How To Write a Personal Assistant Resume
As a personal assistant, you support executives, entrepreneurs, and others who need help maintaining order and efficiency. Your resume should demonstrate this ability to manage daily responsibilities and empower employers by giving them the space and time to grow their businesses.
This guide will equip you with expert strategies to craft a strong personal assistant resume. You’ll learn how to highlight what makes you unique as an administrative professional by featuring the most impressive and relevant aspects of your career.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Craft an outstanding profile with a summary of your personal assistant qualifications
Intrigue readers with a brief paragraph describing why you’re the right fit for the job. In the first sentence, establish your experience level by mentioning your job title and number of years in the role. Then, list a few key specializations that show you’re in alignment with the job requirements.
Technology will only continue to be part of a personal assistant’s toolbox with software programs and platforms that streamline administrative tasks, organize schedules or store data. If you’ve earned certifications related to specific management tools or have in-depth experience with them, consider including that in your profile. If you’re proficient in multiple languages, state that as well.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Personal Assistant with 12+ years of experience supporting entrepreneurs and C-suite executives. Well-rounded skillset includes editing, proofreading, calendar management, and client communications. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Personal Assistant who successfully served 5 professional athletes and an “A-list” actor in the last 3 years. Skilled at creating and monitoring content on celebrity pages (HootSuite Social Marketing Certified). Offer above-average typing speed (95 WPM). Recommended by Simone Biles (US Olympic gymnast), Alex Bregman (Houston Astros), and more.
2. Showcase your personal assistant experience
Focus on your accomplishments instead of daily duties to make the biggest impact with your professional experience section. As much as you can, describe relevant career achievements that show the value you can bring to employers. Use numbers to illustrate the kinds of results you achieve. How many appointments did you schedule each week? Did you save money or automate simple tasks?
Personal assistants act as the gatekeepers of their employer’s time and attention. Make a point to describe how you manage communications, filter messages, and protect them from anything that isn’t of utmost importance. Discuss how you’ve made your employers’ jobs easier in the past by introducing new practices or protocols.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Personal/Executive Assistant, Enrique Lores (CEO Hewlett Packard, Inc.), Palo Alto, CA | May 2018 to Present
- Manage CEO’s professional and personal calendar
- Coordinate global travel for executives and corporate groups
- Develop social media content for executive, and monitor all his online accounts
- Proofread any customer-facing materials or signed internal documents
- Pick up dry cleaning weekly, and supervise housekeeping employees
- Introduced brief daily meditations that helped reduce stress levels among executive team
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Personal Assistant for A-List Celebrity, Houston, TX | August 2020 to Present
- Manage individual’s busy personal and professional calendar
- Book travel, prepare detailed itineraries, and occasionally accompany individual on trips
- Complete all basic household financials including bill pay and insurance
- Plan and arrange events and parties for the individual and their family
- Maintain utmost discretion and confidentiality at all points
3. Outline your education and personal assistant-related certifications
Once you’ve listed your highest level of education, be sure to include any relevant administrative or industry-specific certifications you may have. These credentials can give you the extra boost you need to stand out from other applicants.
For instance, a general designation like Certified Administrative Professional can help you demonstrate an understanding of the ins and outs of an office setting. Or, if you want to highlight your technical proficiency, include certifications you’ve earned for platforms such as HootSuite, Canva, and Salesforce.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Month and Year]
Example
- Associate of Arts – Communication
- Lone Star Community College, Houston, TX | June 2018
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- HootSuite Social Marketing Certified, 2018
- Certified Administrative Professional, International Association of Administrative Professionals, 2018
4. List key skills and proficiencies for personal assistants
Include a key skills section to show the various ways you can add value as a personal assistant. Below is a list of common terms to consider for this section of your resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Budgeting | Customer service |
| Email management | Filing |
| Managing travel | Microsoft Office |
| Phone communication | Proofreading |
| Recordkeeping | Scheduling |
| Supply management | Task prioritization |
| Time management | |
How To Pick the Best Personal Assistant Resume Template
Put your organizational skills on display with a well-structured and easy-to-read resume template. Look for styles that have a clean, simple design, focusing on your most relevant accomplishments. Use one to two colors and generally avoid graphics or images. These elements are often more distracting than helpful. Hiring managers are most concerned with your resume content and should be able to scan through your document quickly.
Personal Assistant Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Dakota Watson
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | 123 Angel Fire Street, Green Bay, WI 12345
Profile
Dedicated Personal Assistant with 7+ years of experience. Successfully managed 3 executives’ calendars at Jack Watson Real Estate. Credentials include real estate license and Certified Administrative Professional designation.
Professional Experience
Personal Assistant, Beau Turner, Coldwell Banker (Regional Top Sales Performers), Green Bay, WI | August 2017 to Present
- Educate clients on basic real estate
- Complete bookkeeping tasks for the broker
- Help draft contracts and give property tours
- Walk employer’s English bulldog and border collie 3 times per week
- Monitor executive emails and screen calls
Assistant, Jack Watkins Real Estate, Madison, WI | July 2015 to August 2017
- Printed delivery of marketing materials
- Prepared market analysis to help determine property values
- Managed schedules of 3 executives
- Arranged agents’ travel to company holdings
- Ran personal errands (such as dry cleaning and grocery shopping) for 2 executives
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
Key Skills
- Client Confidentiality
- Executive Schedule Management
- Meal Preparation
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Travel Booking & Management
Certifications
- Certified Administrative Professional, International Association of Administrative Professionals | 2018
- Licensed Real Estate Agent | 2014
Frequently Asked Questions: Personal Assistant Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for personal assistant resumes?-
If you struggle to find the right words to describe past roles in your professional experience section, action verbs can help. Start each bullet point with one of these words to show how you’ve made an impact. Below, we created a list of action verbs you can use on your personal assistant resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Adapted | Answered |
| Assisted | Coordinated |
| Executed | Facilitated |
| Maintained | Negotiated |
| Organized | Oversaw |
| Planned | Prepared |
| Ran | Recorded |
| Researched | Responded |
| Scheduled | Screened |
| Streamlined | Wrote |
How do you align your resume with a personal assistant job posting?-
Employment for personal assistants is expected to decline by 10% between 2022 and 2032. That’s an approximate loss of 332,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This may be due in part to technology improvements, such as savvy scheduling and communications apps.
With a shrinking job market, aspiring personal assistants need to stand out from other applicants now more than ever. You can do this by aligning your resume with the job posting. This strategy gives you the best chance of connecting with employers.
For example, if you’re applying for a virtual assistant role, you would highlight the skills and qualifications specifically related to this position. Instead of talking about your in-office experience, focus on your ability to work remotely and communicate digitally. Show you’re familiar with managing virtual meetings and cloud-based collaboration tools.
What is the best personal assistant resume format?-
Most personal assistants should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section, and the functional format’s profile section. (The resume examples on this page all use combination format.)
By fusing these two features, a combination resume offers the best of both worlds. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you showcase your career highlights at the top, regardless if they’re from that work history or another part of your background. As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format, you give employers the best possible view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.
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