Administrative Assistants are often the unsung heroes of organized and efficient office environments. 

Not only do you have to understand operational processes, but you also have responsibilities for helping everyone get along. From fielding questions from staff members and internal stakeholders to clients and business partners, your communication skills have to be off the chart! All of that says nothing about your tech skills, bookkeeping acumen, and problem-solving abilities.

It can be hard to incorporate everything you know how to do into a resume to land an interview. You have to get keywords and phrases from an administrative assistant job description. 

By reviewing administrative assistant job description examples, you will be able to identify the technical and soft skills, credentials, and work experience that matter most to employers in your target field.

How to read an administrative assistant job description

Each part of the administrative assistant job description will give you a different set of details. Some companies will use a template, and some will write their administrative job description from scratch, but, for the most part, you can bet on the job descriptions having these sections:

• A title: This will likely be the title you'll hold within their organization. It can simply state “Administrative Assistant” or “Executive Administrative Assistant” or be more complex like “HS&E Administrative Assistant.” 

• An introduction: This is usually a paragraph that talks a bit about the company and what its plans are for the future.

• Job summary: While you won't always see a job summary, it would be a short blurb about the position and key responsibilities. Pay attention to job summaries because the duties listed here will be the most important things the company is looking for. 

• Job responsibilities: A bulleted list of things the company needs its next Administrative Assistant to do every day.

• Qualifications: Here is where you'll find out how much education they want you to have and a list of critical soft skills. Don't overlook the importance of these soft skills, as they can be THE THING that helps you land an interview.

• Working conditions: While many administrative assistant job descriptions will end with the qualifications section, some will include details about whether the role is full-time or part-time, plus other details about what to expect at the company.

• Call to action: Usually just a simple line that tells you how to apply, either on the company's website or by emailing your resume to a person. 

It's important to note that these sections may or may not be labeled. Let's take a look at an administrative assistant job description. 

Administrative assistant job description:

Administrative assistant duties and responsibilities include providing administrative support to ensure efficient operation of the office. Supports managers and employees through a variety of tasks related to organization and communication. Administrative assistants are responsible for confidential and time sensitive material. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures.

Ability to effectively communicate via phone and email, ensuring that all Administrative Assistant duties are completed accurately and delivered with high quality and in a timely manner. May direct and lead the work of others. Rely on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals, and a wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.

Administrative assistant responsibilities:

• Answer and direct phone calls

• Organize and schedule appointments and meetings

• Maintain contact lists

• Produce and distribute correspondence memos, letters, faxes, and forms

• Assist in the preparation of regularly scheduled reports

• Develop and maintain a filing system

• Order office supplies

• Book travel arrangements

• Submit and reconcile expense reports

• Provide general support to visitors

• Provide information by answering questions and requests

• Take dictation

• Research and create presentations

• Generate reports

• Handle multiple projects

• Prepare and monitor invoices

• Develop administrative staff by providing information, educational opportunities, and experiential growth opportunities

• Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, evaluating new equipment and techniques

• Maintain supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, participating in professional societies

• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed

• Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, binding, scanning, etc.

• Organize travel arrangements for senior managers

• Write letters and emails on behalf of other office staff

• Book conference calls, rooms, taxis, couriers, hotels, etc.  

• Cover the reception desk when required

• Maintain computer and manual filing systems

• Handle sensitive information in a confidential manner

• Take accurate minutes of meetings

• Coordinate office procedures

• Reply to email, telephone, or face-to-face inquiries

• Develop and update administrative systems to make them more efficient

• Resolve administrative problems

• Receive, sort, and distribute the mail

• Answer telephone calls and pass them on

• Manage staff appointments

• Oversee and supervise the work of junior staff

• Maintain up-to-date employee holiday records

• Coordinate repairs to office equipment

• Greet and assist visitors to the office

• Photocopy and print out documents on behalf of other colleagues

• Provide polite and professional communication

• Implement clerical duties and administrative processes

• Conduct data entry

• Confirm restaurant reservations for senior staff

A well-crafted resume skills section highlighting your relevant skills for an administrative assistant position will help your resume beat the applicant tracking system (ATS), which is the first step to getting your application noticed. Use the administrative assistant's top skills and proficiencies below to help you effectively write your resume.

Administrative assistant qualifications:

• Proven admin or assistant experience

• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures

• Excellent time management skills and ability to multitask and prioritize work

• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong organizational and planning skills

• Proficient in MS Office

• At least 7 years of experience in the field or in a related area

• High school diploma or equivalent; college degree preferred

Administrative assistant skills & proficiencies:

• Reporting Skills

• Administrative Writing Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

• Analysis

• Professionalism

• Problem-Solving

• Supply Management

• Inventory Control

• Verbal Communication

• Office Administration Procedures

• Typing

• Attention to Detail

• Accuracy

• Multitask

• Telephone Skills

• Teamwork

• Discretion and Judgment

• Patience

• Resourcefulness

• Anticipates Needs

• Emotional Intelligence

• Flexibility

• Editing and Proofreading

• Microsoft Office Skills

• Typing Skills

Tailor your resume

As you go through the administrative assistant job description, be sure to take note of how the company has written the skills and keywords. You'll want to use this exact language on your resume to help get past the ATS. On top of that, once you get past the ATS, the hiring manager will want to see that you've paid attention to what they need. So, by tailoring– or customizing – your resume to the specific job, you'll increase your chances of winning an interview. 

Use AI to Help

Though it's not recommended that you use an AI-generated resume by any means, that doesn't mean that AI can't be a helpful tool to help you craft and develop your Administrative Assistant resume. Use ChatGPT or a similar AI tool to research Administrative Assistant resume content examples and inspire what's best to include in yours.

Resume case study

Not sure how to incorporate all of this into your resume? See how we helped this executive assistant revamp her resume. By formatting the resume to include a strong qualifications summary at the beginning that highlights the skills called for in the job description, this admin assistant professional will stand out to hiring managers from the beginning. 

Job descriptions are your friend

Applying for a new job doesn't have to be a chore. If you leverage the details in the administrative assistant job description to collect skills and keywords to write your resume, you'll win the day. 

Recommended reading:

• The Top 13 Jobs Skills Employers Want in 2021

• How to Showcase Soft Skills on a Resume

• Administrative Office Assistant Resume Example