Example Administrative Assistant Resumes

If you found these example administrative resumes inspiring, you may also have an interest in reviewing other example resumes from our portfolio. Some popular examples include these blue-collar resumes, government affairs resume, college student resume examples, technical program manager resume, nursing resumes, biotech resume, telecommunications industry resume, advertising agency resume, human resources resume, technical writer resume, and insurance industry resume.

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The administrative assistant resume examples on this page showcase different approaches to common resume challenges that many administrative professionals face. Each example administrative resume demonstrates effective solutions that you can adapt for your own situation.

The first example resume was focused to help our client transition back into healthcare administration. Although she began her career in administrative support roles, she had veered away from this and her most recent experience was along a different career path.

To help focus her resume to pursue healthcare administrative roles, she had taken a volunteer role in healthcare. She was working in this volunteer job concurrent with her full-time work, and we gave it priority placement on the resume. Remember: as explained in this post about writing a resume when you have no experience, it doesn’t matter how you got the experience (e.g., volunteer roles, internships, job shadowing, etc.), it just matters that you have it. If volunteer work helps support your candidacy for a position, don’t hesitate to present it on your resume.

Key features of this administrative resume sample include:

• Strategic placement of healthcare volunteer work
• Clear demonstration of transferable skills
• Strong focus on relevant administrative experience
• Effective integration of clinical and administrative capabilities
• Healthcare-specific keywords and competencies

We used the 1st Impression resume template (designed for receptionists, but flexible enough for many resumes) as the foundation for this administrative resume.

The second example administrative resume was for an office manager who had moved away from office administration roles into a sales job before returning to her administrative career path. This is a similar situation to the prior example resume. In this case, the client had taken an administrative job, but it was below her experience level. We revamped her resume to help her advance her career back into an office management job once again.

Another challenge on this resume had to do with the fact that this office management candidate did not have a degree. As explained in this article about how to write a resume when you have no degree, we included an education section in her resume and listed coursework she had taken along with certifications she had earned.

This administrative resume sample demonstrates:

• Strong emphasis on practical experience and achievements
• Strategic presentation of relevant coursework and certifications
• Clear progression of responsibilities
• Quantifiable results and achievements
• Focus on leadership and management capabilities in office settings

The Office Wizard resume template for administrative assistants was used as the foundation for the design of this resume.  You can download this resume template along with others for administrative positions from Distinctive Resume Templates.

What is missing from the final example administrative assistant resume shown on this page? Do you see it?

Sometimes it is necessary to think outside the box and be creative about how you write and structure a resume. This resume was written for an administrative assistant who had long gaps between jobs and a lot of diversity in the type of positions she had held. The reason: her husband had to move frequently for his work and so she followed him.

Additionally, some of the business experience included on this administrative assistant resume was actually more than 25 years old. A traditional resume format just didn’t work for her, so we came up with this functional format resume with no dates. The missing dates are hardly noticeable and she quickly began to get calls for interviews.

But do be careful if you decide to use this type of resume format.  You will notice that we used this functional format specifically because it helped us draw attention away from some possible negatives: dates on the resume would have revealed her age because her experience was far in the past, plus she had lots of gaps between jobs. Of course, recruiters know this is why people use a functional resume format (to hide problems) and dislike them for that reason. A resume without dates would also cause problems in an ATS.  The bottom line: think carefully about the decision of how to format your resume and make your decisions thoughtfully.

Key Elements of Effective Administrative Resumes

1. Skills Organization

   All three administrative resume samples demonstrate effective ways to organize and present skills:

• Grouping related competencies
• Highlighting technical proficiencies
• Showcasing soft skills
• Emphasizing relevant certifications

2. Achievement Focus

   Each administrative assistant resume example shows how to:

• Quantify results
• Demonstrate impact
• Show progression
• Highlight leadership

3. Professional Formatting

   These administrative resume samples showcase:

• Clean, professional layouts
• Strategic use of white space
• Clear section organization
• ATS-friendly formatting

4. Keywords and Competencies

   Each example administrative resume incorporates:

• Industry-specific terminology
• Technical skills
• Software proficiencies
• Core administrative competencies

Special Considerations for Administrative Resumes

1. Technical Skills

   Modern administrative assistant positions require strong technical capabilities. These administrative resume examples show how to present:

• Software proficiencies
• Database management
• Digital communication tools
• Office technology expertise

2. Soft Skills

   Successful administrative professionals need strong interpersonal abilities. These samples demonstrate how to showcase:

• Communication abilities
• Organization skills
• Problem-solving capabilities
• Leadership potential

3. Industry-Specific Experience

   Each administrative resume example shows how to:

• Target specific industries
• Highlight relevant experience
• Demonstrate industry knowledge
• Show versatility

Adapting These Administrative Resume Examples

When using these administrative assistant resume examples as models, consider:

1. Format Selection

• Choose between chronological, functional, or combination formats
• Consider your specific situation and challenges
• Think about your target role and industry
• Factor in ATS requirements

2. Content Focus

• Emphasize relevant experience
• Showcase transferable skills
• Highlight industry-specific knowledge
• Demonstrate progression

3. Achievement Presentation

• Focus on measurable results
• Show impact and value
• Demonstrate leadership
• Highlight problem-solving abilities

Need help creating your own administrative assistant resume? Our professional resume writing team can help you craft a compelling resume that showcases your unique value proposition. Contact us for free, no-obligation quote.