Here’s a sample resume we recently produced for a Secretary in Singapore.

In this article, you’ll learn:

  • About the Secretary Role
  • What Hiring Manager Look For In Secretary Resumes
  • Secretary Job Opportunities
  • Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter

Secretary CV [Full Sample]

Here’s a full Secretary resume sample, which we wrote for a client recently.

LINDA CHIU
SECRETARY
Email: l.chiu@email.com   |   Mobile:+60 12 XXXX XXXX   |   Nationality: Singaporean
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • Communications graduate with strong work experience in performing secretarial, receptionist, and customer service functions. Keen on pursuing administrative role within IT or media industries
  • Experience serving top management in Fortune 500 companies and providing secretarial support to CEOs and MDs of various cultural backgrounds
  • Customer-oriented with exceptional communications and organisational skills. Flexible and versatile, able to multitask and adapt to different work environments to meet organisational goals
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build relationships with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
[This section gives a good helicopter view of the candidate.Briefly mentioning about what industry you are interested in, as well as your past secretarial experience, will establish the focus of your current career goal.]
KEY SKILLS
Secretarial Functions   |   Communications   |   Personal Assistance   |   Organisational Skills   |   Expat Management   |   Administrative Tasks  
[Ensure the keywords here mirror those used in the job ad. The first round of vetting is often done by a software scanner. This section helps to pad the CV with key secretarial phrases necessary to get past those scanners.]
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Nov 2015 – Present
APPLE INC., Singapore
  • Provide full spectrum of secretarial support to CEO and other senior executives of Fortune 500 company [This is a strong opening line as it clearly states the focus of responsibility. Highlighting that the candidate works for a Fortune 500 company makes the opening line very impactful. In 1 line, the reader knows exactly the what the role is about.]
  • Manage CEO’s schedule, including setting up appointments with various clients, arranging travel schedules, and recording of minutes of meetings [These are the usual secretarial duties. Add more tasks accordingly.]
  • Support expatriate executives on application of Employment/Independent passes, relocation, arrangement for car and accommodation, and other personal and family concerns [This line adds value to the candidate’s profile because of experience in expat management.]
  • Liaise with airlines and travel management companies to coordinate all aspects of travel arrangements for senior executives
  • Handle confidential contracts, documents, and general correspondences
  • Assist in planning and organising company events, dinners, parties, training sessions, and conferences
Significant Highlights
  • Created new macros for excel resulting in 20 man hours saved during weekly timesheet processing [Cite quantifiable metrics to support your achievements. Do, however, be aware of your company confidentiality clause.]
  • Successfully arranged and organised annual out-of-country planning conference of top executives, including flight, accommodations, car services, and food within time and budget constraints
  • Promoted from Admin Officer to Executive Secretary in 2015 [Mention promotions and awards you’ve received.]
  • Awarded “Best Employee” for 2 consecutive years due to excellent performance
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO MANAGING DIRECTOR
Jan 2012 – Oct 2015
AT&T, Singapore
RECEPTIONIST
Mar 2009 – Dec 2011
GENTING Singapore, Singapore
RESUMEWRITER   |   ASIA
EDUCATIONAL & PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelors of Arts in Communications, Vocational Training Council, Singapore | 2009
  • Certificate in Business Studies (Secretarial Practice), School of Commerce, Singapore | 2005
COURSES & CERTIFICATIONS
  • Employment Act, Singapore National Employers Federation (2015)
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, In-house workshop (2012)

[This section enables you to list down the courses you’ve attended and certifications you’ve received that will add strength to your profile.]

MISC. INFORMATION
  • Technical Skills: MS Office Suite
  • Languages: English, Bahasa Melayu and Chinese
  • Availability: Immediate

References available upon request

[There’s no need to list your references; if HR is interested in you they will ask you for them.]
RESUMEWRITER   |   ASIA

About the Secretary Role

Secretaries are essential in carrying out a variety of office functions and administrative tasks whether for a particular office employee or the entire organisation. Their broad description of tasks and responsibilities usually make it difficult for them to craft a resume that completely sums up what they do.

If you are struggling with your CV, too, here is a guide we created for you on how to create a resume that stands out among other candidates.

What Hiring Managers Look For in Secretary Resumes

  • Well-Rounded: While secretarial duties may be your specialisation, showcasing other skills can help you land a better or higher position in an organization.
  • Technical Skills: More than data entry, highlight other technical knowledge you may be familiar with that may add value to your overall profile.
  • Organisational Skills: Are you highly experienced in arranging travels, scheduling appointments, taking down minutes of the meetings, and other tasks that demonstrate how organized and systematic you are?
  • Secretarial jobs typically involve a wide range of skills and functions. Highlight the scope of your competencies and experience as they relate directly to the job opportunity you are looking to apply for. To do this, review the job listing for the position you are applying for and customize your CV according to the requirements without altering your actual experiences.
  • Include training sessions you’ve attended, as well as certifications you’ve received over the course of time. All these can add value to your profile.

Secretarial Job Opportunities

  • Join LinkedIn groups or follow companies you wish to work for to keep abreast with new job openings.
  • Alternatively, you can reach out to these headhunters in Singapore to learn about any vacancies they may be trying to fill out.

Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter

Before You Go… Common Questions about Secretary Resumes

What should a secretary put on resume?

As with most roles, a secretary resume should include the four main things that every CV needs. This is a resume objective or executive summary, a rundown of your experience, the key skills you’ve acquired in previous roles, and a section at the bottom summing up any additional information and references.

What are the basic skills of a secretary?

When it comes to being a secretary, there are some basic skills that you really can’t do without, like organisation and time management. It’s likely you’ll also need to be skilled in completing admin tasks, though this can vary depending on the position.

Answering the question “Why should we hire you as a secretary?”

When asked this question, the best response is to show your enthusiasm for the role above all else. Make sure to mention that you want to both develop your skills and contribute to the growth of the company too.

Be sure to download this resume sample, which uses our tested-and-proven resume writing techniques, as a guide for your own CV. Best part is, this sample is available for free 🙂

And before you start sending out applications, send us your resume for a free CV feedback analysis from our team. We’ll review your CV in detail, share personalised feedback on its strengths and weaknesses, and show you how you can improve it.

Harry Suresh