You’re accustomed to working under your boss’s strict expectations because you’re an executive assistant. Your strengths are keeping yourself organized, solving problems, and creating resumes.Okay, you were probably unprepared for that last one. After all, you’re reading this article because your executive assistant resume may use some assistance. You’re in the correct place, I suppose. You will be guided step-by-step through the process of writing a stellar executive assistant resume.
In this guide, we’ll discuss:
- A sample executive assistant resume endorsed by recruiters
- A few suggestions for your executive assistant resume
- How to stand out on your executive assistant resume (with the best advice)
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
An executive assistant resume sample that was made using our very own resume template and was accepted by hiring managers
Executive Assistant Resume sample 01
Resume sample 02
How to Format an Executive Assistant Resume
Choosing the structure for your executive assistant resume is the first step.
Employers require certain information to stand out, and using the appropriate resume format can help you do just that.
The “reverse-chronological” approach is currently the most popular resume format. The ideal option for an executive assistant CV is this one.
Of course, there are more resume formats to take into account.
Functional Resume – With this structure, skills, rather than professional experience, are highlighted on a resume. It’s a good choice if you lack experience, are switching industries, or have gaps in your employment history.
Combination Resume – As you might have imagined, a combination resume combines “Functional” and “Reverse-Chronological” formatting. It emphasises both work experience AND skill sets. If you have a lot of work experience or are attempting to switch industries, the combo resume will work best for you.
It’s time to perfect your resume layout now that you’ve decided on your resume format.
The essential layout guidelines you should adhere to are as follows:
Margins -Margins on all sides of one inch
Font -Pick a font that stands out. Simply avoid going too wild. Excellent: Roboto, Ubuntu, etc. Negative: Comic Sans
Font Size -The best font sizes are 11–12 points for body text and 14–16 points for headers.
Line Spacing -Use a line spacing of 1.0 or 1.15.
Resume Length -Ideally, you ought to limit yourself to one page. Do you have difficulties getting everything on one page? Check out these examples of one-page resumes.
Tips: When creating and writing your CV, consider your target audience. The “executive” you will be aiding is the one person you must positively persuade that you are the best person for the position. Additionally, executives are known to be quite busy. Keep your CV as brief as you can. That necessitates being picky about the stuff you include. On that, more will be said later.
Use an Executive Assistant Resume Template
Executive assistants frequently say, “My prior employers were constantly outdated, so why shouldn’t I just make a basic resume in Word?”
Maybe that’s the case, however in the time it would take you to make that “simple” Word version, we know how to make a résumé that stands out visually. Use a resume template for an executive assistant only.
What to Include in an Executive Assistant Resume
The key elements of a CV for an executive assistant include…
- Contact Information
- Resume Summary
- Work Experience
- Education
- Skills
You can also attempt the following optional sections if you want your resume to stand out more:
- Organizations
- Languages
- Interests & Hobbies
Let’s go over each of these areas and talk about how to build each one effectively.
How to Get Your Contact Information Right
You’d be surprised at how frequently individuals get their contact information wrong. Additionally, even minor mistakes will automatically disqualify you from job interviews. It can be a digit in your phone number that is missing. Or a less-than-professional email address.
Add the following to your contact information:
- Name
- Title -Why try to create something new here? executive assistant, please.
- Phone Number -Check it twice, three times. Your chances of being contacted by an employer are gone with only one error.
- Email Address – Make a new Gmail account just for job seeking if you don’t already have one, and use a professional email address (firstname.lastname@gmail.com
- (Optional) Location –Although it is not required, the firm may request it as part of the screening procedure.
Contact Example
Mark Baumer – Executive Assistant. 101-358-6095. mbaumer@gmail.com
The resume supports making rapid progress in a professional career so it should be arranged in such a way that...
How to Write an Executive Assistant Resume Summary or Objective
Did you know that on average, recruiters spend less than 6 seconds looking at a resume? We can confirm that what you just said, “Woah, is that right?” is accurate.
The lesson you should learn from this is that a recruiter needs to be able to tell you are qualified for their position with just one look. Otherwise, no one will even read your resume.
What is the easiest technique to grab your reader’s attention and ensure that they read your resume?
Simple, just craft a compelling resume objective or summary.
The aim and summary portions of your resume should both appear above the contact information.
However, the aim and resume summary are not the same thing, thus you should never use both. Between the two portions, the fundamental distinction is that…
A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence description of your achievements and professional experiences.
This is your chance to say something outspoken that will convince recruiters to keep reading. The “hook” is it.
Executive Assistant Resume Summary Example
7 years of experience as an executive management expert aiding Chief Marketing Officers in the logistics and transportation industries Possess a track record of successfully managing 38 different business visits for a CMO in 2019, demonstrating the ability to adapt to continuously shifting priorities and schedules.
Executive Assistant Resume Objective Example
Recent Trinity College Executive Management degree graduate with two years of previous experience in office management. While finishing my education, I worked as a full-time office assistant for a financial adviser, managing scheduling and appointment preparation. Looking to use my current business and organising skills at a C-level workplace.
Which one do you choose then? Is this an overview or a goal?
You’ll see from the aforementioned instances that persons who are more experienced in their careers—or who at the very least have some direct experience working in the kind of function being sought for—use the resume summary.
People who are just starting out in a field should use a resume objective (student, graduate, or switching careers). As a result, the objective often reads aspirational.
How to Differentiate Your Data Entry Work Experience
Which component of a resume is most important to employers? work history.
Employers want to know if you have experience in similar positions or businesses. The format for your job experience part is as follows:
- Position Name
- Dates
- Company Name
- Responsibilities & Achievements
Let’s have a look at how that comes together:
Work Experience Example for Executive Assistant:
Executive Assistant to the CEO
DKL Express Services
03/2017 – Present
- managed the CEO’s calendar, which included setting up numerous meetings and speaking events each day.
- arranged for meetings to be held, frequently with top government and commercial executives, by booking the necessary flights, hotels, and accommodations for overseas business travels.
- acted quickly in response to the CEO’s requests for information by coordinating with other internal teams to collect inputs.
- daily preparation of meeting briefing packets
- independently planned the annual board meeting for three years in a row, including selecting times for full board participation, making venue arrangements, and making travel arrangements for board members.
Check out the final bullet point. This one is crucial. You ask why? It emphasises a significant accomplishment. In this instance, the scheduling of three back-to-back annual board meetings.
It has been demonstrated that a smart resume writing method is to highlight your accomplishments.
Your resume reader will be more able to see the value you can provide to a firm if you can be more precise about the outcomes you achieved for a prior job.
Have you ever questioned how hiring managers select which resumes reading and which ones to pass over? They scan resumes...
What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?
This question is frequently posed by college students and recent grads. And to be quite honest, it’s a problem that affects all kinds of employment, not just those of executive assistants.
The reality is that you have to make do with what you have. You probably have at least one summer job or internship under your belt. List these positions, but only include duties or accomplishments that are specifically applicable to an executive assistant role.
List pertinent coursework, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work that shows you would make a great executive assistant if you don’t have any professional experience.
Use Action Words to Upgrade Your Executive Assistant Resume
- Worked on
- Supported
- Communicated
What ties these words together? They don’t really say anything, I guess. They don’t convey specific acts or be powerful statements.
Use highly precise verbs, or “power words,” to highlight your accomplishments and responsibilities in your CV. Just a few that apply to executive assistants are listed below:
- Organized
- Scheduled
- Wrote
- Coordinated
- Managed
- Recommended
- Delegated
- Documented
- Resolved
- Advised
How to List Education Right
Any executive assistant resume will next move on to the “Education” section.
There are no genuine tricks involved. Basically, just list your academic experiences in reverse chronological order. Here’s how it ought to appear:
- Degree Type & Major
- University Name
- Years Studied
- GPA, Honours, Courses, and any relevant projects or experiences.
Here’s an example:
Bachelor of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
2014 – 2018
- Advanced Microsoft Office, Information and Workflow Management, and Business Communication Strategies are pertinent courses.
- served as the International Business Students Association’s vice president of events
- GPA: 3.6/4.0
It seems pretty simple, right?
Here are some often asked questions about schooling on a resume, followed by the solutions, before moving on:
What if I dropped out of school or haven’t finished my degree yet?
Your degree should still be mentioned. Include only the academic years. The finish date should read “Present” if you are still in school. Take 2017 as an example.
Do I list my high school education?
Just in case you haven’t finished your higher education. It is clear that you have a high school diploma if you have a college diploma or university degree.
- What comes first on my resume: education or experience?
Your relevant work experience should be listed first if you have any. Education comes first if not.
Naturally, the subject of setting up a list of education in a resume or customize education format on resume may...
Top 30 Skills for an Executive Assistant Resume
Every employer has a certain set of qualifications they seek in candidates. Usually, they are mentioned in the job description itself. Additionally, people instantly pay attention to what they’re reading when they see them stated on a résumé.
Many of the necessary abilities for your field of employment are probably ones you can assume. Here are some of the most popular abilities for executive assistants, just in case.
Hard Skills for an Executive Assistant:
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, SharePoint
- Database management
- Calendar management
- Online research
- Business Knowledge
Soft Skills for an Executive Assistant:
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Prioritization and problem-solving
- Organization and planning
- Attention to detail
- Phone Etiquette
- Discretion
- Emotional Intelligence
- Responsibility
- Teamwork and delegation
- Management and training
- Flexibility and efficiency
Skill Tips: “Soft Skills” are crucial for executive assistants since they need to establish rapport and trust with a demanding person. Utilize your resume’s talents section wisely by associating your soft skills with those listed in the job description or advertisement.
Before appearing on the interview board for the desired job, we must know what skills employers are looking for! By...
Other Resume Sections to Consider
The major portions of your CV are finished, and you have carefully edited them. You’re finished,
Think again.
Keep in mind that your resume’s main objective is to make you stand out.
So, if your resume is precisely like everyone else’s, won’t you just be treated similarly to every other applicant?
You can give yourself a boost by working a little harder. Take a look at these resume supplements.
Organizations
You might currently be or have previously been involved with a variety of groups outside of your full-time job, depending on your career and personal interests.
Examples can include any boards you serve on or volunteer work you do for regional nonprofits. It is advisable to highlight these organisations on your resume because your involvement with them may genuinely strengthen your skill set.
It’s not necessary to go into great depth. Just include the company, your position, and one significant accomplishment that relates to a position as an executive assistant.
Languages
A multilingual executive assistant is unquestionably beneficial to an executive and his or her organisation in the age of global commerce.
You never know when it might be necessary to draught an email in any other language you can think of, like Russian, French, or Finnish.
If your resume has room and you speak any other languages, feel free to include a language section.
Be sure to group the languages according to level:
- Native
- Fluent
- Proficient
- Intermediate
- Basic
Interests & Hobbies
An executive’s relationship with his or her assistant is precious. Harmony is important, and frequently these two coworkers wind up developing a unique friendship around shared interests or hobbies.
It’s a smart idea to include a list of your hobbies and interests on your resume to demonstrate your individuality. Just be aware that some pastimes might not appear to be the most professional. Once you have a job, it is preferable to talk about how much you love comic books.
Not sure which interests and activities to mention? For that, we have a guide!
Match Your Cover Letter with Your Resume
Written communication is one of the most in-demand abilities for executive assistants. What better method to demonstrate your writing skills than to craft the ideal cover letter?
You have an additional chance to demonstrate your ability to write a clear, persuasive letter on top of satisfying an application requirement (yes, the majority of employers demand a cover letter).
Including a cover letter that is customized for particular businesses with your resume will considerably increase the likelihood that you will be contacted for an interview.
And getting the structure correct is the first step in crafting a convincing cover letter. This is how to accomplish it:
And here’s what you’d write in each section:
Contact Details
Your name, occupation, phone number, address, and any personal contact information.
Hiring Manager’s Contact Information
Full name, position, location, email
Opening Paragraph
You should be a little bolder in your introduction. It’s likely that the hiring manager won’t read farther if you don’t succeed in getting their attention at this point. Therefore, note:
- Your application for the job
- Your list of accomplishments and previous experiences
The Body
You can then go over the remainder of your background once you’ve captured the hiring manager’s attention. Here are some possible points to bring up:
- Why this particular employer is appealing to you
- What do you know about the culture of the business?
- What are your strongest capabilities and how do they apply to this position?
- If you have experience in related fields or capacities
Closing Paragraph
This is where you:
- Add any remaining details in the body sentence
- Gratitude for the recruiting manager’s time
- Add a call to action at the end. Something along the lines of, “I’m interested in exploring how my background as an X may benefit the organisation with Y.”
Formal Salutations
Put a formal bow on it, like “Sincerely.”
Want more motivation? We are aware that writing a cover letter requires a lot of effort. We’ve got you covered with a step-by-step tutorial on how to write a cover letter, so don’t worry.
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