Table of Contents
1
Introduction
A prospective employer will have a stack of resumes to wade through and only has the time to glance at each application. That is why it is so important to have a well-written document that portrays your professionalism and skills in a clear and concise manner. Our accountant resume template for Word guides you in creating just such a document, and our writing tips will help to ensure your resume gets noticed. Continue reading to discover the best way to write a summary statement, skills section, work history, and education section.
2
Writing Your Summary Statement
A summary statement is five or six lines in which to pitch the reader a showcase of your accomplishments. It is an overview of your qualifications for the desired position. You will expound further later on in your resume as you build your professional profile. Our accountant resume template for Word can give you an idea of the sort of information to include. You should include your professional title, several skill sets, and a couple of relevant accomplishments.
Summary Statement Example 1:
• Senior accountant with more than 12 years’ experience
• Experience in billings and collections
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel, Hyperion Enterprise, and Hyperion Retrieve
Summary Statement Example 2:
Accountant with 6 years’ experience preparing a wide range of financial documents, reports, and statements. Exemplify strong work ethic while preparing clear and comprehensive financial reports for executive-level management. Experience developing and implementing financial systems that improve proficiency and profitability.
Summary Statement Example 3:
• CPA certified in 2007
• 12 years’ experience preparing corporate, partnership, fiduciary, and individual federal and state tax returns
• Experience counseling clients in tax-related matters
Summary Statement Example 4:
Results-oriented professional accountant with a proven track record in consistently delivering accounting services that increase profitability. Exemplifies proficiency with latest accounting software. Management and supervisory experience.
3
Writing Your Skills Section
If you have done your research, you know what your employer is looking for. This is the time to show you have what the company needs. You want the hiring manager to see at a glance that you have the pertinent skills necessary for the job.
• Keep things clear, concise, and easily digestible. Aim for five to eight bullet points.
• Specify your accomplishments and how you achieved them.
• Choose skills relevant to the position you are seeking.
Review our accountant resume template for Word along with the list of skills below to strengthen your own resume. Include some of these skills as well as a list of your own.
• Tax preparation
• Well-developed interpersonal skills
• Bookkeeping
• Proficient at QuickBooks and Excel
• High level of organization; managed range of clients’ documents
• Provide professional accounting advice and assistance to corporate clients
• Analyze business operations, trends, and costs
4
Writing Your Work History Section
In this section, you should be using action verbs. Show any positions that included increasing responsibility within the organization. Past work should be listed in reverse chronological order. Look for keywords within the job descriptions to further relate your work history with the job you are applying for.
• It’s a good idea to include metrics to highlight your accomplishments at each job.
• Keep responsibilities brief. Use past tense for jobs you had previously and present tense for your current job.
• Make sure to list dates of employment. You can use month and year or just year as long as you remain consistent.
The accountant resume template for Word provides a guideline for formatting and presentation of information, and here are some excellent examples of points you can use.
• Collaborate extensively with auditors during preliminary and year-end audit processes
• Streamlined work procedures with automation software
• Provided bookkeeping for 10 stores
• Managed finances for corporate office
• Managed retirement funds for full-time corporate staff
• Balanced the books for 13 stores in Alabama and 1 in Kentucky
• Managed a staff of 30 employees
• Trained staff and resolved disputes
5
Writing Your Education Section
The more experience you gain, the less important your education is. At first, you might include your high school education or GED because you have no other experience. Once you enter college, high school accomplishments should fall off as college-level achievements take their place. Similarly, the more work experience you gain, the less important your GPA because you have proven yourself in the workplace. This is a great place to highlight any certifications or licenses earned. If you are still in school, it is okay to list your anticipated graduation date. Use the examples below and look over our accountant resume template for Word to give you insight as to what to include.
• New York University / BS Accounting / 2005-2009
• New York-registered CPA since 2010
