Office administration
Administrative specialist CV: example and template
This example is for administrative specialists and staff at manufacturing, service and construction companies, schools, hospitals and institutions, and for reception and customer service people who want to work in administration.
The employer wants to know which processes you are responsible for, which documents you work with, in which systems and how you keep deadlines and order. We show you how to describe this on your CV in specific terms.
How to write an administrative specialist CV
Professional summary
Write which company you work for and which administrative processes you are responsible for: documents, invoices, contracts, the fleet, purchasing. Add systems and one change you introduced, because employers look for people who organise work, not only do it. Numbers, for example the number of invoices or cars, show the scale.
Receptionist with 2 years of experience who runs correspondence, the document register and office purchasing. I know Excel and a document flow system. I am looking for work as an administrative specialist at a manufacturing company.
Experience: duties and achievements
Describe processes, documents, systems, scale and changes. Show how you keep deadlines, for example for contracts, inspections or payments. Add your work with accounting and other departments.
Weaker: Handling invoices.
Better: Registering and routing about 600 invoices a month in the ERP system.
Weaker: Improvements.
Better: Introducing electronic invoice approval, cutting approval from 10 days to 3.
Weaker: Fleet.
Better: A fleet of 35 cars: inspections, insurance, fuel cards and claims.
Skills worth listing
List processes, systems, software and types of documents. In your soft skills show accuracy, meeting deadlines and independence, because in administration a small mistake can cost the company a lot of time.
Professional skills
- Document flow
- Invoices
- Contracts
- Fleet
- Archive
- Office software and ERP
Personal skills
- Accuracy
- Meeting deadlines
- Independence
- Organisation
- Communication
Courses
List courses in Excel, ERP systems, archiving and document handling. A driving licence is useful for fleet management and errands at public offices.
Administrative specialist CV with no experience
Describe studies in administration or economics, placements and work at a reception desk or in customer service. Show the documents and software you have worked with.
Start as an office assistant or clerk. Write that you know Excel well, because it is the basic tool in administration.
Tailoring your CV to the job offer
A manufacturing company looks for invoices, purchasing and the fleet, a public institution for document flow and regulations, and a service company for client service and contracts. Move to the top what the job ad is about.
Questions and answers
What should an administrative specialist put on a CV?
Processes, documents, invoices, contracts, the fleet, the archive, systems, scale, improvements and courses.
Which software should an administrative specialist know?
Most often Excel, Word, a document flow system and the company's ERP system.
Can you work in administration with no experience?
Yes, as an office assistant or clerk. On your CV show accuracy and the software you know.
How does an administrative specialist differ from an office manager?
A specialist runs selected processes, while an office manager is responsible for the whole office, budget and suppliers.