Accountant Resume Examples and Template

An accountant is a professional in finance who helps clients manage their money. Many finance professionals pursue this career path because it can offer excellent job security and competitive pay, especially after gaining some experience. When preparing to be an accountant, it is important to review the job description and format your resume to cater to the position, as including the right details can increase your chances of securing a job. In this article, we go over what to include in an accountant resume, give you tips for a successful resume and provide two resume samples you can use as a guide when writing your own. When you're ready, you can also upload a resume file or build an Indeed Resume. To upload the template into Google Docs, go to File > Open > and select the correct downloaded file.

What to include in an accountant resume

Here are the key elements to include in an accountant's resume:

Contact information: This section can include your name, phone number, email address, location and professional website to help employers contact you.
Professional summary: This is a short paragraph discussing your experience and skills that can show employers you're prepared for the job.
Education: Accountants need a bachelor's degree, so this can be a key section for employers.
Work history: As accountants can have specialized job duties, you can benefit from showcasing your key job duties from previous jobs.
Skills: Accountants usually have technical and soft skills, so it's helpful to include both on your resume.
Certifications: Many employers prefer accountants to have certifications, so this can be a key section.

Related: How To Get an Accounting Job

Tips for writing an accountant resume

Here are a few tips that can help you write your own accountant resume:

Highlight relevant work experience

As accountants typically have specialized job duties that require in-depth expertise, it can be beneficial to showcase your most relevant work experience. This can show employers that you know how to perform the specific work that an accountant does. If you're new to the field, you can still highlight relevant experience by including work experiences of a job title that uses similar skills or processes, such as a bookkeeper or banker.

Use clear action verbs in your work history section

While creating entries for your work history section, try to use strong action verbs when describing each of your job duties. This can ensure that you only include tangible job duties that can inform potential employers about your expertise. Using clear, strong verbs can also showcase the quality of your work and your knowledge of the industry, especially when you use industry-specific terms.

Choose the right skills

When writing a resume for this position, it can also be important to include specific skills that relate to working as an accountant. To ensure you include the right skills, try to make at least two of your skills technical skills that pertain directly to working as an accountant and include some soft skills that you can use in various jobs, like communication and customer service. Related: 12 Top Job Skills for Any Industry: Transferable Skills You Need Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.