As top-level executives’ first point of contact, you’re a pro at managing communications, schedules, and sensitive information. Your executive assistant resume should demonstrate these multitasking skills and prove to hiring managers you can support senior-level professionals. This guide offers expert strategies and quick tips to help you create a results-driven resume showcasing the best of your administrative career.
Key takeaways:
A great executive assistant resume will communicate how you can contribute to the organizational efficiency of senior leadership. To cover all the essentials, ensure your resume includes the following:
List your most up-to-date contact information at the top of your resume. Provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your LinkedIn profile. This makes it simple for executives and human resources (HR) professionals to get a hold of you for an interview.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn
Your profile or resume objective is like a sneak peek of your career highlights. It gives employers a quick snapshot of you as an executive-level administrative professional. Include a brief summary of your skills, experience, and what makes you unique from other applicants.
You may have a knack for improving office processes, reorganizing document management systems, or handling complex event calendars. Or, perhaps you’re multilingual and can communicate across diverse cultural backgrounds. These specializations will help immediately establish you as an indispensable asset to any executive team.
Senior executive assistant and Certified Business Communication Professional with over a decade of experience supporting leaders in advertising and sales. Specializes in managing substantial budgets, planning corporate events, and optimizing complex travel itineraries.
Administrative professional with more than three years of office experience in the food service and academic sectors. Recognized for maintaining regulatory compliance through budgetary constraints. Focused on office optimization through resource allocation and inventory tracking.
Build out this section with your most recent positions. Under each job, describe what you were responsible for day-to-day and any noteworthy achievements. Explain how you juggled multiple executive schedules, handled budgets, and collaborated with other departments. Remember to discuss how you used any skills mentioned in the job description.
You handle the bulk of communications for executives, and much of that is done digitally. Highlight your technical proficiency with customer relationship management (CRM) software such as Salesforce or communication tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Describe how you use your interpersonal skills in written and verbal form to impact your work environment directly.
Senior Executive Assistant, Vivante, Seattle, WA
March 2018 – present
Office Coordinator, HelloFresh, San Francisco, CA
March 2023 – present
As you outline your past job descriptions, use numbers to bring your achievements and responsibilities to life. Percentages and monetary figures show how you’ve not only done your job, but excelled at it. This provides evidence that you’re a valuable asset to senior leadership.
Tailoring your resume is all about identifying the unique challenges and priorities of an employer before submitting your application. Every executive team will have their own needs. If you want to increase your chances of landing an interview, tailor your resume for each job. This starts by identifying keywords in the job description.
Many companies rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter through candidates. Using keywords will help your resume perform better within these programs. For example, suppose a company needs someone who “manages high-stress situations” and “excels in multitasking.” If you have these skills, your goal is to include these specific words in your resume.
Starting at the entry level for any job can be a challenge, but there are ways you can present yourself even without direct experience. If you’re fresh out of school and haven’t held any jobs before, you can lean into your education and extracurricular activities. Identify skills, such as communication, organization, time management, and attention to detail. How did you develop or use these skills during school, sports, or clubs?
Anyone with prior unrelated work experience can take a similar approach. Focus on transferable skills, emphasize your software proficiency, and anything close to administrative tasks. Even if these weren’t earned at the executive level, they’re still valuable and applicable.
Companies looking to hire an executive assistant may prefer those with a college degree but often only require a high school diploma. No matter your education level, list your highest academic achievement first. Provide the school name, location, and dates of attendance as well.
If you’ve completed administrative coursework or earned a certification in something like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, list those as well. These additions prove your competence and help you stand out from other applicants.
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Communication
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA | June 2013
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Certified Executive Administrative Professional, International Association of Administrative Professionals, 2016
From managing busy schedules to coordinating interdepartmental projects, you rely on an impressive set of skills to offer senior-level support. When listing abilities on your resume, include a mix of hard and soft skills. This will show employers you’re a well-rounded candidate who can keep up with technical tasks and interact professionally with fellow employees. Check out our list of examples:
Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
---|---|
Budget management | Communication |
Conflict resolution | Customer service |
Data entry | Decision support |
Documentation management | Emotional intelligence |
Event planning | Flexibility |
Initiative | Microsoft Office suite |
Multitasking | Negotiation |
Note-taking | Organization |
Project coordination | Report preparation |
Time management | Travel coordination |
Action verbs help you concisely state what you’ve accomplished in previous roles. Instead of describing your job duties using first-person language like, “I was responsible for preparing,” use action verbs to start each bullet point in your professional experience section. These words can liven up your writing and help to avoid sounding redundant or wordy. Here are some action verbs to use in your executive assistant resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Administered | Anticipated |
Balanced | Collaborated |
Coordinated | Executed |
Facilitated | Implemented |
Initiated | Managed |
Negotiated | Optimized |
Resolved | Streamlined |
Synchronized |
Your resume template design plays an important role in how employers perceive your professional work history. Whether you prefer a basic layout or a modern twist, ensure your resume is easy to navigate and read. Make the hiring manager’s job easier with a simple, well-structured template. Classic fonts, minimal colors, and light (if any) graphic elements are best. Opt for spacious over cluttered, to ensure your text has plenty of breathing room.
Amar Singh
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
San Francisco, CA 12345
LinkedIn
Administrative professional with over three years of office experience in the food service and academic sectors. Recognized for maintaining regulatory compliance through budgetary constraints. Focused on office optimization through resource allocation and inventory tracking.
Office Coordinator, HelloFresh, San Francisco, CA
March 2023 – present
Administrative Assistant, Bay Community College, San Francisco, CA
June 2021 – February 2023
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Business Administration
City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA | June 2021
The job market for administrative professionals is expected to shrink over the next decade. That means you could be facing tough competition for executive assistant positions. Your best strategy to stand out is tailoring your resume for every job you apply for. A customized resume shows you’ve done your homework. It’s not just a generic application but a carefully crafted pitch.
For example, imagine an executive team was looking for an assistant specializing in complex international travel coordination. In that case, highlight your ability to orchestrate seamless travel logistics across multiple time zones. Prove your meticulous planning skills to make for stress-free, efficient travel experiences.
The ideal resume format highlights your most compelling qualifications first. While chronological resumes may be the most popular, the combination format is often better.
This design starts with your administrative skills, highlighting all of your relevant abilities. Any transferable skills you’ve gained from past work experiences outside of executive support can be featured at the top of your resume. Then, your administrative experience is outlined in a reverse chronological layout, demonstrating stability and a clear career progression.
While your resume is a great summary of all your top administrative qualifications, a cover letter is an opportunity to personalize your application. In a letter, you can show more personality and demonstrate those strong communication skills with a compelling narrative. Explain why you’re the best fit for the job and how you plan to support an employer’s senior leadership.
ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.