As an office manager, you’re the invisible force that keeps the cogs of your workplace turning smoothly. While the sign of your job being well done might mean there’s no news to report, your job application is no place to blend into the background. Your office manager CV is the ideal opportunity to show off and make your application stand out.
However, that can be more easily said than done. If you’re used to focusing on the success of the environment around you, it can be difficult to shine the spotlight on yourself. This CV writing guide will help you to switch on your figurative spotlight and clearly communicate your wealth of skills.
At Resume.io we’ve helped millions to create job-winning CVs, so we know a thing or two about tailoring your office manager CV to the job at hand. Plus, we have 65+ CV examples for other professions, in case you still want some further inspiration once you’ve finished reading.
This CV guide, along with the corresponding CV example will cover the following topics:
- What does an office manager do?
- How to write a office manager CV (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a office manager CV
- Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional CV layout and design hints.
What does an office manager do?
An office manager is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly in the machine that is your office. The work of a good office manager may go silently unnoticed. After all, when an office is functioning as it should, no news is good news.
The responsibilities of an office manager can vary greatly. You may focus on the nuts and bolts of the day to day running of the office, such as ordering supplies and keeping the office machinery functional. On the other hand, your responsibilities could edge into budget management, preparing reports, or even scheduling and attending meetings with senior management.
Career prospects as an office manager
Offices around the country require a manager, and the hours that tend to revolve around office opening times make it an attractive career choice for many. According to the National Careers Service, a typical office manager could be looking at a salary between £18,000 and £38,000.
How to write an office manager CV
As you know, good communication is a key skill for any office manager. The hiring manager will be able to notice if you’re a poor communicator immediately, based on how your CV is written. That’s just one reason why it’s important to tick the right boxes from the get-go.
There are some basic conventions that you need to respect before you start writing your office manager CV. Your CV should contain the following elements:
- The CV header
- The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The CV skills section
- The education section
A successful office manager will understand the importance of interpersonal skills. One of the best ways to demonstrate that you can easily communicate with a variety of personalities at the office is matching your CV’s style and tone with that of your prospective employer.
Take some time to read the job advertisement carefully, and keep an eye on how formal or casual their official communications are. It won’t take long to understand the level of formality expected in your writing and adjust your CV accordingly.
Inspiring language
Active verbs can be a great way to express yourself in a way that’s more precise and engaging. For instance, “engaged employees in feedback sessions” paints a clearer picture than “collected employee feedback”. Which version would you rather read?
Choosing the best CV format for an office manager
The reverse chronological CV format is recommended for most office manager applications. Not only is it a neat way to organise your employment history, but it’s the default CV structure in most cases. That means the hiring manager should understand at a glance why your experience is relevant.
If you are switching careers or don’t have much professional experience at all, you could pull the focus to your other skills by using the functional CV format. However, you are likely to have some experience if you are considering managing an office and the reverse chronological format will work for you. It’s also the approach that we have used in the CV sample content in this guide.
Tailor your CV for success
Don’t forget the importance of adjusting your CV for each job role you apply to. Each job will require a different tone and a different skill set. Change your language and the examples you highlight in line with this.
CV header
A clear introduction to your professional profile starts with a legible header. Nothing gives the right impression like a neat header to embody those organisation skills. Simply add your name in a neutral font that is easy to read at the top of your CV, along with your contact information.
CV summary example
Introducing your professional persona is a great way to continue making an excellent impression. A strong summary which outlines who you are as a professional is essential. These three to four sentences are your chance to capture the attention of the hiring manager, and compel them to read on.
To do that, you should mention some of your greatest achievements and unique skills or accomplishments as an office manager. What will set you apart from the dozens of other candidates? There are some more ideas on how to write your personal summary in our personal assistant CV sample and receptionist CV sample.
Don’t forget to pay attention to the language you use, too. Strong action verbs and precise language choices are another way to make a strong impression and build a picture of the personable asset you would be to the workplace. Take a look at the CV example content below for inspiration of how to achieve this.
Dedicated Office Manager with a proven history of ensuring streamlined operations. Strong organizational talents, able to co-ordinate day-to-day employment and business processes, including payroll, communications, reporting, and supply maintenance. Keen talent for fostering efficient, effective work environments.
Employment history sample
Consistent office manager experience is the ideal way to frame yourself as the person for the job. However, even if you don’t yet have experience as an office manager, the employment history section is the main part of any CV following the reverse chronological format. This is where you will list your previous positions in reverse chronological order.
Include the most recent role you held at the top. You should include the title of the role, the name of the organisation that employed you, as well as the dates when you held this position and location.
Insert bullet points underneath each subheading which outline your key responsibilities and skills acquired. You can also add your most impressive accomplishments during your time there. This is a great spot to include any points you were unable to fit in your summary. For more ideas on the types of points to highlight, check out this project management CV example or administrative assistant CV example.
Office Manager at Sandy Smith, Ltd., Manchester, UK
February 2019 - Present
- Manage administrative function, enabling streamlined and efficient business operations.
- Govern office supply inventory and budget, placing purchase orders to ensure optimal supply levels.
- Maintain a positive, safe workplace culture, developing and implementing office policies for optimal performance.
- Monitor operations and performance, identifying improvement opportunities and recommending changes.
- Engage with management to coordinate office calendars.
Office Manager at Terra, Inc., Manchester, UK
December 2011 - January 2019
- Coordinate management calendars, scheduling general meetings, conferences, and events.
- Create travel itineraries for General Manager.
- Oversee daily office functions, maintaining office supplies, controlling correspondence, and providing visitor support.
- Prepared reports and presentations for leadership team.
Assistant Office Manager at Dynamo! LLC, Manchester, UK
June 2010 - December 2010
- Assisted Office Manager in general operations, providing support for optimal office function.
- Gathered data from leadership teams for reports.
- Monitored office supply levels, informing the Office Manager of low-stock or out-of-stock materials.
The ATS manages your success
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking Systems. Most large organisations use one to filter job applications. Only the most relevant make it to the hiring manager. That means that if you want your CV to make it in front of a pair of human eyes, you need to appease the ATS.
Applications are ranked based on the presence of keywords, which are often based on the language used in the job advertisement. So make sure that you include these in a natural way throughout the content of your office manager CV.
CV skills example
The skills asked of an office manager are varied. That’s why it’s important to make sure you highlight the ones most relevant to this role throughout your CV, but particularly in the skills section. The most important skills and ones you haven’t had a chance to mention yet should be mentioned here.
When choosing which CV skills to include, consider the ones highlighted in the job advertisement as being most important. Next, think about the keywords the ATS will be looking for. If there is anything useful that might make you stand out as a candidate, such as foreign language skills that might be used around the office, you can add it here. The CV sample content below has some ideas of the skills you can list.
Remember to be honest. It’s never a good idea to exaggerate or lie about your competences. The truth is likely to come out sooner or later, and employers will value your honesty and ability to successfully frame the skills that you do possess. After all, a top office manager knows how to manage expectations so they can go on to exceed them.
- Excellent Multitasking
- Communication
- Administrative Support
- Supply & Inventory Management
- Report & Presentation Preparation
- Visitor Support
- Scheduling
- Policy Design
- Budget Management
- Continuous Process Improvement
Soft skills vs hard skills
Hard skills refer to technical skills that can be taught, whereas soft skills refer to the ways in which you carry out your work. Both are essential for any worker.
However, as an office manager the way you communicate with other employees in the workplace is a huge part of measuring your success. So don’t forget to highlight your soft skills along with the technical competences that will allow you to keep the office running.
Office manager CV education example
The education section of your CV might sit near the bottom of the document, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. List your education from high school or college onwards in reverse chronological order. There is no one route to landing an office manager position — the hiring manager will want to understand what yours is!
Include the name of the institution, the name of the qualification you gained, as well as the location and dates attended. If you have a postgraduate degree or higher, you can leave out your GCSE or A-level grades or equivalent. If there are any modules or accomplishments of particular note, you can add a bullet point or two underneath the subheading. Remember that you want to keep your CV to one or two pages long - you have space for only the most relevant details.
Bachelor of Arts, King's College London, London, UK
January 2006 - May 2009
- Graduated with honours.
CV layout and design
You know the importance of top presentation standards. Why should it be any different when it comes to your office manager CV? Your CV’s design covers points such as keeping the text legible, making sure it is formatted correctly, and keeping the document to one or two A4 pages.
If the idea of formatting your own CV document sounds too tedious, you can always consider using one of our field-tested CV templates. The most fiddly parts will be taken out of your hands, and you’ll have a professional quality CV to present to any hiring manager in minutes.
Key takeaways for an office manager CV
- Creative language is great — but make sure it matches the tone of your potential employer!
- From language to previous experience, tailor your CV to the role you’re applying for each time.
- Remember to cater to the ATS by including important keywords and phrases.
- Include a healthy mix of soft and hard skills to show that you’re up to the task.
