How to write an effective admin CV
Admin job ads receive a lot of applications. Your CV must show your level of independence immediately.
What to highlight
Answer these questions in your profile.
- Which part of administration you handle: receivables, payables, banks, credit control, payroll.
- How far you go: basic entries, adjustments, support for financial statements.
- Which ERP and tools you use.
- In which kinds of companies: SMEs, firms, groups, sector.
Useful numbers
They make your responsibilities concrete.
- Invoices issued or recorded per month.
- Number of bank accounts managed.
- Measurable results: fewer overdue receivables, faster closings.
Professional profile
Three to five opening lines: experience, area of expertise, tools and a strength.
Example
Adapt it with your real details.
- “Administrative assistant with 6 years of experience in SMEs. I independently manage receivables and payables, cash and bank records and reconciliations, and support the accountant with closings. I use ERP software and advanced Excel.”
Variant for an accounting firm
Managing several clients matters here.
- “Accounting clerk with experience in an accounting firm: bookkeeping for 40 clients, VAT settlements and filing support for the partners.”
Work experience
For each role give your job title, type and size of company, city, dates and 5-8 concrete tasks.
How to describe tasks
Start with the most important and most independent tasks.
- Use precise verbs: issued, recorded, reconciled, prepared, checked.
- State volumes and frequency (daily, monthly, yearly).
- Clarify what you did independently and what in support of others.
Company size and sector
They help the recruiter understand the context.
- Give the number of employees or turnover, if not confidential.
- State the sector: trade, manufacturing, services, construction.
Technical and soft skills
Choose 8-12 precise skills. Avoid generic entries like “accounting” without detail.
Technical skills
The most requested in job ads.
- E-invoicing and the e-invoicing exchange system.
- Cash and bank entries, basic bookkeeping and reconciliations.
- Payment schedules and reminders.
- Withholding taxes and tax payment forms, if you handle them.
- Excel: pivot tables, lookup functions, conditional formatting.
Soft skills
Link them to real examples.
- Accuracy and data checking.
- Organization and deadline management.
- Confidentiality.
- Polite but firm communication when chasing payments.
Education and certifications
A business diploma or an economics degree is a good start, but practical courses count too.
What to include
In order of relevance.
- Business/accounting diploma or economics degree.
- Courses in accounting, payroll, e-invoicing.
- Excel courses or IT certifications.
- Language courses, if the company works abroad.
ERP software and IT tools
Knowing ERP software is often a requirement: list it precisely.
What to write
Give the software name and how well you use it.
- ERP and accounting software used (for example SAP Business One, TeamSystem, Zucchetti, Danea, Mexal or others).
- Corporate online banking and payment portals.
- E-invoicing and digital archiving portals.
- Office or Google Workspace, with your Excel level.
If the ad asks for software you do not know
List what you know and stress that you learn quickly: ERP systems work in similar ways, and many companies know it.
Keywords from job ads
Many companies and agencies filter CVs with ATS software. Use the words from the ad when they truly describe your work.
Frequent keywords
Use them in your profile, experience and skills.
- Administrative assistant / accounts assistant / admin back office
- E-invoicing / accounts receivable / accounts payable
- Bookkeeping / bank reconciliations / payment schedule
- Credit control / reminders / supplier payments
- ERP / accounting software / Excel / pivot
Check your CV
With WizardsCV's free ATS checker you can compare your CV with a job ad and see which keywords are missing.
ATS-friendly format and layout
For an admin role, the CV itself is an example of your order and accuracy.
Practical rules
Order and consistency.
- One or two pages, precise alignment, dates in the same format.
- Standard section titles and selectable text.
- No typos: in this job they are noticed immediately.
- PDF with a clear name.
Mistakes to avoid
Mistakes that cost interviews for admin roles.
The most common
Check your CV line by line.
- Writing “accounting” without saying to what level.
- Claiming you kept the full accounts when you only entered data.
- Not listing the software you used.
- Typos, inconsistent dates, mixed formats.
- Long lists of basic IT skills (e.g. “internet use”).
Junior administrative assistant CV
If you are starting out, focus on education, internships and tools.
What to highlight
Even short experiences count.
- Internships in administration or accounting firms.
- School accounting projects or business simulations.
- Courses in Excel, e-invoicing, accounting.
- Office or front-desk experience.
Profile example
Concrete and honest.
- “Graduate in Administration, Finance and Marketing, with a 6-month internship in an accounting firm (invoice entry and bookkeeping). Good knowledge of Excel. Looking for a junior administration role.”
Cover letter
It is more often requested for office roles: it must be short, tidy and error-free.
Structure
Three short paragraphs.
- The position you are applying for and how you found it.
- Your main experience and tools, linked to the ad.
- Availability and closing.
Short example
Adapt it.
- “I am applying for the administrative assistant position. Over the last 6 years I have independently managed e-invoicing, bookkeeping, reconciliations and payment reminders in a manufacturing SME, working with the accountant on closings. I use ERP software and advanced Excel. I would be glad to discuss this further in an interview.”