How to Write an Accountant Resume

Key takeaways

• To write an accountant resume, you will typically choose a format, include contact information, write a resume summary, outline your experience, list your education, and include your accountant skills related to the position.

• Accountant resume examples are a good way to learn about what competitive resumes look like and how to tailor your resume to the specific position you want.

• A staff accountant resume should include a compelling summary and a detailed description of professional experience.

An accountant resume sample can show you how to format important sections of the document, such as skills, experience, and education. Discover more about what accountant positions you can pursue, what skills employers look for, and how to craft a resume that showcases your experience in the following article.

If you’re ready to build skills to add to your resume, consider enrolling in the Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate. You’ll have the chance to learn how to interpret and analyze financial statements in as little as four weeks. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career credential that you can showcase on your resume.

Types of accountant positions to pursue

To write the most compelling resume, determine what type of accountancy position you want to apply for so that the format and details you choose align with what an employer expects of you. This can help you ensure your resume is properly tailored to the role. Take a look at the job descriptions for the role or roles you want to apply for and note the essential skills, accomplishments, education, and experience needed to ensure you include all the necessary information in your resume. You will then tailor your resume to each position you apply for.

Types of accountant positions you might investigate include:

• Certified public accountant (CPA)

• Auditor

• Management accountant

• Tax accountant

• Cost accountant

• Forensic accountant

• Government accountant

• Staff accountant

• Investment accountant

What do employers look for in an accountant resume?

An employer or recruiter uses your resume to determine whether you have the accountancy skills, workplace skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. They also want to see that you have relevant certifications and required licenses, especially if you claim to be a CPA, and meet all the job requirements.

Your resume needs to show that you are professional and enthusiastic about the role. It should be error-free and demonstrate your attention to detail. In addition, it should highlight your achievements in the accounting field, such as improving efficiency or saving money, which can help you stand out from other candidates.

How to write a resume for an accountant position: 7 steps

Writing your accounting resume typically involves seven steps, beginning with choosing a resume format, and including writing a resume summary, outlining your experience, and matching your skills to the job you're applying for. Get started with the following details for how to complete each section.

1. Choose a resume format.

Choose an accountant resume format demonstrating your career progression and achievements to date. Ensure your education and certifications are prominent, especially if you are a certified public accountant (CPA).

A chronological resume is well-suited to this profession because it showcases your recent experience and early accomplishments, which can grab a recruiter’s attention. This helps ensure that your relevant information is in a prominent position. Using this resume format typically allows you to write a professional summary after the contact information and title, where you can highlight key skills and qualifications for this job.

2. Include your contact information.

Ensure your contact details are clearly visible at the top of your resume. Your name can serve as the title of your resume, and below that, before the main sections, list your email address, phone number, full address or city, and updated LinkedIn profile, as long as it adds value to your current application.

3. Write a compelling resume summary.

The first body section of your resume is your summary. A summary draws recruiters in by giving them an overview of who you are, your biggest accomplishments and strengths, and what you want to do.

Recruiters spend only a few seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to continue reading, so your summary needs to be compelling enough to keep them interested and prompt them to read on.

For your accountant resume summary to make an impact, it must highlight exactly what the recruiter is looking for. This means it needs to be highly relevant. Include only details that demonstrate that you are ideal for the job. For example, you might state that you have extensive experience in a leadership role as a project manager. You are answering the question, “Why should I give you this job?”

Read more: How to Write a Resume Summary + Examples

4. Match your skills to the job description.

Include a designated skills section on your resume that incorporates keywords from the job description, but also include crucial skills throughout the other sections, such as your summary and experience section. You need certain essential skills to be any type of accountant. Still, each job description can list some specifics, so look at the job posting and essential criteria of the role you’re applying for, and highlight those you have on your resume.

Include examples to demonstrate fully that you have the necessary competencies. For example, if you reduced costs for your previous employer, you can include the exact percentage and from what department.

The skills section is particularly significant if the recruiter for the position uses an applicant tracking system (ATS) to sift applications, as the ATS relies on keywords. With this in mind, use the exact wording of the skills from the job post. Examples of skills to include are:

Technical skills:

• Tax returns

• Invoices

• Payroll

• Microsoft Excel

• Accounting software

• Balance sheet reconciliations

Workplace skills:

• Customer service

• Communication

• Organization

• Time management

• Problem-solving

• Leadership

• Critical thinking

5. Outline your experience.

Your experience section is an essential part of your resume. This is where you list any professional experience, usually in reverse chronological order, meaning your more recent experience is listed first. For each entry, include dates, position worked, and the company name.

For each entry, it’s important to include not only your responsibilities but also your achievements in each role. A recruiter wants to know what you’ve done that differentiates you from other candidates. Tailor this information to the role to ensure you show how your experience can help you succeed in the new role.

A good way to do this is to demonstrate specific knowledge of your profession. As an accountant, you need to understand industry jargon. To convey this, you can incorporate those terms into your resume. For example, when discussing your work with the marketing department at your previous job, you could use the phrase “quarterly marketing budgeting process,” which further confirms to the hiring manager that you have experience in this field. Doing this can also make it more likely that the ATS will single out your resume because of keywords related to accounting. Additionally, incorporate examples of actual metrics and data from your previous job to further showcase your knowledge and abilities.

Also, when describing your achievements, use powerful action words to make an impact, such as “spearheaded,” “initiated,” and “maximized,” instead of “helped,” “worked on,” and “made.” Think about what you have personally contributed.

If you have little or no paid professional experience yet, it’s effective to list internships or volunteer work that gives you valuable experience within this field.

What are the duties of an accountant on a resume?

The job duties you list on your accounting resume will depend on your experience, but some common responsibilities include financial reporting, risk management, compliance, and asset protection. You may also want to share your work with tax documentation, account reconciliation, and data modeling.

6. List your education.

You can place your education section wherever it suits your situation best. It can appear below or above your experience, depending on which is stronger and more recent. If you are a recent graduate with little or no accounting experience, listing your education directly under your summary may make the largest impact. This section is usually reverse chronological, like the experience section, and each entry needs to include dates, degrees, and institutions.

You may want to list your GPA, if it is especially high, along with any relevant projects or coursework you’ve completed as part of your degree courses. Omit high school information if you have a degree-level qualification.

7. Add certifications and achievements.

Certifications are important for many accounting positions. You may want to give these an individual section or include them in your education section under a subhead. You can also include certifications in your summary, especially if you are a CPA. It is particularly important to display this prominently if it is required for the role you’re applying for. You can also include any awards, accolades, memberships, and networks.

Accountant resume sample

A sample accountant resume can help you understand how to highlight relevant skills, industry-specific credentials, and professional experience, while illustrating abilities such as technical knowledge, analytical skills, software proficiency, and professionalism. The resume sample below can serve as a basic template for outlining your own resume.

Danielle Morales

Staff Accountant

Shaumberg, IL (123) 456-7890

name@email.com

LinkedIn Profile

Professional Summary

A dedicated and self-starting staff accountant with over five years of public and private experience. Expertise in payroll management, budget reconciliations, and working on large-scale teams.

Experience

Staff Accountant, ABC Firm

Chicago, IL | Jan 2023 – Present

• Spearhead the quarterly budget management process, consistently delivering financial statements two days ahead of schedule.

• Automated the employee expense reimbursement tracking system, reducing processing cycle times by 30%.

• Initiated a new financial analysis program, reducing business expenses by 15%.

Junior Accountant, XYZ Co

Beloit, WI | Jan 2022 – Jan 2023

• Processed and coded accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions, handling over $300,000 in monthly vendor invoices.

• Assisted the Senior Accountant in maintaining the fixed asset register, calculating monthly depreciation schedules for equipment and software.

• Supported the preparation of quarterly state and local sales tax filings, ensuring full regulatory compliance.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Accounting, State University

2017–2021

Certifications and Affiliations

• CPA Candidate

• Member, Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS)

Skills

• Financial analysis

• NetSuite, SAP ERP

• Tax returns

• Communication

• Time management

Resources for resume writing tips

It's helpful to review additional resources on resume writing tips, such as keeping your resume to a single page, using bullet points instead of paragraphs, and tailoring it to each job description. For more help putting a resume together to help ensure you get an interview for the accounting job of your choice, take a look at some of these resources:

• Where to Put Certifications on Resume: Guide + Examples

• Types of Resumes: Choosing the Right Format for Your Needs

• How to List Your Degree on Your Resume

• Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters

Explore free resources to accelerate your accounting career

Learn more about industry trends and gain career tips by subscribing to Career Chat, our LinkedIn newsletter. Then, check out these free resources for even more career guidance:

• Read our Career Chat issue: 3 Resume Templates and How to Pick the Right One for You

• Read an insider story: Meet the CPA Advancing Her Data and Leadership Skills with an MBA

• Watch on YouTube: How to Craft a Resume With No Job Experience: Step by Step

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses.

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial