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.
- 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:
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.
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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.
- 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
- 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
- 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%
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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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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:
Data Entry
Microsoft Office Proficiency
Schedule Management
Writing and Correspondence
Database Management
Report Preparation
Bookkeeping
Travel Arrangements
Meeting Coordination
Document Management
Time Management
Communication
Multitasking
Attention to Detail
Organisation
Problem-Solving
Discretion
Adaptability
Customer Service Orientation
Teamwork
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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:
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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.
