How to craft an appealing administration resume?
As an administrative professional who is responsible for all kinds of office-related tasks, you have a vital role for any well-functioning business.
You burn the midnight oil to ensure that all systems are go. You manage communication, handle emails, solve various clerical issues, organize meetings, or arrange events.
What could possibly stop you from landing your dream job if you have all the necessary skills?Well, to begin with, it might be your administrative resume falling short.
If you have ever been shilly-shally about sending your CV, be no more. This ultimate guide will help you craft a resume you will proudly present to top-notch companies.
See more examples like these
1. The best format for your administration resume
Since you are great at organizing, you can certainly appreciate a balanced-looking communication that is easy to skim and easy to navigate.
Exactly as your administrative resume should be.
The following tips will help you plan your CV sections in a professional way:
- Set one-inch margins on all sides.
- Use a reverse-chronological order describing your most recent work experiences first. You may want to mention only the most relevant roles you have held in the past 10-15 years. It surely depends on how much fitted experience a hiring manager would like to see.
- Place your administrative resume sections into two columns. Not only will you keep your page count low, but you will also make it look neat and simple.
While you can use the left side for your contact details, skills and extra sections, the right column can feature your professional summary, work experience and education. - Leave white space between individual sections, and avoid using large chunks of text.
- Choose a professional and simple typeface such as Georgia, Calibri or Cambria.
- Save your CV as a PDF document.
Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.
Try our AI Resume Writer and have your resume ready in minutes!
2. Write an impressive professional summary for your administration resume
It is no secret that all job applicants will be eager to show themselves off in their best light.
How to, however, get directly under the sun?
In order to write a compelling administrative professional summary, you may need to pay extra attention to the following tips:
- Tailor your professional profile to the job posting. Refer back to the job ad, and look for relevant keywords. Include them effectively in your profile in order to attract a hiring manager's attention.
- Be concise and to-the-point. Avoid using a large chunk of text. Focus on what is important for the role you are applying for. Try to keep your professional profile as long as 3-5 lines, and steer clear from space fillers.
- Measure your greatest achievements, and make them more tangible. Were you organizing business meetings for your previous employer? Define how many per day. Did you reduce expenses in office supplies? Let the hiring manager know by how much.
- Demonstrate your best exceptional administrative skills through your experience. Does your potential employer expect you to have outstanding teamwork skills in the first place? Let them know how you patiently assisted and mentored your team members.
Administrative professional summary example
Self-driven and dependable administrative professional with 3+ years of experience in managing personal agendas, organizing business meetings and maintaining the company social media accounts at Bredson Inc. Reduced expenses in office equipment by 17% after consolidating the company’s supply chain. Mentored 5 administrative assistants in order to ensure the highest operational standard.
3. The best administrative skills to put on your resume
Depending on each position, always tailor your skill-set to what your potential employer expects from you.
Yes, it does mean that your resume needs to be customized to each job position you apply for.
Extra work? No doubt.
Is it worth the effort? Definitely.
However, for an administrative professional like you, it will surely be a breeze to effectively communicate the most relevant information.
The following administrative competences will help you compile appealing soft and hard skill-sets for your resume.
The best administrative soft skills for your CV
- Outstanding oral and written communication
- Effective organization
- Accuracy
- Positive attitude
- Dependability
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Patience
- Punctuality
- Multitasking
- Prioritization
- Customer Service
- Professionalism
- Flexibility
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Dedication
Effective hard skills for your administrative resume
- MS Office Suite (Superior Proficiency)
- SharePoint
- Data Entry
- Billing
- Bookkeeping
- Email Management
- Scheduling
- Proofreading
- Inventory Management
- Document Management
- Project Management
- Scheduling
- Customer Acquisition and Retention
- Consumer Analytics
- Project Management
Find out your resume score!
4. Make your administrative work experience section outstanding
There is no doubt that a clumsily described work experience can be a deal breaker.
“Quality over quantity” has never made more sense than when it comes to listing your administrative work experience.
That is right – space-fillers will not get you closer to the office desk you crave. If anything, they may discourage the hiring manager from dedicating his 7 seconds to reading your resume.
In order to get noticed, mention keywords from the job posting, and link them with the most relevant, measurable achievements.
Remember to effectively use bullet points for your content to have maximum impact.
Administrative work experience section example
Bredson Inc., Austin, Texas
Administrative Assistant
2016–2020
- Managed personal agendas and organized business meetings for 4+ executives.
- Maintained the company social media accounts, achieving a 3.6-point lift in purchase action intent.
- Reduced expenses in office equipment by 17% after consolidating the company’s supply chain.
- Mentored 5 administrative assistants in order to ensure the highest operational standard.
5. Leverage your education to boost your administration resume
Whether you are short of relevant administrative work experience or not, it is always a good practice to make your education section shine. After all, who knows how many great applicants you are competing against?
Give yourself a competitive edge, and mention your most relevant coursework, achievements or areas of interest.
Listing education in your administration resume
University of Europe
BA in Business Administration
2010–2013
- Area of interest: Inventories & Distribution
- Excelled in Consumer Behavior
- Relevant Coursework: Business Management, Financial Analysis, Innovation & Management, Inventories & Distribution, Consumer Behavior
6. Top additional sections for your administration resume
Just in case your education section still has not pushed you ahead of the other candidates, additional sections might!
Choose the most relevant achievements or interests that can make your administrative resume shine.
The following list may help you opt for the most suitable extra sections:
- Qualifications
- Awards
- Projects
- Accomplishments
- Interests
- Volunteering Activities
- Training
- Conferences
- Language Skills
Here's an example of how to effectively present your relevant volunteering experience
Volunteering activities
- Administrative Support Volunteer, Local Community Center, Cityville, USA (January 2019 - December 2020)
- Provided administrative assistance and support to staff members and helped with organizing events and programs.
- Assisted in managing schedules, coordinating meetings, and maintaining accurate records and files.
- Demonstrated exceptional attention to detail by proofreading and editing documents and ensuring accuracy and clarity.
- Supported the reception desk by greeting visitors, answering inquiries, and directing phone calls.
- Collaborated with team members to develop and implement process improvements, resulting in increased efficiency in administrative tasks.
Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.
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