How to Write an Executive Assistant Resume (Tips + Examples)

With new problems to solve and an ever-changing workload, your calendar can vary wildly from one day to the next.

That means that you have a wide range of unique skills. Organized, responsible, and a self-starter, you provide support to the executive team that extends way beyond handling administrative duties.

Now that it’s time to look for your next opportunity, you may find it difficult to describe your true value to a potential employer.

How can you stand out from the other applicants?

An executive assistant resume that shares not only your experiences but also the impact you had during your time in each of those roles will show the hiring team that you’re the best person for the job.

Ahead, we’ll give you the information you need to craft a resume that will make a good first impression and help you start landing more interviews.

Summary

1. Resume Template
2. Formatting
3. Writing Your Resume Summary
4. Areas of Expertise
5. Writing Your Work Experience
6. Writing Your Education Section
7. Additional Sections
8. Resume Points to Remember
9. Resume “Don’ts” to Remember
10. Some Helpful Tools

Let’s begin with a sample executive assistant resume to demonstrate how all the resume pieces fit together. Then we will break each section down to really drill into how to write the best executive assistant resume you possibly can.

Let’s start with the basics.

As an executive assistant, organization is probably one of your top skills. Some of the most common issues with resumes have to do with the way that they are organized.

First off, your executive assistant resume needs to be easy to read. This means choosing a clean, no-nonsense font like Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid over-the-top fonts or formatting as a way to stand out. It will work, but not in a good way!

Placement is extremely important when it comes to resumes — what goes where can even make or break.

Did you know that the average hiring manager only looks at a particular resume for about six seconds?

Grab their attention right away. Always put your best, more relevant work first so that a busy hiring team will see your most important details right away. This is called the reverse chronological order.

In general, avoid big blocks of text. You may want to include as many details about your work history as possible, but whitespace is also incredibly important to help guide the eye.

When in doubt, simple is best. Your resume is the first impression, so keep things professional, neat, and tidy.

So now you know that you only have six seconds to grab the hiring manager’s attention. How should you do it?

Start your executive assistant resume off with a summary at the top of the page.

A resume summary is a brief, informative paragraph that is a collection of your top-selling points.

Be as specific as you can. You don’t have a lot of space here. Plus, this is your chance to make a strong first impression, so avoid repetition and overly general language.

Think of this section as your “greatest hits.” Only include your most impressive skills and experiences — the ones you think are the most relevant to the job that you are applying for.

Here’s what that should look like for executive assistants:

What makes these two examples different?

The first summary is specific and descriptive. It tells us not only what you did in your last role but also your interests and expertise.

The second example is too general and does not convince us that you are a good executive assistant. It also uses the first person, which is not usually recommended for resume writing, and you don’t need to go into the logistics of a start day in your executive assistant resume summary.

Now it’s time to talk about your areas of expertise.

Because this goes right underneath the summary, you’re going to switch up the formatting for this section.

The summary is in paragraph format, which is a great way to fit in a lot of details in a brief, yet formal, way. But remember, the hiring manager is probably very busy and might not be able to read the whole thing.

That’s why you’re going to put this section in a bulleted list. A list is more scannable, so a busy hiring manager will know where to look to see if you’re qualified enough right off the bat. If they think you meet the right criteria here, they are more likely to keep reading your details.

So what should you include? Think about the skills you have that would tip the scales in your favor over the other candidates. Do you know how to use any software programs or have any leadership experience?

PRO TIP: Take a look at the job description. It will list the exact attributes and accomplishments that the employer wants to see in the role. If any of the keywords from the job posting fit your work experiences, be sure to include those skills here.

Remember your formatting and list your skills in an orderly bulleted list.

Key Accomplishments/Areas of Expertise

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Customer Service
• Conflict Resolution
• Social Media Engagement
• 75 WPM Typing
• Proofreading

When working on this section, try to think of your attributes as hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills are “technical skills,” things like proficiency in a computer program or digital calendars. They can usually be taught in school or at work, so you can generally get better at them with practice.

On the other hand, soft skills are what you might think of as “people skills.” These skills are less quantifiable and more subjective, things like leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

A good executive assistant will probably have a mix of hard and soft skills, so be sure to include some from each category in this section.

(See below for a helpful table of some suggested hard and soft skill ideas to inspire you in writing the skills section of your executive assistant resume.)

Now you’ve grabbed the attention of the hiring manager with your informative summary and scannable skills list.

Next up is your work history, which will make up the bulk of your resume.

This is the part that will convince the hiring manager that you are the best possible candidate for the role.

Remember in the formatting section when we mentioned reverse chronological order? That idea comes into play here. Your most recent experience is probably the most impressive and most relevant to the job you’re applying for, so you should put this first.

It’s important to note that most resumes should stick to one page. In order to do this, you probably won’t end up listing every single job you’ve ever had — and that’s okay! Just include your experiences that are the most relevant to this particular position.

When describing each part of your work experience, be as specific as you can. Use strong language and start each bullet off with an action word. An action word will help you move past just describing your duties and better explain the impact you had during your time in that position.

Use between 3 to 5 bullets for each work experience.

Here’s what that looks like:

Below are a few examples:

The first example provides details, not just about the duties of an executive assistant but also what you accomplished in this position. The bullets are unique and inspire confidence in the candidate’s skills and abilities.

The second example is too general. The language and descriptions of tasks are repetitive and don’t tell much about you as a candidate. Nothing about it stands out.

PRO TIP: Don’t make your job sound easier than it is! You probably accomplished a lot throughout your work experiences, so be sure that the descriptions make it seem that way.

More About Bots

Most of the formatting tips we’ve covered so far will make your executive assistant resume easy to understand by the hiring teams looking over your work history. But chances are, there’s someone — or something — else looking over your resume: Bots.

What are bots?

Bots or Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software programs that filter through applicants by looking for certain keywords.

Because there is often so much interest in jobs posted online, hiring teams don’t have the time to look at materials from every single person who applied to a particular position.

That’s why an ATS will search through resumes looking for certain keywords, usually from the job description, and pull out candidates that are a good fit.

These flagged resumes will be the ones that a human reviewer will actually look at and potentially call in for an interview.

What does this mean for you? Because bots are looking for keywords, it’s crucial that you use your skills and attributes that are also listed in the job description while writing your resume.

You can be perfectly qualified for a position, but if a bot doesn’t flag your materials, you won’t make it any further in the hiring process.

PRO TIP: Make sure you use words and phrases EXACTLY as they appear in the job posting, not synonyms. For example, if the description lists “Experience using the G-Suite” and you list “Proficiency in Gmail and Google Calendars,” the bot will not flag your executive assistant resume.

Sometimes, to get around bots, applicants will put the descriptions of their work histories in paragraph format, instead of in bullets, to try to fit in as many keywords as possible.

Let’s take a look at what that looks like.

Bullet list:

Magni Group Publishing Co. | McKinney, TX | Executive Assistant | Nov 2016–Present

• Provide day-to-day administrative support to CEO
• Develop programs that grow sales using organic social media tools and minimal cost
• Responsible for all calendars and appointments for CEO
• Redesign company website to increase traffic and sales by 20%

Paragraph format:

Magni Group Publishing Co. | McKinney, TX | Executive Assistant | Nov 2016–Present
Provide day-to-day administrative support to CEO. Develop programs that grow sales using organic social media tools and minimal cost. Responsible for all calendars and appointments for the CEO. Redesign company website to increase traffic and sales by 20%.

As you can see, the two formats use the same number of keywords throughout the description.

The biggest difference here is that the second example is a dense, text-heavy paragraph, while the first uses a scannable bulleted list. Bullet points are easier to read and aimed more at the human reviewer.

At Big Interview, we recommend using the bulleted list format. The paragraph example may be keyword-rich, but the first example is both keyword-rich and is more interesting to the hiring manager.

Since your work experience makes up the bulk of your executive assistant resume, the hard stuff is over!

In the next section, it’s time to talk about your education. Much like the work history section, you’re going to use reverse chronological order here.

Put your highest, most recent degree first. It’s probably the most impressive, so you’ll want to make sure it’s seen right away. For example, a master’s degree would come before a bachelor’s degree.

Make sure you list the field of study you earned your degree in, where you studied, and the year you graduated.

If you graduated recently, you can also include your GPA, minors, or concentrations. Your education section is more important now, but as you gain more work experience, it will become increasingly less so.

Example:

Associate Degree | Business Concentration
Howard College | Big Spring, TX
Class of 2011

Degrees are not the only thing that can go into this section. Feel free to include any other relevant certifications, trainings, or online coursework here.

Example:

• “Advanced Microsoft Office,” Online Course, Dallas, TX
• Leadership Summit, Howard College, Big Spring, TX

Additional Sections

If you have extra space on your executive assistant resume and/or other areas of interest that don’t necessarily fit into the other categories, you can consider adding more sections.

Some of the sections you could include are:

• Awards and honors
• Publications
• Noteworthy Projects
• Social Media Influence
• Speaking Engagements
• Hobbies/Interests
• Volunteer Work

What if You Have No Experience?

It’s okay to apply to a job when you have no experience. How else will you gain experience in the industry where you want to work?

If you’re changing industries or recently graduated from school, your executive assistant resume is going to look a little bit different from others who have already been working in the field for a while. That’s okay!

Still start off with a strong resume summary, but instead of following it with your work experience, move your education section up top.

When it comes to filling your resume, you might have more experience than you realize — it just might not be in the form of paid work.

How can you show your knowledge of the industry? Have you had any summer internships, done any workshops, or earned any certifications that fit with this position? What about specific coursework, summer jobs, or volunteer work that could be relevant?

PRO TIP: Don’t forget about soft skills! There are plenty of soft skills that are critical to being a good executive assistant. Be sure to list any leadership positions or experiences that demonstrate teamwork skills.

Keep it to one page.

It may feel like you need to include as much as possible to show to the hiring manager that you’re qualified. You don’t have to list everything! Avoid clutter by including only your most impressive, relevant experiences.

Find a proofreader.

You’d be surprised how common typos, spelling mistakes, and formatting errors make it to the “final draft” stage. When you’ve been working on the same one-page document for so long, it can be easy to miss mistakes. Grab a friend with fresh eyes (and a good grasp of grammar) to take a second look.

Use the right words

Make sure that you use action words in your descriptions, not passive language. Avoid repetition and don’t use personal pronouns — “I” and “me” don’t really have a place in resume writing.

Don’t skip the basics.

Remember to submit all of the required materials and to include your contact information like an email address and LinkedIn profile. It may seem obvious, but when you’re so focused on the content of your resume, this step can be easy to forget.

Don’t use synonyms.

To get through the bots, you have to use keywords — and they have to be the right keywords. If you don’t use the exact phrasing, your executive assistant resume might not get flagged for further review.

Don’t forget about the job description.

The job description will include the information you need to position yourself as the best possible candidate for the role, so be sure to read it carefully. It may seem unnecessary to rewrite your resume for each job you’re applying for, but it’s critical! If you haven’t been making it far in the hiring process, one of the reasons might be because you aren’t tailoring your resume correctly.

(Below is a helpful table of power words to use to inspire your executive assistant resume.)

Executive Assistant Power Words

• Provided
• Planned
• Developed
• Arranged
• Coordinated
• Anticipated
• Supplied
• Mangaged
• Interfaced
• Completed
• Scheduled
• Created
• Organized
• Resolved
• Improved
• Designed

Skills List

We have many great resources available to you 100% free on the Big Interview blog. Read the articles below for more information on resumes and cover letters.

The Art of Writing a Great Resume Summary Statement

How Long Should a Resume Be?

Creating Really Good Resumes

How to Get the Applicant Tracking System to Pick Your Resume

8 Design Ideas to Make Your Resume Pop

6 Tricks to Makeover Your Resume…Fast

How to Write a Cover Letter