Executive Assistant Resume Examples and Job Description

To become an executive assistant, you first need to wow a hiring manager. Here's executive assistant resume examples and tips to help you do just that.

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By Ho 5 minute read

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What to highlight in an executive assistant resume

An executive assistant helps ensure that the higher-ups of a company are able to do their jobs without having to worry about tasks like managing a schedule, taking calls, or making travel arrangements. The job description of an executive assistant may include just about anything, as executive assistants might be counted onto providing administrative support, preparing expense reports, and even creating a filing system for the office.

Typically, the best thing to highlight in an executive assistant resume is multitasking examples. If you want to highlight your ability to become an executive assistant, you want to show off the fact that you’re able to “go with the flow” on anything the executives need. You should also highlight your skill in collaborating with people whose jobs revolve around project management and your professional experience in being an assistant.

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How to write an executive assistant resume

Your resume structure will be slightly different depending on the resume format you choose. The most common options are the chronological resume format, which highlights work experience, the functional resume format, which highlights skills, and the combination resume format, which attempts to highlight both. However, your resume sections will typically be similar, although you may need to reorder them depending on your format

Header

First is the header. This is the section of the resume that goes at the very top of your resume and includes your name and contact information. It may also include your resume headline, which is a one-sentence line that gives a hiring manager the basics about your job title and how many years of experience you have.

Resume summary/Resume objective

The next section is your resume summary or resume objective. A good executive assistant resume summary shows recruiters a general overview of your resume, allowing them to get a better idea of who you are. What’s the difference between a summary for a resume and an objective for a resume? Typically, a resume summary is for more experienced individuals and gives an overview of your past experience, while a resume objective is for entry-level individuals and gives an idea of where you’re hoping to go.

Skills

Your skills section needs to include both hard skills and soft skills, showing that you know how to interact with other people and that you know how to perform the duties that an assistant position often requires. Some good skills for a resume often highlighted for a executive assistant job include:

  • Microsoft Office (Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint)
  • Time management
  • Knowledge of administrative tasks
  • Calendar management
  • Conference calls
  • Communication skills
  • Detail-oriented manner
  • Event planning
  • Multitasking
  • Managing phone calls
  • Prioritization
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Scheduling meetings

When writing your resume, make sure you’re including your top skills, including skills that you can showcase through your administrative experience. If you have any certifications for skills, include those as well.

Work history

Next is the work experience
section. If you’re applying to be a senior executive assistant or another more advanced administrative professional, you should have work experience in the field of an executive assistant. However, if you don’t have these experiences, you may be able to find an entry-level job if you have experience in similar fields. Look at other administrative resume examples and see what they list in their work history. You may be able to list positions in business administration, for example, as long as you can relate them to administrative positions.

Education

The education section may or may not be important for the company that you’re applying to. Check the executive assistant job description to see what education the company is looking for. Include college experience if you have any, and only add your high school experience if you have no college experience otherwise.

Do's and don'ts for an executive assistant resume

Do's
  • Read examples before you write your resume. An executive assistant resume sample can help you craft a resume that reads well to a hiring manager.
  • Proofread your resume multiple times after writing it. Nothing feels worse than writing “detail-oriented” on your resume, then having a typo in the resume copy.
  • Have resume references for any top executives that you’ve worked for. Their word that you were a great assistant will be just as valuable as your resume.
Don'ts
  • Go overboard with design flourishes such as infographics. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will likely review your resume, and infographics can ruin its readability.
  • Try to create your resume on your own. The ResumeHelp resume builder can provide expert-designed resume templates with professional fonts as well as writing tips to flesh out your resume.
  • Get too wordy with your resume. Concise bullet points and phrases will be appreciated by hiring managers, and help make your resume more compact and readable in general.

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FAQ: Executive assistant resumes

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Yes. You should include cover letters any time you apply for a job. Make sure you use a cover letter builder to create a cover letter that looks nice, reads well, and pairs with an executive administrative assistant resume effectively.

Point the hiring manager toward the experience that you do have (e.g., extracurricular activities, internships). Even if this experience isn’t actually in the field of executive assistant work, any activities you’ve taken part in that speak to the skills necessary to be a great executive assistant can be helpful.

It’s always important to read the job application to find out which keywords
are important for the job you’re applying to. Resume keywords are critical to getting an interview, and if you want a hiring manager to give your cover letter a second look, you need to match what the job application is looking for.

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WRITTEN BY Ho

Ho is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

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