Putting together a compelling administrative resume might seem challenging at first. But it doesn't have to be all that difficult. We've gathered real-life resume samples and detailed examples to make your resume writing process as easy as possible. So, without further ado, dive right into our guide!
Use this ultimate guide to craft an effective resume that will impress even the most demanding hiring managers.
Keep on reading to learn all about:
- Formatting your administrative resume
- Creating a captivating administrative professional summary
- The most effective skills to put on your administrative resume
- Striking the right balance in your work experience section
- Adding academic achievements to your education section
- Including extra sections in your administrative resume
- Accessing top resources for job-seeking administrative workers
1. Format properly your administrative resume
Let your resume speak out loud about your organization skills. Make it easy to skim and easy to navigate.
The following tips will help you draft your resume sections in a professional way:
- Set 0.5-1 inch margins on all sides. Check for more on margins and how to get them right.
- Use a reverse-chronological order describing your most recent work experiences first. Focus on the most recent relevant roles you have held in the past 10-15 years.
- Employ a two-column layout. Not only will you keep your page count low, but you will also make it look neat and simple. Whilst the left side can serve your contact details, skills and extra sections, the right column may feature your professional summary, work experience and education.
- Use negative space between individual sections, and avoid using large chunks of text. It will give your resume breathing room.
- Choose a professional and simple typeface such as Georgia, Calibri or Cambria. Do not overdo your resume with stylish fonts that would deflect a hiring manager’s attention from the content.
- Save your CV as a PDF document, but remember to check for requirements in the job posting in question. Some employers may explicitly ask for a Word document.
Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.
2. Create a captivating administrative professional summary for your resume
Think of a professional profile as a blurb that encompasses your relevant work experience, best achievements and exceptional administrative skills.
Pay extra attention to the following tips, and you will easily create a mind-blowing professional summary for your CV.
- Customize your professional profile and use keywords from the job posting in question.
- Be relevant and concise.
- Quantify your greatest achievements. If you, for instance, helped your former employer reduce expenses, let the hiring manager know about the numbers. They often speak louder than words.
- Showcase your brilliant administrative skills.
Administrative professional summary example
Enthusiastic and dependable executive assistant with 4+ years of experience working as a loan administrator, project leader, social media manager and event organizer. Skillfully administered loans and bookkeeping, and effectively communicated with customers, advisors, lawyers and other stakeholders. Mentored 5 team members in order to ensure a high operational standard.
3. The most effective skills to put on your administrative resume
As with all your resume sections, your skill-set should be tailored to the job you are applying for.
You may first want to brainstorm your best technical and interpersonal competencies that have moulded you into a great administrative professional.
Before drafting your resume skills section, refer back to the job posting, and look for the matching skills. Mention them at the top of your soft and hard skills lists.
The following administrative competences will help you compile appealing soft and hard skill-sets for your resume.
The most effective administrative soft skills for your CV
- Patience
- Punctuality
- Multitasking
- Prioritization
- Customer Service
- Professionalism
- Flexibility
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Dedication
- Outstanding oral and written communication
- Effective organization
- Accuracy
- Positive attitude
- Dependability
- Problem solving
- Time management
The best hard skills for your administrative resume
- MS Office Suite (Superior Proficiency)
- SharePoint
- Data Entry
- Billing
- Project Management
- Scheduling
- Customer Acquisition and Retention
- Consumer Analytics
- Project Management
- Bookkeeping
- Email Management
- Scheduling
- Proofreading
- Inventory Management
- Document Management
4. Strike the right balance in your administrative work experience section
As an administrative professional, you know how to pay attention to detail like no one. Well, maybe about the same way as the hiring manager who scans resumes for the desired keywords.
In order to make your work history effective and captivating, incorporate in your CV the most relevant keywords from the job posting, and link them with the biggest measurable achievements of yours.
Make sure that you put your quantified accomplishments under the spotlight, and avoid simply naming a handful of your daily duties.
Administrative work experience section example
Manohar Chowdhry and Associates, Mangalore, India
Licensing Administrator
2016–2020
- Effectively communicated with Customer Service and Logistics personnel on a daily basis.
- Responding to customer and broker inquiries, reaching 98% customer satisfaction.
- Skillfully managed the company online sales platform on Magento, as well as the sales provided by the platform.
- Significantly improved the company site SEO on WordPress achieving first rank on several keywords at Google search engine.
- Developed a new sales form reducing the time needed for each sale by 20%.
5. Add academic achievements to your education section
If you aim at getting ahead of other administrative professionals, you may want to stand out pretty much in every resume section.
Not just your professional profile and work experience can be decisive in the eyes of the hiring manager. You can perfectly make headway with your education section if you just put it right.
Spice it up with your academic achievements, areas of interest or relevant coursework.
Listing education in your administrative resume
University São Judas Tadeu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
BA in Economics
2010–2013
- Area of interest: Micro and Macro Economy
- Excelled in Finance
- Relevant Coursework: Supply and Demand,Taxation, International Trade, Price Controls
6. Include extra sections in your administrative resume
Think of important learning opportunities you’ve had on your path to become an administrative professional. What courses have you attended, what certifications have you been awarded, and what activities have made you a great organizer, communicator and people person?
Select the most relevant accomplishments, certifications or interests that can spruce your resume up, and impress your potential employer.
- Interests
- Volunteering Activities
- Professional Development
- Training
- Conferences
- Language Skills
- Qualifications
- Awards
- Projects
- Accomplishments
Listing extra sections in your administrative resume
Projects
- SAP BW Data Modelling & ETL: retail industry data targets creation, February 2020
Volunteering Activities
- Hearts & Minds: Social Media Manager, March 2019 - January 2020
Professional Development
- Administrative Professionals Conference, ABC Events, 2019 - Expanded knowledge of time management techniques and learned best practices for effective communication in the workplace.
By including a section on professional development, you not only demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning but also provide potential employers with evidence of your proactive approach to personal and professional growth.
This can significantly enhance your administrative resume and showcase your dedication to staying up-to-date with the evolving demands of the administrative field.
7. Top resources for job-seeking administrative workers
Even when you've managed to polish your administrative resume to perfection, it won't automatically land you the job you want! You also have to know where to search for work opportunities. We've prepared a list of resources that you can use as the starting point to your job hunt:
- Industry-specific job boards: The best way to launch your search is to look at websites that specialize in providing job opportunities for your chosen field. For example: AdminCrossing, AdministrativeJobs.com, or iHireAdmin.
- General job boards: Next, you can take a look at any general job board, such as Indeed, Glassdoor, SimplyHired, or Jooble. While their focus is broad, you can narrow it down by entering specific phrases in the search bar.
- Professional associations: Professional associations can offer not just job postings, but also networking opportunities, latest industry news, and training opportunities. You can join, for example: the Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM), or the Association of Administrative Professionals (AAP).
- Staffing agencies: The job market is full of agencies that specialize in matching their members with job opportunities that match their skill set and career goals. You can have a look at agencies like: Robert Half, Kelly Services, or Insight Global.
- LinkedIn: Though great for sharing your work profile, LinkedIn can do so much more. For example, you can get in touch directly with hiring managers and HR specialists working for companies you're interested in; or join specific groups to maximize LinkedIn’s networking opportunities.
- Continuous learning: To boost your employment potential, you can enroll in certifications such as the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) and Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), Or you can browse through websites like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or edX to find courses fit for your goals.
Although a standout resume cant guarantee success in your job quest, it can significantly increase your chances at landing your dream job. So, don't waste any more time and start writing your administrative resume right now!
Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.
Administrative Resume FAQ
How does my resume formatting play a role?
Put simply, presentation matters! Steer clear of cluttered and overstuffed resumes. Keep the recruiters in mind and make your resume easy to navigate. Choose an appropriate layout and professional fonts. If you want to save yourself some time and nerves, you can use any of our templates and just fill in your info.
What if my experience isn't directly related to the job I'm applying for?
In that case, you have to focus your resume on any skills and experience that can also be applicable in your new job. Highlight transferable skills gained from previous roles that relate to this new position. Because even unrelated jobs can still show your ability to handle certain tasks and responsibilities. You can use your cover letter to explain the shift and why you'd make a good fit.
Should I list all of my past jobs on my administrative resume?
That depends. If any of your previous roles is irrelevant to the job you're applying for, it might not be necessary. But of course, if “irrelevant” jobs is all you have (if you're switching careers), include them. And, we also recommend NOT to include jobs from 15 years ago.
How should I handle gaps in employment on my resume?
Career breaks or gaps are not unusual. If you feel that it's necessary, you can briefly explain them in your cover letter. But focus more on what skills you gained during the gap. Or you can simply wait until you're asked about it during a job interview.
What's the key to using keywords effectively in my resume?
Go back to the job posting. Now, look at the job description and see what skills and experience it demands. Then, incorporate these keywords throughout your resume. But make sure to keep the spelling of the keywords exactly as they appear in the job posting — this will get your resume through the ATS.