Resume example · For job seekers
Administrative Assistant Resume Example
An administrative assistant resume example, with summaries for each level, the skills employers look for, bullets that show reliability, and ATS tips.
The short answer
A strong Administrative Assistant resume opens with a short summary, groups the skills employers will test, and backs each role with bullets that show what changed because of your work. Below is a full example, summary wording for entry level, career changer, experienced and senior or team administrator candidates, and how to get through applicant tracking systems.
- Keep it to one page unless you have many years of relevant experience.
- Make it immaculate: an administrative resume with a typo undermines the attention to detail you are claiming.
- Use bullets that show what you made easier, faster or more accurate for the people you supported.
An administrative assistant keeps an office running, and a good resume shows that you are the person things run smoothly around. Employers look for organisation, accuracy, confident use of office software and the ability to handle many people and requests at once. This guide includes a full administrative assistant resume example, summary wording for each stage, bullets you can adapt, and the mistakes that make a capable assistant look like everyone else.
Example Administrative Assistant resume
Hannah Clarke
Administrative Assistant
Bristol, UKhannah.clarke@example.com07700 900000
Summary
Administrative assistant with five years supporting a property team of fifteen: diaries, travel, invoices, supplier contracts and office facilities. Known for accurate records and calm handling of last-minute changes.
Skills
- Software
- Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Xero
- Administration
- Diary management, Minute taking, Invoice processing, Travel booking
Experience
Administrative Assistant · Tailspin Property Group, Bristol
2021 – present
- Manage diaries for three directors and prepare board meeting packs the day before each meeting.
- Process supplier invoices and expenses weekly, matched to purchase orders before they reach finance.
- Moved client files into a shared digital structure with a naming convention the team now follows.
- Organise onboarding for new starters, from desk and IT access to a first-week timetable.
Receptionist · Contoso Dental Practice, Bath
2019 – 2021
- Booked and rescheduled patient appointments and kept records up to date.
- Answered phone and in-person enquiries and handled payments at the front desk.
Education
Level 3 Business Administration (illustrative) · Contoso College
2018 – 2019
Summary examples
Three or four lines at the top of the page. Pick the one closest to your situation and rewrite it with your own tools and work.
Entry level
Career changer
Experienced
Senior or team administrator
Skills to list
Hard skills
Soft skills
List only what you could be tested on. Soft skills carry more weight shown in a bullet than named in a list.
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Experience bullet points
Office and diary support
- Managed diaries for three directors, resolving clashes and preparing meeting packs the day before each board meeting.
- Booked travel and accommodation for team visits and conferences, keeping each trip within the company’s travel policy.
- Took minutes at weekly management meetings and circulated actions the same day.
Records and finance
- Moved paper client files into a shared digital folder structure with a naming convention the whole team now follows.
- Processed supplier invoices and staff expenses each week, matching them to purchase orders before sending them to finance.
- Kept the office asset register up to date, so equipment for new starters was ready on their first day.
People and facilities
- Organised onboarding for new starters, including desks, IT access and a first-week timetable.
- Acted as first contact for visitors and phone enquiries, directing each to the right person.
What to include
Header
Name, town or city, phone, email and LinkedIn if you have one. UK careers advice is to leave off date of birth, marital status and nationality.
Professional summary
Three lines: your experience, the type of office you have supported and the strengths you are known for.
Skills
Software first (with the specific programs), then core admin skills. Mention typing speed only if the advert asks for it and you have a recent test result.
Experience
Reverse chronological, with three to five bullets per role. Include customer-facing or retail jobs if they show organisation and accuracy.
Education and training
School or college qualifications, any business administration course or apprenticeship, and software certificates you hold.
Formatting
- Keep it to one page unless you have many years of relevant experience.
- Make it immaculate: an administrative resume with a typo undermines the attention to detail you are claiming.
- Use bullets that show what you made easier, faster or more accurate for the people you supported.
- Use a simple, single-column layout and one professional font.
- Save as PDF unless the advert asks for a Word document.
Getting past applicant tracking systems
- 1Name the exact software in the advert, such as Excel, Outlook, SharePoint or a specific booking system, where you use it.
- 2Use the job title from the advert in your summary if it matches your experience (administrative assistant, office administrator, administrator).
- 3Keep skills as plain text, not icons or rating bars.
- 4Use standard section headings.
- 5Avoid placing contact details in the document header, which some systems skip.
Common mistakes
- A list of duties that could describe any administrative job.
- Rating your own software skills with stars or bars that mean nothing to the reader.
- Leaving out retail, hospitality or volunteer roles that show the same skills.
- Typos, inconsistent dates or mixed fonts.
- A generic objective statement instead of a short summary of what you offer.
Common questions
What skills should I put on an administrative assistant resume?
The software you use (Word, Excel, Outlook or Google Workspace), diary and travel management, record keeping, invoice processing and minute taking, plus organisation, discretion and clear communication.
How do I write an administrative assistant resume with no experience?
Focus on jobs and activities that show organisation and accuracy: retail, hospitality, reception, volunteering or running a club. Add any business administration course and list the software you can use confidently.
Should I include my typing speed?
Only if the advert asks for it and you have a recent, honest result. Otherwise it takes up space that a strong bullet could use.
Is a CV different from a resume for admin jobs?
In the UK and India it is usually called a CV and the content is the same. UK careers advice is to leave off date of birth, marital status and nationality.
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