Accountant Resume Examples, Skills, Objective

Writing an articulate resume is a crucial task for getting selected for your dream job. Therefore, everything must be written with the utmost consideration. While hiring for a job, a company receives a good deal of resumes. Therefore, the resume must be articulate and precise to stand out amongst the others. One must keep in mind the right format of writing the resume. Know what the company expects from you and reflect that you have it in your resume. Try keeping it short and organized. Keep it enough to convey that you will be a utility for the company. let us know about that the Accountant Resume Examples, Skills, Objective.

Accountant Resume Examples, Skills, Objective

An accountant is a professional for carrying out tasks like account and financial statement analysis, auditing, and other accounting functions. An accountant may be hired by a firm or may work individually by initiating their private practice. Someone applying as an accountant must reflect it in their resume through their skills, works, and experience.

  • Keep your resume as brief as possible. The employer is not going to read your paragraphs, state everything under bullet points to increase readability.
  • Include the skills required to be an accountant, for example, computer skills, numerical skills, awareness of the business and market, and others.
  • Remember to write your experience and education in reverse chronological order. This way the employer may track your advancement.
  • Do add about your achievements and awards if you have enough space.
  • Add your personal details such as your email, link to your LinkedIn profile, contact number.
  • All this information must be placed in an organized manner. 

Now let us cover all of this in detail.

What Is Accountancy? Why Is It Needed?

In simple words, accountancy is managing the business by keeping track of all the transactions, performing account analysis by managing income and expenses, prepare the tax returns, checking the accuracy of all the reports, documents, and financial statements.

There are numerous accounting designations. Some of them are listed below:

  • Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  • Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
  • Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
  • Certified General Accountant (CGA)
  • Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA)
  • Enrolled Agent (EA)

Accounting is essential while running a firm as analyzing and evaluating helps in knowing the risks, cost savings and determines the performance of the firm. Tracking income and expenditure is important to make upcoming business decisions. Of course, this is important as it helps to determine whether the firm is in loss of profit and thus forms the budget accordingly. 

Responsibilities of an Accountant

One must be able to think critically and analytically to carry out the tasks required to be done. Every day is going to be different and every day will bring new opportunities for you. It is important to be detail-oriented as most of the tasks need to keep in mind the details of documents like expenditure, financial statements, etc therefore be precise and thorough with your work. 

If you are working for a company, communication is an essential aspect as you will need to explain the technical accounting terms to your colleagues and work in collaboration. 

Whatever is to be done in accounting, it is evident that one needs to be quick with numbers. Quick and accurate calculations get the work done easily and speedily. 

Technology is evolving and trying to make everything easier, but without knowing how to use that technology, one may not be able to exploit it correctly. Therefore, it is essential to learn some tools like Microsoft Excel, Google spreadsheets, and other financial software such as Expensr, Gnu Cash, Money Trackin, Electric Checkbook, Budget Plus, etc, which may help in faster performance.  

Therefore, there may be ample tasks such as auditing, examining, organizing financial statements and keeping a record of them, preparing the budget, management of payroll, etc. 

  • There may be some repetitive tasks that you would be needing to do daily, monthly, or once in six months, or any other way the company has. 
  • One may have to keep a regular check on accounts payable (The amount of money owed by the company to its creditors which is regarded as the company’s liability on the balance sheet of the company)
  • Accounts receivable (the amount of money owed to the company from those who borrowed it)
  • Payroll (done usually twice a month, some may do it weekly)
  • Employee expenses (this is important to keep a check on the expenditure done by the employees of the company for determining the budget)
  • Bank reconciliation (in simple words, tallying all the transactions of the company with the bank, that is, to make sure that the statements of the bank and the company matches).
  • Accrual of Expenses
  • Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), it illustrates how well is the company pulling off their targets or objectives.
  • Manage assets and transfers of the firm
  • Manage the bonds and debts if any
  • Make recommendations for business development
  • Conducts researches and creates reports
  • Financial modeling
  • Public Budgeting

Writing The Resume To Apply As An Accountant

One must be very particular while writing their resume. It might seem complicated to start with, but do not worry, we have got you covered! Following the guidelines properly will surely lead to an interview call.

  • It is crucial to keep in mind, what the recruiter is looking for.

The first impression is the last impression as it is rightly said. Your resume is the first expression on the recruiter, and if it does not make them stop and check it thoroughly, you will lose your chance of getting the job. Therefore, it must be brief and precise.

  • Be particular about the structure of the resume.
  1. Here is a hack, to build a profile really quick, go to Google Docs and select the Resume option under the Docs section. This gives you an already build structure, as a template and now you may input your details accordingly. 
  2. Just in case you don’t want to use Google Docs, you may follow the pattern shown in this article and word on the application you are comfortable with.
  3. Write your name on the top and let it be bold and clear, followed by the professional title ( terms or phrases that define you professionally), for example, problem solver, quick learner, critical thinker, mathematically competent, etc. 
  4. Provide your contact information like email (do keep in mind that your email id must sound professional, create another account that has your name for this purpose if your already created email id does not sound professional), contact number, address, LinkedIn profile, Skype Id (If there is a plausibility of conducting interview online). 
  5. Write down your experience. Start from where you are working currently and then go backward, which means reverse chronological order.
  6. Mention the name of the company, the designation, the time period, and roles and responsibilities under the designation. Try to align these with the job you are currently trying to apply for. You may add what impact your work made to the projects you have worked on.
  7. If you have good working experience, then need not add a lot under the education section. For example, if you have been working for 5 years, then there is no need of writing the details about your high school. You may add the most relevant degrees and then your score and majors under it. If you are a scholar, you may add more about your education.
  8. Add your skills, again, write the most relevant ones and grade them according to how well you are in that particular skill. Typically for a job as an accountant, one must be well versed with spreadsheets, calculations, analytical skills, communication skills, etc. Make sure to mention those skills that the company expects you to have.
  9. You may add an additional section for awards and achievements if you have enough space left where you may add any volunteer work done, languages learned, skills other than those mentioned earlier, extra-curricular activities, etc. Do not add all of these, either choose one or two of these and write the main points under them.

The resume is ready. Do a quick read to check for the spelling and grammatical errors before sending it to the recruiter. 

Here are some examples of resumes of accountants.

Daisy Smith

(Problem Solver, Mathematically Competent, Quick Learner)

Skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • SAGE
  • Zoho Books
  • Zero
  • Time Management
  • Critical Thinking

Education

Masters of Business Administration in Accounting

The University of California

(Batch of 2020)

CGPA: 8.9

BA in Accounting

The University of Illinois

(Batch of 2018)

CGPA: 9.2

Email: [email protected]

Contact: XXX XXX XXXX

Address: 5467 Joe Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17101

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daisysmith765

Experience

Junior Payroll Administrator

National Oilwell Varco, Housten

July 2019 – PRESENT

Responsible for keeping a check on payment dues, assisted the administrators,

Junior Financial Analyst

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

      March 2017 – June 2019

  • Develop profitability models,
  • handle financial and business issues.

Payroll Coordinator 

UTEC Survey Group

April 2016– March 2017

Prepare gross pay, Manage ADP payroll system

Certificates

  • Certification in Finance
  • Certification in Investment Analysis
  • Certificate in Corporate Finance

Placing it by dividing the sheet into two, its resumes will look like:

Another example can be:

Robert Mendes

Insightful, Adaptable, Computer Savvy, Mathematically Competent

Experience

Occidental Petroleum Cooperation, Houston TX

 — Accountant

MARCH 2019 – PRESENT

Booking royalty and revenue

Reconcile Accounts

Managing revenue from marketing and production accounting

Core Lab, Houston TX

— Accounting Associate

MARCH 2017– JANUARY 2019

Manage and review employee’s expenses

Interacting with vendors and keeping records of their invoice, mails, etc and process Vendors Maintenance Forms

Education

The University of Texas, Austin,

— Ph.D. in Accounting

MARCH 2017 – MARCH 2020

Conducted thorough research and study on debt and equity management.

Gained in-depth knowledge about cost and financial accounting

Brigham Young University, Provo

 — Masters of Business Administration in Finance 

       AUGUST 2014 – MARCH 2017

Major in Business Management and marketing

432 Baker’s Street

Your City, ST 12345

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

[email protected]

Skills

  • QuickBooks
  • Auditing
  • Tax Accounting
  • MS Office
  • GAAP Accounting Principles
  • Taxjar
  • Expense reporting

Projects

  • Role of Taxation as a Powerful Tool for Economic Development 
  • Importance of Accounting in Business Management in Private Sector
  • The role of Financial Institutions during recessions 

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish

This when written or typed on the sheet will look like,

These resumes were an example for people having prior work experience. 

Following is an example for a fresher which is almost similar but has few minute changes. For example, writing education before any experience you have. Under the experience section, you may add the details about your internships, part-time jobs, projects, and research papers if any. You may add an additional section where you may add about your certifications, awards, and recognition, competitive exam score, etc.

You may also add any initiatives brought by you or your work in an NGO, and other kinds of social service that may show your personal skills.

For a better understanding, here is an example of the same.

Shawn Stinson

Insightful, Adaptable, Computer Savvy, Mathematically Competent

Education

University of Pittsburgh

Masters in Accounting (2016-2019)

Major in Managerial Accounting, Individual Tax Accounting, Accounting Information Systems

Brigham Young University

Bachelors in Finance (2014-2016)

Yale University

Class of 2018

The diploma in Business Accounting

The University of Texas at Austin

Class of 2015

Diploma in Taxation

Certificates

Certification in Finance

Certification in Investment Analysis

Certificate in Corporate Finance

XXX Name of Street

Your City, ST 12345

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

[email protected]

SKILLS

QuickBooks

Auditing

Tax Accounting

MS Office

GAAP Accounting Principles

Taxjar

Expense reporting

Experience

Accounting Intern, Tenneco

Period: 6 Months

Prepared Tax returns and Managed Transactions of the company

Financial Reporting Intern, Suncoast, Tampa FL

Period: 3 Months

Audit Financial Statements, form budgets, help with the presentation of reports.

Skills Required To Be An Accountant

First and foremost, the accountant must be adaptable and well versed with the tools required for accounting, must be quick with calculations needed to be done, and must be good in handling the details and accounting needs a lot of comparing, referring, and tallying which requires attention, proficiency and concentration.

He/she must also be insightful to bring changes under the budget to bring maximum profit to the firm. A thorough idea of the company and its expenses will let the accountant evaluate how to cut down extra costs and keep the budget in control.

An accountant must also have interpersonal skills and communication skills (verbal and written) as they will be collaborating often with their colleagues and thus interaction must be pleasant for smooth working. Dividing their tasks and explaining concepts will get easier with good communication skills. 

One must also have proficient analytical and data collection skills. Evaluation and the bulk of data are not easy. Managing truckload of data is a tedious task that has to be done by an accountant and one must be efficient doing it. 

Some firms may also demand the knowledge of Harris County auditing, they may specially mention that in the vacancy so it is good to prepare what they want beforehand and do mention it in the resume.

Invoicing, computer literacy (knowledge of Outlook, MS Suits, Google Docs, Zoho books) may be found to be some plus points on your resume.

Sources of Learning Accounting

Accounting is really essential for the smooth functioning, growth, and success of a business. You may find numerous free or paid sources to learn to account. This may be a long process because there’s a lot to learn in accounting, but one must never stop learning and enhance their knowledge day by day. 

You may pursue a complete course on accounting or study particular aspects in detail. It totally depends on you. It is recommended to master whatever you learn.

Some online courses for learning the courses are:

Prestoexperts.com

You may interact with an accounting professional who will teach you the concepts with utmost precision.  You may check the site to view all the courses they have to offer.

Udemy.com

Here you may get paid as well as free courses on accounting. There are numerous courses (From beginner to advanced, Introductory, Financial Analysis, business strategy, marketing strategy, cost accounting, etc) from renowned professionals holding PhDs, CPA, CA, and MBA degrees. 

Study.com

This is a stunning website providing precise knowledge on specific concepts of accounting to bring a better understanding to its users. Some of its courses are as follows:

Ledgers and Charts of house Accounts

Balance of Payments with Financial Accounts

Recording Business Transactions in Accounting

Journal Entries and Trial Balance in Accounting

Accountingcoach.com

Accounting Coach provides all the topics required to study in order to become a successful accountant. From accounting basics to debits and credits, bookkeeping, depreciation, costing, etc. The accounting Coach has it all covered.

MIT Open CourseWare

MIT’s MOOC experiment consists of Open CourseWare where they provide courses on accounting from the professors from management institutes.

Coursera 

There are more than 500 courses on accounting and finance on Coursera from various renowned universities. Some of them are as follows:

Financial Accounting Fundamentals, from University of Virginia

Introduction to Financial Accounting: The Accounting Cycle, from University of California

Accounting for Decision Making, from University of Michigan

Advance Financial Reporting: Accounting for Business Combinations and Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements, from University of Illinois

Journey of Becoming an Accountant

Accounting is what keeps a business or a firm keep a check on all things and keeps the business running smoothly. Businesses are never going to stop therefore there will always be a demand for accountants.

Education: The first and foremost thing is having the right knowledge to conduct all the accounting tasks efficiently. Therefore, the first thing is to pursue an educational degree in accounting. You will learn quite a lot of concepts, for example, financial recordkeeping, statistics, auditing, tax management, etc. It is essential to be quick with numbers and accounting requires innumerable calculations.

Specification: The next step is to decide upon what specific field you want your career in. This helps in choosing the right career path in the field of accounting. You may choose to work under auditing, tax returns, reconciling, or any other specification of your choice which you think you are efficient in. 

You may get employed in private firms or government agencies on different levels. One may provide their service without being completely owned by a company as well.

Internships: Internships are a great source to learn and brush up on your skills. It is where you may practically apply all your knowledge and learn what to do and what not to do. You may realize what your potential is. An internship may add stars to your resume. They teach you how to be professional and disciplined.

 Additional Qualifications: Having additional qualifications brings more knowledge and efficiency. This increases the chances of your promotion and growth. Depending on your specification, you may obtain certifications of CPA, CMA, CIA, CISA, etc.

If you wonder how much time it would consume then it is important to know that the time period may vary due to different time periods of the educational degrees. It usually takes four years to earn a degree in accounting, but for further education, you may require time for additional education like CGA, CFE, CISA, etc.

Accounts Vs Finance

To have a better understanding of the field of commerce, it is essential to know the difference between finance and accounting. While finance is about economics and business, accounting is more specific, it is about taxation, budgets, audits, etc.

Finance is about evaluating the trends to work upon the investments through studying the financial transactions, information, and other data.

Accounting is a more detailed study of financial data like doing taxes, auditing, etc. This ultimately helps in the finance of the business.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, there is a lot of effort required to work through your resume. The accounts department is extremely essential as keeping records of transactions is crucial for determining the way the business is to be run. Record keeping and evaluation are very important to keep a track of the performance of the firm. 

Remember to write the required information in your resume. Write what the company wants and what you have. Keep your resume organized, do a thorough spell-check before sending the resume, also check for grammatical errors. No two companies will be needing a person with the same responsibilities, therefore, do not send the same resume to all the companies. Customize them according to the needs of the company. 

Rest believe in yourself, work on your skills and stay confident! You are good to go.

Accountant Resume Examples, Skills, Objective

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