Accounting Resume Keywords and Skills (Hard Skills)

Here are the keywords and skills that appear most frequently on recent Accounting job postings. In other words, these are the most sought after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. So try to include them on your resume where possible.

Remember that every job is different. Instead of including all these keywords on your resume, identify the keywords most relevant to the job you're applying to and include those. Use the free Targeted Resume tool to help with this.

  • Accounting
  • Financial Reporting
  • Financial Analysis
  • Account Reconciliation
  • Financial Accounting
  • Microsoft Access
  • General Ledger
  • Accounts Payable
  • Auditing
  • Financial Statements
  • Tax
  • SAP Products
  • Accounts Receivable (AR)
  • Finance
  • Internal Controls
  • Data Analysis
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Accounting Software
  • Management
  • Fixed Assets
  • International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
  • Business Planning
  • Business Strategy
  • Team Leadership
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
  • Financial Audits
  • Strategic Planning
  • Negotiation
  • Internal Audit
  • Sarbanes-Oxley Act
  • Corporate Tax
  • Income Tax
  • Tax Advisory
  • Tax Accounting
  • Tax Research
  • International Tax
  • Tax Preparation
  • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Tax Compliance
  • Tax Planning
  • Assurance
  • Corporate Tax Planning
  • Bookkeeping
  • QuickBooks
  • Payroll
  • Invoicing
  • Journal Entries
  • Data Entry
  • Accounts Payable & Receivable
  • Management Accounting
  •   Show full list

  Where on my resume do I add these buzzwords?

Try to add these keywords directly into your resume's work experiences. Alternatively, you can also include a Skills section where you can list your technical skills in order of your proficiency.

Oh and one more thing! It goes without saying, but only include these technical skills or keywords into your resume if you actually have experience with them.

Compare Your Resume To These Accounting Skills (ATS Scan)

Paste your resume below and our AI will identify which keywords are missing from your resume from the list above (and what you need to include). Including the right keywords will help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. resume screeners) which may scan your resume for keywords to see if you're a match for the job.

How do I add skills to an Accounting resume?

1
Review the job posting closely.

Go through the Accounting posting you're applying to, and identify hard skills the company is looking for. For example, skills like Accounting, Accounts Payable and General Ledger are possible skills. These are skills you should try to include on your resume.

2
Add industry skills like Microsoft Access and Financial Accounting.

Add other common skills from your industry - such as Financial Reporting, Account Reconciliation and Financial Analysis - into your resume if they're relevant.

3
Add skills into your work experience.

Incorporate skills - like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Accounts Payable & Receivable and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) - into your work experience too. This shows hiring managers that you have practical experience with these tools, techniques and skills.

4
Highlight specific financial experience.

On Accounting resumes, you should include examples that show you're comfortable dealing with a range of finance responsibilities, from reporting to automating tasks.

5
Emphasize your accounting skills.

As the job title suggests, accounting is a pretty common skill for Accounting roles. Use the infographic for examples of how to show accounting experience.

6
Use the exact job title.

Try to add the exact job title, Accounting, somewhere into your resume to get past resume screeners. See the infographic for how to do this.

Accounting Resume Templates

Here are examples of proven resumes in related jobs and industries, approved by experienced hiring managers. Use them as inspiration when you're writing your own resume. You can even download and edit the resume template in Google Docs.

Resume Example
Senior Accountant / Accounting Executive


Resume Example
Chief Accounting Officer


Resume Example
Professional


Resume Example
Highlights (Free)


Resume Example
Modern Two-Column


Resume Example
Clean


Word Cloud for Accounting Skills & Keywords

The following word cloud highlights the most popular keywords that appear on Accounting job descriptions. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up on employer's job postings. If you have experience with these keywords, include them on your resume.

Top Accounting Skills and Keywords to Include On Your Resume

Browse Jobs in this Category

Accounting Soft Skills

Here are common soft skills that appear on Accounting job postings. Unlike hard skills, which refer to tools, software or techniques, soft skills focus on character traits and interpersonal skills.

Do not list these words or phrases on your resume, and instead focus on the hard skills we described above.

Get your Resume Instantly Checked, For Free

Upload your resume and we'll spot the issues in it before an actual Accounting recruiter sees it. For free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills should you put on an Accounting resume?

Some effective Accounting skills you can add to your resume include:

  • Accounting
  • Financial Reporting
  • Financial Analysis
  • Account Reconciliation
  • Financial Accounting
  • Microsoft Access
  • General Ledger
  • Accounts Payable

How do resume skills compare between an Accounting Controller and an Accounting Specialist?

Popular skills we often see on resumes for Accounting Controller positions include:

  • Business Control
  • Financial Reporting
  • Accounting
  • Financial Analysis
  • SAP Products
  • Finance
  • Budgeting
  • SAP ERP

In comparison, skills we see on Accounting Specialist resumes include:

  • Financial Accounting
  • Bookkeeping
  • Value-Added Tax (VAT)
  • Xero
  • Account Reconciliation
  • QuickBooks
  • Management Accounting
  • Tax

What are good resume skills to include for different Accounting roles and job titles?

Depending on the specific role you apply to, you may need to emphasize different skill sets. Here are a few examples:

  • Accounting Specialist: Accounting, Financial Accounting, Bookkeeping, Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Financial Reporting
  • Accounting Controller: Business Control, Financial Analysis, SAP Products, Finance and Budgeting
  • Accounting Tutor: QuickBooks, Tax Preparation, Peer Tutoring and Auditing

Target your Resume to a Job Description

While the keywords above are a good indication of what skills you need on your resume, you should try to find additional keywords that are specific to the job. To do this, use the free Targeted Resume tool. It analyzes the job you are applying to and finds the most important keywords you need on your resume.

It is personalized to your resume, and is the best way to ensure your resume will pass the automated resume filters.

Start targeting your resume


© 2023 Resume Worded. All rights reserved.