Administrative Assistant CV Guide + Tips + Example

Nilda Melissa Diaz By Nilda Melissa Diaz, Career Advice Contributor
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Jump-start your career with an administrative assistant CV. If you’re not sure how to start, follow our CV guide, with tips and examples to inspire your writing.

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Administrative assistant example (text version)

Julie Dawson

Colorado Springs, CO 80901
555 555 555
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Summary Statement

Dedicated administrative assistant with 10 years of experience managing large and small offices. I have worked with numerous branches, including payroll and human resources, which allows me to facilitate an efficient workflow and improve communications between multiple departments. Expert-level proficiency with Microsoft Office and PeopleSoft. Senior executives consistently rely on me to maintain schedules, oversee meetings and improve customer relations.

Core Qualifications

  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Typing speed 67 WPM
  • Document filing
  • Database and client management systems
  • Decision-making
  • Training and development
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Problem-solving

Education

June 2017
University of Colorado Aurora, CO
Bachelor of Arts Business

June 2015
Front Range Community College Westminster, CO
Associate of Arts Office Administration

Work Experience

November 2017 – Current
Nextar Media Group, Inc. – Colorado Springs, CO
Administrative Assistant

  • Oversee schedules for all executives and manage booking for conference rooms and group workspaces.
  • Work with the HR department to facilitate recruitment drives, including setting up and running a booth at local career fairs.
  • Train four new administrative assistant interns in office management procedures and schedule on-the-job mentoring with multiple departments.
  • Maintain and improve online databases of client accounts and external vendors, including updating information when necessary, increasing 75% of productivity.

June 2013 – October 2017
Robert Half – Colorado Springs, CO
Receptionist

  • Managed front reception desk by answering phones, greeting and directing 100 visitors per day and responding to email inquiries.
  • Maintained work schedule for two senior executives, including travel plans and teleconference meetings.
  • Created a new system for receiving and filing physical mail and fax documents that improved efficiency and eliminated delays in time-sensitive issues.

June 2012 – May 2013
Life Care Solutions – Colorado Springs, CO
Office Intern

  • Performed numerous administrative tasks as necessary, including scheduling meetings and travel, working with external vendors, interacting with visitors and answering phone calls and emails from customers.
  • Participated in on-the-job training with several different departments, including human resources, payroll, accounting and executive support.
  • Helped plan and execute annual holiday parties, including organizing 40 vendors, researching venues and maintaining guest lists of 300.

Honors and Awards

Awarded Employee of the Month twice and received highest possible score during the annual performance review.

Certifications and Licenses

OCG Typing Certificate (OTC) – (2019)
Administrative Assistant Certification (CAA) – (2018)

Relevant Skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including dealing with customer complaints and giving formal presentations to executives.
  • Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, Oracle PeopleSoft and Intuit QuickBooks.
  • Experience planning, coordinating and facilitating physical meetings and remote video conferences.Extremely organized and attentive to detail.
  • Comfortable performing a variety of roles, including payroll support, front desk reception, personal assistant and organizational point of contact.

Languages

  • English
    Native or Bilingual
  • Spanish
    Limited Working

Hobbies and Interests

  • Avid reader and host of a bimonthly book club.
  • Enjoy learning to cook unique meals from a variety of international cuisines.
  • Active in local professional women’s support group.
  • Assistant leader for local Girl Scout troop.
  • Volunteer at library teaching seminars on Microsoft Office for beginners.

5 essentials of a top administrative assistant CV

  1. Contact details

    The contact details sections will have the information needed to reach you. Include your full name, city, state and ZIP code. Also, add your phone number and email address. Finally, add any professional website, LinkedIn profile or any other professional networking profile, such as a specialized organization. Remember to keep it strictly professional, with no side hustles or personal websites. 

  2. Personal statement

    This section will come immediately after your name and is the first section that a hiring manager will read. Also known as the professional summary, it highlights your career, professional accomplishments and years of experience. Pick your best and create a summary of no more than five sentences. Remember to use concise, strong words.

  3. Skills

    Whether you’ve acquired your skills through education or experience, skills play an important role in your CV. It shows what you bring to the table to help the company succeed. Include a mix of hard and soft skills, like active listening, language, discretion, resilience and organizational skills. 

    First administrative assistant job? No problem. Add transferable skills from employment in other industries, volunteer opportunities, internships and those learned in school.

  4. Work history

    List your current and previous work experience in reverse-chronological order. Use bullet points under every job to include three measurable accomplishments. Often, job candidates will write down their daily tasks. However, hiring managers want to know what you achieved in your position.

    If you are starting your career and have no experience, you can still include relevant work experience by adding community service, volunteer work and extracurricular activities.

  5. Education

    Using bullet points, include the educational institution’s name, the degree conferred and graduation year. You can omit the graduation date if it has been over 10 years. If you did not attend college, list your high school and any other post-high school course you’ve completed.

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Action words for a stand-out administrative assistant CV

An administrative assistant keeps a company running smoothly. Powerful action words will help demonstrate the valuable experience you already have. 

Check out the list below and include them on your administrative assistant CV.

  • Administer
  • Manage
  • Appoint
  • Arrange
  • Delegate
  • Enforce
  • Coordinate
  • Execute
  • Maintain
  • Prevent
  • Protect
  • Distribute
  • Gather
  • Supply
  • Secure
  • Solicit

Use these words to create a strong CV for an administrative assistant. Write it quicker and easier with our CV maker. Our CV Builder has step-by-step guidance and expert suggestions to get your administrative assistant CV to the next level.

Top skills for an administrative assistant CV

Review the job description carefully and match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you. 

Your skills might include:

  • Data entry
  • Attention to detail 
  • Discretion
  • Filing systems
  • Planning and scheduling
  • Organization
  • Time management
  • Written and verbal communication
  • Foreign languages
  • Database management

Certifications for an administrative assistant CV

A CV for an administrative assistant that includes certifications will backup the entire document. Certifications add value to your knowledge and reiterate your training and experience. These are some certifications you can consider:

  • International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
  • Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE)
  • Certified Administrative Assistant (CAA)

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Administrative Assistant CV FAQ

  1. 1. How to write a CV for an administrative assistant?

    To write an administrative assistant CV, start by adding the five primary sections with detailed information. 

    • Contact information
    • Personal profile
    • Skills
    • Job history
    • Education 

    Once you’ve taken care of the basics, include additional sections to help you stand out from the pool of applicants. 

    • Professional memberships or associations
    • Presentations 
    • Publications
    • Certifications and licenses
    • Volunteer experience
    • Hobbies and interests

    Remember to include what the employer is looking for by adding keywords from the job description.

    Visit our How to Make a CV page for more detailed information on writing a CV.

  2. 2. What are the top 3 skills for an administrative assistant CV?

    The top three skills to include in a CV for an administrative assistant will depend on the company. Always pay close attention to the job description and website to include skills that suit their needs. 

    Communication skills, like language, written and verbal communication and active listening will always play an important role, no matter the industry. Organization skills, like time management and attention to detail are also among the top skills to include in your CV

  3. 3. How do I make being an administrative assistant sound good in my CV?

    Administrative assistants are a vital part of any company’s backbone. Their ability to anticipate needs, communicate with numerous departments and coordinate within the intricacies of a company makes them an incredible asset and resource. An administrative assistant CV should reflect that through its primary sections. 

    To make your CV shine, follow these tips:

    • Add a section for extra training, certifications, awards and honors.
    • Include a special section for community initiatives and volunteer work. 
    • Create subcategories for your skills under the skills sections. For example, a technical section for your computer knowledge, a soft skills section for communication and people skills, and a hard skills section for industry-specific skills.

    For additional inspiration, visit our CV examples page!

Do’s and don’ts for building an administrative assistant CV

  • Confirm whether a CV or resume is required (Not sure of the difference? Check out our CV vs Resume page)
  • Use measurable achievements to describe your administrative assistant skills and experience.
  • Use action words to make an impact on your administrative assistant CV.
  • Tailor your CV to your target administrative assistant job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your administrative assistant CV.
  • Format your administrative assistant CV so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your administrative assistant experience and skills.
  • Boast about your “incomparable” administrative assistant abilities.
  • Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that do not pertain to administrative assistant work. 
  • Forget to proofread. A administrative assistant CV with errors is unprofessional.

Top 4 tips for acing an administrative assistant interview

  1. Learn about the company before your interview.

    It’s crucial to learn more about the company’s values and goals before the interview.

    This will show the employer your interest and commitment. It’ll also help you catch a glimpse of the company culture. 

    Being able to show that you have in-depth knowledge about your potential employer shows genuine interest, dedication and commitment — traits that hiring managers look for in every job candidate they talk to. Plus, having a glimpse of the company culture before you arrive will give you an idea of what to expect on arrival so that you can feel confident.

  2. Rehearse at home.

    Practice makes progress. While researching the company, take some time to review the most common interview questions, such as: 

    Then, ask a friend or relative to help you practice by performing a mock job interview. They’ll ask you questions and give you feedback on how you did. Write down the answers that worked and continue practicing. Do it in front of a mirror to see your facial expressions and body language. You’ll be ready for the interview in no time.

  3. Be proactive and ask questions.

    The rule of thumb is to ask three questions at the end of the interview. Being prepared will show the hiring manager that you have a genuine interest and are enthusiastic about the position. 

    Here are possible questions for your list: 

    • What goals have you set for this position?
    • What is the expectation for the role?
    • What is the biggest challenge faced by this position?
    • What motivated you to apply to this company?
    • How would you describe the company culture?
    • Are there opportunities for advancement in this position?

  4. Round up your references.

    A potential employer will want to check your previous employers. Be one step ahead by reaching out to possible references, like a previous manager or colleague and requesting their assistance. Whoever you reach out to should be able to vouch for your work ethic and skills. Explain to them where you are in the process and let them know that they could receive a phone call or email. Also, ask if they could prepare a letter of recommendation for you. 

    If this is your first full-time job, you can request a reference from other areas of your life, like a former professor, community leader or volunteer coordinator that can vouch for your skills.

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Nilda Melissa Diaz

Nilda Melissa Diaz

Career Advice Contributor

Nilda Melissa Díaz is a Career Advice Writer. She has worked for the Washington Post, Stringr, and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

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