Are you looking to land your next Executive Assistant (EA) position? Then, you will need to craft a strong CV. Your CV is often the first impression you make on prospective employers, so it must effectively highlight your abilities, career background, and fit for the position.
In this article, co-written with Liza Griffen, we’ll guide you through the process of writing an impressive Executive Assistant CV, helping you differentiate yourself from the competition for Executive Assistant roles. Liza is co-founder of Tyler Griffen – a specialist recruiter for EA, PA, and admin roles.
Executive Assistant job description
Before you start writing your CV, it’s important to understand the Executive Assistant role and its typical job description.
An Executive Assistant supports high-level executives by managing their schedules, handling correspondence, and performing administrative tasks. In modern businesses, they also take on a wider role in supporting the strategic-level work of senior leaders and overseeing projects.
Key responsibilities often include:
- Coordinating meetings and appointments: An Executive Assistant ensures the smooth scheduling of meetings, taking into account the busy calendars of top executives. This involves arranging suitable times, sending out invitations, and ensuring all necessary materials are prepared in advance.
- Managing emails and communication: Executive Assistants handle the influx of emails and other communications, prioritising and responding on behalf of executives. They must be adept at drafting and editing correspondence to maintain a professional tone and speak in the ‘voice’ of the business leadership.
- Preparing reports and presentations: Creating detailed reports and presentations is a key task. This requires strong research skills and the ability to present data clearly.
- Leading on change management and technology adoption.
- Managing significant procurement. They may also provide research to support key strategic decisions.
- Managing internal communications. This could include maintaining awareness of business issues and encouraging staff engagement.
- Budgeting and financial management.
Understanding these responsibilities will help you tailor your CV to highlight the relevant skills and experiences that employers seek in an Executive Assistant.
Structuring your Executive Assistant CV
A well-structured CV makes it easy for hiring managers to find the information they need quickly. Follow this structure to ensure your CV is clear and professional:
Contact information: Provide your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile. Make sure your email address is professional and contains no typos.
Professional summary: Provide a brief overview of your qualifications, skillset, and anything that qualifies you for the role. This should be tailored to the specific role you’re applying for. The Person Specification should guide you in what to include.
Essential skills and competencies: Highlight the skills that are most relevant to the Executive Assistant role. This can include both hard skills (like proficiency in office software) and soft skills (like communication and organisation). Both are equally valuable – the exact balance of skills being driven by the Person Specification.
Work experience: Outline your prior positions, responsibilities, and any achievements. Using bullet points here will make this section easy for recruiters to scan.
Education and training: Detail your academic qualifications and any relevant certifications. Include the institution, course title, level (if it’s accredited), and any useful details like subjects or modules. You can include any other training that you have done that doesn’t come with a certification. Short courses and self-directed learning are worth including if they have developed skills suited to the role.
Additional information: This can include spoken languages, professional memberships, or any other relevant information. Try not to call the section ‘additional information’ though, because this deemphasises its importance. It may belong in the education or work sections or a specific new section.
By following this structure, you ensure your CV is easy to navigate and contains all the necessary information in a logical order.
Highlighting key skills and competencies
An Executive Assistant needs a diverse skill set to handle various tasks efficiently. It is likely that you will want to emphasise these abilities on your CV:
Time management: Demonstrate your ability to keep to deadlines and manage multiple tasks. Mention specific tools or methods you use to stay organised.
Communication skills: Emphasise your proficiency in both written and verbal communication. Provide examples of how you’ve successfully managed communication in previous roles.
Attention to detail: Show your meticulousness in handling tasks and information. Highlight situations in which your attention to detail prevented mistakes or improved outcomes.
Problem-solving: Illustrate your ability to handle unexpected challenges. Describe specific instances that show you have successfully resolved issues.
Technical proficiency: Note your proficiency with office programs and applications. Include Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, project management tools like Asana or Trello, and CRM systems.
Interpersonal skills: An Executive Assistant interacts with a variety of stakeholders. Touch upon your ability to build relationships and work effectively with others.
Discretion and confidentiality: Given the sensitive nature of the role, underscore your ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
You can list these skills using bullet points, ensuring they are easy to read and stand out to hiring managers. Always give a brief example, rather than just name-checking the skill.
Detailing your work experience
In your work experience section, provide a detailed account of your previous roles and achievements. Use the following format for each position:
- Job title: Clearly state your role.
- Company name and (optionally) location: You may want to show your experience in a relevant place or your cross-cultural experience.
- Dates of employment: Mention the period you worked there.
- Responsibilities and achievements: Outline your main responsibilities and then list your most notable achievements.
When detailing your work experience, use action verbs (like ‘managed’, ‘led’, or ‘coordinated’) and quantify achievements where possible. This will make your CV more compelling and highlight your impact in previous roles.
Showing your education and certifications
Education and certifications can enhance your CV by showcasing evidence of your suitability for the role. List your education in order of relevance (often this means the highest level of qualification first), including:
Qualification: Specify the name and the level.
Institution: Name the university, college, or school (optional).
Additionally, include any certifications relevant to the Executive Assistant role, such as:
- Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)
- Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
- Executive Assistant Diploma
For example:
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), University of Leeds
Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), International Association of Administrative Professionals, April 2017
Finalising and proofreading your CV
After drafting your CV, take the time to review and refine it. Ensure that the content is:
- Clear and concise: Avoid unnecessary jargon and keep sentences straightforward.
- Without grammatical errors and typos: Use tools like Grammarly and ask a loved one to proofread.
- Clearly formatted and easy to read: Use a clean, professional font and consistent formatting.
Consider the following tips when finalising your CV:
- Tailor your CV: Customise your CV for each job you apply for, highlighting the most relevant skills and experiences.
- Keep it updated: Regularly update your CV with new skills, experiences, and achievements.
Take the next step in your career as an EA
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, consider seeking professional help to perfect your CV. Enhance your Executive Assistant CV today by contacting Graeme Jordan for a professional consultation and CV based on your career achievements.
Once you have your EA CV perfected, you might want to check out Tyler Griffen’s’ EA job board for the latest vacancies.
About the Authors
Liza Griffen is co-founder of Tyler Griffen, a boutique EA, PA, and administrative recruitment agency in London. Over the years, Tyler Griffen has built many long-term relationships with clients across all sectors, a testament to their determination, integrity, and outstanding success rates.
Graeme Jordan is a CV and job application consultant, business leader, and Chartered Marketer. For more than 12 years he has been consulting clients and writing effective CVs and job applications for jobs at all levels internationally.