How to List Secretary Skills on Your Resume: Best Skills and Examples

Secretary Skills on a Resume | Best Skills & Examples | Resume.com

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Adding the secretary skills you’ve learned on your resume can increase your chances of interviewing for a new administrative role or a promotion in your current organization. A secretary, administrative assistant, or clerk should have a skill set that supports a company’s management team by carrying out tasks such as filing records and scheduling appointments. Learn more about the secretary skills you should add to your resume to become a viable candidate.

Why is it important to list your secretary skills on a resume?

Some employers want to see secretary skills on your resume so they can determine if your skills apply to the open position. Overall, listing a full overview of your secretary skills explains how you can bring value to an organization and its employees. With a strong skills section, your resume is more likely to attract employers’ attention and earn you an interview.

How to list secretary skills on your resume

Follow these steps to list your skills on your resume.

1. Firstly, review the job description

Make sure to review the job posting to gain an understanding of which specific skills the employer is looking for so you know which to list in your resume. For instance, if the posting emphasizes technical skills, you’ll want to include things like familiarity with spreadsheet software. Reviewing the job posting closely will also give you an idea if the job will be a good fit based on the skills you currently have.

2. Secondly, write a list of skills you’ve obtained

Write a list of the skills you’ve acquired if you know the job is the right one to apply for. Writing down these skills will improve your confidence and help you brainstorm the best ways to list them on your resume. Incorporate your skills and accomplishments on your resume to enhance the prospect of getting an interview.

3. Third, separate the list into hard and soft skills

Writing separate lists of your hard and soft skills helps you break down which types of skills you’ve learned during your career. The combination of your technical abilities and your personality traits demonstrate the level of growth you can achieve in this role.

4. Lastly, include these skills in the work experience section of your resume

Combining your accomplishments and skills expands on the value you’ve provided for multiple organizations. For example, if you have leadership skills, state that you were responsible for taking minutes during meetings. You can also say you took minutes during three weekly meetings if you know the number of times that you performed this task. The employer may notice that you took action to improve the organization while developing skills to help you in future roles.

Best secretary skills to add to a resume

Here are the best secretary skills to include on a resume.

Communication skills

Communication skills are crucial for maintaining an efficient and productive work environment. When you’re in a secretary position, you’ll need to take calls, send emails and help executives prepare presentations.

Examples of communication skills:

Public speaking, group meetings, friendliness, and confidence

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills help you navigate social interactions and understand workplace situations. You’ll need these skills to work with multiple people at all levels of the organization.

Examples of interpersonal skills:

Active listening, loyal, collaborative, and inspired

Time management skills

Time management skills focus on how well you complete projects within a given period. Secretaries have deadlines they must meet to complete administrative tasks to serve the needs of managers and executives in the organization.

Examples of time management skills:

Task allocation, prioritizing tasks, organizing emails, and meeting deadlines

Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills allow you to make decisions without the approval of a manager. Your ability to fix problems shows how you can follow the company’s policies and procedures while meeting the goals set forth by the leadership team.

Examples of problem-solving skills:

Crisis management, creativity, dependability, and decision-making

Organization skills

Problem-solving skills display how you work when presented with large amounts of information from meetings, emails, databases, and more. The way you organize information reveals how quickly you can complete the tasks and the quality of work you show to your manager.

Examples of organization skills:

Critical-thinking, detail-oriented, planning skills

Technical skills

Technical skills convey your ability to use a computer and smartphone devices to complete administrative tasks. The technical skills you list on your resume show if you have the proper knowledge of platforms related to this position. An employer might see technical skills you’ve learned from previous positions as transferable to an open secretary position.

Examples of technical skills:

Software applications, technical writing, common operating systems, and project management

Additional sections to include on your resume

Here are some common sections to include on your resume.

Summary or objective

Use the summary or objective to highlight the years of experience you’ve had in a specific industry. Add an accomplishment that complements your work experience. State your goals for upcoming employment so the company is clear about what you’re looking for in your next job. This approach links your experience and your achievements while noting the best way you can increase an organization’s performance.

Educational background

Include where you received your degree from and the GPA you earned in this section. If you only have a high school diploma, then you should list that on your resume. Otherwise, only include collegiate degrees. Usually, secretary jobs require some post-secondary education, so be sure to list an associate or bachelor’s degree if you received one.

Work experience

If you’re early in your career, list your experience with student organizations or volunteer positions. Highlight your experience in healthcare or law if you’re interested in working in these industries. List each experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent company. Adding bullet points help you communicate your best accomplishments. The top bullet point includes the most important information about your experience. Keeping your resume to one page will ensure you include only the most relevant work experience, which can make your qualifications clearer to hiring managers and earn you an interview.

Skills

The skills section consists of what you’ve learned during your time with each employer. Hard skills relate to the technical training that you’ve received throughout your career. Your soft skills highlight personal traits that summarize the approach you take to complete your work and collaborate with your colleagues.

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