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Create ResumeA strong UK admin assistant CV needs to prove one thing quickly: you can keep an office, team, manager, or department running without creating extra work for everyone else. Recruiters are not just looking for “good communication skills” or “attention to detail”. They are looking for evidence that you can manage diaries, handle documents, respond professionally, use systems confidently, prioritise tasks, support stakeholders, and stay calm when everything is apparently “urgent”, which in admin usually means five people have all decided their problem is the emergency of the day.
Your CV should be clear, structured, accurate, and easy to scan. For admin roles, the CV itself is part of the evidence. If it is messy, vague, overdesigned, or full of small errors, recruiters will quietly assume that your work may be the same.
An admin assistant CV should show that you are reliable, organised, accurate, professional, and able to support day to day business operations. That sounds obvious, but most admin CVs fail because they describe duties rather than showing competence.
A recruiter is usually asking:
Can this person manage competing tasks without being chased constantly?
Can they communicate professionally with internal teams, customers, suppliers, or senior staff?
Can they use office systems, databases, spreadsheets, calendars, and document tools properly?
Will they protect confidentiality and handle information sensibly?
Are they accurate enough for admin work where small mistakes create bigger problems?
Can they fit into a busy office or team without needing weeks of hand holding?
This is where many candidates misunderstand admin roles. They think admin is seen as “basic”. In reality, good admin support is often what stops a business from becoming chaotic. Hiring managers know this. They are looking for someone who can make work easier, cleaner, faster, and less painful.
For most UK admin assistant roles, use a clean reverse chronological CV. That means your most recent experience appears first, followed by earlier roles. Recruiters prefer this because it lets them quickly understand your recent responsibilities, workplace level, and career direction.
Your admin assistant CV should usually include:
Name and contact details
Professional profile
Key skills
Work experience
Education and qualifications
Technical skills
Optional additional sections if genuinely useful
Keep the design simple. Admin roles reward clarity. This is not the place for heavy graphics, unusual columns, icons, photos, or decorative layouts. Applicant tracking systems can struggle with overdesigned CVs, and recruiters do not need visual entertainment. They need fast evidence.
Your CV needs to position you as a practical operator, not just someone who has “done admin tasks”.
A good admin CV should feel controlled. Clear headings. Consistent spacing. No spelling mistakes. No random font changes. No unexplained gaps if they are obvious. No paragraph that looks like it was written at midnight after losing patience with Microsoft Word.
For UK admin assistant roles, two pages is normally fine if you have relevant experience. One page can work for entry level candidates, school leavers, graduates, or career changers with limited work history. Do not force a two page CV if the second page is just filler, old irrelevant roles, or a lonely “References available on request” sitting there looking abandoned.
When I screen an admin assistant CV, I do not read it slowly from top to bottom at first. I scan for signals. Most recruiters do the same, especially when there are dozens or hundreds of applications.
The first things I notice are:
Recent job titles
Type of organisation or sector
Length of time in each role
Level of admin responsibility
Software and systems used
Quality of written communication
Evidence of diary management, document control, data entry, customer service, or office support
Whether the CV is neat, accurate, and easy to follow
The uncomfortable truth is that your CV is being judged before every sentence is read. In admin recruitment, presentation matters because the job requires presentation standards. A candidate applying for an admin assistant role with inconsistent formatting, vague wording, and typos is giving the recruiter a reason to hesitate.
That does not mean your CV needs to be perfect in a robotic way. It means it needs to look like you took care with it. Admin hiring is full of small trust signals.
Your personal profile should be short, specific, and practical. It should tell the recruiter what kind of admin support you offer and where your strengths sit.
Avoid profiles that sound like this:
Weak Example
I am a hardworking and motivated individual with excellent communication skills. I work well independently and as part of a team. I am looking for an opportunity where I can develop my skills and contribute to a successful company.
This says almost nothing. I see versions of this constantly. The problem is not that it is badly intentioned. The problem is that it could belong to almost anyone applying for almost any job.
A stronger admin assistant profile is more specific:
Good Example
Organised and detail focused Admin Assistant with experience supporting busy office teams across diary management, document preparation, data entry, inbox management, and customer communication. Confident using Microsoft Office, maintaining accurate records, coordinating meetings, and handling confidential information professionally. Known for staying calm under pressure, prioritising competing tasks, and keeping day to day operations running smoothly.
This works because it gives the recruiter actual screening evidence. It mentions the work admin assistants do, the tools they use, and the behaviours employers want.
Your profile should answer:
What type of admin experience do you have?
What tasks can you handle confidently?
What systems or tools do you use?
What working style will the employer get from you?
What kind of environment can you support?
Do not overdo personality claims. Saying you are “friendly” is fine if the role is people facing, but admin hiring is more about reliability, accuracy, responsiveness, and judgement. Warmth helps. Competence gets shortlisted.
Your skills section should be tailored to the job description. Do not throw in every possible office skill and hope something sticks. Recruiters can tell when a CV has been padded.
Strong admin assistant CV skills usually include:
Diary and calendar management
Inbox management
Meeting coordination
Minute taking
Document preparation
Data entry and record maintenance
Customer service
Telephone and email communication
Filing and document control
Travel booking
Purchase order support
Invoice processing support
Database management
Office coordination
Confidential information handling
Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
CRM or internal system use
Prioritisation and workload management
Stakeholder support
Attention to detail
Problem solving
Professional communication
The key is not just listing skills. The strongest CVs prove them in the work experience section.
For example, “diary management” in a skills list is useful. But this is stronger in experience:
Good Example
Managed calendars for two senior managers, coordinating internal meetings, client calls, room bookings, travel arrangements, and follow up actions.
That sentence tells me more than a generic skills list ever could.
Your work experience section is where most of the hiring decision happens. This is where recruiters judge whether you have done similar work, in a similar environment, at a similar level of complexity.
For each role, include:
Job title
Company name
Location
Employment dates
Short description of the environment if helpful
Bullet points showing responsibilities, tools, scope, and results
Your bullet points should not read like a job description copied from the internet. They should show what you actually handled.
Weak Example
Responsible for admin duties
Answered phones
Worked with emails
Helped the team
Used Microsoft Office
This is too vague. It gives the recruiter no sense of volume, context, ownership, or quality.
Good Example
Provided daily administrative support to a team of 18, managing shared inbox queries, scheduling meetings, preparing documents, and maintaining accurate digital records
Updated customer and supplier records in the internal CRM, ensuring contact details, order notes, and correspondence were accurate and up to date
Coordinated meeting rooms, agendas, refreshments, and follow up notes for weekly management meetings
Handled incoming calls and emails professionally, redirecting queries, resolving routine issues, and escalating urgent matters when required
Supported invoice tracking, purchase order administration, and basic spreadsheet reporting for the operations team
This gives me something real to assess. It shows team size, systems, communication, records, meetings, and support responsibilities.
Admin CVs become much stronger when they include scale. Recruiters want to understand the size and pace of your work.
Useful details include:
Number of people supported
Number of meetings coordinated weekly
Type of inbox managed
Volume of calls or queries handled
Size of database maintained
Departments supported
Types of documents produced
Systems used
Seniority of stakeholders supported
You do not need numbers everywhere. But a few practical details help the recruiter picture your work.
Good Example
Supported a regional sales team of 25 by maintaining customer records, coordinating weekly pipeline meetings, preparing sales documents, and managing shared inbox queries.
That tells a clearer story than “provided administrative support to the sales team”.
Every admin CV says attention to detail. Recruiters expect it. The stronger approach is to show where accuracy mattered.
Good Example
Maintained employee records, absence logs, onboarding documents, and compliance files, ensuring information was accurate, confidential, and available for HR reporting.
This shows detail, confidentiality, and business impact. Much stronger than “excellent attention to detail”.
Admin work is often busy, but being busy is not the same as being effective. Hiring managers want someone who can prioritise.
Good Example
Managed competing requests from finance, operations, and customer service teams, prioritising urgent deadlines while keeping routine administration moving.
This tells me you understand real office dynamics. It also subtly says you will not fall apart when three people ask for something at once.
Below is a full UK admin assistant CV example. Use it as a structure and quality benchmark, not as something to copy word for word. A copied CV usually sounds copied. Recruiters notice when a candidate suddenly writes like a polished corporate brochure in one section and like a normal human everywhere else.
Name
Sophie Bennett
Contact Details
Birmingham, UK
07700 900000
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sophiebennett
Professional Profile
Organised and reliable Admin Assistant with experience supporting office operations, customer communication, diary coordination, document preparation, and accurate record keeping. Confident using Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, and CRM systems to manage information, update records, coordinate meetings, and support busy teams. Known for calm communication, strong attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise competing tasks without losing sight of deadlines or service standards.
Key Skills
Office administration
Diary and inbox management
Meeting coordination
Data entry and database updates
Document preparation
Customer and supplier communication
Record keeping and filing
Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
CRM systems
Purchase order and invoice administration support
Confidential information handling
Telephone and email communication
Team support
Workload prioritisation
Work Experience
Admin Assistant, Westbrook Facilities Services, Birmingham
March 2022 to Present
Provide administrative support to the operations and customer service teams, helping manage daily office processes, incoming queries, documentation, and internal coordination
Manage a shared inbox, responding to routine customer and supplier queries, redirecting requests, and escalating urgent issues to the relevant manager
Maintain accurate client records, service updates, and supplier details in the company CRM, ensuring information is current and easy for teams to access
Coordinate internal meetings, prepare agendas, book meeting rooms, take notes, and circulate follow up actions
Support invoice and purchase order administration by checking details, updating trackers, and liaising with the finance team where information is missing
Prepare letters, reports, spreadsheets, and operational documents using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint
Handle confidential customer and contract information professionally, following internal data protection procedures
Reception Administrator, Greenfield Medical Practice, Coventry
June 2020 to February 2022
Supported front desk and back office administration in a busy GP practice, handling patient queries, appointment bookings, records updates, and document scanning
Answered high volume telephone calls, responding calmly and professionally while signposting patients to the appropriate service or clinician
Updated patient records accurately using the internal clinical system, ensuring notes, contact details, and appointment information were recorded correctly
Managed incoming and outgoing correspondence, including referral letters, test result notifications, and internal messages
Supported appointment scheduling for doctors, nurses, and clinics, balancing patient needs with daily capacity
Handled sensitive patient information with discretion, following confidentiality and data protection requirements
Worked closely with reception colleagues, clinicians, and practice management to resolve queries and maintain smooth daily operations
Customer Service Assistant, Marks & Spencer, Coventry
September 2018 to May 2020
Delivered customer service in a busy retail environment, handling queries, resolving routine complaints, processing transactions, and supporting stock administration
Developed strong communication, organisation, and problem solving skills while working under pressure during peak trading periods
Completed till checks, stock updates, returns processing, and basic administrative tasks accurately
Supported colleagues and supervisors with daily operational tasks, shift handovers, and customer follow up where required
Education
Level 3 Business Administration Diploma, Coventry College
2017 to 2018
GCSEs, Coventry High School
2012 to 2017
Including English and Maths
Technical Skills
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint
SharePoint
CRM systems
Data entry
Digital filing
Appointment booking systems
Additional Information
Available on one month’s notice. References available on request.
Tailoring your CV does not mean rewriting the whole thing every time. It means matching your strongest relevant evidence to the role in front of you.
Start by reading the job advert properly. Not the quick skim people do while half watching something on Netflix. Actually read it.
Look for repeated themes. If the advert mentions diary management, meeting coordination, Microsoft Excel, customer queries, and document control, those should appear naturally in your CV if you genuinely have that experience.
Recruiters often compare your CV against the job advert in a very practical way. They are asking, “Can I see enough overlap to justify a shortlist?”
That does not mean every requirement needs to be a perfect match. Most job adverts are wish lists dressed up as requirements. But your CV should make the relevant match obvious.
When an admin job advert says “fast paced environment”, it often means you will deal with interruptions, changing priorities, and people who need things quickly.
When it says “strong communication skills”, it usually means you will need to write clear emails, answer queries, handle calls, and not accidentally create confusion because your messages are vague.
When it says “excellent attention to detail”, it means errors will be noticed. Names, dates, files, invoices, records, meeting notes, and contact details need to be right.
When it says “proactive”, it often means the manager does not want to explain every single next step. They want someone who can notice what needs doing, follow up sensibly, and ask good questions when needed.
When it says “team player”, it usually means you will support multiple people who may not always plan ahead. Admin assistants often become the person who brings order to everyone else’s disorganisation. Glamorous? Not always. Valuable? Absolutely.
The most common admin assistant CV mistakes are not dramatic. They are small things that slowly weaken trust.
Many candidates list responsibilities but give no sense of quality, scope, or impact.
Weak Example
Carried out general office admin.
Good Example
Supported daily office administration for a team of 12, including inbox management, meeting coordination, document preparation, supplier records, and internal reporting trackers.
The second version gives the recruiter something to evaluate.
If your CV could be sent to an admin assistant role, receptionist role, customer service role, sales assistant role, and office manager role without changing anything, it is probably too generic.
Recruiters are not looking for a general “hard worker”. They are looking for someone who fits the role.
A skills section with 30 skills does not make you look more qualified. It makes the recruiter work harder. Choose the skills most relevant to the specific admin assistant role.
For admin roles, systems matter. Mention Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, databases, CRM tools, booking systems, SharePoint, Teams, or any relevant internal platforms you have used.
You do not need to be an Excel wizard unless the job requires it. But if you can maintain spreadsheets, filter data, update trackers, and use basic formulas, say so clearly.
Phrases like “enthusiastic individual”, “excellent team player”, and “hardworking professional” are not wrong, but they are weak when unsupported.
Better CVs prove these traits through work examples. Calm under pressure? Show where. Organised? Show what you organised. Reliable? Show ownership, deadlines, attendance, handovers, or responsibility.
A typo on any CV is not ideal. A typo on an admin CV is more damaging because accuracy is part of the job.
Before sending your CV, check:
Spelling
Dates
Job titles
Formatting
Bullet point consistency
Contact details
Tense consistency
File name
Whether the CV matches the role you are applying for
A file named “New CV final final actually final version 7” is not a crime, but maybe do not send that to the employer.
Keywords matter because recruiters and applicant tracking systems use them to identify relevant experience. But keyword stuffing is not the answer. Your CV still needs to read like a human wrote it.
Useful admin assistant CV keywords include:
Administrative support
Office administration
Diary management
Calendar management
Inbox management
Meeting coordination
Minute taking
Data entry
Record keeping
Document control
Filing
Customer service
Supplier communication
Stakeholder communication
Purchase orders
Invoice support
Database management
CRM
Microsoft Office
Excel
Outlook
SharePoint
Teams
Confidential information
Compliance administration
Reporting
Scheduling
Reception support
Travel arrangements
Office coordination
Use the keywords that genuinely match your experience and the vacancy. The strongest place to use them is inside specific work experience bullet points, not just in a keyword list.
For example:
Good Example
Maintained accurate supplier records in the CRM, updating contact details, contract documents, invoice notes, and service history for the operations team.
This naturally includes CRM, records, documents, invoices, and operations support. It is readable and keyword rich without sounding ridiculous.
If you are applying for an entry level admin assistant role, you may not have direct admin experience yet. That is fine. You still need to prove transferable admin potential.
Relevant experience can come from:
Retail
Hospitality
Customer service
Reception work
Volunteering
College or university projects
Work placements
Internships
Family business support
Community roles
Part time jobs
Recruiters will look for transferable evidence such as:
Handling customers professionally
Using email or booking systems
Taking calls
Managing transactions
Updating records
Working to deadlines
Organising rotas, stock, files, events, or appointments
Following procedures
Handling confidential or sensitive information
The mistake entry level candidates make is apologising for not having experience. Do not do that. Position what you do have.
Weak Example
I do not have admin experience yet, but I am willing to learn.
Good Example
Customer focused professional with experience handling high volume enquiries, maintaining accurate records, processing transactions, and supporting daily team operations. Confident using Microsoft Office and quick to learn new systems, with strong organisation, communication, and attention to detail.
That sounds like someone who can move into admin.
If you are moving into admin from another field, your CV needs to translate your previous experience into admin language.
Do not expect the recruiter to do that work for you. They might understand the connection, but they may not have time to dig for it.
For example, if you worked in retail, hospitality, care, teaching support, warehouse coordination, or customer service, you may already have strong admin related skills.
Relevant transferable responsibilities might include:
Updating records
Managing bookings
Handling customer information
Coordinating schedules
Preparing documents
Communicating with suppliers or customers
Processing orders
Supporting managers
Managing complaints
Following compliance procedures
Maintaining spreadsheets or trackers
Handling cash, invoices, or stock records
Your CV should make the admin connection obvious.
Good Example
Instead of writing:
Write:
That sounds much closer to admin because it explains the operational support involved.
A standout admin assistant CV is not loud. It is not full of dramatic claims. It is precise, relevant, and reassuring.
The best admin CVs show:
Clear evidence of office support
Strong written communication
Good judgement around confidential information
Confidence with systems and records
Ability to manage competing priorities
Professional interaction with customers, suppliers, colleagues, and managers
Clean formatting and consistent presentation
Specific examples rather than vague claims
The hidden thing recruiters look for is trust. Can this person be trusted with information, deadlines, communication, and follow through?
Admin assistants often become the person everyone relies on. They remember what was agreed in the meeting. They know where the document is saved. They chase the missing information. They notice the date is wrong. They stop small mistakes becoming bigger problems.
Your CV should show that kind of value.
Before applying, check your CV against this practical recruiter checklist:
Does the profile clearly position you for admin assistant roles?
Are your most relevant admin skills easy to find?
Does your work experience show specific responsibilities, not just duties?
Have you included relevant systems such as Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, CRM, SharePoint, or booking systems?
Have you shown accuracy, organisation, communication, and prioritisation through examples?
Is the CV tailored to the job advert?
Is the layout clean and easy to scan?
Are dates, job titles, and formatting consistent?
Have you removed vague filler phrases?
Have you checked spelling and grammar carefully?
Is the file name professional?
Would a recruiter understand your fit within 20 seconds?
That last question matters. Recruiters do not shortlist CVs because they are impressed by effort. They shortlist CVs because the evidence is clear enough to justify moving the candidate forward.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
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