Office Manager Resume Example
Pursuing a career as an office manager provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving managing office budgets and overseeing office operations. A strong resume for office manager applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll explain how to write a winning resume for office manager applications that best showcases your skills and experience.
After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating an office manager resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your office manager resume.
What to include in an office manager resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your office manager resume, while there are also a few optional sections you can make use of to strengthen your application.
If you're applying for junior, entry-level or graduate office manager positions and you lack work experience, consider using a skills-based resume format to emphasize your skills and education. Focus the content of your resume on your soft and transferable skills, and any hard or technical skills you've learned from your studies or career to date. You can also mention any relevant internships, training courses or voluntary roles you've taken on.
If you have some experience as an office manager, use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format and focus on showing how you've used the skills required for the job in your career to date. Use your work experience section to highlight your career achievements and show how you meet the job description. Offer evidence of the impact you had on successful outcomes for the company.
If you're applying for senior office manager positions, you'll want to list career achievements and successes that emphasize your senior status. Use a reverse-chronological format and add extra sections to show key career highlights. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header
Your office manager resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.
Ava Collins
ava.collins@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
linkedin․com/in/ava–collins123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in office manager roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for office manager roles.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why office manager roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as an office manager, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for office manager jobs below.
Good example:
Highly organized and efficient Office Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as an Administrative Operations Manager. Proven ability to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and manage office functions effectively. Skilled in team leadership, budgeting, and implementing process improvements to achieve organizational goals. Adept at handling complex administrative tasks, ensuring compliance, and fostering a positive work environment
Bad example:
Office manager with some experience in business and managing office tasks. Worked in roles where I helped organize things and improve how work gets done. Have led teams and dealt with budgets, trying to make processes better. Handled various office tasks and aimed to keep the workplace positive and compliant
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your office manager resume summary
Work History
Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of an office manager. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to office manager jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Good example:
Administrative Operations Manager, January 2022 - Present
SilverPeak Solutions, Raleigh
- Streamlined operational processes, resulting in a 25% increase in efficiency and a 15% reduction in costs annually
- Led a cross-functional team to successfully implement a new ERP system, improving data accuracy and operational transparency
- Developed and executed a comprehensive training program, boosting team productivity by 20% and enhancing employee retention rates
Bad example:
Administrative Operations Manager, January 2022 - Present
SilverPeak Solutions, Raleigh
- Improved office operations and procedures to enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness
- Managed team projects to achieve successful outcomes and meet organizational goals
- Developed training programs to improve team skills and performance
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.
Education
In your education section, include details of your most relevant office manager qualifications and educational achievements.
If you're applying for office manager positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your financial reporting skills or MS Office proficiency.
For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), 2017 - 2020
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Hard and Soft Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to an office manager role. Skills such as project management skills or time management skills are particularly useful for office manager jobs. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key office manager skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.
Showcasing hard skills on your office manager resume
In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in an office manager resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. Include around four or five key hard skills that are listed in the job description. These skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you're a good fit for the position.
For an effective resume hard skills section, focus on the technical skills that are most essential in the job description, and that match your specific expertise. Some examples of the best hard skills for an office manager resume are listed below.
- Project management skills
- MS Office proficiency
- Financial reporting skills
Soft skills on your office manager resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for an office manager job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.
The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for an office manager resume.
- Time management skills
- Effective communication skills
- Problem-solving abilities
Certifications and Training
Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to office manager jobs. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
Take a look at some example certifications for an office manager resume below:
- CAP Certification, 2022
- PMP Certification, 2022
- Six Sigma, 2022
Hear from experts:
Additional Information
There are several additional sections you could add to an office manager resume, to improve your chances of success. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Voluntary Work
If you're lacking relevant office manager work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.
References
References aren't a standard office manager resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
References can be provided upon request.
Best action words for your office manager resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.
- Coordinate
- Oversee
- Implement
- Streamline
- Manage
- Organize
- Delegate
- Facilitate
- Supervise
- Optimize
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Example of an office manager resume
The office manager resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
•
ava.collins@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/ava–collins123
Dynamic and detail-oriented Office Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as an Administrative Operations Coordinator. Proven track record in optimizing office efficiency, managing administrative tasks, and coordinating operational processes. Strong organizational skills, adept at handling multiple responsibilities, and fostering effective communication within teams. Proficient in streamlining workflows, implementing best practices, and ensuring a productive work environment
Administrative Operations Coordinator
2020
-2022
SynerTech Solutions (Plano)
- Streamlined office processes, reducing administrative task completion time by 30% and improving overall efficiency
- Coordinated and executed company-wide events, enhancing team collaboration and employee engagement
- Implemented a new digital filing system, increasing document retrieval speed by 40% and improving data organization
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
2017
-2020
Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
Project management skills
MS Office proficiency
Financial reporting skills
Time management skills
Effective communication skills
Problem-solving abilities
CAP Certification
PMP Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Key tips for an office manager resume
Advice to help you craft a winning resume
- Quantify the impact you've made in different roles by offering evidence of your key abilities and your contribution.
- Review your resume thoroughly and correct any errors before sending it, to avoid unnecessary harm to your chances.
- Add each relevant job in reverse-chronological order, beginning with your current or most recent position and working back from there.
- Tailor your resume to the job you're applying for by consulting the job description and using keywords throughout your document.
- Use a well-structured resume layout that optimizes headings, structure, margins, fonts and line spacing to make your document as accessible as possible to the reader.
Avoid these common mistakes on your resume
- Don't use jargon or acronyms that can make your office manager resume more difficult to read.
- Don't list personal details such as your age, gender or a photo, unless these are necessary for the role. They can lead to hiring bias.
- Don't use an email address that creates an unprofessional impression. Instead, create an email address for job applications based on your name.
- Don't list unrelated work experience unless you can show you used skills that are valuable to the job you're applying for.
- Don't exaggerate, lie or hide details about yourself as these can all undermine your chances of success with office manager applications.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your office manager resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
- Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.
If you're looking for inspiration for your resume, discover our comprehensive resume examples and in-depth, expert career blog.
FAQs for an office manager resume
Accompanying your resume for office manager applications, you'll want to produce a cover letter that similarly leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.
Firstly, choose whether you're going to write a full cover letter, or whether a brief email confirming your application and drawing attention to your resume will be sufficient.
For a full, traditional cover letter, follow formal letter-writing conventions with your header, address line and greetings. The main text of the letter tends to be split into three short paragraphs. Firstly, introduce yourself, confirm the role you're applying for and explain why you're applying for the office manager role. In the second paragraph, highlight your skills and experience that are most relevant to the job description. The third paragraph gives you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and your gratitude to the employer, while leaving a call to action which encourages them to make contact with you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
Even if you have little or no relevant work experience, it's still possible to write an office manager resume that makes a strong impression on employers. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Utilize additional sections at the end of your resume to show you've got what it takes to do the job. These include hobbies and interests, voluntary roles, certifications and internships.
A resume headline can catch the attention of the reader and give them a strong first impression about your suitability for office manager jobs. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Write a short, concise resume headline incorporating the job title, one or two key skills that match the job description and a reference to your reputation or track record.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Junior Office Manager Seeking Growth
- Experienced Office Management Professional
- Experienced Senior Office Manager
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. If, however, you have experience in your chosen profession, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format might be the way to go. This showcases your relevant skills and achievements in your work experience section.
Takeaways for your office manager resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
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