How to Build a Resume (Resume Writing Guide 101)
Quick resume guide with resume templates, resume examples, and expert tips on how to write a resume fast.
You can bend time and get it all done for clients in short order. But new clients won’t know that unless you prove your PA skills fast. Use this personal assistant resume sample.
Bad news.
Dozens of personal assistant resumes stand between you and that dream job.
You almost need your own PA to get hired.
It’s rough! But this is not your first rodeo.
Show the right parts of your past, and they’ll see your value.
In this guide:
Create a job-winning resume with little effort. Hack your way through ATS software with our 18 beautiful templates—give our builder a try!
Create my resume now
Ellie Curbelo
Personal Assistant
Personal Info
Phone: 215-600-8428
E-mail: elliezcurbelo@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/elliezcurbelo
twitter.com/elliezcurbelo
Summary
Energetic personal assistant with 5+ years of experience. Seeking to save time and stress for Randall Keems Inc. For Shannon Knerl, saved 25+ hours per week on accounting, research, scheduling, and communication tasks. Through marketing and client outreach, drew in 5+ new business leads per week. Saved 20% on travel costs.
Experience
Personal Assistant
Shannon Knerl Inc.
2015–2019
Office Clerk
Kirtley Products, Inc.
2014–2015
Education
University of Pennsylvania
2010–2014
Membership
International Association of Professional Personal Assistants
Courses
Languages
Hard Skills: Accounting, file-sharing systems, typing 100 WPM, online research
Soft Skills: Time management, interpersonal skills, organization, problem solving
Are you a different kind of assistant? Looking for a different office job? See our guides:
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our resume examples for any job.
Here’s how to write a personal assistant resume that works:
You wouldn’t wear a tank top to a job interview.
So—
Don’t use shoddy resume formatting.
Start with the reverse-chronological resume format.
Then flesh it out with these tips:
Expert Hint: The average personal assistant makes $15 per hour. The lucky ones make almost twice that. Make your own luck. Format your personal assistant resume correctly.
How can I say this?
They won’t read your personal assistant resume carefully.
They’ll glance through it, looking for something to care about.
So give them something.
Up top, write a career objective or career summary.
That’s a quick brief of why your career should matter to them.
Include:
But—write it last to save hours of head-scratching.
These personal assistant resume examples show how:
Take another look.
Both samples say the same things.
But the second blows it on the details.
Now—
Even a personal assistant resume with no experience needs some kind of proof.
Again.
The second of those entry-level personal assistant resume examples sounds like the first. Except—
Without numbers and specifics, no one will believe it.
Expert Hint: Networking is job search gold, but how to do it? Join an association like IAPO. Other PAs you meet will refer new clients to you when they’re busy.
This is the best part.
Most personal assistant resumes will mention skills.
Not you.
You’ll turn heads by proving them.
To write a personal assistant job description for resumes:
Handle it like the first of these personal assistant resume samples:
Say the job ad wants these personal assistant skills: accounting, online research, client outreach, travel arrangements.
Experience
Personal Assistant
Shannon Knerl Inc.
2015–2019
See?
The first of those personal assistant resume examples has accounting, research, outreach, and travel.
Then it shows how well you used those things.
Now what if you need an entry-level resume?
Pretend the job ad wants these personal assistant skills: triaging emails, research, handling repetitive tasks.
Office Clerk
Kirtley Products, Inc.
2014–2015
Office Clerk
Kirtley Products, Inc.
2014–2015
Wow.
One job can make two very different resumes.
Use these personal assistant resume skills to get you up to speed:
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
File-Sharing Platforms | Interpersonal Skills |
Creating Reports | Communication |
Accounting | Collaboration |
Research | Active Listening |
Typing 100 WPM | Problem Solving |
Travel Arrangements | Organization |
Scheduling | Dependability |
Database Management | Detail Oriented |
Data Visualization | Compassion |
Email Systems | Time Management |
Every resume needs an education section.
But remember—
Employers need something to care about.
Watch how this personal assistant resume sample gets it right:
Education
University of Pennsylvania
2010–2014
Ah!
If the client cares about accounting, communication, and leadership, you win.
To employers, you’re just another piece of spam.
Until you show them you’re a human being.
Do that with one or two “bonus” sections, like:
These personal assistant resume examples show how to list them:
Membership
International Association of Professional Personal Assistants
Courses
Languages
Additional Activities
The first of those personal assistant resume examples looks like the best employee.
Expert Hint: Write a cover letter. Cover letters prime the manager to spend more time with your resume for personal assistant jobs. Check out this executive assistant cover letter sample or this administrative assistant cover letter sample.
Here’s how to write a personal assistant resume:
Got questions on how to write great resumes for personal assistant jobs? Not sure how to show personal assistant on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
Quick resume guide with resume templates, resume examples, and expert tips on how to write a resume fast.
Writing a resume is hard work, but with our best resume tips and advice, it's a piece of cake. Here are over 50 of our professional resume dos and don'ts, along with resume mistakes to avoid.
How to write a first job resume, or an entry-level resume, especially when other candidates have experience? This guide shows you.