How To Highlight Microsoft Office Skills On A Resume

Microsoft Office is a collection of client software, server software and services introduced by Microsoft that enable cross-platform and cross-device solutions for workplaces. Companies look for candidates with the ability to create, collaborate and communicate with teams, which often requires proficiency with Microsoft Office. Including your experience using Microsoft Office on your resume can enhance your career prospects. In this article, we discuss how to highlight Microsoft Office skills on a resume and go through an example to help you write your own.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in the article are associated with Indeed.

What Are Microsoft Office Skills On A Resume?

Microsoft Office skills on a resume are technical skills that professionals use on the job to create documents, conduct meetings and prepare presentations. They can also use these tools to execute complex calculations, perform data analysis, create web pages and generate detailed reports. Obtaining additional certifications can also assist professionals in learning and developing the skills necessary to become proficient in using Microsoft Office.

Related: Microsoft Word Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

How To Highlight Microsoft Office Skills On A Resume?

Here are the ways you can highlight Microsoft Office skills on your resume:

1. Evaluate your skills and determine your core competency

Read the job posting carefully to make sure you are familiar with the job requirements. Determine the necessary Microsoft Office tools that the job demands, along with any additional details, including the years of experience using a programming language and relevant certification courses. In the skills section of your resume, rate your knowledge of Microsoft Office as:

• Beginner: This indicates basic knowledge of how to use the software.

• Intermediate: This shows a solid understanding of the basics and exposure to some advanced features.

• Advanced: This indicates expertise with most features and advanced customisations.

2. Add your skills to your personal summary

The aim of a personal summary is to summarise your skills, experience and achievements. It can also include information such as certifications, training and work experience. An effective personal summary allows the hiring manager to get a quick overview of your profile and determine whether you are suitable for the job. Describe your achievements using action verbs. For example:

Motivated and diligent individual with a sound foundation and expertise in Microsoft 365 products. Proficient in data analysis, preparing reports and designing presentation slides. Developed Microsoft Word mail merge templates that resulted in a 15% improvement in productivity.

3. Describe your work experience

A potential employer is interested in examples that demonstrate your skills in using Microsoft Office. You can use the experience section of your resume to highlight how you have applied your Microsoft Office skills in the past. Provide three to five bullet points to describe your prior work experience. For example, you can mention how you used Excel to outline project plans, determine resources, include timelines and prepare budgets to determine the scope and feasibility of a project.

4. List any relevant certifications

Microsoft offers certification exams for all its Office applications. If you have certifications in Microsoft Office, mention them in the certifications section of your resume. Use bullet points to highlight your certifications. Some relevant certifications include:

• Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)

• Microsoft Solutions Developer (MCSD)

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

5. Include key skills in the skill section

Position the skills section at the top of your resume so that the employer gets a quick overview of your technical skills and qualifications. Place the skills section after you have added the header and contact details. If you plan on writing a professional summary, you can include the skills section below it.

8 Important Microsoft Office Skills On A Resume

You might include the following Microsoft Office skills on your resume:

1. Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is a widely used application for creating professional documents and reports. If you are comfortable drafting reports, letters and memos using Microsoft Word, you can include it on your resume. You might also highlight Microsoft Word skills in:

• Producing mock-ups and samples of printed materials

• Preparing documents

• Proofreading with Microsoft tools

• Including graphs and charts in reports and other documents

• Creating templates

Related: How To Create Mailing Labels In Word (With Tips To Create)

2. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint helps in creating presentations using dynamic elements, including videos, visual representations of data and interactive modules. If you have experience using themes, transitions and charts within Microsoft PowerPoint, you can include them on your resume. You might also include PowerPoint skills in:

• Adding notes to presentations

• Creating neat and easy-to-read slides

• Arranging information across slides to tell a story or help audiences stay engaged

• Customising presentation slides and themes

• Making presentations more visually appealing

Related: 9 PowerPoint Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

3. Microsoft Excel

Many businesses use Excel to create spreadsheets, organise large amounts of information and perform complex calculations. If you have experience creating spreadsheets, formatting cells and organising data into rows, include Microsoft Excel on your resume. You might also include skills in:

• Creating custom ranges of data

• Creating unique formulas

• Modifying chart details

• Reformatting existing graphs

• Performing preliminary data analysis

• Building regression models

Related: How To Learn Excel For Office Work: A Complete Guide

4. Microsoft Teams

With the increasing use of telecommunications in business, Microsoft Teams is becoming a popular tool for facilitating meetings and sharing files. If you are familiar with using Microsoft Teams, consider including skills such as:

• Troubleshooting technical problems

• Backing up chat histories

• Redirecting calls

• Organising meetings and assigning tasks

5. Microsoft Access

The Microsoft Access database management system allows you to store data and manage databases. Several companies use it for data retrieval and analysis. Using the database management system, users can also organise their data and share it with others on the team. If you have used Microsoft Access to record or retrieve data, include it on your resume. You might include skills in:

• Designing and building databases

• Editing existing databases

• Integrating Access with other Office programs

• Uploading data to a structured query language (SQL) server

Related: How To Use Microsoft Access: A Guide (With Basic Functions)

6. Microsoft Outlook

Many companies use Microsoft Outlook to communicate with employees, customers and partners. There are many features in Outlook that make communication easier, including the ability to schedule emails, organise your inbox and schedule appointments on a calendar. You might also include Outlook skills in:

• Organising the calendar features

• Filing emails into storage

• Fagging and prioritising emails

• Setting up shortcuts

Related: 8 Common MS Outlook Interview Questions (With Answers)

7. Microsoft OneNote

OneNote is a collaborative tool that enables users to work virtually on tasks and projects. Using the notebook, users can upload images, notes, documents and recordings and share them with team members. If you have experience using OneNote in a professional capacity, include it on your resume. You might include skills in:

• Taking notes

• Creating and sharing images

• Storing and retrieving notes

• Sorting notes into sections

• Creating and uploading recordings

8. Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Publisher allows users to create advertisements, flyers, brochures and newsletters. With Microsoft publisher's features, users can customise print layouts, edit typography and adjust images to create visually appealing designs. Microsoft Publisher skills include:

• Creating tables and customising them

• Creating graphics and images

• Converting publications to be accessible online

• Preparing documents

• Organising attractive layouts

Resume Template To Highlight Microsoft Office Skills

Here is a template to help you highlight Microsoft Office skills on your resume:

[Full name]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City, State] | [Link to job profile]

Professional Summary
[Two or three sentences that summarise your skills, experience and qualifications]

Experience

[Position/job title]
[Company name] | [Dates of employment]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

[Position/job title]
[Company name] | [Dates of employment]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

[Position/job title]
[Company name] | [Dates of employment]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

Education

[Degree]
[University or school name]
[City, State]
[Graduation year]

[Degree]
[University or school name]
[City, State]
[Graduation year]

Certifications

[Name of the certification]
[Name of the certification]

Key Skills

[Relevant skill], [Relevant skill], [Relevant skill], [Relevant skill], [Relevant skill]

Example Resume For Highlighting Microsoft Office Skills

Here is an example to help you highlight Microsoft Office skills on your resume:

Shubham Mishra
(+91)9028037598 | shubhammishra@email.com | Pune, Maharashtra | shubham@jobprofile.com

Professional Summary
Motivated and diligent individual with a sound foundation and expertise in Microsoft 365 products. Proficient in data analysis, preparing reports, feasibility analysis, project management and designing presentation slides. Developed and monitored project plans for over 10 projects. Used Microsoft Office to automate budget allocation during a project workflow.

Experience
Senior Financial Administrative Assistant, February 2022–Present
DMD Global

• Work with advanced Microsoft Office skills to create, edit and print clerical correspondence

• Create marketing materials for upcoming events using intermediate skills learned through Microsoft Publisher certification

• Automate budget allocation for three large-scale projects

• Maintain office inventory and inventory records using advanced Excel skills

• Communicate with executive team members, including scheduling, using intermediate Microsoft Outlook skills

Office Assistant, July 2020–January 2022
ABC Global

• Utilised Microsoft Outlook features, such as rules and quick steps, to manage the company's inbox

• Created mail merge templates in Microsoft Word, leading to a 15% increase in efficiency

• Managed inventory using Microsoft Excel

Education
Bachelor of Business Administration
DYM University, Maharashtra

Certifications

• Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)

• Microsoft Solutions Developer (MCSD)

• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)

Key Skills

Dynamic page layouts, Advance Excel functions, chart design and format, Quick Analysis Tool, email encryption, task automation, dynamic user data forms, advanced reports, VBA programming