and Clear Presentation - The CV is well-structured, featuring clearly labeled sections that offer a comprehensive overview of the candidate's qualifications and experiences. The use of bullet points ensures that information is presented in a concise and easily digestible format, which highlights key achievements without overwhelming the reader.
- Progressive Career Trajectory - The career path outlined in the CV demonstrates significant growth and upward mobility, emphasizing the progression from roles such as Senior Administrator to Executive Assistant. This advancement showcases the candidate's ability to adapt, excel, and take on increasing responsibilities within diverse organizational settings.
- Key Industry-Specific Proficiencies - The CV spotlights notable technical skills pertinent to the Executive Assistant role, such as expertise in diary management and Microsoft Office, as well as proficiency in tools like Apple Mac. These details underscore the candidate's ability to handle essential duties within an executive environment efficiently.
Administrative Assistant in Manufacturing
- Effective Content and Structure - The CV is meticulously organized, providing a seamless reading experience with clearly defined sections such as Experience, Education, Skills, and Achievements. Each section is concise yet detailed, ensuring key information is readily accessible, helping to swiftly convey career highlights and pertinent qualifications.
- Illustrates Strong Career Progression - Oliver’s career trajectory demonstrates consistent growth and increased responsibility, evolving from an Office Administrator to an Administrative Coordinator at reputable companies. This progression indicates a track record of professionalism and capability to handle complex administrative roles, reinforcing his credentials as an expert in his field.
- Specialization in Sage 50 - The CV highlights Oliver’s specialized proficiency in Sage 50, an industry-specific tool, showcasing his expertise in managing financial records, payroll systems, and invoicing with high accuracy. This competency not only underscores his technical depth but is also directly relevant to roles requiring precision in financial administration.
Technical Administrative Assistant
- Clear and impactful experience section - The CV effectively utilizes bullet points, accurately detailing specific contributions and improvements in workflow, compliance, and client communication efficiency. This structured presentation allows potential employers to quickly assess the candidate's role-specific skills and results-oriented mindset.
- Consistent career progression - Daisy's CV showcases a clear upward trajectory, moving from an Office Administrator at Aon to a Technical Administration Assistant at Willis Towers Watson. This progression demonstrates her ability to secure roles with increasing responsibility, signaling robust growth and adaptability within the administrative sector.
- Significant achievements with industry impact - Each position highlights key accomplishments, such as a 25% improvement in workflow efficiency and a 20% decrease in compliance discrepancies. These achievements underscore Daisy's ability to drive meaningful change, emphasizing her value in transforming administrative functions to enhance business operations.
Administrative Assistant in Retail
- Strategic Career Advancement - Sophia Brooks' career progression from Sales Assistant to Retail Sales Coordinator clearly marks a strategic trajectory within the retail industry. Each role shows upward mobility, indicating her ability to assume higher responsibilities and leadership capacities, while consistently increasing sales and operational efficiency.
- Emphasis on Cross-Functional Collaboration - The experience section details how Sophia effectively collaborated with other departments, such as marketing for a social media campaign, showcasing her ability to work seamlessly across different functions. This cross-functional experience enriches her capability to integrate strategies that benefit overall business outcomes.
- Achievement-Driven Focus - The CV prominently highlights key achievements, such as boosting sales by 20% and reducing stock discrepancies by 15%. Rather than merely listing successes, it connects these numbers to concrete business impacts, underscoring Sophia's ability to drive significant improvements in profitability and operational accuracy.
Administrative Assistant in Hospitality
- Structured and concise presentation - The CV effectively organizes information into clear sections, allowing easy navigation through Theodore Green’s career journey. Each section, from experience to skills and education, is presented concisely, enhancing readability and focus on relevant qualifications.
- Impressive career progression within luxury hospitality - Theodore Green demonstrates continuous career growth, moving from a Concierge role to a Guest Relations Manager at prestigious establishments. This trajectory indicates not only a deepening of responsibilities but also recognition within the industry for his capabilities and leadership.
- Industry-specific skills and tools proficiency - The CV highlights Theodore's proficiency with essential industry tools such as POS software and advanced booking systems, underscoring his technical adeptness. This knowledge is further enhanced by certifications that bolster his operational efficiency in luxury hospitality settings.
Administrative Assistant in Government
- Structured Clarity with a Logical Flow - The CV is organized in a way that enhances readability and information retrieval. Each section is systematically structured, starting with a detailed summary and progressing through professional experience, education, skills, and achievements. The consistent layout helps highlight the candidate's strengths and expertise efficiently and concisely.
- Progressive Career Growth Demonstrating Consistency - The candidate's career trajectory shows a clear path of growth and development within the administrative field, with steady promotions from an Administrative Assistant to an Administrative Coordinator. This upward movement within consistent industry settings (education and public sector) showcases their capability to thrive and excel in a stable career path.
- Demonstrated Versatility in IT Proficiency and Administration - The CV outlines the candidate's robust proficiency in IT systems, having led initiatives such as managing IT inventory systems and enhancing data entry processes. This ability to leverage technology to improve office efficiencies is particularly valuable and highlights a blend of technical aptitude with administrative acumen, making them uniquely equipped for modern administrative roles.
How complex should the format of your administrative assistant CV be?
Perhaps, you decided to use a fancy font and plenty of colours to ensure your administrative assistant CV stands out amongst the pile of other candidate profiles. Alas - this may confuse recruiters. By keeping your format simple and organising your information coherently, you'll ultimately make a better impression. What matters most is your experience, while your CV format should act as complementary thing by:
- Presenting the information in a reverse chronological order with the most recent of your jobs first. This is done so that your career history stays organised and is aligned to the role;
- Making it easy for recruiters to get in touch with you by including your contact details in the CV header. Regarding the design of your CV header, include plenty of white space and icons to draw attention to your information. If you're applying for roles in the UK, don't include a photo, as this is considered a bad practice;
- Organising your most important CV sections with consistent colours, plenty of white space, and appropriate margins (2.54 cm). Remember that your CV design should always aim at legibility and to spotlight your key information;
- Writing no more than two pages of your relevant experience. For candidates who are just starting out in the field, we recommend to have an one-page CV.
One more thing about your CV format - you may be worried if your double column CV is Applicant Tracker System (ATS) complaint. In our recent study, we discovered that both single and double-column CVs are ATS-friendly . Most ATSes out there can also read all serif and sans serif fonts. We suggest you go with modern, yet simple, fonts (e.g. Rubik, Lato, Raleway) instead of the classic Times New Roman. You'll want your application to stand out, and many candidates still go for the classics. Finally, you'll have to export your CV. If you're wondering if you should select Doc or PDF, we always advise going with PDF. Your CV in PDF will stay intact and opens easily on every OS, including Mac OS.
PRO TIP
Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a administrative assistant CV
- Professional Summary illustrates your value proposition and career goals.
- Key Skills highlight your expertise in office management and software proficiency.
- Work Experience showcases your administrative accomplishments and tenure.
- Educational Background demonstrates your formal training and relevant qualifications.
- Additional Courses or Certifications underscore specialized knowledge beneficial to the role.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your organisational skills by showcasing your experience in coordinating schedules, managing calendars, and organising events or meetings, to prove your capability in maintaining order and efficiency in an office environment.
- Demonstrate your proficiency in administrative tools by listing specific software you are skilled in, such as Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, or any relevant CRM and ERP systems, to illustrate your technical competence.
- Detail your communication abilities by mentioning any experience with handling correspondence, taking meeting minutes, and liaising with various departments or external parties, emphasising your role as an information conduit within the organisation.
- Showcase your problem-solving aptitude by providing examples of how you’ve handled unexpected situations or devised systems for improving workflow, which can establish your value as a proactive and resourceful team member.
- Include any achievements such as streamlining administrative procedures or recognising cost-saving strategies, quantifying these accomplishments where possible to provide tangible evidence of your impact as an administrative assistant.
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Making a good first impression with your administrative assistant 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 administrative assistant:
- Executive Assistant | 5+ Years of Experience | Diary Management | Office Administration | AAT Certified
- Senior Administrative Assistant | Project Coordination | Advanced IT Skills | Office Management | 10 Years' Experience
- Junior Office Administrator | Customer Service Expert | Data Entry | Efficient Organiser | Recently Qualified
- Personal Assistant to Director | Event Planning | Travel Arrangements | Confidentiality Assurance | 7 Years' Expertise
- Office Manager | HR Administration | Budget Oversight | Process Improvement | NEBOSH Certified | 12 Years
- Team Secretary | Meeting Coordination | Bilingual French/English | Minute-Taking | 3+ Years in Professional Settings
Catching recruiters' attention with your administrative assistant CV summary or objective
Located closer to the top of your CV, both the summary and objective are no more than five sentences long and serve as an introduction to your experience. What is more, you could use either to entice recruiters to read on. Select the:
- Summary, if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience. Feature your most impressive accomplishments and up to three skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for;
- Objective, if you're just starting your career off. Provide your career goals and answer how you see the role you are applying for will match your professional growth.
Judging which one you need to add to your administrative assistant CV may at times seem difficult. That’s why you need to check out how professionals, with similar to your experience, have written their summary or objective, in the examples below:
CV summaries for a administrative assistant job:
- Dedicated administrative assistant with over 5 years of experience in high-paced financial firms, adept in data management and scheduling. Proven track record in revamping filing system that increased departmental efficiency by 30%. Expert in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe products, seeking to leverage organisational skills to aid smooth office operations.
- Seasoned executive secretary with 8 years of service at a top-tier law firm. Specialised in legal document preparation, meticulous record-keeping, and meeting coordination. Recognised for excellent client service and implementing a digital document management system that enhanced file retrieval times by 50%.
- Former retail manager transitioning into administrative work, bringing forth strong budgeting and employee scheduling skills. Exceptional at client relations and inventory control, eager to apply 7 years of managerial experience to ensure a well-organised and operationally efficient office environment.
- Highly skilled nurse with a decade of experience in patient care and advocacy, seeking to apply organisational and communication talents in an administrative capacity. Proven ability to manage complex scheduling and maintain meticulous health records, aiming to support a medical office with dedication and attention to detail.
- Aiming to kickstart my career as an administrative assistant, I am enthusiastic about utilising my recent diploma in office administration and proficiency in cloud-based scheduling tools. Eager to contribute positively to team efficiency and learn from seasoned professionals in a dynamic workplace setting.
- Recent graduate with a degree in communications seeking to launch my career in administration. I am passionate about developing my organisational skills and offering my expertise in social media management and public relations to enhance daily office functions and client interactions.
The best formula for your administrative assistant CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Expertly managed a busy calendar for a team of directors, scheduling over 100 meetings and appointments per month while ensuring efficient time utilisation and avoiding conflicts.
- Developed and maintained an organised filing system, both digital and paper-based, to ensure that critical documents were easily accessible and securely stored.
- Co-ordinated domestic and international travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, and transfers, resulting in a 20% reduction in travel expenses through diligent research and negotiation.
- Processed expense reports with attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policy, leading to a 15% decrease in discrepancies.
- Implemented a new email management system that reduced inbox clutter and improved response time to internal and external queries by 30%.
- Proficiently utilised Microsoft Office Suite to create and edit documents, presentations, and spreadsheets, increasing office productivity by 25%.
- Managed procurement of office supplies and liaised with vendors, ensuring the office was well-stocked whilst controlling costs and staying within budget.
- Acted as the first point of contact for incoming communications, handling phone calls and emails professionally, and providing excellent customer service.
- Assisted with the organisation of company events, from small meetings to large corporate functions, enhancing the company's reputation for hosting seamless events.
Work Experience
Senior Administrative Officer
GlaxoSmithKline PLC
01/2020-Ongoing
- Managed comprehensive support for a team of 30, coordinating meetings and travel arrangements which improved team efficiency by 25%
- Developed and implemented a new digital filing system, transitioning from paper-based to digital, saving the company approximately £10k annually in storage costs
- Oversaw the timely and accurate processing of invoices and expenses, handling upwards of 200 transactions per month
Work Experience
Executive Administrative Assistant
HSBC Holdings plc
06/2016-12/2019
- Liaised with members across departments to facilitate the execution of company-wide events, resulting in a 15% increase in internal satisfaction scores
- Maintained a complex executive calendar, organising over 100+ critical appointments annually, ensuring optimal time management
- Contributed to the preparation of departmental budgets by compiling financial data and reports, supporting decision-making processes
Work Experience
Administrative Support Specialist
British Petroleum (BP)
03/2013-05/2016
- Introduced an inventory monitoring system which decreased supply waste by 20% and streamlined office operations
- Provided key support during the migration to a new customer relationship management system, ensuring zero downtime in client servicing
- Coordinated cross-functional projects that enhanced operational workflows, directly boosting staff productivity by 15%
Work Experience
Team Assistant
AstraZeneca PLC
08/2011-02/2013
- Enhanced communication channels by implementing a structured internal reporting framework, leading to a 30% reduction in internal email volume
- Managed scheduling and logistics for monthly board meetings and AGMs, catering to over 50 stakeholders each time
- Facilitated onboarding for 100+ new hires, organising training sessions and ensuring all personnel were equipped with necessary resources
Work Experience
Office Administrator
Tesco PLC
11/2009-07/2011
- Conducted comprehensive market research which informed the development of strategic company initiatives, strengthening competitive position
- Streamlined document control processes, reducing retrieval time by 40% and enhancing inter-departmental efficiency
- Negotiated with suppliers to secure cost-effective office supplies, saving the company an average of £1,200 per annum
Work Experience
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Unilever PLC
04/2015-11/2018
- Played a pivotal role in organising a major international conference, coordinating logistics for 500+ participants
- Implemented a new scheduling system that synchronised across departments, reducing calendar conflicts by 35%
- Assisted in driving the company’s sustainability efforts by leading a paperless initiative that cut paper use by half
Work Experience
Administrative Coordinator
Barclays PLC
01/2012-03/2015
- Key contributor to a project team that streamlined client onboarding procedures, shortening the process time by approximately 10 days
- Managed complex databases with client information, maintaining high accuracy levels and ensuring compliance with data protection laws
- Spearheaded the revision and update of company policy handbooks, improving clarity and accessibility for all staff
Work Experience
Office Management Assistant
Rolls-Royce Holdings
09/2009-12/2011
- Redesigned the internal communication system, contributing to an enhanced flow of information and a 20% increase in departmental efficiency
- Orchestrated the relocation of the company headquarters, facilitating all aspects of the move without compromising business operations
- Trained and supervised a team of three junior administrative staff, ensuring high standards of support were maintained
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
Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.
Hard skills and soft skills to showcase your unique skill set on your administrative assistant CV
Did you know that your CV will mostly likely be assessed by recruiters based on skill alignment? And that means that the way you feature your key skills across different CV sections will play a crucial role in landing you that first interview. We recommend you add your:
- technical capabilities or hard skills in your CV experience, certificates, projects, etc. Use your past accomplishments to prove your technical capabilities. List up to a dozen different software or hardware in your dedicated skills section to match the job keywords;
- personal and communication skills or soft skills in your CV strengths, achievements, summary/ objective, etc. Soft skills are a bit more difficult to prove. How do you define your aptitude in active listening? So, instead of just listing the skill name, include a tangible metric to show your success.
On a final note, when you're in a hurry to create your profile, you may misspell a particular technology or soft skill. That's why we suggest you copy and paste the particular skill name (or keyword), directly from the job advert. This would also help you to pass any initial Applicant Tracker System (ATS) tests.
Top skills for your administrative assistant CV:
HARD SKILLS
Data Entry
Microsoft Office Proficiency
Schedule Management
Writing and Correspondence
Database Management
Report Preparation
Bookkeeping
Travel Arrangements
Meeting Coordination
Document Management
SOFT SKILLS
Time Management
Communication
Multitasking
Attention to Detail
Organisation
Problem-Solving
Discretion
Adaptability
Customer Service Orientation
Teamwork
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.
CV education and certificates: your academic background as proof of your skill set
A common misconception about your administrative assistant CV education is that you only need it, if you have less professional experience. That is completely false. The CV education section serves to back up your technical (and sometimes personal) capabilities, fill in gaps in your work history, and show you have the initial industry background and know-how. When creating your education section:
- List your degrees in the reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent (and relevant) ones first;
- Include your degree and university names, start and graduation dates. It's optional to also denote you received a "First-Class Honours" for diplomas that are more relevant to the role;
- Curate your relevant university coursework, projects, or thesis work if you happen to have less professional expertise and need to integrate more job keywords and skills.
Your professional qualifications don't need to stop at your academic background. It's advisable to also select up to three of your most noteworthy (and relevant) industry certificates and feature them in a dedicated section. Once more, include the certificate name, the institution that issued it out, and the date you obtained it on. You could feature both hard skills and soft skills certificates, as in the examples below:
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Impressing recruiters with your experience, skill set, and values starts with your professional administrative assistant 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.
