Show You Have The Essential Accounting Skills
Hard and soft skills are essential if you want to work in a financial team and advance professionally, so include these key skills on your resume to show the hiring manager youll succeed as an accountant.
The basic accounting skills required for an accountant include more technical skills than many other professions, so mention your hard skills.
Hard skills are essential for accountants, and are learned from schooling, training, or practical experience.
For instance, if you specialize in a particular branch of accounting, then include the relevant technical accounting skills on your resume, such as auditing or performing a facilitated risk analysis process .
You also need advanced math skills because errors can end up costing a company a lot of money.
Additionally, include your strong computer skills to do the job effectively. List your knowledge of spreadsheet software such as QuickBooks, and experience with using operating systems such as Windows or MacOS.
These are other hard skills for accountants:
- Knowledge of financial regulations
- Language skills
Soft skills are also important for accountants. Soft skills relate to your work ethic and how you interact with others at the workplace.
For example, you require strong organizational skills to keep up with project deadlines and stay motivated. You must also properly file paperwork like receipts and invoices.
Heres a list of other important soft skills for accountants:
- Analytical skills
What If You Dont Have Work Experience
Finished education and are now looking for your first accounting job?
Or maybe, youve learnt accounting from online courses, but have no real experience in the field?
No company wants to hire an inexperienced accountant.
But dont threat there are ways to show you have the skills to do a great job.
What really matters here is your accounting portfolio.
If you already have any examples of your accounting skills, feel free to upload them online and link it in your resume .
If not, it isnt too late.
Here are a couple of easy ways to build a portfolio :
- Use a freelance platform, like UpWork, to pick up some gigs
- Offer your accounting knowledge to friends & acquaintances at a reduced price
If youre a recent graduate, you might want to check out our guide on how to make a student resume!
Optimize Your Accountant Resume For Each Job
Unfortunately, you can’t just have one copy of your resume that you submit for every accountant job application. Every application deserves a tailored resume.
With the job description in view, these are the areas you’ll need to pay special attention to:
- Objective/summary statement: Remember how we encouraged you to include specific company names? One of applicants’ worst mistakes is failing to change the company name on multiple job applications. Make sure you read over your statement before submitting your resume, changing the job title, skills, and company name.
- Skills: To customize your skills section, read the job description. Often, hiring managers will overtly say what skills are important for the specific accounting job .
- Job description bullet points: Are you applying to a job that needs you to interface with clients? Or maybe you’ll be working behind the scenes with data? Think about how you can shift how you discuss your work experience to highlight what’s important for each particular job.
We know it’s frustrating to focus on customizations when you want to submit multiple applications in a short amount of time. Consider creating a document with a master list of job description bullet points and skills, sorted into groups based on the skills you need to highlight . Then, you can pick and pull things from this document to create fully customized resumes in no time.
Accountant resume
Senior accountant resume
Accounts payable resume
Entry-level accountant resume
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Include A Relevant Cpa Skills Section
Because employers scan through applications quickly, try to only include CPA qualifications and skills that are relevant to the position you want.
First, mention relevant hard skills in your resume skills section. Hard skills are learned from studying for your CPA, schooling, and on-the-job experience.
For instance, CPAs should be comfortable working with spreadsheets, so list your experience with Microsoft Excel and .
You also need experience working with different types of accounting software list their specific names so hiring managers know they wont need to spend time training you.
Use the same keywords from the job posting and include them in your CPA resume. Employers use application tracking software to filter applicants and select their shortlist of top candidates, so read each posting carefully and match their CPA-related keywords to make an ATS-friendly resume.
Resume Layout And Formatting
Appropriate layout, design and formattingare the foundation for attracting and focusing the recruiters attention on your accountant resume. Together they create the first impression hiring managers will have. Appearance is important as your foremost ambassador here, since your personality cant shine through to the same extent as in an interview.unlike those of the competing accounting applicants.
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How To Write An Accountant Resume Summary Or Objective
Heres a fact for you recruiters only spend a few seconds on each resume!
But should we really be surprised by this?
Well, not when you consider the competitive nature of the accounting market.
This means you have to hook the recruiter in just a few seconds.
But how can you do this?
The answer is simple: use an objective or resume summary.
Essentially, these are powerful introductions that are placed on top of your resume.
So, what is the difference between the two sections?
A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence summary of your professional experiences and achievements.
- Accountant with a history of accurately and efficiently supporting accounting activities for a diverse range of clientele. 5+ years of experience in presenting data, analyzing cost control, providing financial reports, and delivering profit and loss statements under time pressures. Achievements include saving Company X $52,000 by fixing a tax reporting error.
On the other hand, a resume objective is a 2-4 sentence snapshot of your professional goals and aspirations.
- Motivated accountancy student looking for a junior accounting job at Company X. Passionate about attention to detail and numbers. Experience balancing the books for local food stalls while at University X. Skilled in MS Office, FreshBooks, QuickBooks, Sage, and Microsoft Dynamics
So, which one is best, summary or objective?
Financial Auditor Resume Example
This template is a little too colorful for an average accountant’s resume. However, the overall impression remains professional and highly structured.
Moreover, this accountant resume sample is the perfect example of how extra sections on your resume can enhance the quality of the whole CV. If you have a volunteering experience or a special certificate, make sure that you always include it.
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Enhance Your Cpa Work Experience With Hard Numbers
Youre already a certified expert with numbers, so use this skill to your advantage by including hard numbers throughout your resume.
Hard numbers provide context for hiring managers and show the scope of your resume achievements. Try quantifying your CPA resume with hard numbers by listing the:
- number of people you supervised or trained
- size of the budgets you worked with
- number of new customers you brought in
- percentages or dollar amounts in increased funding or investments you brought about
Weve bolded the hard numbers in our CPA resume example below to show you what quantifying a work experience section looks like:
Supervise and organize a team of 36 junior associates to resolve problems and achieve reporting deadline
Analyzed inventory costs averaging $8,000 per month to minimize food costs and maximize profits
Coordinated fundraising activities and achieved a 20% increase in event funding
Dont forget to place resume action verbs at the start of your bullet points. Action verbs like analyzed, supervised, and coordinated make your CPA resume more impactful because they portray you as a leader and also provide relevant details to hiring managers.
Accountant Resume Writing Tips
1. Showcase your certifications
If you are applying for a senior-level accounting position, you may be required to carry certifications. Many accounting certifications require a lot of preparation, but, having one can make you stand out. Make sure your letters are front and center to show the hiring manager that you have what it takes to do the job.
If youre applying for a job as a CPA, you will be required to be licensed in your state. Since youre competing with other licensed professionals, use other certifications and skills to stand out.
2. Highlight your ability to think critically
As an accountant, you will be required to take complex information and distill it into information for decision-makers in all departments of your company. For this part of the job, critical thinking skills are necessary. Show off your analytical and critical thinking skills with specific examples from previous jobs.
Think of times in your previous positions where you demonstrated critical thinking skills and how they benefited your company. Perhaps you found and fixed a formula error that made the numbers more accurate and saved your company money. Make a list of all the times your skills helped your previous employer and put the most relevant examples in your resume under the specific job title.
3. Tailor your relevant keywords
4. Include actionable language
5. Pick the right resume format
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Certifications For A Strong Accountant Cv
Accounting, like other professions such as law and medicine, is a field in which formal certifications can be a requirement, or at the very least, a huge advantage.
In many instances, we would suggest listing certifications in the education section of your resume, or at the end, space permitting. However, unless you’re just starting out as an accountant, you likely already have an important certification or are aiming to achieve one. This can be the key to many professional doors, so we actually recommend placing your certification in the summary section, so it’s prominently featured at the top of the page. Moreover, for some higher paying accounting positions, the job listing may require specific certifications. That means the ATS will be checking for those keywords as well.
If you have more than one certification, consider creating a custom section for them using our resume builder tool. Our web-based interface with pre-filled sample sentences makes this incredibly easy to do.
Resume Layout And Design: Project The Right Image
Even the numbers people need an art department to give their presentations the proper look. The layout and design of your accounting and finance resume are just as important because before a recruiter reads your resume, they will see it. That first look counts.
What impression do you want to give? Organized, neat, clear and professional? Of course! The best way to do that is to keep it simple. Avoid over-designing or using too much color. Stick with easy-to-read fonts and 1-inch margins. Avoid cramming in too much text: Save something for the interview!
To save yourself the time and effort of formatting, use one of our expertly-designed resume templates.
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Accounting And Finance Cv Skills Example: Asset Management
Your skills section tells recruiters a few important things quickly. Because this is such a pointed part of your accounting and finance resume, they will know within seconds whether you have the attributes they seek.The other key piece of information here is what you think are the most important skills for the job. These two factors mean you should curate this section carefully.
The soft skills most in demand by employers are time management, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, according to the Journal of Accountancy. The top hard skills are knowledge of GAAP , Quickbooks, business intelligence software, and tax preparation software. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and preparation of financial statements as well as data query and management ability and independent research skills, the staffing agency 4 Corners Resources says.
If you are having trouble deciding on your top skills, try putting the text from your resume and the job listing into a word cloud creator such as WordArt or WordClouds. That will show you which information appears most often.
Accountant Job Descriptions & Responsibilities Examples
An employer would expect to see the following proven foundational duties and skill sets within an applicants resume, depending on educational level and career stage.
An Accountant I at an entry-career stage may:
- Assist with monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, general ledger, balance sheet reconciliations, journal entries, fixed assets, and P& L reporting
- Calculate variances between actual results and budget forecasts.
- Reconciliations of main bank account and international subsidiary accounts
- Prepare documents for annual tax returns
- Work with external auditors during the audit review and compile all the necessary documentation required during the investigation
- Responsible for accounts payable and accounts receivable statements
An Accountant II at the mid-career stage may
- Prepare journal entries, reconciliations, and trend analyzes during month end
- Manage revenue, accounts payable, accounts receivable and expense accrual accounts
- Liaise with operations, production, and marketing department to validate the correctness of financial information and review financial data reports
- Assist with migration of the balance sheet from Oracle to SAP
- Responsible for cash disbursement
- Engage with the internal audit team to complete documentation for SOX and Basel II
An Accountant III at an experienced/advanced stage may:
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How To Write An Accountant Resume
Before you get started, you need to know what your accountant resume should include. Here are the sections your CV should contain:
- The resume header
This guide will offer details on how to compile each of these elements.
The next fact you need to understand is how technology controls the recruitment and hiring entry point. The unfortunate reality is that an Applicant Tracking System “bot” could disqualify even a seasoned accountant candidate whose resume text fails to score highly enough against screening criteria.
Never fear, however. Resume.io is here to sidestep that obstacle and make sure your resume avoids that fate.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying employment sectors for accountants and auditors are listed below.
What Experience Should Be Included
The accountants experience level influences the information presented in the resume. Experience refers to the number of years worked, along with positions held, internships completed, and the names of previous employers.
Regardless of the jobs tier or ranking, the prospective employee must include previous roles or experiences that highlight their competencies. They should specifically focus on large or unique projects that set them apart from other candidates. For example, an applicant would want to include that they managed private foundation grants totaling over $35 million or developed controls to reduce errors by 18%. Similarly, they would benefit from stating that they processed 50+ vendor invoices per month with 100% accuracy or prepared 10 tax returns in the previous year.
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The Most Valuable Certifications And How To Present Them
Accounting certifications often correlate directly with your salary, bonuses and options when choosing employers. Some are clearly more important on your accounting resume than others. Here’s a sample selection of the most valued ones:
Certified Public Accountant : this is probably the most well-known of all accounting certifications, at least in the U.S. CPAs can specialize in different fields. Different countries, states and regions have different examination procedures as well. The fields of expertise range from tax management, forensic accounting and risk management to compliance and many others.
Certified Management Accountant is considered by many to be the second most prestigious professional certification. It leans towards financial management more than the CPA, focusing on compliance, taxes and controls. Employers value the CMA highly, and may stipulate this as a requirement for appropriate positions in the accounting job listing.
Other universally valuable certifications include: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Institute Management Accountant . There are also industry-specific certifications such as Certified Bank Auditor , Certified Fraud Examiner , Certified Information Systems Auditor , Certified Internal Auditor and Enrolled Agent .
All of these are important to highlight in your resume summary, or if you have numerous ones, create a dedicated section for certifications in the upper half of your resume.
Acing The Ats Challenge
ATS software algorithms scan and analyze the text of every resume for certain keywords, rating and ranking them on that basis. Only the highest-scoring resumes make it through this electronic filter and are passed on for review by hiring managers.
Keywords are terms that are relevant to the employer, hiring manager and listed job description. The trick to a great resume is to insert the necessary keywords in a way that flows naturally without making it all seem artificial.
U.S. survey data shows that 75% of resumes submitted online are never seen by human eyes. Automated screening can become a resume black hole, so optimizing your resume for the ATS is very important.
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What Resume Format Should Be Used
For jobseekers with little accounting experience, a skills-based or functional resume format is best. This layout highlights the applicants transferable skills without spotlighting previous work experience.
Accountants with previous accounting experience should use the reverse-chronological order format. With this type of resume, the applicant lists the most current and relevant work experience first, followed by the next most recent. This style gives the hiring personnel a brief but total picture of the applicants professional experience.
Tips For Writing An Accounting Resume
Since accounting jobs require immense attention to detail, the resume must adhere to the same standard. Make sure it is accurate and free from errors or inconsistencies. Regardless of the accountants career stage, the applicant must include their title, certification, or field-specific markers . Providing this information increases the candidates credibility and raises the possibility of an interview. The placement of the title can make a difference, as well. For this reason, be sure to display it in large or bold font on the top of the page.
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