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As an administrative assistant, you’re the company’s backbone, juggling many tasks with professionalism, precision, and efficiency. But before you can demonstrate your skillset, you must create a resume that makes you stand out. Mark you, an administrative assistant’s resume isn’t a mere document; it’s your one-way ticket to interviews and getting your dream job.
If you don’t know where to start, draw inspiration from our ready-to-edit resume examples. And while at it, write a cover letter to add the cherry on top of your application. When doing this, ensure that you only include what adds value to your candidacy because recruiters don’t have much time to review your piece.
This guide is your one-stop shop for everything you need to write a resume that will leave hiring managers in awe – from expert-approved administrative assistant resume examples and the latest formatting tips to excellent administrative assistant resume skills. Whether you’re starting or a seasoned admin assistant, we’ll help you create and send an application to get you the job.
Why this administrative assistant resume works
- The perfect administrative assistant resume should illustrate your impact in past roles using numbers or metrics. This bit is a make-or-break for your job hunt because few other things better showcase your value, not to mention they lend hefty clout to your resume’s skills section.
- Taking a peek at Emma’s masterpiece, you’ll encounter shiny examples like “Managed calendars of the executive team and coordinated weekly team-wide meetings for over 50 people,” “Managed schedules…across 6 job sites, generating $11M in revenue,” and “Reviewed proposals and budget sheets for over 25 contractors.” Such figures are gold.
Why this senior administrative assistant resume works
- As the senior administrative assistant, you’re right at the helm, steering the ship in the right direction. Ideally, your winning resume must zero in on your leadership skills, something you might make out after going through our best Word resume templates and Google Docs resume templates.
- And what is the most potent trick to highlight your ability to run the show? Kicking off every bullet point in your senior administrative assistant resume with dynamite action verbs (think organized, coordinated, initiated, developed, and managed). Such a piece will undoubtedly harmonize with your administrative assistant cover letter.
Why this administrative assistant II resume works
- Take it to the bank that telling the recruiter you know the ropes doesn’t mean much if your administrative assistant II resume lacks solid proof of your accomplishments. Let’s put in our two cents—adding numbers in your piece wherever you can (read your work history and resume summary or objective if possible) is the most effective way to pull that off.
- You could, for instance, kick an ambiguous phrase like “…minimized the shortage of supplies” to the curb and replace it with a statement that packs a punch, such as “Implemented inventory control software to monitor department supplies, reducing the number of stockouts by 88%.”
Why this entry-level administrative assistant resume works
- Sorts, you’ve been burning the midnight oil to figure out how to write a resume to get you in the recruiter’s good graces. Well, there’s a mile-long list of ways to crack that code, and letting transferable skills picked from projects steal the show is somewhere in the top half.
- For example, flaunting how you bagged the vice president role in a student investment club showcases your leadership chops; recruiters have a soft spot for top dogs, so that’s good. Similarly, dropping a line about how you organized bi-weekly meetings with financial investment leaders signals something positive about your communication and organizational skills, making your entry-level administrative resume even more powerful.
Why this administrative assistant no experience resume works
- You don’t need to have worked as an administrative assistant before to be a perfect fit for such a role in the future. You’re already versed in office operations, customer satisfaction, service, and inventory management from your past experiences.
- In your administrative assistant no experience resume, give precedence to achievements such as solving customer issues over the phone, boosting customer satisfaction, accelerating problem resolution, etc.
Why this administrative specialist resume works
- When juggling those office tasks and projects like the pro you are, you’re almost certain you could give the master juggler Anthony Gatto a run for his money. However, getting that job could be a bit of a hustle without a killer administrative specialist resume that sells your chops with solid numbers.
- Quantified accomplishments like “increased revenue from repeat clients by $32,984 per year” and “cataloged over 2,273 archived articles” are exactly what we’re talking about here. These are your ticket to showing potential employers the real impact of what you do, packed with more punch than the vague “boosted revenue.”
Why this administrative support resume works
- With years of experience, getting that administrative support job could be in the cards for you. Be careful, though, for jam-packing your resume with fluffy, non-specific skills is quite the deal breaker.
- Sure, branding yourself as a hard worker, team player, and organized sounds good at first glance. However, such claims are pretty much the go-to for every other candidate. To stand out, let your administrative support resume detail exactly how you’ve mastered essential tools and software—Think Dropbox, Trello, and Hubspot CRM, and provide specific examples of your expertise in action.
Why this HR administrative assistant resume works
- Use your HR administrative assistant resume to show potential employers that you’re capable than just updating employee benefits or checking their hours.
- Now’s the time to radiate a modern and fresh vibe with the Elegant template! Use colors that catch the eye of any reader at first sight. Next, secure the job by adding all the digital HR tools like BambooHR, JazzHR, and Google Workspace to stay ahead of the competition!
Why this construction administrative assistant resume works
- Even for something as simple as an assistant role, you’ve got to portray that you have what it takes to create a difference in building projects.
- Flourish your construction administrative assistant resume with bullet points like “Managed site operations for a $10M+ infrastructure project” and “slashing misalignment errors by 13%” to highlight your ability to supervise large-scale projects and keep important metrics like misalignment errors at a minimum.
Why this real estate administrative assistant resume works
- Emphasizing your value through showing your strengths is the magic bullet for employers to pick your real estate administrative assistant resume from the stack. Package your achievements in a manner that solves the need of your dream company.
- Draw attention to your abilities to solve client problems, streamline office operations, bring new business, and so on.
Why this executive administrative assistant resume works
- If you want to get off on the right foot with the hiring manager, compose an executive administrative assistant resume that shines a light on your professionalism. How about customizing the right modern resume template to come through with flying colors?
- Keep it neat and uncluttered—think about a two-column layout resume like Oliver’s. To dial up the masterpiece’s visual appeal, play around with larger, bold text for your name and subheadings, a hue like red-brown for the job title and names of former places of work, and a font that’s easy on the eyes (think Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman, etc).
Why this medical administrative assistant resume works
- To impress the potential employer and land your dream medical administrative assistant job, leverage the reverse chronological order when formatting your resume—take our word for it, it’s a real crowd-pleaser in the recruitment world.
- For example, think about a medical administrative assistant resume that lays out your gradual (and positive) career progression from the hustle of a server to the more organized world of medical administration in reverse chronological order. It says you’re growth-oriented and in it for the long haul, making a good impression.
Why this administrative assistant/receptionist resume works
- Are you on edge because you don’t know how to nail your receptionist administrative assistant resume? Chipper up! A showcase of relevant skills can open the door to unbelievably lucrative career prospects; you only have to craft it right.
- So, when it’s time to compose the skills section for your resume, start with a list of your competencies (think bookkeeping, public speaking, conflict resolution, and administrative software). Make sure to stick to about ten abilities (anything above that is over the top), and don’t forget to weave them into your three or four-entry work history section as evidence you’re not blowing smoke.
Why this administrative coordinator resume works
- Picking the correct resume format is one of the must-do things when crafting a stellar showpiece that will see you outshine other applicants. What else is on that list? Tailoring your sales pitch to the open role and hiring company’s needs.
- What is the mission of your administrative coordinator resume? To spotlight what makes you an ideal fit. And to nail it? You must review the job posting with a fine-tooth comb to determine the potential employer’s wants. Then, showcase how you tick the boxes, which could range from soft skills like attention to detail and organization to proficiency in industry-relevant software like Google Calendly, Five 9, and Microsoft Office Suite.
Why this administrative associate resume works
- So, your experience is lighter, and you really want to impress the hiring team? Consider adding a hobbies section to your resume; it’s a neat trick to highlight relevant abilities and round out your image as a person, all of which could make you gel with the hiring manager in a heartbeat.
- The secret to making this work to your advantage is going through the administrative assistant job description and figuring out the pastimes that align with the potential employer’s needs or field. Let’s say you’ve set your sights on a position at a travel agency, for instance—a hobby like photography says you can pull your weight in the field and contribute to organizational goals, so give it the limelight in your administrative associate resume.
Related resume guides
Writing Your Admin Assistant Resume
As an administrative assistant, you’re the person who keeps the day-to-day operations running smoothly. You’re trusted to act as the face of the company for visitors, and you understand the importance of organization. But you might not realize just how important it is to perfect your resume. Your resume is the first thing hiring managers will look at, so ensure it demonstrates your aptitude for the job.
In this section, we’ll dive into six of the main tips we have for improving your resume, including:
- Administrative assistant resume header
- Administrative assistant skills
- Formatting your administrative assistant resume
- Quantifying your previous impact
- Adding education and certfications
- Customizing your resume for each job
🤙1. Crafting an effective resume header
When you craft a resume for an administrative assistant role, the header and contact information should be easily located at a glance, professional, and straightforward. Typically, this section should contain your name (first and last), email address, phone number, city, and state. If it helps you show your portfolio, add your LinkedIn profile or a personal website with relevant projects. Ensure both of these align to the position you’re applying for.
For formatting, use bold and a slightly bigger font size for your name. It’s a great way to stand out. For the rest of the details, go with a readable, standard-size font. Getting the formatting right is critical because hiring managers have only a few seconds to scan your admin assistant’s resume and decide its fate.
Your email address must be professional — a combination of your first and last names would do. Using nicknames or casual titles would send the wrong message about professionalism. Also, provide your current phone number and ensure your voicemail’s tone is professional.
A professionally crafted resume header sets the right tone for the rest of your application, makes a perfect first impression, and gives employers an easy way to reach you when your profile matches the candidate they’re looking for.
Correct administrative assistant resume header ✅
Emma Stiles
(123) 456-7890
Brooklyn, NY
Wrong administrative Assistant resume header ❌
Jane Smith
4567 Main St, Apt 10A, Indianapolis, IN 1234
2. Include your administrative assistant skills wisely
If you’re unfamiliar with how hiring managers filter applicants, you may be tempted to overlook the skills section on your administrative assistant resume. But, after learning about ATS, you’ll never make that mistake again.
Hiring managers use the ATS, or applicant tracking system software, to narrow their applicant pool. The ATS works by filtering keywords (usually in your skills section) on your resume and matching them to pre-selected words prioritized by recruiters. Your resume will be rejected if you don’t have enough matching keywords.
This system works well when there are a lot of job applicants, but it’s understandably a pain for you, the applicant, to deal with. That’s why it’s important to utilize a skills section that incorporates the right resume skills. You can do this by focusing on the administrative assistant job description.
Read this small excerpt from a job description and see if you can pick up on the most relevant skills for this particular administrative assistant job. Then, read ahead to see if your skills list resembles ours:
Example of a job description
Optics Fusion is a fast-growing company seeking a self-starter administrative assistant who can recognize tasks that need completion with minimal supervision. The ideal candidate will thrive on interacting with clients and the public while displaying a high degree of professionalism. Must be comfortable working in fast-paced environments and dividing attention between many day-to-day operational tasks. Computer-savvy assistants are encouraged to apply!
Compare the list of skills you wrote down from this job description with ours:
- Scheduling and organization
- Communication
- Process automation
- Independent worker
- Billing
- Detail-oriented
- HIPAA
- Health insurance
- Computer software
The job you apply for may or may not have similar skill preferences, but there will typically be a common thread of recurring keywords.
Some of the following administrative assistant resume skills will likely pop up in job descriptions:
- Microsoft Office
- Quickbooks
- EMR
- Data analysis
- Process automation
- Financial reporting
- Google Calendar
- Answering calls
- Multi-tasking
- Bilingual
3. Pick the best resume format
Like your skills section, your resume format is important for determining whether the ATS will properly read and file your resume. Aside from the ATS, formatting your resume properly will make it easier for recruiters to read your administrative assistant resume.
To this end, we suggest using reverse-chronological formatting, with your most recent work experience listed at the top of your resume. This will help hiring managers quickly evaluate your most relevant and (likely most impressive) work.
These are a few other critical elements for your resume formatting:
- Page Length: Keep your resume to exactly one page: no more and no less.
- Bullet Points: Bullet points are a useful tool to break up large pieces of text when you’re describing your work experience. Aside from making your resume more visually appealing, they’ll also make writing these sections much easier.
- Icons/Images: Have you considered adding icons or images to your resume? Don’t! Recruiters and the ATS both dislike them.
- Job Title: Customize your job title for every position to which you apply. It shows that you care enough about the position to put in the extra effort, and hiring managers will appreciate it.
- Objective/Summary: If you include one of these, you’ll want to ensure it’s customized (more on this in the next section).
Should you bother with a resume objective or summary?
You might notice that we just hinted that resume objectives and summary statements are optional. While it’s true that they’re not an essential element of an administrative assistant resume, there are a few specific circumstances when they might be helpful. Let’s demystify these optional sections and determine when to consider including one of them on your resume.
A resume objective is a customized two to three-sentence opener typically included toward the top of your resume. In the visual example below, notice how the objective briefly covers the job title, the company name you’re applying to, and why you’re applying to the specific job. We recommend including an objective only if you’re just starting your career or transitioning to another field.
Let’s go over a few of these statements, including both poor and strong examples of each:
- Example 1: Working in administration for a few years and looking for a change of pace. Can start immediately.
- This is a poor example of an objective. It’s vague and doesn’t mention anything specific that would help the hiring manager. If you’re unwilling to customize your statement, you shouldn’t include an objective.
- Example 2: Detail-oriented medical administrative assistant with 3+ years of experience providing patients with empathetic care, settling insurance claims, and scheduling appointments. Seeking a position with Pediatrics United, where my organization systems and HIPAA compliance standards can contribute to providing the utmost quality care for patients.
- This objective is much better. It’s highly specific, mentioning years of experience, a particular job title, the company name, the candidate’s skills, and how they will contribute to the company.
- Example 3: Providing admin tasks for multi-years in the ofice. Backgrnd in detailed work & organizatian for multiple companys.
- This makes a horrible first impression. Note the misspelled words and abbreviations used. Remember: a good summary/objective can improve your chances of getting hired, and a bad one can do some damage. Do you think a hiring manager would want to hire this applicant?
- Example 4: Scrupulous medical administrative assistant with 16+ years of specialization in best practices in the medical field. Vast expertise and knowledge of HIPAA compliance standards, sensitive patient care, medical insurance billing, and EMR to efficiently provide the highest quality care. Looking for a role working at Felder’s Community Clinic, where patient care is at the forefront of operational goals.
- Do a little research on the job to which you’re applying. This applicant used their summary statement to demonstrate knowledge about the clinic they’re interested in working for, which hiring managers will appreciate.
4. Highlighting experience with measurable impact
Many admin assistant applicants tell us they find it difficult to write their resumes in a way that displays confidence and job capability. Often, the problem is that they’re not quantifying their job impact with metrics (numbers). Metrics are the easiest way to provide measurable insight into your work performance. As an administrative assistant, there are many areas in which you can include numbers on your resume. Read below for some of the best ways to leverage metrics from your previous roles:
- Number of people: It’s a good idea to mention the size of the companies you’ve worked for, including staff size and customer base.
- Efficiency improvements: Have you streamlined policies or systems? Orchestrated the switch to a new type of admin software? Has your work saved a significant amount of time?
- Scheduling: How many meetings do you schedule per week? Of how many executive calendars are you in charge? Do you set up appointment reminders for clients, and, have these reminders reduced the rate of late/missed client meetings?
- Billing: Do you process customer/patient/insurance billing? If so, how much money are you charged with managing? Do you compile expense reports?
Now that you’ve thought through areas of your job from which you can pull metrics, read through these administrative assistant bullet points for resume to get a little more inspiration:
- Met 95% of project deadlines by mitigating all engineering hurdles and roadblocks
- Provided remote troubleshooting to customers over the phone with a 90% success rate, resolving calls in less than 7 minutes
- Managed 3 essential projects that facilitated more than $5 million in annual revenue
Power of using active adverbs
Using active verbs on your resume for an administrative assistant position ensures that your skills and experiences stand out. These powerful words show your initiative, achievements, and impact – all the good things recruiters want to know about you.
If you want to convince a potential employer that you’re the real game changer, ditch boring and outdated phrases such as “responsible for” and “assisted with” and instead deploy words full of action, compelling, and clearly showing your accomplishments.
The use of these action-oriented terms demonstrates your proven abilities and serves as evidence of your current and previous roles and the impact you left behind. The power of these words is seen in how they showcase your administrative assistant skills in a compelling yet persuasive way.
Examples of active verbs
- Organized
- Managed
- Streamlined
- Implemented
- Coordinated
- Executed
- Scheduled
- Resolved
- Automated
- Drafted
🎓5. Adding education and certifications
Including education and certifications in your admin assistant resume enhances your qualifications and appeals to prospective companies. When you add a degree, such as an associate’s degree in office management or a bachelor’s degree in business administration, you highlight your foundational knowledge and understanding of how the sector works.
In cases where you’re yet to graduate, listing training and coursework such as communication, office technology, and organization demonstrates your readiness to learn and get things done the right way.
For a complete education section, include your area of study, the specific area of specialization, institution, expected graduation date, and the city and state.
Example of how to add education
Bachelor of Science
Business Administration
University of Pittsburgh
2018 – 2022
Pittsburgh, PA
Industry-specific certifications add value to your resume by showcasing special skills that other candidates may not have. These recognitions prove that you have the technical chops to handle administrative tasks effectively and are at par with industry trends.
Examples of relevant administrative assistant certifications
- Six Sigma Yellow Belt
- Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
- Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE)
- Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
- Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)
- Administrative Assistant Certification (AAC)
6. Modify your resume for each admin assistant job
We’ve mentioned it a few times, but it’s so important we’ll repeat it: you must customize your resume for each job to which you apply. After all, administrative assistants have widely varying job responsibilities, and you should take the extra step to best align your resume with the specific job for each application you submit. Fortunately, you don’t have to change your entire resume, but let’s go over the areas you should customize:
- The objective/summary: Without a doubt, if you include a resume objective or summary statement, you’ll need to customize it. Focus on highlighting relevant skills for the position, and mention the company name. One warning—always tailor this section before you submit your application. Please don’t be the person who forgets to change the company name before submitting it to multiple jobs!
- Skills: Customize your skills section by referencing the job description. Usually, hiring managers are upfront about the desired skills required for the job.
- Job description bullet points: You can alter your job description bullet points to emphasize different types of administrative assistant jobs. For example, highlight your efficiency and time management for jobs that require multi-tasking and the ability to work in a hectic environment. Other positions, such as medical assistant jobs, may be more concerned about billing, policy compliance, and patient privacy.
Administrative assistant resume
- Do you have experience in the essential aspects of administrative work?
- Focus on covering key areas such as your computer and software literacy, customer relations, scheduling, financial reporting, billing, internal communication, and hiring.
- If the job description mentions that some aspects are more important than others for the role, you can emphasize them more heavily.
Entry-level admin assistant resume
- It’s okay if you don’t have years of admin experience. Instead, you can highlight transferable skills.
- For example, you may want to highlight your ability to get along well with others, your organizational skills, and your ability to stay organized.
- This savvy entry-level candidate absorbed excess white space with a metrics-packed internship.
Executive admin assistant resume
- Executive administrative assistants typically work on more complex, higher-stakes administrative issues. Demonstrate your increased work responsibility.
- This may mean managing more assets, overseeing staff, or making decisions that have an impact beyond day-to-day operations.
- You need to format your executive resume using the reverse-chronological format, which will best showcase your career growth.
Medical admin assistant resume
- An excellent medical admin assistant resume should be highly specialized.
- Focus on highlighting your capacity to manage insurance billing and claims.
- Do you have an understanding of electronic medical records (EMR)? If yes, you should consider including it on your resume.
- Like anyone in healthcare working in direct contact with patients, you should have a strong understanding of HIPAA.
- Demonstrate your understanding of important skills for admin assistants specific to the medical field.
Notice this applicant’s mention of keyword skills like HIPAA and EMR.
Senior admin assistant resume
- How involved are you in collaborating with executives to improve administrative or organizational functioning? Do you manage a large sum of assets? Are you in charge of a team? Do you run day-to-day operations for an entire company or department?
- Ensure you showcase skills that set you apart from less experienced administrative assistants.
💵Average annual salaries for administrative assistants in the US
When you finally get an administrative assistant job, the next big question will be to know how much you will earn. The data below from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and published at O*NET Resource Center as of 2024/10/16 give you a glimpse of the average annual salaries for admin assistants across different states:
| National/State | Average Annual Salary |
| National | $42,931 |
| Georgia | $37,990 |
| Texas | $40,440 |
| Florida | $40,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,010 |
| North Carolina | $42,140 |
| Ohio | $42,360 |
| Michigan | $42,710 |
| Illinois | $45,920 |
| New York | $47,960 |
| California | $50,220 |
Our parting advice for your admin assistant resume
You should be proud of yourself for taking your resume seriously! You’ve made it to the end of this guide, and you’re on the right path to creating your best, most professional administrative assistant resume yet!
Let’s review the four main tips we’ve covered in this guide as a quick recap.
We’ve shared 15 administrative assistant resume samples, discussed how to build your skills section, how to format your resume for the ATS, how you can add metrics, education, and certifications, and why you should modify every administrative assistant resume you submit.
With these tips in mind, upload your resume to our free resume checker to see how your masterpiece can be improved with our AI-powered tips. If you’re thinking about starting your resume from scratch, try our AI resume builder, where you can begin the process with built-in AI-powered tips and proper formatting.
Accompanying your resume with an administrative assistant cover letter gives you an edge over other candidates by talking more about your enthusiasm for the role and why you’re the best fit.
The letter gives you more room to showcase your skills, experiences, and expectations for the job. When you write your cover letter, ensure that it’s tailored to the job by adding keywords from the advert and boosting your chances of making it to the final list of potential recruits.
Administrative Assistant Resume FAQs
Administrative assistants do various tasks, such as planning, organizing, and clerical. While responsibilities may vary from one company to another, admin assistants will handle meeting scheduling, record keeping, and data entry, preparing reports and presentations, coordinating travel plans for executives, managing inventories, supporting top executives, etc.
A simple, professional, and easy-to-read resume template is the best option when applying for an administrative assistant job. The correct template ensures that your resume is ATS-friendly, can be optimized for the specific role, and highlights the skills and experiences that make you an outstanding candidate.
If you’re struggling to decide what template is good for you, our collection of resume examples would be a good place to start your search.
A one-page resume for an administrative assistant would be adequate to sell your value and get noticed by potential employers. If you’re seeking an entry-level position, give precedence to your education and practical projects at the top of your piece.
You can write a two-page resume for an experienced administrative assistant with an impressive career journey. However, only include details that are worth the recruiters’ time.
When you don’t have direct work experience, tap into the power of transferrable skills acquired from internships, coursework, practical projects, and charity work.
Hiring teams are interested in seeing the value you bring to their companies and showing them how to use the skills you gained elsewhere to solve problems; then, you’ll be on their must-hire list.
