How To Write An Executive Assistant Resume

Office Assistant Resume Examples for You to Use This Year

Updated August 24, 2022587

An office assistant is critical to getting work done in an office. Here’s how you can write a better resume to land this position.

Office Assistant Resume Examples

Although an office assistant is generally an entry-level job, you still need to showcase that you’re able to perform a variety of tasks and that you have certain skills to get the job. One of the best ways for you to do that is with an office assistant resume. In this article, you’ll learn what you should include on an office assistant resume to land your next office assistant position.

What To Highlight in an Office Assistant Resume

One of the best skills you can highlight as an office assistant is your ability to adapt. In this position, you will be doing various jobs and must adapt to all of them. Additionally, structure your resume to target the exact type of office assistant position you want, whether that’s an administrative assistant, a medical office assistant or something else entirely.

Structure of an Office Assistant Resume

First, decide on your resume format. There are three resume formats: chronological, functional and combination. Choose the right format depending on your experience and what you want to highlight in your resume. Once you’ve decided, you can move on to the resume writing process.

Header

Your header will include your contact information, phone number, email address and professional social media links, like your LinkedIn profile. The ResumeNerd resume builder can help you create a header and a great-looking resume template.

Resume summary or objective

At the top of your resume will be a two- to three-sentence paragraph that gives a hiring manager a snapshot of your notable skills and achievements. If you have lots of work experience, you will write a resume summary, which goes over your most important achievements and accomplishments. If you have less experience, you will write an office assistant resume objective, which goes over your skills, education and career goals.

Skills

Your skills section will include 8-12 relevant skills. Here are a few bullet points to consider adding to your office assistant resume:

Communication skills
Organizational skills
Reordering office supplies and managing office equipment
Knowledge of software like QuickBooks and PowerPoint
Time management skills
Administrative support
Front desk management
Interpersonal skills
Multitasking
General office administration
Working with an office manager
Scheduling appointments
Problem-solving skills
Team player
Making travel arrangements

Remember that hiring managers will be looking for soft skills, which are skills you use throughout your life and are transferable throughout all jobs, and hard skills, which are specific to the industry you are working in.

Work history

You don’t need years of experience to succeed as an entry-level office assistant but if you have previous experience, list it in your work experience section. Include information about your past job duties, company name and dates you worked there. List your experience in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent experience first.

Education

All education is welcome in your education section, from a high school diploma to a degree in business administration. Most experts recommend against including your GPA, instead suggesting you add any honors you received, like cum laude honors or if you ever made the dean's list.

Do’s and Don’ts for an Office Assistant Resume

Keep these tips in mind to create a stunning office assistant resume:

Do:

Add certifications in your education section. This may include certifications in Microsoft Office, data entry or any other office-related skills.
Always write a professional resume. Even if this is your first-ever job or entry-level job, you should always present yourself professionally.
List all of your education. Even if you have a college degree in something that doesn’t seem “relevant” to an office assistant job, it will still show a strong work ethic.

Don’t:

List completely irrelevant work experience. You need to show how any work experience outside of being an office assistant will help you in this job.
Add basic computer skills to your resume. This can look like padding your resume, as in the modern era, it’s expected that an office assistant will have basic computer skills.
Have an endless list of skills. Your skill list length will vary depending on your resume format but you should list between 8-12.

FAQ: Office Assistant Resumes

Do I need to include a cover letter for an office assistant application?

An office assistant cover letter is always an excellent idea, as it allows you to show how you meet the skills in the job description and allows you to highlight your best skills and qualifications. Plus, it helps you speak directly to a recruiter, giving them more information about who you are as a person. Use the ResumeNerd cover letter builder if you’re not confident in your cover letter writing skills.

How can I write an office assistant resume without a lot of experience?

An office assistant is an entry-level position, meaning you usually don’t need much experience to apply to one. However, if you have less professional experience in this area, you’ll instead want to focus on your skills and qualifications. If this is a new job for you, don’t be afraid to include atypical experiences like academic experience, volunteer work and internships.

How do I change my office assistant resume to apply to different jobs?

When you apply for a new job, it’s a good idea to change your resume slightly. You want the hiring manager to see the perfect resume for the job they’re listing and that means putting in a bit of extra work to personalize the resume for each job. Look through the job description and find key terms and phrases the hiring manager uses to describe their ideal worker, then include those keywords throughout your resume. This helps get your resume past applicant tracking systems (ATS).

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.