Secretary Resume Example

Regardless of what field you go in to, more likely than not, you are to encounter secretaries or administrative assistants.

Secretaries and administrative assistants are individuals who perform routine clerical and administrative duties and do so in nearly every industry, including schools, hospitals, and government, legal, and medical offices.

Now, to become a secretary, all you really need is the following:

• High school diploma
• Experience with computer software applications

Most secretaries, however, learn more things on the job, which would depend on the company they work with.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, secretary positions are currently at a 9% decline, but that doesn't mean there are not job opportunities out there. In fact, there are over 3,638,800 jobs in the United States alone.

If you're a secretary looking to update your resume or apply to a new job, you've come to the right place.

In this article, we're going to go over the 6 steps that will transform your resume and help you land any administrative assistant role. Here's what we will be covering:

1. Formatting your resume
2. Writing a resume summary
3. Describing your work experience
4. Listing your key skills
5. Adding your known languages
6. Including your education

1. Format your resume like a professional

There may not be tremendous competition for secretary positions right now, but it is still crucial to showcase your best self in your resume. It's the first thing hiring managers will see of you, and therefore, it is crucial to correctly format your resume.

Be sure to include the following sections in your resume:

• Resume summary
• Contact information
• Skills
• Work experience
• Education

Tip: If you speak multiple languages or have any relevant certifications, be sure to include these on your resume, too.

There are three ways to choose from to correctly format your resume:

1. Reverse-chronological, which emphasizes your previous work experience
2. Functional, which highlights your key skills
3. Hybrid, which combines the previous formats

As a secretary, choosing the hybrid format will really help to showcase your experience and your skills, which may help you land the job.

Tip: Hiring managers may be receiving tons of resumes and applications for the job. Look over the job listing and implement some details and keywords listed on your resume to ensure it is seen.

Take a look at our guide on how to format your resume if you want to learn more.

2. Write an impressive resume summary

We live in a busy world. Oftentimes, resumes are only looked at for only 6-7 seconds. Therefore, providing hiring managers a resume summary shows them you appreciate their time.

A resume summary is a 1-2 sentence blurb that summarizes the important stuff on your resume. It also makes your resume look more professional, which can help you land the job.

Tip: Sometimes, it's easier to write your resume summary after you have already written your resume. That way, you can choose what you want to include.

There are elements you should always incorporate into a resume summary, including:

• Years of experience
• Type of experience
• Achievements, if applicable
• Personal characteristics

Here's an example of what your resume summary can look like as a secretary:

Friendly and professional secretary with 6+ years of experience working with small and large corporate companies. Skilled in project management and creating management systems known to boost efficiency by 35%.

Need more help writing a professional resume summary? Our guide on writing resume summaries has tons of examples.

3. Describe your work experience efficiently

You don't need a dozen bullet points detailing everything you've done on a job.

Tip: 3-5 bullet points describing what you've done is a good amount.

And before you get to describing what you do on the job, it's important to include the following information:

• Company name
• Job title
• Time worked
• Location

Tip: When listing your work experience, it is important to go in reverse-chronological order. This shows hiring managers your most recent job experience and what you learned or mastered in that job. It's also important to highlight the specifics you did on the job and use good verbs.

Here are some job descriptions you can include in your resume under work experience:

• Composed and typed routine correspondence, memos, reports, etc.
• Arranged travel schedules, reservations, and other necessary accommodations for staff.
• Scheduled appointments for staff.
• Provided needed administrative support, which included clerical accounting duties, database maintenance, assisting in grant or contract proposals, etc.
• Filed, maintained records, copy, fax and performed other such clerical duties.
• Assisted with special projects as needed.
• Provided backup coverage for receptionist and other administrative staff in clerical tasks such as answering the phone, opening and distributing mail, etc.
• Ordered and maintain adequate office supplies.
• Managed petty cash fund.
• Researched, initiated, and composed responses to various inquiries from insureds, claimants, attorneys, and state or other regulatory agencies.
• Prepared records, charts, etc., as needed and for month-end reports.
• Transcribed dictation for attorneys.
• Arranged transportation and other reservations so as to ensure the best price and possible schedule to meet the traveling needs requested.
• Maintained files for attorneys.
• Handled assigned files and deliver legal services.
• Communicated effectively and efficiently over the phone with clients.
• Offered support for several attorneys.
• Transferred legal correspondence to clients.
• Conducted administrative tasks as necessary.
• Updated calendars and billing sheets and provided improvements when necessary
• Coordinated the resolution of files and assist attorneys in an efficient and effective manner
• Organized client interactions.

Tip: There are various kinds of secretary positions. From legal secretaries to administrative secretaries, be sure to include job descriptions for the one that applies to you and suits the job you are applying for.

Want more tips and tricks on how to write your work experience description? Check out our guide on describing your work experience.

4. Include your key skills

Key skills just may be what makes you a more suitable candidate for the position, and listing them on your resume shows hiring managers what you are capable of.

Tip: Listing impressive and relevant skills gives hiring managers more reasons to hire you because, based on your resume, they know you have the qualities they may be looking for.

Here are some examples of key skills you can include in your secretary resume:

• Business Communication
• Office Administration & Management
• Accuracy and Information Processing
• Bookkeeping
• Relationship Building
• Word Processing - 102WPM
• Adaptability

Tip: If you don't have additional space to include a languages section on your resume, include them in your key skills. This may help you get the job in places where the local language may be different.

Having trouble identifying your skills? We have a guide with 100+ key skills you can include in your resume.

5. Add your known languages

Sometimes, as a secretary, you're the face someone sees when they walk into your workplace, and sometimes, these individuals speak different languages.

If you know multiple languages, adding a language section to your resume is sure to impress hiring managers and place you one step closer to landing the job.

Here are some languages you can include on your resume if you know them:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• German
• Russian
• Chinese
• Japanese
• Romanian

Tip: Next to the languages you know on your resume, if you have space, add if you're fluent, intermediate or a beginner in the language to show hiring managers just how well you know the specific language.

Need more help writing the perfect resume? We have a guide that can help you do just that.

6. Include your education on your resume

You may only need a high school diploma to be a secretary, but it's still important to include it on your resume. In fact, regardless of what you do, your education should always be included in your resume.

When describing your education, always be sure to include the following:

• School name
• Location
• Years attended
• Degree, if applicable

Tip: Only include your GPA on your resume if it is above average.  

With that said, here is how you should be listing your education in your resume:

John A. Ferguson Senior High School

Miami, FL

2010 — 2014

High School Diploma

GPA: 3.6/4.0

Need more helping listing your education? We have a guide that will help you list your education in 2021 with examples and tips.

Key Takeaways

Now, you're one step closer to your goal of working as a secretary, and it all starts with hard work and an impressive resume.

Here's a summary of everything we've covered:

1. Format your resume like a professional
2. Write an impressive resume summary
3. Describe your work experience
4. List your key skills
5. Add your known languages
6. Include your education

Best of luck!