SecsintheCity

CV Template for PAs

To make your application stand out it’s essential to tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for and highlight the match between your skills and experience to those outlined in the job advert. Remember to include achievements and prioritise your relevant experience.

View our CV Template below. 

If you are looking for a new PA, EA, Secretarial or Admin roles, SecsintheCity is the best place to upload your CV so recruiters and employers can find you. 

 

 

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Did you know ?

Did you know that 70% of jobs aren't advertised? Instead recruiters and employers use our talent pool to find the right candidates. Upload your CV and make it searchable so recruiters and employers can find you. 

If you've already uploaded your CV to SecsintheCity, make sure it's set as unhidden by logging in to your account. Setting your CV as visible will ensure you don't miss out on the chance of being headhunted for roles that fit your skills and expertise. 

 

Writing a Well-Tailored Resume

By Linda Burns 

Linda Burns has over 15 years of experience as an Executive Assistant and PA in both the US and the UK, working for large international corporations as well as small businesses. She lives in Shropshire, England with her husband and their three cats. 

 

With job applications and hiring having gone online, are resumes on the way out? Certainly not. Most company recruiters still wish to see a resume sent along with an online application, and when you do get an interview, the person you are interviewing with will also find it very helpful to have a copy in front of them.

A well-written résumé is key in helping you get your foot in the door. You will want to stand out from the crowd, in a good way. Developing the right resume formula isn’t as daunting as it seems if you use the following steps: 

 

Proper Formatting

Consider the font type and size. Avoid fonts that are too “cutesy” or difficult to read. Stick with classic serif fonts such as Times New Roman or Garamond, and sans serif fonts such as Tahoma or Arial. Use a font size of at least 11 so your resume is easily readable. Pay strict attention to grammar and spelling, and use capitalization correctly. You don’t want prospective employers to pass you by because of easily corrected errors – and having errors in a resume indicates that you are not detail-oriented or even worse, don’t care about producing top-quality work. Be very judicious about using all caps and bolding – while they may be a good source of emphasis, do not overuse them - and don't use colors in fonts. 

 

Résumé title

Instead of starting your resume with a career objective or a cliché-ridden career summary, consider a resume title instead. “Executive PA to the Vice President of North American Sales” tells a recruiter that you are an administrative professional, and will make them want to read further. After the title, add a sentence or two which summarises your strengths and expertise, at this point, be sure to include key words from the job description that you are applying for – this strategy can help your resume get past electronic scanning systems.

 

Employment History

List your most current position first, then subsequent employers. Use action words and quantifiable information when describing your job experiences. It is more powerful to say, “Increased department productivity by 25% due to implementation of electronic filing system”, than saying, “Responsible for filing”.

 

Education
Recruiters will want to know if you hold any certifications or college degrees that are applicable to your career. Even if your degree or certificate is not entirely relevant to the position you are applying for, include it as proof of your education. If you are currently taking any certification or degree courses, list these also and their estimated completion date.

 

Finally, it is very important to tailor your resume to each position that you are applying for. Each industry sector and positing will be slightly different, so focus on your ideal job within that industry and tailor your resume to suit. Having several versions of your resume can help you build a more effective and memorable document.

 

To find out how to optimise your CV for online and more CV Top Tips, click here 

To find a new PA, EA or Secretarial role, upload your CV to get head hunted and search and apply here

 

And...don't forget to Enter. Closing date: 24th August 2012.

 Click here to enter

A PA’s guide to Optimising your CV for Online

The first step toward landing a fabulous PA job is having a crisp and convincing CV, that’s accessible to recruiters online. With recruiters increasingly turning to online job boards for job advertising, it’s essential to have a CV that is effectively optimised.

Here are some key points to remember when building an Online CV

• It’s important to concentrate on improving the keyword optimisation of your CV. CV search software is designed to pick up keywords specified by an employer or recruiter and will actively filter out CVs that don’t include the relevant keywords.
• In most cases, the recruiter or employer will specify a list of keywords relevant to the candidate that they are looking for, depending on sector, industry, profession or personality. By including the right keywords, you can make your CV appear at the top of the search pile.
• You can work out which keywords to use by looking through relevant job adverts and noting the industry buzzwords that keep appearing. Talk to people in your sector, company or role and make a note of words and phrases that could help your CV. Join online communities or forums related to your industry. But be careful not to overdo it; you don’t want to alienate potential recruiters or employers by getting too technical.  

Examples of keywords include:

Business verbs: implemented, planned, organised, coordinated, achieved, succeeded etc.

Delivering your CV in an online format does not mean that you should ignore all the basic rules for writing a strong CV (spelling, grammar and content) but rather that you should use those to create a base formula which is then ready for optimising. Remember, your CV is you, so how you present yourself to recruiters in the digital world is determined by the CV you send out.

Good luck.

Aminah

Online Editor, Trinity Mirror Digital Recruitment 

Did you find this article helpful? Have you got questions about getting a job as a PA or Secretary? Have you got keywords to share?

Feel free to leave your questions and comments below? :)

 

 

 

Put your CV to work

Your CV is an important tool in your search for a job. Once you’ve created the perfect CV, follow these steps and put it to work:

Broadcast yourself – Employers search for candidates using SecsintheCity's CV database. Uploading your CV and making it searchable ensures you’ll be found when employers are looking for someone with your skills.

Optimise your CV – Fill your CV with keywords, or include a skills box to make it easier for recruiters to match you to their roles.

Stay ahead – Updating your CV regularly means you’ll appear higher up the search results when employers search for someone with your skills and experience.



All the best,

Gemma
Head of Sales, SecsintheCity

Got 5 minutes to improve your job hunt?

Job hunting can be time consuming. And once you’ve found the right roles, you need to spend time tweaking your CV and writing cover letters and applications to give yourself the best chance.

Why not save time for these more important activities with our 5-minute job hunting guide?

• Use the advanced search function to find your perfect job.
• Get relevant jobs direct to your inbox by setting up a job alert.
• Have a friend review your CV to make sure it’s word perfect.
• Upload your CV and make it searchable so employers can find you.
• Use relevant keywords in your CV so you can be found when employers search for skilled candidates.

So what are you waiting for? Search for the latest jobs on SecsintheCity.



All the best,

Gemma
Head of Sales, SecsintheCity

Top 10 CV tips from SecsintheCity

Is your CV letting you down?

Creating the perfect CV can be a challenge. Not only are you are relying on two pages to convey your personality, skills and experience but in today’s economy you’re up against more competition than ever.

Here are SecsintheCity's top CV tips:


1. Less is more
The most common mistake is writing too much. The average recruiter spends less than 60 seconds scanning a CV, so keep it to two pages.

2. Check your grammar and spelling
Nothing looks worse than stating your ‘great attention to detail’ when your CV is full of spelling mistakes and typos. Ask someone to check it as we often can’t spot our own mistakes.

3. Keep it simple
Language should be clear and concise and avoid jargon or technical terms. By writing in general business terms you give the impression you understand more than just your area of specialism.

4. Avoid fancy formatting
Remember what looks great on your PC screen might not display well elsewhere so keep formatting to a minimum. Recruitment consultancies often use their own templates, so make sure your CV is easy to copy and paste.

5. Mind the gaps
Your CV should read as a continuous, chronological flow of activities, so make sure you explain any gaps such as travelling, maternity leave, sabbaticals etc.

6. Use power words
Recruiters are looking for key words, so approach your CV from their perspective and stick to standard job titles and use key search words.

7. Back it up
Ensure that everything you say is quantified by specifying the actions you took and the results and/or benefits - the key is to say HOW you achieved something, not just that you achieved it.

8. Bespoke it
This is one of the best-kept recruitment secrets: every role is different, so you need to tailor your CV to that role. Go through the advert or job spec carefully and emphasise your relevant skills and experience on your tailored CV.

9. Be honest
In the current economy, stating that you were made redundant doesn't reflect badly on you. And if you don’t include it the reader might assume you were fired.

10. Interests and activities
Although your interests and activities may be really interesting, unless they’re relevant to the role or demonstrate a particular skill, keep this section to a minimum.

Download our top CV tips as a PDF

How to get the most out of your CV

Let employers come to you – A lot of jobs aren’t advertised, instead recruiters and employers use SecsintheCity's CV database to find the right candidates. Upload your CV now and make it searchable so employers and recruiters can find you.

Optimise your CV – SecsintheCity's CV database works on the same logic as Google, so using keywords throughout your CV or a keyword box listing your skills will make your CV easier to find by recruiters.

Get to the top of the list – Update your CV regularly to make sure it appears at the top of recruiters’ search results.

Keeping your options open? – If you’re applying for different roles or industries, be prepared by producing industry/role specific CVs and fine tune them for each opportunity.



All the best,

Gemma
Head of Sales, SecsintheCity

Stand out with a great cover letter

As the first thing a potential employer sees, a cover letter is a vital selling tool. Get it right and it can help open up new job opportunities.

• Explain why you’re writing – quote a job reference if you have one.
• Don’t rewrite your CV – provide edited highlights explaining why you’re suitable for the job. Pick out the top skills required and address them with strong, relevant examples.
• Close with a statement referring to the next step – e.g. "I look forward to hearing from you". Be sure to include your contact details.
• Don’t waffle, keep it professional and concise - no more than one side of A4, and remember to attach your CV.
• Proofread your work - double check it for any spelling or grammatical errors, and make sure your letter is set out clearly.

Keep a copy of your letter so when you're called for an interview you can explain in more detail what attracted you to the role.

Remember to keep searching for the latest vacancies on SecsintheCity.



All the best,

Gemma
Head of Sales, SecsintheCity

Sample Cover Letter from SecsintheCity

How to increase your odds of being headhunted

As a jobseeker, it’s crucial to know that not all jobs are advertised.

Instead, recruiters and employers search for candidate CVs using SecsintheCity to find people whose skills and experience match the role.

Make sure you have the best chance of finding your dream job by uploading your CV now.

Not sure if it’s visible to recruiters? Go to Manage my profile & CVs and click on ‘make active’.

Even if you’re not actively looking for a new role, you never know when that dream job make come along so upload your CV now so recruiters and employers can contact you.

- Upload your CV now
- Make your CV viewable to recruiters

Search the latest vacancies on SecsintheCity.

Time to ‘up skill’ that CV

Things are definitely on the up within the office support job market. The recovery is well and truly underway and we are seeing skill shortages in several key areas, with candidates once again having a choice between two or three offers. Therefore it’s vital to make sure your CV is as up-to-date as possible and that it not only covers your work experience and responsibilities, but also your core competencies and skill sets.

Languages
Make sure that any language ability is highlighted on your CV. We are seeing a lot of requirements for bilingual PAs and office support staff – and it’s not just the traditional western European languages such as French, German and Italian but also languages from the BRICs economies (Brazil, Russia, India, and China).

Shorthand, audio and minute-taking
Contrary to popular belief, these skills have not died out; don’t forget to include them on your CV if you have them. We are still seeing demand outstrip supply in this area.

Presentation skills
More and more PAs are being given the responsibility of putting together quite complex presentations, so if you have advance PowerPoint and/or graphic design skills then make sure that these are highlighted as key competencies.

Event planning
Whether it’s sourcing venues, organising the company conference or planning roadshows, event planning and logistical abilities are very much sought after.

Legal
With an increase in corporate law work, office support staff with legal secretarial experience are very much in demand. Some companies and firms are having to outsource litigation work because of a shortage of support staff.

Typing speed
Ok – you might think that this is an obvious one, but with all the extra responsibilities that PAs have been taking on over the last few years, we have noticed that typing speeds have dropped. It’s really important not to lose sight of your core skills, so if you have been out of the workplace recently (or haven’t needed to use your keyboard skills) then make sure you keep up the practice at home. And if your speed is fast – highlight it!

Attention to detail
Last but not least, this skill is absolutely key. We are seeing a lot of CVs with spelling mistakes, which is an absolute no-no. We’ve had the wrong use of ‘stationery’ and ‘stationary’; ‘dairy management’ rather than ‘diary management’ and ‘disturbing’ rather than ‘distributing’. Your spell checker will not pick these words up so make sure you check and double-check your CV before you apply!

 

Get your CV on a recruiter’s shortlist

Your CV is the most important document you’ll ever produce in your career. Given that most recruiters spend less than 60 seconds scanning a CV – how do you ensure yours makes the cut?

Don’t give recruiters reasons not to include your CV on their shortlist. Here are our top five most common CV mistakes to avoid:

1. Poor spelling and grammar - Get your CV checked by friends to ensure it’s perfect.

2. Too long - Keep your CV to two pages or three at most for those in senior positions.

3. Too fluffy - Ensure everything you say is backed up by specifying the actions you took and the results.

4. Leaving gaps - Make sure you explain any gaps such as travelling, maternity leave, sabbaticals etc.

5. Having one version of your CV – Possibly the most important piece of CV advice: every role is different, so tailor your CV to that role.

Once you’ve created the perfect CV, go to SecsintheCity, apply for a job and upload your CV to get headhunted.

All the best,

Gemma
Head of Sales, SecsintheCity