Business Administration Resume: Samples and Writing Guide

Watch out! Your business administration resume can’t be Dunder-Mifflin-level. Office and business admin jobs are dropping by 26,000 every year. More office-less jobs mean less elbow room for the Pams and Johnnys of the world.

Put the right business achievements in your bullet points to go from good to great. Do this one thing right, and HR managers will pick your resume from the stack and dial your number fast.

You’re about to see a business administration resume example you can change to fit any business administration position. You’ll also get easy steps to write a resume for business administration jobs that’ll land 10x more interviews than any other.

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Need a special kind of business resume? See these guides:

• Administrative Assistant Resume Example
• Entry Level Administrative Assistant Resume Example
• Business Resume Example
• Business Analyst Resume Example
• Executive Assistant Resume Example
• HR Assistant Resume Example
• Office Administrator Resume Example
• Secretary Resume Example
• Receptionist Resume Example
• Best Resume Examples for All Professions

Here’s a business administration resume example made with our builder.

Sample Business Administration Resume (Text Version)

Here’s how to write a business administration resume step-by-step.

1. Start With the Best Format for a Business Administration Resume

Why does format matter in a business administration resume? Well—does it matter in the written work you’ll do after they hire you? If so, they’ll judge you on the layout of your resume. Your format, line-spacing, spelling, and font and margin choices are a sample of your future work.

So—

Here’s how to format a business administration resume template:

• Format: use the reverse-chronological resume format in most cases. It puts your best office successes up top.
• Fonts: select resume fonts like Helvetica or Cambria for a crisp appearance.
• Font size: 11–12 points.
• Line spacing: 1 to 1.15.
• Resume headings: 13–14 points.
• Resume margins: 1 inch on right, left, bottom, and top.
• File type: PDF resumes work best as long as the company doesn’t ask for Word.

Include these resume parts:

• Header: name and the right contact information.
• Summary: the fast facts that make you hirable.
• Experience: your best business administration accomplishments.
• Education: showcase relevant coursework and schooling.
• Skills: the ones the company wants most for this position.
• Other sections: if you’re an MS Office specialist or you do some volunteering, show it here!

Nobody likes to read a wall of words. Make your resume 30%+ white space for readability.

When does the combination format work best? See our guide: How to Pick the Best Resume Format

2. Add Experience to Your Business Administration Resume

Experience on a business administration resume is not so simple. Yes, you should list your jobs and duties, but that alone won’t get you hired. The other candidates have had business and office jobs, too. You have to show that yours fits like a tailored Brooks Brothers suit into the job.

To target your resume:

• Put your newest job title first.
• Add the company name and the dates you worked.
• Write a 2-line business administration job description.
• Add about 6 bullet points.
• In them, describe your achievements with the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula.
• Add numbers for zest and scale.

See these business administration resume samples:

Business Administration Job Description for a Resume

Those are worlds apart.

If you write your work experience section with accomplishments like in example #1, employers will stampede to your inbox. But example #2 is bland as paste.

For an entry-level business administration’s resume, find your achievements in non-business administration jobs. Were you a waitress and raised customer satisfaction scores 10% as part of a team? That shows teamwork skills. Or maybe you were an HR intern and ran a database of 250 leads.

See these entry-level business administration resume examples:

Entry-Level Business Administration Resume Samples [Experience]

Why does that second sample fail? Because it’s generic. Employers can’t tell if you were more Dwight Schrute or more Jim Halpert. But the first sample shows that even though you’re new, you still have business wins to point to. Be like sample #2. It proves transferable skills.

Pro Tip: There are 26,000 fewer business administration jobs each year. The solution? Look for remote jobs in business administration. You’ll find lots more opportunities.

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

3. Make Your Education Section Count

If you have a PhD or an associate degree, will it make a difference in a business administration resume? Nope. They don’t care if you have a lot of education on a resume or a little. What matters is the intensity you brought to it. Show it with few AT&T-worthy school accomplishments.

See this business administration resume example:

Business Administration Resume Example [Education]

That’s quick, but it shows you weren’t out back the whole time smoking cigarettes. You care about finance. And you honed your business administration skills as treasurer of an association. Which education section stands out more? One that shows key skills like that? Or one that just lists a degree?

Pro Tip: Don’t overuse bullet points. Your resume design should have enough variety to make employers want to read it. Add other text so it doesn’t look like a long laundry list.

4. Put the Right Skills in Your Business Administration Resume

Choosing the right skills is everything in a business administration resume. You might list Microsoft Office, but the business uses Google Drive. Or you might list record keeping, but the firm has an automated data storage system. How can you know which skills will get you hired? They’re in the job ad.

So—

Start with this list of skills for business administration resumes:

Business Administration Resume Skills (Hard Skills)

• Record Keeping
• Data Entry
• Answering Phones
• MS Excel
• MS Office Skills
• QuickBooks
• Project Management
• Billing
• Shipping
• Computer Skills
• Office Equipment Maintenance
• Greeting Clients
• Scheduling
• Payroll
• Administrative Skills

Business Administration Skills (Soft Skills)

• Interpersonal Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Teamwork Skills
• Written and Verbal Communication
• Attention to Detail
• Active Listening
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Organizational Skills

But—

Here’s how to choose the best business administration skills:

1. Write all your business administration skills in a list that’s separate from your resume.
2. Put all the skills required by the job ad in another list.
3. Add the skills that show up in both lists to a third list of resume keywords.
4. Mix soft skills and hard skills in that list.
5. Prove those business admin skills in the bullets of your education and experience sections.

Do that, and your resume will be music to the HR team’s ears.

See this business administration resume example:

Say the firm asks for budgeting, customer service, and correspondence preparation.

Business Administration Resume Examples [Skills]

Like a glove.

Business administration skills on a resume like that just work. They’re the right skills, and you didn’t say “handled” or “responsible for.” You made your case with resume action words. Plus, you added numbers to convince the hiring team.

Which soft skill dominates the hiring field? See our guide: +30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume

5. Add Other Sections to Your Business Administration Resume

You can’t just stop at education in a business administration resume. Why not? You might have a few work achievements just by getting lucky. Show you’re not a one-hit-wonder with a few outside-of-work accomplishments. You can add an MS Office certificate or volunteer work.

Choose from:

1. Resume Certifications

Certifications won’t beat experience. But—among two entry-level candidates, a certification can win out. Consider these:

• Bookkeeping
• QuickBooks
• Microsoft Office
• SalesForce
• Asana

2. Resume Volunteer Work

Did you make pasta in a soup kitchen or swing a hammer for Habitat For Humanity? Those look great on business administration resumes. They show organizational and teamwork skills.

3. Languages on a Resume

Don’t list languages on your resume for business administration jobs unless the clients or employees speak it too. How can you find out? With informational interview questions.

4. Professional Associations

Associations like CABA and ASAP can help you find work faster. They supersize your career networking. But they also show you care about the business administration world.

5. Conferences

Have you attended cons like Admin Bash or the Boundless? One job-seeker we spoke with said speaking at a conference was the one thing everyone asked about in interviews.

6. Awards and Honors

Were you employee of the month? Did you win a regional award? Awards are cold, hard proof you’re a solid biz admin.

See these business administration resume samples:

Business Administration Resume Examples [Other Sections]

No contest.

Pro Tip: How long should your resume be for business administration jobs? Write a one-page resume to make sure they don’t skip the best parts of your application.

6. Write a Business Administration Resume Objective or Resume Summary

You made it! Now it’s time to write your business administration resume summary or objective. You’re writing it last, so you’ll have plenty of great stuff to pick from. Do it wrong, and the hiring team could skip your resume. Do it right, and they’ll read it like a new release of Good to Great.

Here’s how to write a career summary:

1. Start with an adjective like goal-oriented or results-driven.
2. Add your title (administrative assistant, analyst, manager)
3. List years of experience. (3, 1+, 7)
4. State your goal (supply administrative support)
5. Add the firm’s name.
6. Spotlight your best business administration achievements.

See these career summary examples:

Business Administration Resume Summary

Wow.

The last of those business administration resume samples phones it in. All those resume adjectives mean nothing. It’s like shopping for an office products supplier and reading, “We offer great products at great prices.” Yes, but what are your great products, and how much do they cost?

In an entry-level business administration resume, you need a career objective. Job-seekers used to talk about their goals in those. But you can’t do that today. Show value, or you’ll make a one-way trip to the recycle bin. Dig up a business achievement from school or from past jobs.

See these examples:

Entry-Level Business Administration Resume Objective

Yoicks. You won’t get hired with the bad resume example. It says you can do everything, but it feels salesy. But that first one lists your skills and your goal to help the company. It also shows a key research achievement the manager will love.

Pro Tip: Internship experience on a resume can get you hired. If it’s in the same field as the job you want, list it as experience. It’s the most influential factor when employers choose between two entry-level candidates.

7. What About a Business Administration Cover Letter?

Do business administration resumes need cover letters? Definitely. Most employers don’t require them, but almost half do. That’s per our HR statistics report. Don’t know which half you’re dealing with? Write a letter every time. But avoid the cookie cutter trap of, “Here’s my resume.”

To write your cover letter:

1. Format your cover letter with the 3-paragraph plan.
2. Start your business administration cover letter with the manager’s name.
3. Write an engaging opening sentence for your cover letter.
4. Show you understand and fit the job in the middle paragraph.
5. Tease something they want at the end of your cover letter.

Can you put salary requirements in a cover letter? Sure, but do your research first to make sure you’re in the hiring ballpark. Pitching too high or low is a mistake.

Read more: How To Write A Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps and How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Here’s a recap of how to write a business administration resume:

• Format your business administration resume template in reverse-chronological order.
• Make your job experience section first. Customize it like a 1099 with the right achievements.
• To stand out like a tax break, add numbers to your bullet points.
• In your education section, show relevant coursework and accomplishments.
• Add bonus resume sections that show QuickBooks certifications or foreign languages.
• Write a business administration cover letter to give your application a fighting chance.

That’s it! Now, we’d love to hear from you: 

• What’s the most frustrating part about writing a business administration resume? 
• Are you pulling hair out trying to think of your achievements?
• Does the thought of writing a cover letter make you sweat?

Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!

Do you need a different resume-writing guide? Take a look at the list below:

• Front Desk Receptionist Resume Example
• Clerical Resume Example
• Legal Assistant Resume Example
• Entry Level Business Resume
• Office Assistant Resume Example
• Salesforce Admin Resume
• Administrative Coordinator Resume Example
• Healthcare Administration Resume Example
• Office Clerk Resume Example
• Office Manager Resume Example

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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines. We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

Sources

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm
• http://www.charteredaba.org/about.html