Administrative assistants keep an office running, and hiring managers want proof on your resume that you can organize, communicate and stay accurate under pressure. Clear, numbered bullets show it better than a list of duties.
This page shows what a administrative assistant does and gives 20 duties you can turn into resume bullets. Use the free builder to write your own experience section, then print it or copy it.
AdvertisementAll sample bullets use example numbers. Replace them with your own true numbers, and use only duties you really did.
What a Administrative Assistant Does
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says secretaries and administrative assistants handle clerical and administrative tasks. They answer phones, schedule appointments, manage calendars and email, prepare documents and reports, keep records and greet visitors.
Most work in offices, and the largest employers are healthcare and social assistance, educational services, and professional, scientific and technical services.
20 Administrative Assistant Duties You Can Turn Into Resume Bullets
Quick jump: CommunicationSchedulingDocumentsOffice support
Communication and Front Desk Duties
Answered about 50 calls a day and routed each one to the right person within one minute.
2. Greet visitors and clients
Greeted about 20 visitors a day and kept the front area professional and welcoming.
3. Manage email and correspondence
Sorted and answered about 80 emails a day and flagged urgent messages for managers.
4. Handle incoming and outgoing mail
Sorted, logged and sent about 40 pieces of mail and packages a day with no lost items in 12 months.
5. Answer staff and client questions
Answered about 15 staff and client phone calls and emails a day with clear, friendly replies.
Scheduling and Planning Duties
Scheduled about 25 meetings a week across 6 calendars with no double bookings.
7. Manage calendars
Managed calendars for 5 managers and updated changes the same day.
8. Book travel and arrange events
Booked travel for 12 trips a year and set up 8 office events on budget.
9. Prepare meeting rooms and agendas
Prepared agendas and rooms for about 10 meetings a week and sent notes within one day.
10. Coordinate deadlines and reminders
Tracked about 30 deadlines a month in a shared calendar and sent email reminders so projects stayed on time.
Documents and Records Duties
Prepared and proofread about 20 reports, letters and memos a week with fewer than 2 errors a month.
12. Maintain files and records
Organized paper and digital files for 3 departments and cut search time by 30%.
13. Enter and update data
Entered and checked about 100 records a week with 99% accuracy.
14. Create spreadsheets and presentations
Built spreadsheets and slides for 4 monthly meetings that managers used right away.
15. Handle confidential information
Protected confidential files for 3 departments and followed company privacy rules with 0 breaches in 12 months.
Office Support Duties
Ordered and tracked supplies for a 40-person office and kept spending within budget.
17. Process invoices and expense reports
Processed about 40 invoices and expense reports a month on time.
18. Support managers and team members
Supported a team of 10 with calendar management, data entry and urgent requests each day.
19. Train new staff on office systems
Trained 6 new hires on office software and procedures.
20. Improve office processes
Created a simple filing checklist that cut missing documents by 25%.
Free Administrative Assistant Experience Builder
Step 1. What is your job level?
Step 2. Which type of office did you work in?
Step 3. Tap the duties you really did. Five bullets is plenty.
Step 4. Click any text in the box and type to make it yours.
Replace the job title, employer, city, dates and every number with your own true details. Remove any bullet you cannot explain in an interview.
Experience
Administrative Assistant (Part Time) | 2025 to present
Administrative Assistant | 2022 to present
Senior Administrative Assistant | 2018 to present
Hollisford Family Medical Group, Columbus, OH
Larkmoor Community College, Columbus, OH
Fernwick Office Solutions, Columbus, OH
- Answered about 50 calls a day and routed each one within one minute
- Greeted about 20 visitors a day and kept the front area professional
- Sorted and answered about 80 emails a day and flagged urgent messages
- Scheduled about 25 meetings a week across 6 calendars with no double bookings
- Managed calendars for 5 managers and updated changes the same day
- Booked travel for 12 trips a year and set up 8 office events on budget
- Prepared and proofread about 20 reports and letters a week with few errors
- Organized files for 3 departments and cut search time by 30%
- Entered and checked about 100 records a week with 99% accuracy
- Ordered and tracked supplies for a 40-person office within budget
- Supported a team of 10 with daily tasks and urgent requests
- Trained 6 new hires on office software and procedures
To save your experience section: press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF. Only the box prints. To copy it, select the text inside the box and press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C.
How to Use a Job Description on Your Resume
- Read the posting. Mark the duties it repeats.
- Pick your matching duties. Choose only the ones you really did.
- Match the posting’s keywords. Use its exact tool and duty words when they are true for you.
- Start with an action verb. Strong verbs make each bullet clear.
- Add a number or result. Count people, tasks, items or shifts.
- Put the best match first. Keep five or six bullets for each job.
Action Verbs for Administrative Assistant Duties
| Duty | Action verbs to use |
|---|---|
| Communication | Answered, greeted, drafted, responded, relayed |
| Scheduling | Scheduled, coordinated, arranged, booked, confirmed |
| Documents | Prepared, formatted, proofread, edited, filed |
| Records | Entered, tracked, updated, organized, verified |
| Office support | Ordered, processed, supported, maintained, streamlined |
| Teamwork | Trained, assisted, collaborated, supported, led |
Administrative Assistant Skills for a Resume
| Type | Skills for a administrative assistant resume |
|---|---|
| Communication skills | Phone etiquette, professional email, active listening, customer service |
| Organization skills | Scheduling, calendar management, filing, time management, attention to detail |
| Software skills | Word processing, spreadsheets, email and calendar tools, data entry |
| Office skills | Document preparation, records, supplies, invoices, travel booking |
| Work habits | Reliability, discretion, teamwork, flexibility, problem-solving |
ATS-Friendly Keywords for a Administrative Assistant Resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) store resumes and let recruiters search them by words. Use the exact words from the job posting when they are true for you. The terms below come from the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET OnLine list for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants and from words often seen in postings.
| Keyword type | Terms to use when they are true for you |
|---|---|
| Skills | Active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing, monitoring, time management, coordination |
| Tools and systems | Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Adobe Acrobat, Notion, ClickUp, Slack, Calendly, Concur, DocuSign. |
| Duty phrases | Answer phones and take messages; greet visitors; enter information into databases; set up and manage filing systems; schedule and confirm appointments; operate office equipment; manage email |
| Knowledge areas | Administrative, English language, computers and electronics, customer and personal service |
| Common in postings | Calendar management, travel arrangements, data entry, record keeping, meeting minutes, confidentiality |
- Put keywords in your bullets. Use them in your experience and Skills sections, not in hidden text.
- Spell out short forms once. Write out customer relationship management (CRM) or Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) the first time, then use the short form.
- Match the posting. Copy the exact tool and duty words from the job ad, but only if you really used them.
Source: O*NET OnLine, 43-6014.00 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants.
Administrative Assistant Job Facts
| Fact (BLS, secretaries and administrative assistants) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $48,310 a year ($23.23 an hour) |
| Lowest 10% earned less than | $35,360 a year |
| Highest 10% earned more than | $77,720 a year |
| Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 | Decline of 2% |
| Openings each year, on average | About 314,400 |
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training | Most workers learn their duties over a few weeks |
| Largest employers | Healthcare and social assistance (32%), educational services (13%), professional, scientific and technical services (11%) |
These are national figures, and pay varies by employer, state and local rules.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Copying a job ad. Write your own bullets from your own work.
- Listing duties only. Add a number or a result to each bullet.
- Listing too many duties. Choose the five or six that match the job.
- Using vague words. Replace helped with a clear verb and a count.
- Making up numbers. Use only numbers you can explain in an interview.
- Typos. Proofread your resume twice before you send it.
Resume Bullet Checklist
Tick each item as you finish. You are ready to use your bullets when the counter reaches 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn a job description into resume bullets?
Pick the duties you really did. Start each bullet with an action verb, name the task and add a number or result.
Should I copy a job description onto my resume?
No. Use it as a guide for words and ideas, then write your own true bullets. Employers want to see what you did and what happened as a result.
What does an administrative assistant do every day?
Daily tasks typically include answering phones, scheduling meetings, managing calendars, preparing documents, filing and greeting visitors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists answering telephones, scheduling appointments, preparing memos and reports, maintaining databases and filing systems, and basic bookkeeping.
What skills are essential for an administrative assistant?
Microsoft Office or similar software, written and spoken communication, organization and time management, attention to detail, multitasking, problem-solving and a customer-focused attitude.
What education do I need to become an administrative assistant?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education, and most workers learn their duties over a few weeks. Many employers prefer post-secondary education or related experience.
How much do administrative assistants earn?
BLS reports a median pay of $48,310 a year, or $23.23 an hour, for secretaries and administrative assistants in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,360 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $77,720. Pay varies by state, employer and experience.
What is the job outlook for administrative assistants?
BLS projects employment of secretaries and administrative assistants to decline 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 314,400 openings each year from workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Strong software skills and versatility help candidates stand out.
Where do administrative assistants work?
Mostly in offices. BLS says the largest employers are healthcare and social assistance (32 percent), educational services (13 percent) and professional, scientific and technical services (11 percent).
What tools do administrative assistants commonly use?
Microsoft Office, email and calendar programs such as Outlook or Gmail, project tools such as Asana or Trello, and customer relationship management systems.
How important is customer service in this role?
Very important. Administrative assistants are often the first point of contact for clients and visitors, so a professional, helpful manner matters.
Conclusion
A job description is a good guide, but your resume needs your own proof. Pick the duties you really did, add numbers and results, and put the best matches first. Then use the builder above to write yours.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (May 2025 wages; 2025 employment shares; 2025 to 2035 outlook). Sample bullets, numbers and employer names are fictional examples. Rules and pay vary by state and employer.