Office Manager Resume Guide + Tips + Example
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A great job as an office manager demands a perfect office manager 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 manager job will help you make the most of your organizational and interpersonal skills to write a professional office manager resume.
Start by editing this sample resume for an office manager job or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find the perfect resume template for an office manager job.
Office manager resume example (text version)
Maureen Price
McLean, VA 22106
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Organized office manager with a strong ability to manage office functions and direct administrative personnel to meet the needs of executives. Performance-oriented and driven with an in-depth understanding of contract negotiations, budgets, payroll and office organization needs. Skillfully coordinate resources and administrative support to keep operations smooth and boost team productivity.
Skills
- Office administration
- Database management
- Regulatory compliance
- Budget and payroll management
- Team leadership
- MS Office
- Event planning
- Time management
Work History
December 2016 – Current
Latitude, Inc – McLean, VA
Office Manager
- Hire, manage, develop and train administrative staff members, establish and monitor goals and conduct performance reviews.
- Administer a yearly budget of $15,000 to manage office requirements such as service contracts, postage costs and supply replenishment.
- Improve office operations and efficiency by 20% from computerizing activities, managing customer communications, scheduling payments and tracking records and documents.
March 2015 – December 2016
Govolution – Arlington, VA
Office Administrator
- Reconciled account files and produced monthly reports to keep CFO informed about office operations.
- Provided logistical support for programs, meetings and events, including room reservations, agenda preparation and calendar maintenance.
- Verified 120 salaried and hourly employee time cards to prepare accurate bi-weekly payroll.
July 2014 – February 2015
ManTech – Arlington, VA
Administrative Assistant
- Performed general office duties, including answering multi-line phones, routing calls and messages and greeting an average of 60 visitors daily.
- Composed internal memos and external correspondence for senior management and reviewed all documentation to eliminate errors.
- Identified and recommended changes to existing processes to improve accuracy, efficiency and quality service.
Education
June 2014
George Mason University Fairfax, VA
Bachelor of Arts Accounting & Business Management
5 essentials of a top resume for an office manager
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our office manager 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.
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 manager resume summary must include job-relevant skills, 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 manager instead.
Skills
Create a skills section for your office manager resume so hiring managers can see if your skill set matches their needs. A resume template for an office manager will have a separate section for your job-relevant skills in a bulleted list. As our sample office manager resume shows, it’s best to include both hard and soft skills, such as your technical expertise, project oversight and organizational skills.
Work history
Like our office manager 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.
Education
A resume for an office manager job must also include an education section. In reverse-chronological order, show the name of the schools and the years that you graduated using bullet points. If you did not attend college, then 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 manager resume
Use action words and numbers to make your descriptions compelling.
Here’s a short list of perfect action words for an office manager resume:
- Assist
- Organize
- Collaborate
- Help
- Present
- Prepare
- Manage
- Develop
- Process
- Reconcile
- Provide
- Verify
- Compose
- Identify
- Improve
Want more inspiration? We have hundreds of resume samples to help you write a professional office manager resume.
Need the perfect resume for an office manager 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 manager resume
Review the job description closely and match the required skills to the ones that fit you.
Office manager skills for a resume 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 manager resume
A certification is not required to work as an office manager, 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 managers include:
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Office manager resume FAQ
1. What are the educational requirements for a job as an office manager?
Office managers 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 useful to show on a resume for an office manager.
2. What does an office manager resume look like?
There is no standard resume template for an office manager resume; you can use any of our templates and customize them for your desired job. A good resume for an office manager will look like the office manager 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 manager resume might also contain sections for awards and honors if the job candidate has them to display.
3. What are some tips for creating an excellent resume for an office manager job?
An office manager 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. What is the best resume format for an office manager?
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. What if I have no previous professional experience?
On your office manager 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 manage a large budget or organize an event.
Do’s and don’ts for building an office manager resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your office manager skills and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your office manager resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target office manager job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your office manager resume.
- Format your office manager resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your office manager experience and skills.
- Boast that you’re the “best office manager ever.”
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that are about something other than restaurant service.
- Forget to proofread. An office manager resume with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing an office manager interview
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.
Practice your answers.
Practice is really important. Be sure to practice for your interview by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- How Do You Determine Priorities When Scheduling Your Time?
- When Given an Important Assignment How Do You Approach It?
- What Two or Three Things Are Most Important to You in Your Job?
And some possible behavioral questions such as:
- Describe a Time When You Had to Cope With a Stressful Scenario.
- How Would Your Boss Describe You?
- What Are Three Positive Character Traits You Don’t Have?
Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend.
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 manager 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?
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 manager job.
Cover letter examples for the next step in your administrative career
- Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
- Clerical Assistant Cover Letter
- Data Entry Clerk Cover Letter
- Data Entry Specialist Cover Letter
- Executive Assistant Cover Letter
- Office Administrator Cover Letter
- Office Assistant Cover Letter
- Office Clerk Cover Letter
- Office Manager Cover Letter
- Personal Assistant Cover Letter
- Practice Manager Cover Letter
- President Cover Letter
- Receptionist Cover Letter
- Store Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
CV examples for the next step in your administrative career
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Office Manager Resume Example
Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with 20+ years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.