Accountant Resume Sample

As an accountant, you’ll be analyzing data and thinking critically to solve business problems. You’ll also need to communicate your findings with others and work on teams. Use your resume to highlight past accomplishments where you’ve used these skills, and whenever possible, mention the specific results you achieved.

Accounting Clerk Resume Sample

Accounting clerks perform various administrative tasks such as bookkeeping, reconciling accounts, tracking payments, and collecting data for audits. To get this job, your resume should reflect that you are highly organized, analytical, and capable of juggling a myriad of responsibilities. Provide examples from your prior work experience to illustrate these skills.

Accounting Manager Resume Sample

Accounting managers oversee accounting departments, manage financial reporting, and lead their teams to success. To advance to a management position in accounting, you not only need to be a great accountant; you also need to demonstrate leadership and people skills. Make sure your resume reflects your experience in these areas.

Senior Accountant / Accounting Executive Resume Sample

Senior accountants don’t always supervise other employees, but they are typically experienced professionals who have worked in accounting for a number of years. As a senior accountant, you’ll do some typical accounting tasks, but you’ll also do higher-level analyses of your company’s financial standing. Your resume should show your aptitude for data analysis and your ability to make complex business decisions that lead to positive outcomes.

Entry Level Accountant Resume Sample

Entry level accountants help with maintaining financial records, gathering data, and assembling basic reports. While you don’t need formal accounting experience for this job, it can help to have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a similar field. Lead your resume with your educational experience, mentioning any relevant coursework (such as business law or microeconomics), and be sure to also mention any relevant internships you’ve held.

Staff Accountant Resume Sample

Staff accountants have a variety of duties that may include bookkeeping, processing payroll, preparing taxes, and generating financial reports and statements. They also help ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.

Cost Accountant Resume Sample

Cost accountants analyze and assess the costs of producing products or services. They help businesses identify areas where they could become more profitable. In addition to the math and data analysis skills that most accountants need, cost accountants need strong budgeting skills and the ability to communicate effectively with management about their findings. Use your resume to highlight your accounting background and your skills at collaborating with others.

Payroll Accountant Resume Sample

Payroll accountants are responsible for processing companies’ employee compensation. Each pay period, they calculate each employee’s earnings, deduct the proper amounts for income tax and benefits, and issue paychecks. To get a payroll accountant position, use your resume to show that you have general accounting skills, experience using payroll software, and a working knowledge of labor and tax regulations.

Accounting Assistant Resume Sample

In an accounting assistant role, you’ll be doing basic accounting tasks such as record keeping, cash handling, and billing to help support your company. You may be able to get this job straight out of school, but some companies may require a few years of accounting experience. Use a resume like this one to showcase the experience you do have, giving specific examples of achievements that illustrate your organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Tax Accountant Resume Sample

A tax accountant specializes in preparing and filing tax forms for businesses and individuals. These accountants must stay abreast of current tax regulations to help their clients comply with the law. You’ll need specialized knowledge in order to become a tax accountant -- so if you have experience in tax accounting, auditing, or tax preparation, make sure to say so on your resume.

Accounting Specialist Resume Sample

Accounting specialists may have wide ranging responsibilities such as maintaining financial records, processing payroll, generating reports, and making projections. To get this job, focus your resume on accounting skills such as balancing budget sheets, processing invoices, or managing account transfers.

Skills For Accountant Resumes

Many people think of accounting as a data-centric job -- and it is. You do need to have excellent math and data analysis skills because you’ll spend much of your time working with numbers. However, there is also a collaborative aspect to being an accountant; you’ll probably work in teams with others, and in some roles, you’ll give presentations and reports to management that will help guide their financial decision-making.

Being a great accountant requires a blend of technical and people skills. So give plenty of examples from your prior work experiences where you’ve developed and used these abilities. Talk about how you’ve successfully managed expenses, conducted account analyses, and worked on project teams. Make sure to also list your software proficiencies (such as QuickBooks and Oracle) and other hard skills in a separate skills section.

• Account Reconciliation
• General Ledger
• Accounting
• Financial Reporting
• Accounts Payable
• Financial Accounting
• Financial Statements
• Journal Entries
• Accounts Receivable (AR)
• QuickBooks
• Bank Reconciliation
• Auditing
• Financial Analysis
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Payroll
• Tax
• Tax Preparation
• Bookkeeping
• Internal Controls
• Fixed Assets

Action Verbs For Accountant Resumes

When discussing your accounting experience on your resume, you’ll want to lead into your achievements with strong action verbs. Choose the clearest, most concise word to express the role you played in your accomplishment. Active, specific verbs like “managed” or “developed” are always a stronger choice than vague phrases like “assisted with” or “was responsible for”.

Finally, remember that finance comes with its own specialized “language” and vocabulary. As much as possible, pick verbs that are industry-specific to convey your expertise.

• Administered
• Allocated
• Analyzed
• Appraised
• Arbitrated
• Audited
• Balanced
• Budgeted
• Calculated
• Computed
• Developed
• Managed
• Modelled
• Planned
• Projected
• Researched
• Restructured

For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.

Resume Bullet Points From Accountant Resumes

You should use bullet points to describe your achievements in your Accountant resume. Here are sample bullet points to help you get started:

For more sample bullet points and details on how to write effective bullet points, see our articles on resume bullet points, how to quantify your resume and resume accomplishments.