Your accountant resume should demonstrate your financial competency, attention to detail, diligence, and knowledge of accounting best practices. Equally important are soft skills such as communication and collaborating cross-functionally because accountants work across departments and with clients, C-suite leaders, and boards of directors.
Using a resume template can help you write an effective accountant resume. Your resume should include these sections:
Include a header with your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your contact information is current so potential employers can contact you for an interview.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
In about two to three sentences, summarize your professional background, relevant skills, and experience as an accountant. Use this section to make a strong, eye-catching introduction. Highlight your unique strengths and integrate keywords from the job description to show you’re a good match for the position.
Accounting professional and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with six years of experience preparing financial reports, reconciling accounts, and harvesting revenue loss by identifying banking errors. Works closely with the chief financial officer (CFO) as a financial adviser and key voice in strategic budgeting.
Highlight accounting skills that demonstrate your strengths in the accounting profession, aligning skills to the job description to show you are an ideal candidate for the position. Highlight at least key skills, including hard and soft skills. The table below includes some suggestions.
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Accounts payable and receivable | Attention to detail |
Data analysis | Client relationship building |
Expense reporting | Cross-functional collaboration |
QuickBooks | Time management |
Tax accounting |
Action verbs add impact to your experience section, but it’s easy to run short during the resume-building process. It’s also simple to become redundant by overusing words like “accomplished” or “assisted.” When writing your accountant resume, use concise language, avoid the passive voice, and vary your action verbs.
Here is a list of common action verbs for accountant resumes:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Analyze | Estimate |
Examine | Forecast |
Manage | Organize |
Prepare | Reconcile |
Report | Verify |
The professional experience section of your accountant resume should include specific job titles along with bullet points that highlight responsibilities and measurable accomplishments.
Senior Accountant, Epitome Products, El Paso, Texas
October 2019 – present
Staff Accountant, KMH Associates, Concord, New Hampshire
June 2015 – October 2019
Data, metrics, and monetary figures quantify your experience, so include these measures of your success in your accountant resume. Companies are looking for candidates who will drive results and revenue. Illustrate your worth by including examples of specific accomplishments and outcomes.
Align your resume with each accountant job you apply for to demonstrate you are a strong candidate for the position. This will mean tweaking your resume, featuring some of the same target keywords in the job description, and highlighting specific skills and requirements the hiring manager is seeking. This will give you the best chance of capturing their attention and landing an interview.
Say you lack experience in the accounting field. Rather than focusing only on skills, your resume should highlight academic projects, bookkeeping roles, and financial responsibilities you have managed in other fields or jobs. Also include skills gained from any volunteer capacity, such as serving as treasurer for a nonprofit organization.
List any relevant education and certifications you’ve received to show you’re qualified to practice as an accountant. Be sure to include the title of the degree or certificate earned, the institution’s name, and the completion date. You can also list continuing education courses or professional development programs you’ve completed.
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Accounting, September 2011 – June 2015
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Certifications
Brittany Murphy
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation zip code
Accounting professional and CPA with six years of experience preparing financial reports, reconciling accounts, and harvesting revenue loss by identifying banking errors. Works closely with the CFO as a financial adviser and key voice in strategic budgeting.
Senior Accountant, Epitome Products, El Paso, Texas
October 2019 – present
Staff Accountant, KMH Associates, Concord, New Hampshire
June 2015 – October 2019
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Accounting, September 2011 – June 2015
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
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