Administrative Assistant CV Example and Guide

Key Sections to Include in CV

The structure and content of your CV for administrative assistant applications will depend on your levels of experience, and the requirements of the role. If you have plenty of relevant work experience in similar administrative positions, your CV might emphasise this. Administrative assistant jobs tend, however, to be entry-level or junior. If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you may prefer your CV to emphasise your key transferable skills. Whatever structure you decide upon for your administrative assistant CV, make sure it includes these sections:

Header

Start your CV by adding your name, address or location, email address and phone number at the top of the document. Add your name in bold or a larger font so it stands out. You may want to include a photo of yourself, but check the job description beforehand. Some employers prefer applicants to not include them. You could also add various other details such as your Linked profile. If you do so, make sure all the details listed there are up-to-date and don’t contradict your CV.

CV objective or summary

Your CV objective is an opportunity to introduce yourself and grab the attention of hiring managers. Write two or three sentences explaining why you’re ideal for the job. Reference your skills and experience, and explain why you want the job and why you want to work for the hiring company.

Here’s an example CV objective you can use for inspiration:

An organised, efficient administrative assistant with five years’ experience in various office environments. A friendly team player and an excellent communicator with strong computer and telephony skills. Seeking to work in a dynamic team with career progression opportunities.

Work experience

In a traditional CV or resume, your work experience section comes next. If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you could place your skills and education above it. Start with your current or most recent employment and work backwards. List the job title, employer, location and dates you worked there. For each job, add three or four bullet points outlining your responsibilities and achievements in the role. Consult the job description to see what skills and experience the employer requires, and make sure you reference those keywords here.

See an example work experience section below:

Administrative assistant, Howson’s Office Supplies, Hayes, September 2021 – Present

• Supported a team of 12 employees with everyday administrative tasks, including sales staff and senior management
• Managed diaries of the CEO and MD, organising meetings and providing weekly briefings on deadlines and key commitments
• Handled correspondence for the team, including email, and responded to enquiries via the generic company email address
• Operated a computerised telephony system, taking calls from clients and prospective customers, answering queries where possible and directing calls to the relevant team member
• Ordered office supplies including stationery, and handled licence renewals for key operational software

Education

List any qualifications in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent. Include the course name and level of the award, the name of the school, college or university, and your dates of study or graduation. You may also add a brief reference to any relevant subjects you studied, any awards you won or any societies you were a member of.

See an example education section for an admin assistant CV below:

BA (Hons) Business with Finance (2:1), University of Greenwich, September 2017 – July 2020

• Wrote dissertation on creating business efficiencies through organisational restructure
• Member of the university hockey club

A-levels in Business, English and ICT, Eltham Hill School, 2017

Skills

If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you might decide to place your skills section above your employment history in your CV. Otherwise, this section usually goes below your work and education sections. You could present your skills in a single list or divide the section into hard skills, such as computer literacy, and soft skills, such as communication and teamwork. Review the job description and only include skills that are relevant to the role.

Here are some skills you might include in your CV for administrative assistant applications:

Hard skills

• Computer literacy
• Telephony systems
• Invoicing
• Diary management
• Note-taking

Soft skills

• Written and verbal communication
• Organisational skills
• Working under pressure
• Interpersonal skills

Optional sections

If you have space on your CV after the main sections, you may wish to include some optional sections. These can enhance your application, providing different examples to show you have the necessary skills for the job. Optional sections can include certifications or relevant training, languages, hobbies and interests or volunteer work. Only include these details if they add relevance to your application.

Tips for Writing the Role-Specific CV

Follow these tips with your administrative assistant CV to increase your chances of success:

1. Choose the right CV format: Administrative assistant jobs tend to be junior roles. If you lack a relevant employment history, you might choose a functional or skills-based CV. This places your skills and education section above your work experience. If you have some relevant experience, use a traditional or reverse-chronological CV format. This places your job history above your skills, starting with your most recent role.
2. Tailor your CV to the job description: Review the job description and make sure your CV includes references to the key skills, experience and achievements listed. For administrative assistant roles, this is likely to include computer literacy and telephony skills. It could also include soft skills such as communication and teamwork.
3. Make your CV ATS-friendly: Companies often use application tracking systems (ATS) to scan CVs and select viable candidates for the recruiter to review. Make your CV ATS-friendly by following a well-defined structure, ensuring your sections have clear headings and separate paragraphs. Use keywords from the job description throughout your CV and if possible, keep it to a length of one side of A4 (or a maximum of two sides).
4. Quantify your achievements: Enhance your work experience section by providing evidence of your impact in previous roles. Do this by adding data to your bullet points explaining your duties and achievements, such as performance indicators, grades or sales figures.
5. Write a strong cover letter: The cover letter provides the opportunity to add more detail about your qualifications, skills and experience. Make sure everything you mention is relevant to the job description. For help writing your cover letter, take a look at Jobseeker’s cover letter administrative assistant example.
6. Use a clean, professional CV design: You can help your CV to stand out in a competitive applicatn field by using attractive design elements. These might include colour accents, different fonts and columns. Jobseeker’s CV templates can help you create a beautifully designed CV in just a few steps.

Key Takeaways for your Administrative Assistant CV

A strong CV can make all the difference between success and failure in your job applications. Taking the time to craft a compelling CV can increase your chances of gaining an interview. For your administrative assistant jobs, make sure you read the job description and tailor your CV to show how you’re suitable for the role. Using a beautiful, well-structured CV design is a key step in the process. Jobseeker’s CV examples can inspire you to create a winning administrative assistant CV, while you can also find cover letter templates to support your application. Sign up today to access these valuable resources and enhance your job applications.