With the evolution of SaaS (software as a service) and the fast-paced startup nature of working at a SaaS company, nailing your job interview requires a bit more gusto, if you will. There should be a difference in approaching a SaaS executive assistant job, starting with your resume.
Let’s not kid ourselves: deciding what resume to use when applying for your dream job is challenging. So, here we are to walk you through everything you should know about writing an executive assistant resume for SaaS companies. Let’s dive in.
The best way to learn what an employer wants is to read their job descriptions closely and understand the skills they’re looking for in an applicant. Once you know what is required, match the needs of that company to your abilities and experience.
For instance, if one of the job descriptions requires you to maintain confidential and sensitive information, mention that you have experience following and maintaining privacy protocols, like using unique passwords and keeping them hidden from unauthorized members of your organization.
Use LinkedIn and Glassdoor’s list of skills provided for your position and practice matching your skills to them as closely as possible. It will help you write a more compelling resume that gets you noticed by recruiters and hiring managers alike.
Most companies use the same terminology for jobs across different industries. It can be challenging to differentiate yourself from other applicants when they’re all talking about “account management” or “product management.”
For example, an executive assistant at a consumer goods company may be responsible for managing all aspects of their boss’ schedule. In contrast, an executive assistant at a SaaS company may only manage meetings and travel arrangements.
It’s essential to confirm what responsibilities the company has listed before tailoring your resume to the position. This way, you’ll know what skills and accomplishments are relevant (and which ones aren’t).
Ensure you tailor your application documents for each company. It ensures the hiring manager sees what she needs to see.
Additionally, sending in a generic version of your CV says nothing about your unique qualities. Instead, it puts you in the mainstream pile of applicants.
Therefore, your resume should always mirror the company requirements as per the job description. Only add information you think gives you an edge over your competitors.
Show that you know how to use the company software and can provide excellent customer service. It helps separate you from other candidates who don’t have this experience. At the very least, show that you know a thing or two about the company’s software.
For instance, use the “Relevant Skills” section of your resume by listing all the SaaS software packages you’ve used, how long you’ve been using them and how well versed you are with their features. Include features that are like those used by the SaaS company.
For example, if you want to work at Salesforce, make sure you list Salesforce software as one of the applications you use on your resume. Include links to any videos or articles showing how you use Salesforce in your daily routine.
Also include examples from previous jobs where you use other SaaS packages like Google Apps or Microsoft Office 365. Explain how it helps increase your productivity.
An excellent executive assistant understands the importance of collaboration and works well with others. The SaaS industry is also very collaborative, so emphasize how you’ve worked with team members at other companies to achieve goals.
For example, if you are the primary point of contact for the teams developing a new process that streamlines operations and saves time, mention it on your resume as an accomplishment related to collaboration.
SaaS companies expect more flexibility than other companies when scheduling meetings and responding promptly to emails.
Therefore, showing off your ability to work independently without supervision should help set you apart from applicants who may be less familiar with this working environment.
So, if you’ve been working as an executive assistant for several years and have experience working remotely or managing your schedule, ensure you mention it in your resume.
Organizational skills are essential in any role, but they’re crucial to a company that relies heavily on its employees’ ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, like a SaaS company.
Therefore, when writing your resume, highlight any work experience where you have strong organizational skills. For example:
“I am in charge of prioritizing the tasks in designing and implementing new marketing strategies for our clients, including creating marketing campaigns, managing budgets, and overseeing the creative process from start to finish.”
Also, software projects require teams of people working together on multiple tasks at once. Therefore, they don’t work like traditional businesses where one person does all the work before handing it off to another person who does another part of the project.
In software development, multiple people need to be involved with each project and constantly work on something new while keeping up with what other employees are doing on their projects and communicating.
As such, one vital attribute to have in an executive assistant role is project management skills. You should handle multiple projects simultaneously and keep track of everything going on, including when it’s due, who’s working on it, and what needs to happen next.
So ensure you list your projects on your resume, so employers know what kinds of tasks you can take on.
It is especially true for companies with clients handling highly confidential information. You need to be able to keep things confidential but also help your boss navigate tricky situations where they might need to disclose sensitive information.
Show how you handle sensitive information and how you manage sensitive data. For example, if you were responsible for handling some customer data at a bank, list it as part of your experience. Remember to keep any sensitive information unknown in your resume.
SaaS businesses are often fast-moving, with many moving parts and information coming in from all directions. It means that the person in charge of managing that information needs to be detail-oriented and organized. Highlighting your detail-oriented nature is one way to enhance your resume for an executive assistant position in a SaaS company.
SaaS companies are looking for employees who can grow with them, so you must have a solid online presence. If you don’t have an active LinkedIn profile, create one. If you have one, make sure it’s up-to-date and reflects your current job title, current company, and relevant experience.
When writing your profile summary, consider what words would describe you best. Then use those words in your summary.
For example: “I am an experienced executive assistant who thrives on building strong relationships with clients and team members. I am self-motivated, detail-oriented, and thrive under pressure.”
SaaS companies use technology all day long, so they need someone comfortable working with it every day: from managing calendars and email accounts to using project management tools like Basecamp or Slack.
If you excel in these areas, highlight them in your resume by including specific examples of using those tools at work, on school projects, or in extracurricular activities.
It can be as simple as highlighting some of the essential functions of Basecamp (such as creating new milestone tasks) or adding a section at the bottom of your résumé.
If you have a certification or certification program in your field, include it on your resume and explain how it will help you perform better in this position.
For example, if you have a CPA and are applying for an executive assistant position in the finance department of a SaaS company, include this information on your resume. The same goes for training and education programs; if you took a course specific to the industry or position you’re applying for, include it on your resume.
One of the best ways to demonstrate that you’re the right fit for a particular job is using keywords from the description. These days, job descriptions often include a few words or phrases that indicate what kind of person the employer is looking for — words like “analytical,” “highly motivated,” or “self-starter.”
When writing your resume, try using these keywords sparingly but strategically. For example, if you’re applying for an assistant role at Salesforce or Zendesk, make sure that you include words like “sales” or “product.” Have skills only related to those areas, or simply insert them into your summary. For example:
“I’m a sales-focused executive assistant with experience assisting companies to build and manage sales teams. I’ve also worked with enterprise software companies like Oracle and SAP to develop new products from inception to launch.”
In addition to mentioning the company’s size and the number of employees there, including details about how many direct reports each executive has. For example: “I manage a team of eight direct reports used by five department heads.”
Include specific examples of your work with executive teams. Describe how well you manage projects from start to finish and what kind of results your work produces. For example: “I’m currently leading a team of three assistants in planning an annual retreat for 30 executives.”
SaaS companies rely on their customer service team and sales team members to communicate with clients via email, phone, or social media channels. Employees need strong writing skills to effectively communicate with clients and prospects at all sales cycle stages.
If you’ve held any positions where you were required to write or edit the content on behalf of your employer or client, highlight these experiences on your resume.
The average time people spend reading a resume is seven seconds, so you have only a few seconds to impress recruiters and human resource managers. Make sure your resume is no longer than two pages long and that there’s plenty of white space between sections for easier readability.
If there’s not enough room on one page, simply use another piece of paper: don’t try to cram everything onto one page or just use tiny fonts or margins, but make them easy to read.
SaaS companies want to hire someone who can build strong connections with their clients and help them grow their business. Highlight any experience you might have in this area, such as being part of a sales team or working directly with a client base.
In the world of sales and marketing, everything revolves around results:
How many leads did you generate?
How many new customers did you bring on board?
How many accounts were closed?
These are all numbers that matter when it comes to growing a business. And as an executive assistant, it’s your job to make sure those results happen as efficiently as possible.
It means ensuring that there are:
No barriers between your executive and their goals
No paperwork or forms left to fill out
No meetings or calls happening without them knowing about them first, etc.
That way, they can spend their time focusing on what matters most: closing deals and generating revenue.
While executive office assistants are an essential part of SaaS companies, their roles vary from company to company. Companies need to ensure that their executive office assistant has the proper skills and experience.
Therefore, as a candidate preparing for an interview, you need to match your skills with the skills required by the company. And this guide will help you achieve that effortlessly.
Sources:
Job Descriptions & Job Details | Job Descriptions
Using Backlinks To Stay Relevant As You Adapt To Global Change | Forbes
11 Organizational Skills That Every Smart Leader Needs | Lifehack
5 Project Management Skills to Advance Your Career | Elmhurst University
Six Methods To Grow Your Online Presence And Reclaim Your Time | Forbes