Accounting Department Resumes
If you are looking for a job in the accounting field, your potential employer will expect to see a resume that succinctly lists the qualifications and skills that make you the ideal candidate for the job. While it's important to include your education and job history, the key to creating a resume that will land you an interview with the accounting department is to show how your past experience relates to the accounting position you are seeking.
Other People Are Reading
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Sections
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The recipient of your accounting resume should know after a quick scan what your educational background is, your previous job titles, and the skills you possess that qualify you for the accounting job. Begin with an objective, which is a statement of what specific job you are pursuing. Mention the job title by name in the objective, such as "Financial Consultant" or "Staff Accountant." Your education and experience sections should follow, with sections on skills, professional memberships or awards and accolades near the end.
Format
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In most circumstances, your accounting resume should move in reverse chronological order. For example, your education section should start with the degree you most recently received, and your experience section should begin with your current job. However, if you are transitioning into accounting from another field, you may wish to restructure the experience section. Begin instead with the job you have held that is most relevant to accounting. With each previous job you include, write a list of duties you were responsible for that are similar to duties you will hold in your new accounting position. For example, under your position as "biology teacher," one of your duties may have been "organized and maintained budget for science department." This responsibility is relevant if the position you are applying for includes organizing a budget worksheet.
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Accounting Statistics
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According to the FINS Finance website, an accounting resume should cite specifics -- using dollar figures, percentages or other metrics -- when describing past achievements. When companies look for a new accountant, they want someone who thinks in numbers and percentages; therefore, a vague resume and cover letter will likely not earn a phone call or interview.
Keywords
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Often, your accounting resume will be one of hundreds or thousands, and it will be subjected to an automatic filtering system based on keywords before an actual person even reads it. Therefore, it is important to include accounting-related keywords in your resume. Check the job description and highlight key phrases in the section that describes your responsibilities, then include them word for word. Examples of phrases to look for are "analyzing balance sheets" and "general ledger."
Action Verbs
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When you list your duties and responsibilities in the experience section, try to begin each one with an action verb like "maintained," "reconciled" or "managed." Use the keywords and phrases you discovered in the job description to generate action verbs related to accounting, then use these verbs throughout your experience section, regardless of what type of jobs you've held.
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References
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