Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your organisational skills and multitasking abilities can be a significant challenge for an office assistant. Our guide provides targeted advice and practical examples to help you articulate your competencies and achievements, ensuring your CV stands out to potential employers.
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche office assistant role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
Structuring and formatting your office assistant 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 assistant 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.
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Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).
The top sections on a office assistant CV
- Contact Information is a must to allow employers to get in touch.
- A Personal Statement highlights your career goals and skills.
- Work Experience showcases relevant past roles and accomplishments.
- Key Skills section details abilities specific to office assistance.
- Education and Qualifications demonstrate your foundational knowledge.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise your organisational skills by detailing instances where you successfully managed schedules, meetings, or office supplies, as these responsibilities are pivotal to the role of an office assistant.
- Showcase your proficiency in office software, such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace, and any relevant database management experience, as these are indispensable tools for office assistants.
- Highlight your communication skills, both written and verbal, as office assistants often act as a point of contact for clients, visitors, and internal teams, and these skills are essential for facilitating office operations.
- Mention any experience with office equipment such as photocopiers, fax machines, or telephone systems, as office assistants are typically expected to operate and troubleshoot such devices.
- Include instances of problem-solving or adaptability in previous roles, demonstrating your ability to handle unexpected situations efficiently, a key trait for office assistants who often face varied tasks.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your office assistant CV header
Right at the very top of your office assistant CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for office assistant:
- Office Administrator | Expert in Client Relations | Certified in Business Administration | 5+ Years’ Experience
- Senior Executive Assistant | Specialism in Project Coordination | Advanced IT Skills | 10 Years Professional Expertise
- Entry-Level Administrative Assistant | Keen Interest in Data Management | NVQ Level 2 in Business Admin
- Personal Assistant to Director | Skilled in Diary Management | Bilingual English/Spanish | 7 Years’ Experience
- Office Assistant Manager | Focus on HR Procedures | CIPD Qualified | 3 Years Leading Teams
- Senior Office Coordinator | Expertise in Financial Reporting | Extensive PA Experience | 15 Years in Role
Catching recruiters' attention with your office 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 office 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 office assistant job:
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- With over 8 years of dedicated experience in administrative support, a proficient user of MS Office Suite and adept at managing complex scheduling, I have successfully coordinated multiple office renovations and streamlined the document management process, leading to a 30% increase in operational efficiency.
- Energetic former healthcare professional transitioning to office administration, bringing 5 years of experience in patient communication and records management. My commitment to exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail, coupled with my passion for supporting team dynamics, will enrich administrative functions.
- Seasoned customer service manager pivoting to an office assistant role offers 10 years of expertise in client relations and workflow optimisation. My extensive experience in team leadership and service quality assurance will contribute to effective office operations and a customer-centric work environment.
- As a recent university graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, I am eager to bring my academic knowledge of modern business practices and proven track record of leadership in university societies to facilitate efficient office management and support collaborative work environments.
- Desirous of an entry-level office assistant appointment, my objective is to leverage my exemplary communication skills, profound interest in organisational dynamics, and a sharp eye for detail honed through volunteer event planning to help streamline administrative tasks and support a vibrant workplace culture.
- Intending to utilise my passion for technology and rapid learning abilities, my goal is to enter the administrative field where I can utilise my newly acquired certification in office management and contribute to a high standard of office effectiveness despite having no prior industry experience.
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your office assistant 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
- Managed a busy calendar for multiple senior staff, ensuring no scheduling conflicts and timely reminders, resulting in a 20% increase in meeting efficiency.
- Handled incoming and outgoing correspondence, including post, email, and faxes, distributing them to the appropriate departments with a high level of discretion and confidentiality.
- Designed and maintained an office filing system that was logical, easily accessible, and up to date, leading to a 30% reduction in time spent searching for files.
- Developed expertise in office software, including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace, to create professional presentations, spreadsheets, and documents.
- Demonstrated strong communication skills by effectively liaising with vendors, managing supply inventory, and negotiating better terms that saved the company 10% in office supply costs.
- Implemented a new expense reporting system that streamlined the process for submitting and tracking reimbursements, improving turnaround time by 25%.
- Coordinated travel arrangements for senior staff, including booking flights, hotels, and transportation, ensuring trips were within budget and itinerary details were accurately communicated.
- Managed a multi-line phone system, providing polite and professional assistance, redirecting calls as necessary and handling enquiries with thoroughness and promptness.
- Trained and supervised junior administrative staff, creating a team that was known for its accuracy, efficiency, and positive attitude.
- Instrumental in implementing a new digital filing system that increased document retrieval efficiency by 35%.
- Managed scheduling for 12 conference rooms, resulting in a 50% reduction in double-bookings and streamlined event planning.
- Successfully coordinated travel arrangements for 30+ employees monthly, ensuring cost-effective itinerary planning and timely bookings.
- Facilitated the transition to a paperless office by training 40 staff members on the use of cloud-based document management software.
- Reduced office supply expenses by 20% through diligent vendor selection and negotiation of bulk purchase discounts.
- Played a pivotal role in organising the company's annual general meeting, hosting over 100 attendees.
- Spearheaded a project that streamlined cross-departmental communication, significantly reducing response times to under 2 hours.
- Managed the maintenance and replenishment of inventory, leading to a consistent availability of essential office supplies.
- Oversaw daily financial processes, including invoicing and petty cash, maintaining an error rate of less than 1%.
- Introduced a bi-weekly newsletter that improved internal communication and was recognised for enhancing employee engagement.
- Implemented a customer feedback survey, achieving an 85% satisfaction rate that led to relevant service improvements.
- Maintained a complex appointment system for 10 executives, contributing to a 20% increase in meeting efficiency.
- Provided comprehensive support for a research project, contributing to data collection and analysis that drove strategic decisions.
- Reorganised the company's filing system, improving retrieval times by 25% and increasing operational productivity.
- Coordinated with IT department to facilitate the upgrade of office software, reducing system crashes by 40%.
- Leveraged advanced expertise in Microsoft Office Suite to create compelling presentations for client meetings that led to a 15% increase in conversions.
- Managed a busy office environment, ensuring seamless administrative operations and maintaining a satisfaction rate of 95% amongst staff.
- Took the initiative to reorganise the client onboarding process, cutting down average processing time by 30%.
- Coordinated and executed office relocation plan involving 200+ staff with minimal disruption to business activities.
- Oversaw a client database upgrade project that enhanced data integrity and accessibility for the sales team.
- Managed reception area and provided exceptional customer service, achieving a client welcome satisfaction score of 90%.
- Synchronized calendar management for 5 senior executives, ensuring optimal use of their time and boosting productivity by 25%.
- Performed bookkeeping tasks with a high degree of accuracy, handling transactions totalling over £500,000 annually.
- Initiated a waste reduction campaign that cut down office paper use by 40%, fostering a culture of sustainability.
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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Talk about any positive changes you helped bring about in your previous jobs, like improving a process or helping increase efficiency.
Key office assistant CV skills: what are hard skills and soft skills
Let's kick off with the basics. You know that you have to include key job requirements or skills across your CV. For starters, take individual skills from the job description and copy-paste them into your CV, when relevant. Doing so, you'll ensure you have the correct skill spelling and also pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. There are two types of skills you'll need to include on your CV:
- Hard skills - technical abilities that are best defined by your certificates, education, and experience. You could also use the dedicated skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies you're apt at using that match the job requirements.
- Soft skills - your personal traits and interpersonal communication skills that are a bit harder to quantify. Use various CV sections, e.g. summary, strengths, experience, to shine a spotlight on your workspace achievements, thanks to using particular soft skills.
Remember that your job-winning CV should balance both your hard and soft skills to prove your technical background, while spotlighting your personality.
Top skills for your office assistant CV:
Microsoft Office proficiency
Data entry
Typing speed and accuracy
Basic accounting
Database management
Filing systems expertise
Calendar management
Document preparation
Travel arrangements
Inventory control
Organisational skills
Communication skills
Attention to detail
Time management
Problem-solving
Adaptability
Customer service orientation
Teamwork
Discretion
Initiative
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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.
Your university degree and certificates: an integral part of your office assistant CV
Let's take you back to your uni days and decide what information will be relevant for your office assistant CV. Once more, when discussing your higher education, select only information that is pertinent to the job (e.g. degrees and projects in the same industry, etc.). Ultimately, you should:
- List only your higher education degrees, alongside start and graduation dates, and the university name;
- Include that you obtained a first degree for diplomas that are relevant to the role, and you believe will impress recruiters;
- Showcase relevant coursework, projects, or publications, if you happen to have less experience or will need to fill in gaps in your professional history.
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
Here are five things you need to remember about writing your office assistant CV for success:
- Sort your experience based on the reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent career items, to showcase how you've grown your career;
- Include within your CV header your relevant contact details, a headline that could spotlight your unique value, and a photo - if you're applying for roles outside the UK or US;
- Decide to use the CV summary, if you happen to have more professional experience, and an objective, if you want to showcase your career goals;
- Within the experience section, write your bullets using action verbs, skills, and success, instead of just merely listing your on-the-job responsibilities;
- Prove your technical skills, using your education and certificates, and your soft skills, with your achievements and strengths sections.
