When it’s time to write your Secretary CV, you need to know what to write and how to write it so that it makes a strong first impression on an employer. First, you can check out our CV writing tips, which will give you a checklist and advice on how to structure your writing.
1. Start with a strong personal statement
2. Follow with your work experience, listing previous roles in reverse chronological order.
3. Include a section for key skills and qualifications relevant to a Secretary role.
4. You can also include additional information such as hobbies or references.
How to Write a Personal Statement for a Secretary
Your personal statement needs to make an impression so that an employer will want to read the rest of your CV, and it needs to include the important skills and work experience that an employer expects candidates to have. When writing your statement, try to put as much relevant information as you can into no more than 150 words.
Waiting Staff Personal Statement Example
“At my job as a Receptionist, I was able to develop my communication and interpersonal skills by dealing with clients on a daily basis. I would often manage appointments in person and over the phone, multitasking between writing down information, finding appropriate dates, and completing calendar entries before sending confirmation mail to the client.
I have experience with prioritising tasks, sorting through data, and disposing of confidential material in an appropriate manner. I always speak with kindness and professionalism to make a client’s experience a comfortable one, and I believe I can take all of these good qualities and use them in your Secretarial position.”
Ideal Work Experience for a Secretary
There are certain jobs that will offer relevant skills and experience, and sometimes employers will include a candidate’s ideal experience in the job description.
Which Jobs to Include
Jobs in hospitality, office-based roles, and Customer Service will offer many of the skills you’ll need for a Secretary role, including communication, organisational skills, professionalism and teamwork.
It is important that you only include roles that are relevant to the job you’re applying for; this way, you can talk more in-depth about the skills you’ve developed and how you used them in each job.
Secretary CV Work Experience Example
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Hotel Receptionist at [company name] from [start date] to [end date]
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My main duty as a Hotel Receptionist was to greet patrons and give them all the necessary information they’d require about the hotel during their stay. I was always polite and professional when meeting guests and answered any of their questions to the best of my ability.
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When I wasn’t tending to guests, I spent my time making reservations and contacting customers via phone or email to confirm bookings and answer queries.
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It was also an important part of my job to dispose of any confidential information; I was always diligent in disposing of confidential paperwork discreetly.
Key Skills & Qualifications for a Secretary CV
When reading a job description, remember to pay attention to the skills and qualifications the employer requires, as you’ll need to have these skills to be successful.
Important Skills for a Secretary
A Secretary will deal with clients and customers regularly, so it’s important to have strong communication and interpersonal skills while maintaining professionalism and discretion.
You will need computer skills for using Microsoft Office Suite, calendar software, and other relevant programs, and you will need to be organised to maintain files and records.
Qualifications Needed to Be a Secretary
The level of qualifications you need will depend on the job you’re applying for. Most entry-level jobs will require GCSEs in English and Maths, whereas some senior roles may ask for A-levels or equivalent, or relevant degrees in subjects such as Business Administration, Public Administration, or Law.
Additional Content to Boost Your Secretary CV
You can add additional content into your CV, such as hobbies, interests, and references. These should be relevant to your skills or show that you’ve gone above and beyond to perform certain tasks.
Hobbies & Interests
If you’re adding any hobbies or interests to your CV, make sure that they have helped you develop relevant skills. This is also a good time to talk about any volunteer or charity work. Some hobbies can include group activities where you’ve developed teamwork skills, or you’ve taken the initiative for something. Your hobbies or interests should always be beneficial to your personal development, to show that you actively improve yourself outside of work.
References
A reference is a person of higher standing within the company, such as a manager or line manager, who has worked closely with you during your time with the company. They should be able to talk positively about your work ethic and give a good impression to your potential employer.
How to Make a Secretary CV Stand Out
Help your CV stand out by writing down your information so that it’s easy to read and understand. A professional-looking CV will always leave a better impression than a CV that has too many paragraphs and no titles for each section.
If they are relevant, write about unique experiences that show you have highly developed skills and that you use them appropriately. Being able to successfully work through a stressful situation by being adaptable is something an employer will be interested in.
Omit any irrelevant information and only write about what an employer has asked for. Overloading your CV with skills and experience that have nothing to do with the role will not impress an employer.
Secretary CV Examples
Since you now know what to write and how to write your CV, you can use our free CV template templates to help structure your writing. These CV templates are free to use and will guide you through the process of making a presentable CV that will impress an employer.
