Executive Assistant Resume Example and Skills

An executive assistant is judged by what the executive no longer has to think about. The people who hire for this role, often the executive or a chief of staff, look for proof that you can run a calendar across time zones, triage an inbox, prepare board and investor materials and handle sensitive information without being reminded.

This example is for an executive assistant with nine years of experience who supports the chief executive of a biotech company and previously supported two senior leaders at an investment firm. The administrative assistant example covers broader team and office support; this one focuses on partnering with one senior leader.

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Recommended resume format for an executive assistant

Reverse-chronological, one page. Open each role with the leader you support (by title, not name), the size of the organization and the scope of your support. Put projects you owned, such as an office move or an executive offsite, as bullets under the role where they happened. Senior assistants with long careers can follow the two-page resume guide if every role adds something new.

Executive assistant resume example

This example is fictional: the name, employers and numbers are invented to show structure and wording. It uses the ATS Classic template, one of the ATS-friendly designs. Replace every detail with your own, truthful information.

Preview of the executive assistant example in the ATS Classic template.

Executive Assistant resume text

Victoria Hayes
Executive Assistant to the CEO
victoria.hayes@example.com | (555) 033-2604 | Boston, MA | linkedin.com/in/victoria-hayes-example

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Executive assistant with 9 years of experience supporting C-suite leaders in biotech and financial services. Manages the CEO's calendar, inbox priorities, travel and board preparation, and runs projects from leadership offsites to office moves. Trusted with confidential board, investor and personnel matters.

WORK EXPERIENCE
Executive Assistant to the CEO | May 2020 – Present
Harborview Therapeutics | Boston, MA
- Partner with the CEO of a 220-person biotech company, managing a calendar of 40+ meetings a week across US and European time zones.
- Triage the CEO's inbox daily, drafting routine replies and flagging the 10 to 15 items that need a decision.
- Coordinate quarterly board meetings for 9 directors, including agendas, board book assembly in Diligent, travel and support for the minutes.
- Planned a two-day leadership offsite for 30 executives and an investor day for 120 guests, both delivered within budget.

Executive Assistant | Aug 2017 – Apr 2020
Beacon Hill Capital Partners | Boston, MA
- Supported 2 managing directors with scheduling, international travel, expense reporting and investor meeting logistics.
- Prepared meeting packets and tracked follow-ups in Salesforce during a fundraising effort that included 60 investor meetings.
- Created a shared travel and expense checklist adopted by 6 assistants, reducing returned expense reports.

SKILLS
Executive support: Calendar management, Inbox management, Board meeting coordination, International travel, Expense reporting, Event planning
Tools: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Concur, Diligent Boards, Salesforce, Zoom

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Communication | May 2017
Suffolk University | Boston, MA

Start from this example in the builder, then replace the details with your own. It opens as a new resume saved on your device.

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Executive assistant resume summary examples

Name the level of leader you support, the industry and two or three areas you own completely. An executive reading your summary wants to know which parts of their week you could take off their hands.

CEO supportExecutive assistant to the CEO of a 220-person biotech company, managing calendar, inbox priorities, board preparation and investor events with complete discretion.
Supporting several executivesExecutive assistant supporting a CFO and two vice presidents, balancing competing calendars, complex travel and quarter-end deadlines without dropped details.
Chief of staff trackSenior executive assistant who also runs the leadership team's operating rhythm: weekly staff meeting agendas, action-item tracking and quarterly planning logistics.
Moving up from administrative workAdministrative assistant with 4 years of team support, ready for an executive assistant role. Already manages a department head's calendar and travel and coordinates a 25-person monthly all-hands meeting.

More ideas: resume summary examples.

Skills for an executive assistant resume

Executive assistant postings mix tools with judgment. List the scheduling, travel, expense and board tools you know, and show discretion, prioritization and stakeholder management through your bullets rather than as adjectives.

Executive partnership

Calendar strategy
Inbox triage
Priority management
Gatekeeping
Meeting preparation
Follow-up tracking

Board and events

Board book preparation
Minutes support
Investor meetings
Offsite planning
Vendor contracts

Travel and expenses

International travel
Passport and visa logistics
Expense reconciliation
Corporate card management

Tools

Microsoft 365
Google Workspace
Concur
Diligent Boards
Asana
Zoom

See the resume skills guide for how to choose and present skills.

Executive assistant experience bullet point examples

Executive assistant bullets should show the seniority of the person you support, the volume and complexity you handle and what became easier because of you. Leave out names and confidential details.

Rebuilt the CEO's weekly calendar around protected focus time, reducing back-to-back meeting days from four a week to one.
Arranged a 12-city investor roadshow in 3 weeks, including flights, ground transportation and meeting rooms.
Created a decision log for the executive team so every action item from staff meetings had an owner and a due date.
Served as the main contact for the board chair's office, coordinating 4 board meetings and 6 committee meetings a year.
Coordinated a headquarters move for 80 employees with facilities and IT, completed over one weekend with no lost workdays.
Handled confidential hiring and compensation documents for executive searches, sharing files only through approved secure channels.

Education section guidance

Many executive assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and some senior postings prefer one, but experience supporting senior leaders often counts for more. List your highest degree briefly, after your experience.

Optional credentials such as the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) from the International Association of Administrative Professionals or a Microsoft Office Specialist certification can go in a short Certifications section. They support your experience; they do not replace it.

Common executive assistant resume mistakes

Naming the executive or sharing their business. Describe the leader by title and company size rather than by name, and never mention personal or confidential matters you handled.
Tasks without scale. "Managed calendar" applies to every assistant. Say how many meetings, time zones, leaders or events were involved.
Underselling projects. Office moves, offsites, system rollouts and investor events show you can run work on your own. Give each one its own bullet.
A cluttered layout. A crowded design undercuts the organization you are selling. Choose a clean template and keep formatting consistent.

ATS tips for an executive assistant resume

Use "Executive Assistant" in your headline and job titles where accurate, and add "to the CEO" or "to the CFO" when it applies.
List tools such as "Concur", "Diligent Boards" and "Microsoft Outlook" individually.
Include terms from the posting such as "calendar management", "board meetings" and "travel coordination" when you have done that work.
Keep dates and locations in the same format for every role.
Put your contact details in the main body of the page, not in a header or footer text box.

Check your draft with the free ATS Resume Checker, which shows your resume completeness and the plain text an applicant tracking system reads.

Helpful resume guides

Executive assistant resume FAQ

How is an executive assistant different from an administrative assistant?

An administrative assistant usually supports a team or an office. An executive assistant typically supports one or two senior leaders and handles more confidential work, complex calendars, board materials and projects on the executive's behalf.

Should I name the executive I support?

It is usually better to give the title and the size of the organization. If the executive is a public figure and agrees, a name can be appropriate, but never include private details.

How do I show discretion on a resume?

Show it through the work you were trusted with, such as board materials, compensation files or investor communications, while keeping those details general.

Is chief of staff the next step for an executive assistant?

For some assistants it is. If you already run meeting rhythms, track priorities or manage projects for a leadership team, describe that work clearly in your bullets.

Executive Assistant Resume Example