Your resume is the first thing recruiters and hiring managers see before they ever meet you. It decides whether you get a phone screen or get passed over for someone else. If your credentials still look the way they did three years ago, you’re probably missing opportunities without even knowing it. The good news is that updating your resume for administrative roles doesn’t require starting from scratch.
Small changes to formatting, keywords, and how you present your skills can make a huge difference in whether you land interviews or get lost in the pile.
Why Your Resume Needs a Refresh
Administrative work has evolved significantly over the past few years. The tools you use, the skills employers want, and how resumes get screened have all changed. What worked when you last updated your resume might not work now.
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) filter resumes before humans see them.
Most companies use software that scans resumes for specific keywords before anyone reads them. Research shows that around 76 percent of recruiters use ATS.1 If your resume doesn’t include the right terms, it gets rejected automatically no matter how qualified you are.
Remote and hybrid work changed what employers look for.
Administrative professionals now need to show they can manage schedules across time zones. They need to be able to coordinate virtual meetings and use digital collaboration tools. Resumes that only highlight in-office skills miss what today’s employers actually need.
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Technology skills are now baseline requirements.
Knowing Microsoft Office isn’t enough anymore. Employers expect familiarity with project management software, CRM platforms, video conferencing tools, and digital filing systems. Your resume needs to show you can handle the tech stack modern offices use.
Here’s how to make those updates count.
Improve Your Administrative Resume
Refreshing your resume for administrative roles means making strategic updates to how you present your experience and skills. Small changes in formatting, language, and emphasis can significantly improve your results.
Format to grab attention
Format determines whether your resume gets seen by a real person, and if they will actually read your resume or move on to the next candidate. A cluttered or outdated layout makes even strong qualifications hard to see. Meanwhile, clean, modern formatting can help hiring managers quickly find the information they care about most.
1. Use clear section headers
Label your sections with simple, standard headers like “Work Experience,” “Skills,” and “Education.” Don’t get creative with terms like “Professional Journey” or “My Background.” Recruiters scan for familiar section names and skip over anything that makes them work harder to find basic information.
2. Keep it to one or two pages maximum
Data indicates recruiters spend only 6–8 seconds reviewing a resume.2 So, it’s vital to keep your application succinct. Unless you have 15+ years of experience, stick to one page. For longer careers, two pages work, but every line needs to earn its space. Remove old jobs that aren’t relevant to administrative roles and focus on recent experience that shows current capabilities.
3. Choose a simple, readable font
Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in 10–12 font size. Fancy or decorative fonts make your resume harder to read and can confuse applicant tracking systems. Remember that readability matters more than personality when it comes to resume fonts.
4. Add white space between sections
Dense blocks of text overwhelm readers and make information hard to find. Use spacing between sections and bullet points to create visual breaks. White space helps important details stand out instead of getting lost in paragraphs.
Highlight the right skills
Skills sections often get written once and never updated. However, the skills employers want change as technology and work practices evolve. Your resume needs to show you have the capabilities that matter for administrative roles in 2026.
1. List specific software and platforms
Don’t just say “proficient in office software.” Name the exact tools you use like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Asana, Slack, Zoom, or whatever platforms you have experience with. Specific names match what recruiters search for and show you’re ready to work without extensive training.
2. Include both technical and soft skills
Administrative work requires a mix of technology skills and interpersonal abilities. Show you can handle calendar management, data entry, and report creation alongside communication, organization, and problem-solving. Both categories matter, but be specific about what you can actually do rather than listing generic qualities.
3. Match skills to job descriptions
Read the job postings you’re interested in and note which skills appear most frequently. If every description mentions scheduling coordination or expense reporting, make sure those skills appear on your resume (if you have that experience!). Matching language to what employers request helps you pass initial screening filters.
Quantify your impact
In a recent survey, 58 percent of recruiters cite measurable achievements as a reason for resumes to stand out.3 This is because numbers make your accomplishments more concrete and memorable than vague descriptions. Add metrics wherever possible. Some guide questions are:
- How many people did you support?
- How many calls did you handle daily?
- What percentage did you reduce filing errors?
- How much budget did you manage?
Numbers prove impact in ways that general statements can’t. Even approximate figures work better than no numbers at all.
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Tailor for each application
Sending the same generic resume to every job means you’re not optimizing for what each specific employer wants. Small customizations significantly improve your chances without requiring complete rewrites.
Review each job posting and identify the top three to five requirements. Adjust your skills section and work experience descriptions to emphasize those specific capabilities if you have them.
Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume where they honestly apply. Applicant tracking systems search for keyword matches, so using their language helps you pass initial screening.
Stand out among the competition with Masis Staffing.
Your resume is your first impression, so you need to make it count. Masis Staffing Solutions works with administrative job seekers to sharpen their resumes and connect with top employers looking for administrative roles.
We understand what hiring managers want to see and how to position your experience effectively. Let’s prepare you for success and help you land the administrative role that fits your skills and career goals. Reach out to us today!
References
- “2025 Hiring Trends: What 1000+ HR Professionals Really Want in a Candidate.” JobSeeker, 20 Oct. 2025, www.jobseeker.com/en/resume/articles/hr-trends-hiring-statistics.
- “Resume Statistics: Study, Recruiter Survey and Analysis of 25,000 Resumes.” StandOutCV, Jan. 2023, standout-cv.com/usa/stats-usa/resume-statistics.
- Myers, Sydney. “The State of the Job Search in 2025: AI, Cover Letter Comeback, and What Caused an 11X Increase in Interview Rate.” JobScan, 25 Feb. 2025, www.jobscan.co/state-of-the-job-search.
