Fresh Tips for Crafting Your Executive Assistant Resume

In today's highly competitive job market, having a strong resume is essential. Your resume is your first impression on a potential employer, and since it can make or break your chances of getting an interview, it's crucial to get it right. Read on for how to craft a resume that will grab the recruiter’s attention and show them that you're the right candidate for the job.?

Let's start with the basics!

Contact information

Include your name, phone number, Linkedin profile, and location (city and state only; full address is no longer necessary.)?

Tips:

• A LinkedIn profile is a critical asset in your search and can be a powerful tool to showcase your professional experience and accomplishments. Make sure your profile is up-to-date and includes a professional headshot and banner photo (please no selfies!). It is also essential that your professional tagline listed under your name is in line with the role you are applying for. If your tagline does not align with your role (for example, you are applying for an Executive Assistant position but your tagline reads “HR Professional”) they may see that as an indication that an EA position is not your goal and disqualify you from consideration.?

Formatting and Design

When it comes to the design of your resume, our philosophy is that a simple and professional approach is more effective than colorful and bold. People think that a bold resume makes you ‘stand out’ but really, your experience is what should stand out. A clean, clear resume with content that aligns with your targeted role is what will catch a reader’s attention. Bold colors and designs can potentially work against you if the resume reviewer is not a fan of that style. The best place to showcase your creative style is on your LinkedIn profile.

Tips:

• Consistency is key! Choose a formatting style and stick to it.?
• Whether you choose to end your listed responsibilities with a period (.) or without one, make sure it is consistent throughout your entire resume.
• Ensure that your bullet points are the same size and style. This step is often missed during proofreading but is important in creating a clean and professional look for your resume.
• Pay attention to your margins. Make sure they are aligned consistently throughout your resume, including titles, dates, bullet points, and other text. You can try adding “Gridlines” in Word to make this easier to see.
• Be mindful of spacing. Make sure that your bullet points are evenly spaced, and that there is enough space between sections to help break up the text and make it easier to read. Also, make sure the spacing between lines and paragraphs is also consistent throughout. This is controlled in the “Lines & Paragraph Spacing” settings.

Proofread, proofread, proofread.?

As a recruiter, I'm often surprised that well over half of the resumes I review, even for Sr. Executive Assistants, contain errors. Typos, grammatical errors, and formatting mistakes can quickly undermine your credibility for being detail-oriented. After you've written your resume, read it over carefully to catch any errors. Make sure you go through every line and ensure that your tenses are accurate and consistent.?

Tips:

• Present roles should be in present tense, and former roles should be in past tense.?
• When proofreading, assume there are mistakes that you are looking to find. This mindset can help you to spot errors more easily.
• Try reading your resume aloud. This approach forces you to pay attention to each word and sentence and can help you catch mistakes that your brain may have overlooked when reading internally.?
• Use a proofreading tool. Consider Grammarly, which has a plugin for Word and Docs. This tool can help you spot grammatical errors and typos that you may have missed.

Resume Verbiage

When listing your responsibilities, use action verbs to describe your experience. Action verbs make your resume more engaging and dynamic. Instead of writing "Responsible for board meeting prep” try “Planned and coordinated quarterly board meetings, including travel, hotel, and expense reimbursements.”?

Tips:

• Strong verbs like "achieved," "improved," and "delivered" can make a big difference in the impact of your resume.?
• Leverage AI Tools! If you are stuck on how to concisely summarize or describe an experience, try running it through ChatGPT. You can also use it to polish sentences or make them more concise by uploading your content with the command “polish this” or “make this more concise.” You can also try something like “Write 5 bullet points for an executive assistant resume” to give you a headstart.?

You should also be using metrics in your resume to demonstrate the impact you've had in previous roles. Here are some examples:

• Managed and mentored 7 Sr. admins, fostering a spirit of teamwork and unity that allowed for process innovation and new business solutions.
• Led the space planning committee to oversee space planning for a 250-member team in partnership with the facilities team.?
• Organized 5 global QBRs (quarterly business reviews) across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
• Supported CRO within a 1,000-person global sales team and within a 2,000-person business unit.
• Owned all CRO internal communications within a sales organization of 250+ global employees.

Professional Summary

While not essential, including a summary or profile statement at the top of your resume can be an effective way to introduce yourself. The statement should be concise and focused, highlighting your skills, professional attributes, and key strengths. Here are some examples for an Executive Assistant resume:

• Over 15 years of experience as a results-driven Executive Assistant partnering with C-level executive support in fast-paced, global, public companies. High degree of confidentiality and exposure to sensitive information requiring diplomacy and discretion. A take-charge attitude with the ability to anticipate needs, managing a multitude of tasks, and producing flawless work within tight and ever changing deadlines. Incredibly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• Polished, discreet, and diplomatic Executive Assistant to c-level executives and leadership teams. Highly experienced and trusted administrative partner with an impeccable record of maintaining confidentiality. Approachable and positive collaborator, team member, team builder, and team leader. Proven ability to successfully execute in a fast-paced, high-volume, mission-critical, and time-sensitive environment.
• Highly organized and proactive Executive Assistant with significant experience in providing high-level administrative support. Excels at managing complex schedules, prioritizing tasks, and anticipating the needs of the executive. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

Describing your company

When listing a lesser-known company on your resume, consider providing a brief summary to help the resume reviewer contextualize your experience. This is particularly important if the company size or industry is relevant to the position you're applying for. For example, you might describe your employer as a "Series B SaaS startup," a "1500-person consumer public tech company," or a "hedge fund with $1B AUM. This is usually italicized and listed above the bullet points.?

Including Reasons for Separation

While shorter job tenures are becoming more common, longevity is still highly valued by companies when reviewing resumes. A longer tenure at a company demonstrates that you are more likely to stay with them for the long term. However, there are valid reasons for having shorter terms in a role, such as a poor fit, changes in company culture, or being impacted by a layoff. If you want to highlight the reason for leaving your previous role(s), consider briefly listing it on your resume in parentheses next to the dates. If a more detailed explanation is needed, you can provide it during the interview.

In conclusion, writing a resume can be a daunting task, but with attention to detail, consistency, and clarity, you can create a resume that will stand out from the competition. For more help with your resume, check out our website for genuine Executive Assistant resumes that have helped our candidates land their dream jobs.