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- 01
Manage Outlook calendars for 3 directors and a VP, about 25 meetings a week each across 4 time zones
How many people you support, and how senior, is how a hiring manager sizes the job. This line answers both.
- 02
Process about 200 vendor invoices and purchase orders a month for accounts payable, with no misrouted payments in 2 years
"Invoices" is in 17% of the 1,963 postings we counted. A monthly count shows you have done it at volume.
- 03
Book 60+ domestic and international trips a year in Concur and file each trip's expense report within 5 business days of return
One corporate posting we read named Concur for expenses. Naming the tool matches the posting, and the count shows the load.
- 04
Scanned 4,000+ paper lease files into SharePoint with a new folder structure; file requests to the office manager fell about 70%
Records work with a result. It shows attention to detail without using the phrase.
What recruiters look for in an administrative assistant resume
- Who you supported, by title and number. "3 directors and a VP" tells a hiring manager the level and the load
- Software named one by one: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, not just "Microsoft Office". Microsoft Word is in 6% of the 1,963 postings we counted
- Finance tasks if you did them: purchase orders, invoices, reimbursements and card reconciliation
- Systems by name: Concur for travel and expenses, and HR or campus systems such as Workday, PeopleSoft or Banner
- Confidential work you were trusted with, such as payroll timesheets, HR documents or sensitive correspondence
- Years in the role. Of the 1,963 postings we counted, 1,087 state a minimum, with a median of 2 years
Skills for an administrative assistant resume
- Software
- Microsoft OutlookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft TeamsMicrosoft SharePointAdobe AcrobatGoogle WorkspaceZoom
- Business systems
- SAP ConcurWorkdayPeopleSoftBannerChrome RiverSalesforce
- Office administration
- Calendar managementTravel arrangementsMeeting coordinationCorrespondenceRecords managementEvent planningMeeting minutesSupply ordering
- Finance support
- Purchase ordersInvoice processingExpense reportsReimbursementsPurchasing card reconciliationBudget tracking
Count the work instead of describing yourself
Before
Managed calendars for executives.
After
Manage Outlook calendars for 3 directors and a VP, about 25 meetings a week each across 4 time zones
Who, how many, and how busy.
Before
Handled travel arrangements.
After
Book 60+ domestic and international trips a year in Concur and file each trip's expense report within 5 business days of return
Volume, the tool, and the follow-through.
Before
Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
After
Scanned 4,000+ paper lease files into SharePoint with a new folder structure; file requests to the office manager fell about 70%
Shows the trait with a result.
Before
Answered phones and greeted visitors.
After
Answered the main line (50+ calls a day), checked in visitors and booked 6 conference rooms for a 30-person office
Call volume and office size.
Action verbs for an administrative assistant resume
- Scheduled
- Coordinated
- Booked
- Reconciled
- Processed
- Prepared
- Drafted
- Proofread
- Organized
- Scanned
- Ordered
- Tracked
- Planned
- Routed
- Onboarded
- Maintained
Keywords from administrative assistant postings
Terms that recurred in the postings we read. Use the exact wording of the posting you apply to.
- Calendar management
- Travel arrangements
- Expense reports
- Purchase orders
- Invoices
- Reimbursements
- Correspondence
- Confidential information
- Meeting coordination
- Records management
- Event planning
- Supplies
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- SAP Concur
- Workday
Common administrative assistant resume mistakes
A skills section of traits: organized, detail-oriented, multitasker
Many applicants write them and none can be checked. Replace each with a count: meetings a week, trips a year, invoices a month, calls a day.
Claiming "advanced Excel" you cannot show
Employers often run computer-based tests of typing, data entry and software. Say what you built, such as "tracked 200 invoices a month in an Excel log", and claim the level you can demonstrate.
Leaving out finance work because it felt minor
"Invoices" is in 17% of the 1,963 postings we counted. Give finance work a bullet with a monthly count.
Writing "supported executives" with no titles
Say who: "3 directors and a VP" or "the CFO and two vice presidents". The level of the people you support sets the level of the job you are ready for.
Entry level: no admin title yet
The BLS says high school graduates who are comfortable with word processing and spreadsheets usually qualify for entry-level roles, and most duties are learned on the job in a few weeks. So the resume has to show office habits from other jobs.
Pull the admin parts out of what you have done: phones and scheduling at a front desk, cash counts in retail, orders and inventory in a restaurant, records for a club or church. Give each a number, and name the software you use every day.
Frequently asked questions
What skills should an administrative assistant resume list?+
The software by name and the tasks you do with it. Name Outlook, Excel and Word one by one, and add Concur, Workday or SharePoint if you use them. Then the tasks: calendars, travel, expense reports, purchase orders, records. Show traits in bullets instead of listing them.
Should I put my typing speed on my resume?+
Only when the posting asks for it. One clerical posting we read listed 25 words per minute as preferred. Employers often test typing directly, so give a recent, honest number from a timed test.
What is the difference between an administrative assistant and an executive assistant?+
Scope and pay. The BLS counts them separately: in May 2025 the median was $47,540 for administrative assistants outside legal, medical and executive roles, and $76,590 for executive assistants, who also review documents, research and sometimes supervise clerical staff.
Do I need a degree to be an administrative assistant?+
Usually not. The BLS says a bachelor's degree is typically not required, though some employers prefer college for executive roles. Postings vary: one corporate posting we read required a high school diploma, while a university posting asked for a bachelor's degree.
Sources
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