To make an accountant resume, include a contact section, a professional summary or objective, and a reverse-chronological work experience section that highlights achievements with numbers. Add a skills section in the resume with both hard (e.g., software, GAAP) and soft skills (e.g., problem-solving). Finally, include a comprehensive education section and a list of professional certifications in the accountant resume.
Contact Information: Your full name, professional email, phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn profile if you have one.
Professional Summary or Objective: For experienced professionals, provide a concise overview of your years of experience, key skills, and major accomplishments.
Objective: For recent graduates, focus on your career goals and relevant skills.
Skills: Create a dedicated section to list both your technical (hard) and interpersonal (soft) skills.
Hard Skills: Examples include proficiency in accounting software like QuickBooks, knowledge of financial reporting, tax preparation, and GAAP compliance.
Soft Skills: Examples include analytical thinking, attention to detail, and problem-solving.
Work Experience: List previous roles in reverse-chronological order, including your job title, the company, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements, quantifying them with numbers whenever possible (e.g., "Reduced tax errors by 20%" or "Managed budgets worth $5 million").
Education: List your highest degree first, followed by the name of the institution, your graduation year, and any honors.
Certifications: Prominently display any professional certifications you hold, such as CPA, CMA, or CFA. Include the issuing body and, if applicable, an expiration date.
Tailor your resume: Customize your resume for each job by incorporating keywords from the job description.
Quantify achievements: Use numbers to demonstrate the impact of your work whenever possible.
Use a clean resume format: Choose a professional and easy-to-read format, using a legible font and clear sections.
Optimize for ATS: Use relevant keywords to ensure your resume passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Proofread: Thoroughly check your resume for any spelling or grammar errors before submitting it.
Keep it concise: Aim to keep your resume to one page, especially if you have less than 10 years of experience.