Accounting resume template

Don’t underestimate the value of a resume. It’s the document that gives prospective employers their first impressions of you. Your resume needs to tell employers why you’re best suited for the job at hand, effectively and concisely. If you’re an accountant, it needs to really sell your professionalism, precision, technical skills and strong industry relationships. Here’s how to write a great accountant resume, and nail that first impression.

Accountant resume do's

• Do keep it brief. Two or three pages for your accounting resume is ideal.
• Acknowledge your academic credentials early. These tend to be more relevant to the accounting and financial sector than other industries.
• Do include company names clearly, and spelled correctly. In finance, who you’ve worked for matters.
• Do call out memberships with industry-recognised bodies or organisations you’ve worked with.
• Do tailor your accounting resume specifically to the company you’re applying with.
• Do explain what was required of you in each role, to highlight the skills required and learned.
• Do provide detail of your successes. If you reduced costs or increased efficiency, detail how you did it, and by how much.
• Do always run a thorough spelling and grammar check before submitting your financial resume.

Accountant resume don'ts

• Don’t speak in general terms. Be precise, but succinct.
• Don’t think a generic resume will work. You need to tailor your accounting resume for each role, understanding that the organisational structure, culture and duties differ with each position. 
• Don’t use company-specific language or terminology. Stick to what is known and understood at an industry level.
• Don’t bend the truth, even a little bit. Be honest about your work experience and career ambitions in your financial resume.
• Don’t use outdated or unprofessional contact details when writing accountant resumes.