Secretary Resume Example & Guide [2024]

The following secretary resume example and guide will provide you with valuable tips to help you write a resume that best highlights your experiences and qualifications. Further, we provide you with bonus key skills in the end so be sure to check it all out.

Read on to learn more and get inspired.

How to write a Secretary resume

• Use the reverse chronological resume format
• Start your secretary resume with a concise resume summary
• Focus on quantifying your achievements, not just administrative duties
• Match your key skills list with the skills required in the job listing
• Only add relevant information to your bullets in your employment history
• Always personalize every resume you send. Tailor the contents of your resume to the requirements of the job description

Let's start by looking at an example of an Executive Secretary resume with 15 years of experience.

Secretary Resume Example created with our Elegant Resume Template

 

 

Secretary resume sample you can copy and use

Alice Stanley
Well organized and outgoing executive secretary

Details

2923 Doctors Drive, 90210, Beverly Hills, CA
Tel: 310-385-1634 e-mail: alicestanley@mail.com

Profile Summary

With a structured approach I help managers and leaders with on-point administrative support. I trained, supported and supervised more than 20 staff during a 5 year work stint in a position as executive secretary. Ultimately boosting efficiency, productivity and saved costs.

Loyal and resourceful individual known for exceeding employer expectations.

Employment History

Executive Secretary at ABC, Los Angeles

Aug 2013 - Aug 2019

• Entrusted to manage high-priority projects, including office expansion, relocations throughout the East and launch of new secretary department supervising 20+ new staff.
• Led vendor sourcing and negotiations to capture $350K in annual cost savings. Negotiated favorable rates and terms for software licenses, office supplies, corporate travel and insurance premiums.
• Coordinated all travel for the department.
• Maintained calendars for the directors and managers.

Administrative Secretary at ABC, Los Angeles

Aug 2010 - Aug 2013

• Provided office coverage backup to the Chief Executive Officer
• Planned and scheduled project timelines while managing project budgets and equipment
• Set up and managed paper or electronic filing systems, recorded information, updated paperwork, or maintained documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
• Arranged meetings/conference calls as needed.

Secretary at XYZ, Los Angeles

Aug 2005 - Aug 2010

• Performed various administrative duties such as: operating phone systems, copying, printing, scanning, and mailing
• Composed, typed, distributed daily reports and routine correspondences.
• Collected and coordinated the flow of internal and external information

Education

B.S. in Business Administration at University of California, Oakland

Aug 2002 - Aug 2005

Professional skills

• Executive & Administrative Support
• Meeting & Event Planning
• Office Management
• Training & Supervision
• Customer Relations & Communications
• Records Management
• Bookkeeping
• Multi-tasking
• MS Office (Word, Excel)

Languages

English
Native

Spanish
Fluent

Most Proud Of

• Employee of the month for consecutive months at ABC company
• Established a charity fund to help children in need

Facts about this Secretary resume:

• Candidate is applying for a position as an executive secretary
• Candidate uses the reverse-chronological resume format
• Candidate has over 14+ years of experience
• Candidate emphasizes on being organized and well structured

 

A good way to start your resume is by referencing keywords from the job description and highlight any skills, awards, and certifications in the resume summary, that match with the job listing requirements. Follow our 4 actionable tips below.

It is crucial that you provide a thorough and professional approach to your resume. We made an easily digestive guide for you to keep you on your toes while creating the simple, yet effective and professional resume.

A correctly formatted and professional resume is as important as ever.

 

4 actionable tips to help you compose a secretary resume

#1 - A powerful and concise profile resume summary will make the recruiter want to look further

Starting a resume on the right foot is important. Think of it as an advertisement for yourself. This is where you tell the reader who you are to make the employer or recruiter want to look further. 

Do

• Be concise in your profile summary. Focus on a few key competences and skills you have that will fit the job and is part of the job description.

Don't

• Use interposed phrases. The reader doesn't care about fillers. The purpose is to tell the reader exactly how you fit the role and make the reader want to read on. Don't bore them!

Example from above:

"With a structured approach I help managers and leaders with on point administrative support. I’ve trained, supported, and supervised more than 20 staff during a 5 year work stint in a position as executive secretary. Ultimately boosting efficiency, productivity and saved costs.

Loyal and resourceful individual known for exceeding employer expectations."

Very concise way of embedding important skills like structure, administrative support, and efficiency, which ultimately provides you with a great way to write your summary, making you able to build it further.

A great way to get feedback about your overall profile is by asking people from your network about the value which you bring. You might be surprised how they respond. We made a guide about networking and how to stay on top of this game, don't miss these valuable tips.

#2 - Quantify some of your achievements or duties in your secretary resume

It's a great idea to list a few measurable achievements under your Employment History, such as; 

• Entrusted to manage high-priority projects, including office expansion, relocations throughout the East and launch of new secretary department supervising 20+ new staff.
• Led vendor sourcing and negotiations to capture $350K in annual cost savings. Negotiated favorable rates and terms for software licenses, office supplies, corporate travel and insurance premiums.

By highlighting measurable achievements, it goes to show that with your abilities you are able to use your skills not only to do administrative tasks as a secretary, but also drive results on behalf of the company. In this case, training and supervising staff, but also saving the company thousands of dollars. Both excellent value propositions from a company's point of view. It sends a clear message to the employer or recruiter about your abilities, how you think and your work ethics.

#3 - List or highlight your awards and certifications on your secretary resume

If you received any awards make sure you either list them or highlight them somehow, as they are great selling points, and are part of telling your story to the reader.

Example from above:

"Employee of the month for consecutive months at ABC company."

Here we tell the reader in a very short and concise way about your work ethics.

Use personal awards like, employee of the month or something similar. They mean something to you, they make you proud of yourself. Use it in your resume, as they are achievements related directly to your hard work as a secretary.

Lastly, do not forget any job relevant certificates you may have. Any specific software certification or similar might be able to help persuade a future employer selecting you if it is relevant to the job.

#4 - Focus your skills around office management, administrative support and multi-tasking.

The ability to multi-task and provide administrative support is a core function of a secretary. This is what every employer would demand from you. Emphasizing those abilities will make the employer or recruiter aware that you understand this.

The ability to provide the managers or directors with great individual support is one thing. Working as a secretary in a team is another. Understanding the tasks, the role you have to fill and applying your knowledge and skills to work efficiently overall, will show your attitude towards the work you do, and what you represent as a secretary.

TIP: Learn more about how to build your skills into your resume. In our article we cover soft and hard skills from A to Z.

#Bonus - Key action adverbs and skills to use in your secretary resume

By using action verbs you can add clarity, depth, and distinction to your resume. Action verbs make great openers for experience bullet points and can also be utilized on cover letters to target them to specific positions.

• Ability to work under pressure
• Accuracy
• Achieved
• Administrated
• Aided
• Arranged
• Assisted
• Attention to detail
• Built
• Calculated
• Collaborated
• Collected
• Communication
• Computer skills
• Composed
• Coordinate
• Customer service
• Demonstrate
• Dependability
• Distributed
• Educate
• Efficiency
• Empathic
• Flexibility
• Grammar
• Helpful
• Loss prevention techniques
• Loyal
• Mathematical skills
• Memorization
• Multitasking
• Negotiated
• Organize
• Positive attitude
• Productivity
• Profitability
• Punctuality
• Recognize
• Resourceful
• Responsibility
• Saved
• Structured
• Supervise
• Telephone etiquette
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Trained
• Typed
• Work ethic

TIP: If you want to know more about using power words and action verbs like these in your resume, check out How To Use Power Words In Your Resume.

It was a pleasure to provide you with a few tips and advice about writing a secretary resume.

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