If you're an accountant who wants to land a job, there are several simple rules to follow when it comes to writing a resume. In this article, you'll find the perfect accountant resume samples that will serve as an inspiration for you, so you can learn from the best.
Remember, on average, your resume has only 6 seconds to leave a lasting impression. A well-written and visually pleasing resume ensures your professional qualities get the attention they deserve.
And in the end, it may be the resume that gets you the dream accountant job.
- What is expected of an accountant's resume: the basics
- 1. Student Accountant Resume Sample
- 2. Accounting Specialist Resume Example
- 3. Entry-level Accountant Resume Sample
- 4. Senior Accounting Manager Resume Example
- 5. Senior Accountant Resume Example
- 6. Mid-Level Accountant Resume Example
- 7. Tax Accountant Resume Sample
- 8. Financial Accountant Resume Example
- 9. Accounting Manager Resume Sample
- 10. Senior Accountant Resume Example
- 11. DB Schenker Accountant Resume Example
- 12. Accounting Auditor Resume Sample
- 13. Financial Auditor Resume Example
What is expected of an accountant's resume: the basics
As an accountant, what you want to do first and foremost, is to stand out while communicating dependability and attention to detail. For this reason, flashy resume templates are a big no-go in the world of accounting resumes.
Each of the accountant resume samples below uses a minimalistic template that implies these qualities.
The language has to follow the same principle as the design. It needs to be precise, straight to the point, and contain all the important keywords.
How you structure the information in your CV is equally important.
For this reason, in designing these accountant resume samples we’ve paid most attention to their structure and formatting. Each of the individual sections is divided into bullet points, which facilitates easy reading. You want to do the same.
But enough words! Learn what you can from these 10 accountant resume samples!
1. Student Accountant Resume Sample
This resume sample exemplifies what an accounting student resume should look like.
At this point in your career, you probably don’t have much experience to show. For this reason, the education and skills sections dominate this resume. Each of these two sections is quite extensive in this accountant resume sample and describes in detail what skills did the candidate acquire and how.
Finally, when you cannot depend on previous experience, related extracurricular activities can help support your candidacy too.
2. Accounting Specialist Resume Example
When you’re applying for an accounting specialist position, you need a very strong resume. Once you’ve acquired two or more years of professional experience, the only remaining challenge is to articulate it well on a resume.
Notice how this resume opens with a professional summary. By doing this, it allows hiring managers to immediately find what they want to see.
In this resume sample, we’ve put the education section right after the profile. Although it’s not a big mistake, you might want to consider putting it below your work history section. After all, two years into your career education becomes less relevant.
3. Entry-level Accountant Resume Sample
This graduate accountant resume sample is razor-sharp in its focus. Naturally, education comes first — straight out of college, your degree is still your strongest asset.
Since this particular candidate did multiple internships during his studies, the rest of the resume simply lists the experience he acquired during that time. And does it in an easy-to-read and structured manner.
4. Senior Accounting Manager Resume Example
As a seasoned professional, you could easily write a resume more packed with relevant information than this one. Despite that, we wanted to show that sometimes it’s equally useful to let your resume breathe a little.
This resume doesn’t overwhelm hiring managers with walls of text but makes great use of white space and straight-to-the-point bullet points. Something to keep in mind while writing your own resume. You don’t always need to include every piece of information to make a lasting impression.
5. Senior Accountant Resume Example
This accountant resume sample packs a lot of information on a single page. If you’ve ever felt like you can’t possibly make your resume shorter, this sample proves you wrong.
Note the use of past tense in the first two bullet point sections as compared to the last section’s simple list of responsibilities. The lesson is clear — what you did is always more impressive than what you were supposed to do.
6. Mid-Level Accountant Resume Example
This accountant resume sample is designed to do a lot with little. In spite of the candidate’s limited experience, the resume succeeds in making it look more robust than it actually is.
One of the reasons behind this is a smart choice of a resume template — it makes the space reserved for text more conflated. Another reason is its use of strong visual elements, such as charts and sliders. It’s a great example of how the content of your resume has to go in hand with its form.
7. Tax Accountant Resume Sample
When applying for a job as a CPA tax analyst, you need a very strong resume. The resume below has an air of steadfast responsibility about it.
The template design is very formal and doesn’t seek to impress in anything but its minimalism. Similarly, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything irrelevant on this resume. Instead, this accountant resume sample packs an impressive number of keywords to ensure that it gets through any ATS.
8. Financial Accountant Resume Example
A pretty standard mid-level accountant resume sample. The opening career summary outlines the candidate’s strongest qualities while remaining concise.
If you want to improve on it, structure your summary using bullet points to make it easier to read. Second, notice the use of past tense in each of the subsections. Such use of language has a much greater impact on the reader than a simple list of responsibilities.
Finally, even if keywords are missing in the main body of the resume, the strengths section makes up for it.
9. Accounting Manager Resume Sample
In many ways, the resume below is a great example of how not to do it. Although it belongs to a candidate who held multiple managerial positions, it hardly ever presents any quantifiable accomplishments. Numbers are impactful and you should never pass on an opportunity to present your experiences by using them.
Otherwise, this resume sample is clear and well-structured. The use of a two-column template design allows it to pack a lot of information on a single page.
10. Senior Accountant Resume Example
An accountant resume like the one below impresses with the candidate’s sheer wealth of experience and skills. Remember, it’s all about those first 6 seconds.
This accountant resume example catches the recruiters’ attention by making it visually apparent that this candidate’s experience is extensive. The takeaway is clear — once you’ve become a seasoned professional, even a wall of text on your resume doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.
11. DB Schenker Accountant Resume Example
This resume stands out from the crowd. It was provided by one of the Kickresume clients who, also thanks to this resume, managed to land a job at DB Schenker as an accountant.
It's easy to see why. Even though Emma used one of the most basic (and free!) templates, when it comes to applying for an accountant job, this isn't a problem. Simplicity is the vibe that you want to go for. Moreover, this resume has the perfect length. It's no longer the rule that a resume should be only a page long. One to two pages are ideal.
12. Accounting Auditor Resume Sample
This resume template allows the CV to have a clear structure and while it has a little color, it creates a highly professional and sleek impression.
What we can learn from this accountant resume sample is that sticking to rules will get you far. This resume has all the predictable parts that it needs, including the accountant resume profile.
Work experience is placed first (as it should be), which is then followed by the education and skills sections. The resume of this type is welcomed by hiring managers as it is familiar and well-structured — and therefore easy to read.
13. Financial Auditor Resume Example
This template is a little too colorful for an average accountant's resume. However, the overall impression remains professional and highly structured.
Moreover, this accountant resume sample is the perfect example of how extra sections on your resume can enhance the quality of the whole CV. If you have a volunteering experience or a special certificate, make sure that you always include it.
Finally, if you feel like you still need more advice, check out our ultimate resume guide. Or even better, get your own resume analyzed and see what you can improve!