Executive Assistant Resume Example

Also called EA, Executive Administrative Assistant, Personal Assistant.

Executives hire assistants they can trust with their time, their information and their reputation. Your resume should say whom you supported, how complex their schedule was, and where you acted on their behalf.

Use this exampleBrowse all templates

Opens in the builder with this text in place, ready for you to replace with your own.

What this example does well

  • The executive's role and company size are clear, which tells the reader the level she works at.
  • Board meeting work is described in detail, a core requirement for C-level assistants.
  • Screening requests shows she protects the executive's time, the real job of an EA.

Updated

Victoria Hughes

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Summary

Executive assistant with ten years of experience supporting chief executives. Manages the calendar, travel and board meetings for the CEO of a 1,200-person biotech company, acts as the first point of contact for the leadership team and handles confidential matters with discretion.

Experience

Executive Assistant to the CEO, Northshore Biosciences

Sep 2020 – Present · Cambridge, Massachusetts

  • Manage the CEO's calendar of about 45 meetings a week across time zones, protecting time for priorities agreed each Monday.
  • Coordinate quarterly board meetings: agendas, board books, logistics and minutes for nine directors.
  • Plan international travel for trips of up to three countries in a week, including visas and meeting schedules.
  • Screen requests from 300 staff and outside contacts and resolve most without involving the CEO.

Executive Assistant, Commonwealth Advisors

Apr 2016 – Aug 2020 · Boston, Massachusetts

  • Supported two managing partners, including calendars, expenses and client events.
  • Organized an annual client conference for 400 guests, finishing 8% under budget.
  • Built a tracking sheet for partner commitments that cut missed follow-ups to nearly zero.

Education

BA Communications, Boston College

2011 – 2015 · Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Skills

Executive calendar management, Board meeting coordination, International travel, Confidential correspondence, Event planning, Expense reporting, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Concur

An example: Victoria Hughes is not a real person, and the details show the kind of thing to write rather than a real career. Shown in the Vellum template. Words that postings for this job often use are marked in yellow.

How do you write a summary for an executive assistant resume?

Two to four lines at the top that say what you do, for how long, and what you are best at. Here is one for each stage of a career.

  • Entry level

    Administrative assistant ready to move into an executive support role. For three years supported a department head and four managers, handling complex calendars, travel and expense reports. Known for discretion and for spotting conflicts before they happen.

  • Experienced

    Executive assistant with six years of experience supporting vice presidents and a chief operating officer. Manages demanding calendars, travel, meetings and correspondence, and acts as a trusted link to the wider team.

  • Senior

    Chief of staff and executive assistant with fifteen years of experience supporting CEOs of public companies. Runs the executive office, coordinates board and investor meetings, manages a team of three assistants and leads special projects for the chief executive.

How to write a resume summary, with more examples

What are good bullet points for an executive assistant resume?

Each starts with a verb and says what was done. Change the details and numbers to your own; a number you cannot explain in an interview is worse than none.

  1. Managed a complex calendar for the CEO, resolving conflicts and setting priorities each week.

  2. Coordinated board meetings, including agendas, materials and minutes.

  3. Planned domestic and international travel with detailed itineraries.

  4. Drafted correspondence and presentations on the executive's behalf.

  5. Handled confidential information about hiring, deals and board matters.

  6. Acted as the first point of contact for the leadership team, partners and investors.

  7. Tracked action items from leadership meetings and followed up until done.

  8. Organized off-site meetings and events for up to 200 people.

  9. Prepared expense reports and managed the executive's budget.

  10. Led special projects, including an office move and a new meeting policy.

Which skills should an executive assistant put on a resume?

Pick the ones the job posting asks for and that you can back up with an example from your work.

Hard skills

  • Calendar management for executives
  • Board and committee support
  • Travel planning
  • Business writing
  • Presentation preparation
  • Event management
  • Expense and budget management
  • Office software and collaboration tools

Soft skills

  • Discretion
  • Judgment
  • Anticipating needs
  • Composure
  • Relationship building

Licenses and certifications

  • Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)
  • Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

Which keywords belong on an executive assistant resume?

The words recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for.

  • CEO
  • calendar
  • board meetings
  • travel
  • confidential
  • leadership team
  • agendas
  • minutes
  • expenses

Use the ones that are true for you, written the way the posting writes them, and put each where it shows something you did. A list of keywords with nothing behind it helps nobody. To keep them readable by software, choose an ATS-friendly template, and read how applicant tracking systems read a resume.

How do you describe the executive you support?

By title and scale, not by name. "CEO of a 1,200-person biotech company" is enough to show your level and keeps the relationship discreet. The name can come up in an interview if appropriate.

If you supported several people, list them together: "Supported the CFO and two vice presidents".

What achievements can an executive assistant show?

Events delivered under budget, processes you created, time you saved the executive, projects you led on their behalf. These show that you add more than scheduling.

Complexity counts as an achievement too. A calendar of 45 meetings a week across time zones is a fact that tells the reader what you can handle.

What do employers look for in a business resume?

  • Give the scale of what you handled: budget, team size, number of sites, how many executives you supported.
  • Write about outcomes other people felt. A project delivered three weeks early or a process that went from five days to one is easy to picture.
  • Name the software you use every day. Many postings for these roles filter on it.

All business and administration resume examples

Questions about an executive assistant resume

Should I mention confidential work?

Mention that you handled it, not what it was. "Handled confidential board and hiring matters" is the right level of detail.

Is a degree required for executive assistants?

Often preferred but not always required. Experience supporting senior leaders usually matters more.

Should I include personal assistant tasks?

If the role mixes business and personal support, yes. Say so briefly, for example household scheduling or family travel.

How long should an executive assistant resume be?

One to two pages.

Make this executive assistant resume yours.

Start from the example, swap in your own jobs and numbers, and switch to any template without retyping a word.

Use this example