Skip to main content

PAs: How to Optimise Your CV for Covid-19 Job Hunting

Written by: TopCV
Published on: 28 Oct 2020

We asked the CV-writing experts at TopCV what it takes to craft a winning CV during a global pandemic.

TopCV logo

Life as a PA in 2020 has come with its many challenges, but there is good news. Despite the onslaught of Covid-19-related redundancies in certain sectors, the pandemic has created a range of roles. In fact, the need for PA, EA and business support roles continues to grow, particularly in healthcare, tech, private households and boutique financial services.

If you’re looking to make a tactical career move and find a new job in the administrative sector, here’s how to optimise your PA CV for a Covid-19 job hunt.

Consider the job requirements

If you’ve found a job you like the look of, it can be very tempting to submit your application as quickly as possible. However, we advise that you spend some time considering the role requirements to ensure you are the person the prospective employer is looking for ‒ and optimise your CV accordingly.

If you think you are the talent they need, pull out keywords and phrases from the job description and sprinkle them naturally throughout your CV. By carefully mirroring the recruiter’s own language and tailoring your CV in this way, you make it clear that you are an ideal match for the admin role. This gives you a competitive advantage over your competition.

Zoom in on your soft skills

Soft skills are arguably the most important skills for a PA role. Simply read any admin job description and you’ll see that qualities and attributes such as ‘highly organised’, ‘outstanding written and verbal communications skills’, and ‘ability to remain calm under pressure’ are often listed.

Don’t underestimate the power of referencing desirable soft skills throughout your CV. When you list them, be sure to bolster your claims with tangible evidence and examples to display your competency.

Highlight your telecommuting experience

In a workplace setting telecommuting refers to any skills related to working from home and use of IT, the internet, email, phone and video call software. As you can imagine, any telecommuting experience in a Covid-19 era is desirable, but it’s essential if you are applying for a PA or admin job. After all, you could end up being the go-to person to rectify any telecommuting issues, especially if you are a team or executive assistant.

Zoom in on telecommuting experience on your CV, particularly concrete examples of your ability regarding messaging and communication software such as Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Zoom to show prospective employers that you are a safe pair of hands in today’s working climate.

Polish your CV to perfection

PA and EA duties require exceptional communication skills and attention to detail. Therefore, there is no room for error when it comes to perfecting and polishing your CV.

Proofread your CV thoroughly before you send it. Try reading it aloud as you’ll audibly trip up on any errors that read clunkily and be able to rectify them. Other CV formatting tips that will get you noticed include dividing each part of your CV with clear headings and using bullet points where possible. These two elements create an easier read as time-poor recruiters will be able to scan your CV and extract the information they are looking for.

The stakes are high during a Covid-19 job hunt. If you are finding it difficult to grasp these CV rules, it may be worth investing in a CV writer to take the guesswork out of writing a perfect CV.

Laura Slingo is a regular contributor to TopCV, the leading CV-writing service in the world. TopCV offers a range of CV-writing services including expertly written and keyword-optimised CVs, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles. Request a free CV review today to find out if your CV is ready to land you your next role as a PA or administration professional.