photo credit: Women_in_Uniform

When applying for a job as an administrative assistant an important part of the resume process is the functional, skill based one.  A successful admin assistant possesses a wide range of skills, from computer capabilities, organizational functions and the ability to juggle several tasks simultaneously to knowing how to operate a variety of office machines and being able to schedule and maintain an appointment calendar for the boss.

Listing past experience with quality references will be a good place to start the admin assistant resume. Follow this with a listing of the skill sets you want to showcase and the educational background you have that provided the groundwork for these skills.

Honesty is critical in a professional resume. Don’t say you have expert skills in a variety of software programs if you only have slight exposure from one course you took years ago. Inadequate skills will soon expose you as a fraud. And honesty, as well as the mental and technical skills you might possess, is an essential component of the successful admin assistant.

When in doubt about the acceptability of the skill levels you possess, be willing to demonstrate or even offer to work a few hours to prove your worth to encourage the potential employer to make a decision in your favor. The role of the administrative assistant is a crucial one in today’s highly skilled work environment. Don’t sell yourself short. Quality administrative assistants are the glue that holds many businesses together.