Office Assistant Resume Guide + Tips + Example

Kellie Hanna, CPRW By Kellie Hanna, CPRW, Career Advice Expert
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A great job as an office assistant demands a perfect office assistant resume. Not sure what that looks like? Don’t worry! We’re here to help you create one. Our guide to crafting an effective resume for an office assistant job will help you make the most of your organizational and interpersonal skills to write a professional office assistant resume.

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Office assistant resume example (text version)

Phyllis Barnett

Springfield, IL 62712
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Professional Summary

Thorough and steadfast office assistant with top-notch administrative skills and a solid background in tech and construction. Surpasses business targets while satisfying diverse customer demands. Independently handle clerical tasks like routing correspondence and coordinating travel arrangements to keep business operations smooth and efficient.

Work History

July 2017 – Current
Christian Horizons – Springfield, IL
OFFICE ASSISTANT

  • Work with a team of five upper-management professionals to complete complex projects on tight budgets within specific timelines.
  • Provide quality clerical support through data entry, document management, email correspondence and overseeing the operation of office equipment for a team of 20.
  • Prepare daily packages for shipment, pickup and courier services for prompt delivery to customers.

October 2014 – June 2017
Connect Search, LLC – Springfield, IL
Office Assistant

  • Routed correspondence to facilitate timely communication between team members, customers and vendors, improving 45% of productivity.
  • Organized team workload and prioritized tasks to streamline office functions in a deadline-driven environment.
  • Assisted with project planning by estimating labor, materials and schedule demands.

July 2013 – September 2014
Nesco Resource – Springfield,IL
Assistant Office Coordinator

  • Maintained office supplies inventory of an average of 3,000 items by checking stock and ordering new supplies as needed.
  • Delivered expert clerical support by efficiently handling a wide range of routine and special requirements.
  • Managed office activities by maintaining communication between clients, tracking records and filing all documents.

Skills

  • Filing and data archiving
  • Spreadsheet management
  • Office administration
  • Sorting and labeling
  • Correspondence handling
  • Data entry
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management

Education

Springfield Southeast High School Springfield, IL
High School Diploma

Certifications

  • Administrative Assistant Certification – (2021)
  • Microsoft Office Specialist Master Certification (MOS) – (2019)

5 essentials of a top resume for an office assistant

  1. Contact details

    Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our office assistant resume sample shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state, ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and a professional website, add them last.

  2. Personal statement

    A professional summary, also known as a personal statement, is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you offer. An office assistant resume summary must include job-relevant skills and one or two notable accomplishments, and it should touch on how long you’ve been in the industry. If you are just starting out in your career, it’s better to write a resume objective for an office assistant instead.

  3. Skills

    Create a skills section for your office assistant resume so hiring managers can see if your skill set matches their needs. A resume template for an office assistant will have a separate section for your job-relevant skills in a bulleted list. As our sample office assistant resume shows, skills for an office assistant resume should include hard and soft skills, such as your communication and data entry skills.

  4. Work history

    As our office assistant sample resume shows, your resume must include a work history section, even if this is your first professional job. In reverse-chronological order, display your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them. Include three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list.

  5. Education

    A resume for an office assistant must include an education section. In reverse-chronological order, show the name of the schools and the years you graduated using bullet points. If you did not attend college, list your high school information and the classes or training you’ve taken since graduating. If you come from an apprenticeship, then list it here.

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Action words for a stand-out office assistant resume

Use action words and numbers to make your descriptions compelling.

Here’s a short list of perfect action words for an office assistant resume:

  • Assist
  • Organize
  • Collaborate
  • Help 
  • Present
  • Prepare
  • Manage
  • Develop
  • Process
  • Reconcile
  • Provide
  • Verify
  • Compose
  • Identify
  • Support

Want more inspiration? We have more than 800 resume samples to help you write a professional office assistant resume. 

Need the perfect resume for an office assistant job now? Our Resume Builder has all the tools you need to create a professional resume in minutes! We’ll help you fill in your template. Then you can make edits on the fly, download your finished resume, save it in multiple file formats and send it to your target employer. It’s that easy!

Top skills for an office assistant resume

Review the job description closely and match the required skills to the ones that fit you. 

An office assistant resume skills section might include:

  • Organization
  • Administration
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Verbal communication
  • Multitasking
  • Customer service
  • Patience
  • Mental agility
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management
  • Written communication
  • Microsoft Office
  • Business operations
  • Work ethic
  • Budgeting
  • Database management
  • Conflict management
  • Inventory management
  • Friendliness

Certifications for an office assistant resume

A certification is not required to work as an office assistant, but having at least one certificate can put you ahead of the pack. Hiring managers will be impressed with your industry, in-depth knowledge and passion for your profession. 

Certification options for office assistants include: 

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Office assistant resume FAQ

  1. 1. What are the educational requirements for a job as an office assistant?

    Office assistants usually have degrees in business, business administration, information management or a related field. Courses in Microsoft Excel and human resources can put you ahead of the pack. Direct work experience and internships are also helpful to show on a resume for an office assistant.

  2. 2. What does an office assistant’s resume look like?

    There is no standard resume template for an office assistant resume; you can use any of our templates and customize them for your desired job. A good resume for an office assistant will look like the office assistant resume example on this page. It must display the job seeker’s contact information, hard and soft skills, job history, education and certifications, if applicable. An office assistant resume might also contain sections for awards and honors if the job candidate has them to display.

  3. 3. What are some tips for creating an excellent resume for an office assistant job?

    An office assistant resume will vary from person to person, but you should pay attention to these resume writing basics: 

    • Keep your resume short and to the point. If you have less than 10 years of experience, it should be one page long; if you have more than 10 years of experience, then it’s acceptable to have no more than two pages. 
    • Ensure your resume is formatted correctly, meaning margins should be one inch on all sides and line space should be single or 1.5 inches. 
    • Only use appropriate fonts, like Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica, in 11-12 points on the body and 14-16 points on headers.
    • Proofread your resume more than once before sending it to potential employers.

  4. 4. What is the best resume format for an office assistant?

    The format you choose will depend on your experience and career goals. If you have some experience, try a chronological resume, focusing on your work history and accomplishments. If you have a few years of experience and want to stress your full array of skills, a combination resume format could work well, and if you’re new to the field, then a functional resume is your best bet.

  5. 5. What if I have no previous professional experience?

    On your office assistant resume, highlight any past academic or extracurricular activities, skills and experience that show that you can be a good fit for the job, such as leading a class project. These activities should depict your ability to produce work professionally and efficiently. In your summary, emphasize critical intangible skills that also apply to the job, such as the ability to organize an event.

Do’s and don’ts for building an office assistant resume

  • Use measurable achievements to describe your office assistant skills and experience.
  • Use action words to make an impact on your office assistant resume.
  • Tailor your resume to your target office assistant job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your office assistant resume.
  • Format your office assistant resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your office assistant experience and skills.
  • Boast that you’re the “best office assistant ever.”
  • Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that are about something other than an office assistant job..
  • Forget to proofread. An office assistant’s resume with errors is unprofessional.

Top 4 tips for acing an office assistant interview

  1. Research first.

    It’s vital to take the time to learn about the institution or company’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. Doing so conveys interest, passion and commitment — traits that can set you above the competition.

  2. Practice your answers.

    Practice is really important. Be sure to practice for your interview by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as: 

    And some possible behavioral questions such as:

    Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend.

  3. Prepare questions to ask during the interview.

    After the hiring manager and potential colleagues question you, they will likely offer for you to ask them some questions. Always have at least three for each person you speak with; doing so shows that you’re interested and have been paying close attention.

    Some questions you might ask for an office assistant job are: 

    • What is a typical day like at the office?
    • Can you tell me about the challenges the last person in this role had to overcome?
    • What is the work culture like?

  4. Gather references

    Have professional references ready during your interview. It comes in handy, especially if the hiring manager offers you the job on the spot. Make a list of two former colleagues and a former manager willing to speak highly about your abilities to perform the office assistant job.

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Kellie Hanna, CPRW

Kellie Hanna, CPRW

Career Advice Expert

Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.

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