How to List Administrative Assistant Skills on a Resume: Best Skills and Examples

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Why employers want to see Administrative Assistant skills on your resume

If you’re looking to land the perfect Administrative Assistant job, you need to have the necessary skills to get the job done right. To prove to your employer that you’re the right choice, you’ll have to list the most important and relevant skills you have on your resume. Being able to list the relevant skills is just the beginning as you also need to list them in a way that makes your resume stand out from the competition.

An Administrative Assistant is required for efficient office functionality. On average, they save managers about eight hours of work a week, so their value is high. Managers will want to know if you can offer that kind of value to the position. 

Considering the sheer extent of an Administrative Assistant’s duties, employers will want to see a variety of skills on your resume, so it’s essential that you cover what’s most important no matter how diverse the demands might be for the specific position you’re applying for. Only by looking at the extent of your skill set will an employer be able to determine whether you’re right for the position.

How to list Administrative Assistant skills on a resume

To make your resume as impactful as possible, be sure to follow these steps for how to list Administrative Assistant skills on a resume:

1. First, make sure you understand the details of the specific position you’re applying for

Every Administrative Assistant position is going to be unique in its own way based on the individual needs of the administrator, so you’ll have to keep those differences in mind before anything else and list your skills accordingly.

2. Then, detail your soft skills relevant to the specific position

Starting out with your soft skills not only provides important information to the employer, but it also demonstrates that you understand the needs of the job. Soft skills tend to be more instinctual, which is why it’s difficult to teach communication and problem-solving.

3. Next, describe your hard skills

These aren’t typically as important as soft skills since hard skills like printer maintenance and CRM software can be taught. Still, you’ll be able to set yourself apart from the competition by highlighting the hard skills you have beforehand, showing that you don’t need much or any additional training.

4. Finally, consider how you specifically want to organize your skills

A bulleted list is the most common method because bullet organization is effective for conveying information easily, but you can take it a step further. To demonstrate your prioritization, you can demonstrate your soft skills and hard skills by describing them with measurable results in your work experience section.

Related: Transferable Skills: Definitions and Examples

Best Administrative Assistant skills to add to a resume

When it comes to the specifics, here are the best Administrative Assistant skills you should include on your resume if you have them:

Communication

The key to any Administrative Assistant position is going to be communication. This encompasses several skills that all have to work together to get the job done correctly. Both written and verbal communication skills are essential, and you’ll have to be adept when it comes to professional correspondence and customer service.

Organization

Effective organization is one of the primary reasons the Administrative Assistant position exists. Attention to detail, bookkeeping and inventory management all fall under organizational skills you should list if you have them. Additionally, you’ll have to be skilled in booking travel arrangements, billing and even sorting and delivering physical mail in some cases.

Planning

While some may consider planning to be a subset of organizational skills, it’s important enough to warrant mentioning separately. An Administrative Assistant is often responsible for setting up meetings and coordinating entire events. Some Administrative Assistant positions, such as one for a public figure, may even deal with event planning as the primary aspect of their job.

Technology

Administrative Assistants need to have useful hard skills as well, and they primarily revolve around technology. Programs like Microsoft Office are used every day for Administrative Assistant tasks, but you may also need to learn some CRM software. Additionally, it can be helpful if you are adept at general equipment maintenance like copiers and printers. 

Related: Communication Skills: Definitions and Examples

How to improve Administrative Assistant skills

Here are a few steps you can follow to improve your Administrative Assistant abilities:

1. First, join a professional association

One of the best ways to improve your skills is to join one of the industry associations, such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Not only can you attend seminars and educational events to improve your skills, but it also serves as a useful networking tool.

2. Second, find a mentor

Finding a mentor can be accomplished in two ways. You can seek mentorship within a company or outside of a company. Some companies have mentorship programs, but entry-level positions in those jobs typically offer below-average pay for Administrative Assistants. An outside mentor may not be free, however, so keep that in mind when searching.

3. Third, spend some time volunteering in your community 

Volunteering for community organizations is a great way to improve your skills. Most charitable organizations that operate with volunteers won’t have a barrier of entry like a paid position would, so it’s easier to access the work experience that could help develop your skills.

4. Lastly, take on new work in your current role

At your current job, you could ask your boss for additional responsibilities relevant to administrative assistance. With these new responsibilities, you can develop your skills without getting caught in the loop of needing skills to get a job and needing a job to develop your skills.