Best Duties to List on an Office Assistant Resume

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If you want to get a job as an office assistant, you’ll benefit from creating a solid resume that will impress employers. When crafting your resume for an office assistant position, you should pay special attention to how you detail your various duties in past positions so that you can highlight your skills and competency. This article defines what an office assistant resume is, explains why adequately listing your duties is important in your job search and provides examples of the best office assistant duties to list on your resume.

What is an office assistant resume?

An office assistant resume should detail as many relevant skills, experiences and responsibilities as possible to communicate your capabilities and enhance your employability. While office assistant duties vary, this job generally involves data entry, processing mail, filing, record-keeping, updating a company’s social media posts and answering phones. Additionally, this profession requires keen attention to detail, making it imperative that your resume is proofread and polished.

Why is listing duties on an office assistant resume important in your job search?

Resumes that show aptitude with typical office assistant tasks attract the interest of employers. Since employers usually receive a variety of resumes for each office assistant job that they post, the best resumes stand out. A good resume that includes experiences and skills that relate directly to the position being applied for will help a candidate get an interview and get hired. 

Best office assistant duties to list on your resume

Here are some basic responsibilities that would be beneficial to incorporate in your office assistant resume:

Managed inventory

This position commonly requires candidates to be familiar with how to properly manage inventory and complete regular orders to maintain office supplies. It is advisable to list your experience with this and include any specifics that will further describe your competency in this area. For example, describe the office supplies you were you responsible for ordering and how frequently you performed this task.

Created a work schedule

Scheduling requires soft skills like organization and attention to detail, both of which are skills that are integral in this line of work. You can make this task more impressive by quantifying it with the number of employees that you were responsible for scheduling. Additionally, you should consider mentioning the method, program or software that you used to create and edit office schedules.

Provided excellent customer service

Office assistants often serve as the face of the company, greeting visitors and clients as they walk through the door. As such, it is imperative that the candidate has experience in customer relations. This experience often means that you also possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both of which are vital in this profession.

Maintained updated invoices and purchase orders

Invoicing is an important responsibility of an office assistant because the profitability of the company hinges on this task being carried out effectively. When you list this on your resume, make sure to note any invoicing programs or software that you have worked with. This will indicate a level of professionalism that will catch an employer’s attention.

Performed payroll

Conducting the payroll can be a confusing and tedious task. Listing this on your office assistant resume will demonstrate that you possess valuable skills and experience that are necessary for this line of work. You should consider quantifying this fact by detailing the number of employees that you handled payroll for as well as any software or programs that you may have used during the process.

Organized and maintained filing systems

As an office assistant, there are many administrative duties that you will be responsible for carrying out, most of which require organizational skills and a detail-oriented approach. This fact is especially true when developing and/or implementing a filing system. Though this work may seem mundane, it communicates a lot about the type of work ethic you possess. Proudly detail any organizational systems that you used in your previous office assistant positions.

Kept accurate office records

This position often necessitates the ability to keep thorough records. For example, it could be something as simple as maintaining a sign-in log to keep track of office visitors. These types of records allow the company to function in a way that is both safe and efficient. 

Coordinated reservations and bookings

Office assistants are often asked to manage office events, trips and outings. These tasks require someone who can multitask and who possesses the ability to quickly and creatively solve problems. It’s always helpful to use concrete details when describing such tasks, especially if they were particularly difficult to manage.

Handled incoming communications

Aside from greeting customers who enter the office, office assistants must receive and facilitate most of the incoming communications, such as emails and phone calls. This requires communication skills as well as the ability to multitask. Additionally, there is often a need to take and deliver messages, which becomes increasingly more complicated with more employees. 

Assisted with maintaining orderly common areas

Just as the office assistant often serves as the face of the company, the common area says a lot about their pride in this responsibility. Those in this position are often expected to maintain a clean and orderly reception area to improve the experience of visitors and potential clients. A well-kept common area will create a welcoming environment for anyone who comes by.

How to list office assistant duties on a resume

Here are some steps to help you as you list office assistant responsibilities on your resume:

1. First, study the job description

It’s always a good idea to read the job description and conduct a little research about the company before creating your resume. This will allow you to tailor your responsibilities to better reflect your ability to fill the position you are applying for. While remaining honest, try to use some of the keywords that you find and emphasize your alignment with the company’s values.

2. Second, use an active voice

It’s very important that you use an active voice throughout your resume but especially when listing the responsibilities that you had in previous positions. Here is a formula that can help you craft an effective description: active verb + content + impact, purpose or result.

3. Third, quantify your accomplishments

Whenever possible, use concrete data that demonstrates how you effectively completed or improved tasks. For example, ‘Handled the payroll activities for over 50 employees.’ This will give employers a clear idea of the scope of your responsibilities in previous positions.

4. Last, vary your language when describing similar duties

Even if the information is similar, look for ways to change the way that you describe it. A helpful way to do this is by focusing on a different aspect of the same duty.