Home Secretary Resume template
Secretary resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what secretarys actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most secretarys should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Secretary with experience supporting managers and teams in construction and professional services. Skilled in calendar management, document preparation and invoice processing, with a careful approach to confidential material. Known for clear written communication and keeping office systems running smoothly.
Key skills
- Calendar and diary management for multiple stakeholders
- Drafting and formatting letters, reports and presentations
- Invoice and expense claim processing
- Records and document management
- Call and email screening and prioritisation
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Calendar management software (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar)
- Document management systems (e.g. SharePoint, Trim)
- Email platforms and client correspondence
- Attention to detail and confidentiality
- Stakeholder management and written communication
- Time and deadline management
Experience: example bullet points
- Managed calendars for two managers, scheduling internal and client meetings and reducing double-bookings through careful checking.
- Drafted and formatted reports and presentations for manager sign-off, ensuring consistency with company templates.
- Processed invoices and expense claims, checking details against contracts and flagging discrepancies before payment.
- Screened incoming calls and emails, handling routine queries independently and escalating urgent matters to the right person.
- Maintained a digital and physical filing system so contracts, client files and reports could be found quickly.
Education
Year 12 or a Certificate III in Business Administration is a common entry point, with many secretaries building skills on the job. Some complete a Diploma of Business to progress into senior support roles.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft 365
- Outlook
- Calendar management
- Diary management
- Invoice processing
- Expense claims
- Records management
- Document management
- Confidentiality
- Stakeholder liaison
- Written communication
- Xero
- MYOB
- SharePoint
- DocuSign
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.