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Written by Susan ShorSusan Shor

Accounting and Finance Resume Example & Writing Guide

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Accounting and Finance resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!
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Accounting and Finance Resume Example & Writing Guide
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You’re ready for the next step in your career. Now you need a top-notch resume to tip Anathe balance in your favor. Get started with a resume that shows off your assets column.

A great accounting and finance resume will compel hiring managers to schedule your interview. Let Resume.io help you get there with its powerful resources for job seekers, including resume guides and resume examples for 300+ professions, backed up by an easy-to-use resume builder. 

This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example will cover the following topics:

  • What does an accounting and finance professional do?
  • How to write an accounting and finance resume (tips and tricks)
  • The best format for an accounting and finance resume
  • Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
  • Professional resume layout and design hints.

What does an accounting and finance professional do?

In broad strokes, accounting and finance professionals deal with money and other assets of value. It may be an individual’s assets or that of a company or government agency. 

Accounting professionals mainly deal with the day-to-day flow of money in and out of accounts, while finance focuses more broadly on how assets and liabilities are managed, Smart Assets says. That does not mean there is no crossover between the two. It may all depend on where you work and the amount of assets you are managing.

Among the responsibilities an accounting and finance professional may be charged with are:

  • Treasury management
  • Cost control
  • Billing and credit control
  • Legal compliance
  • Taxes
  • Financial statement preparation
  • Internal controls for safeguarding assets
  • Inventory management and control
  • Payroll systems
  • Budgeting
  • Communication with management
  • Capital management
  • Fraud prevention

How much do accounting and finance professionals make?

Below are salaries for a range of accounting and finance positions from Payscale.com.

Job title   Median annual salary   Salary range
Staff accountant $51,806  $41,000-$65,000
Tax accountant  $57,616 $44,000-$76,000
Treasury analyst $59,906 $48,000-$78,000
Financial analyst $62,016 $48,000-$82,000
Bank manager  $63,160 $46,000-$82,000
Risk analyst $66,083 $48,000-$95,000
Senior auditor $71,073 $57,000-$93,000
Quantitative analyst $85,042 $62,000-$154,000
Portfolio manager $87,876 $54,000-$147,000
Finance director $113,831 $63,000-$164,000

Accounting and finance job market and outlook

Despite the automation of many rote accounting tasks, the market for accounting and finance professionals is a robust one. CPA Practice Advisor notes public, corporate, government and healthcare accounting as well as financial services as high-need specialties.

In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the addition of more than 100,000 jobs for financial managers by 2029 — that’s a 15% increase, much higher than the average profession’s growth. Market research analysts will be in even higher demand, with an 18% projected increase.

Predicting the future of finance

What will finance look like in 2025? Automation will continue to advance, a report from Deloitte says, but companies will look toward their finance divisions for more planning, reporting, budgeting and business insights.

Staff accounting finance 

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Accounting finance expert 

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How to write an accounting and finance resume

Before you begin a financial analysis or report, you decide what will go into it. You should also know what elements your accounting and finance resume should include before you begin. Here are the parts necessary to create a winning resume:

  • The resume header
  • The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
  • The employment history section
  • The resume skills section
  • The education section

The key to a successful resume is consistent tone, style and message, but those elements should be adjusted for each job. How do you do that? Research. Find out about your prospective employer’s pain points, but also the company’s structure, culture and business model. Incorporate that knowledge into every aspect of your resume so that you are speaking directly to your prospective boss.

A resume that raises your value in the eyes of hiring managers will:

  • Direct your message directly to the boss with the goal of answering the question: “Why should I hire you?”
  • Use a resume template that makes a positive visual impression, since it will be the first impression the hiring manager will get.
  • Include tailored keywords and phrases for each job that are designed to give you a better chance at avoiding the ATS filter.

Focus your analysis to beat the ATS

No matter how well-crafted your resume is, it won’t reach a human being if it falls victim to the Applicant Tracking System filter. You can increase your chances of beating this scanning and sorting software used by 99% of Fortune 500 companies with your analysis skills.

Carefully match the words and phrases in the job listing to your resume. This means personalizing your resume for each job. Spell out and include acronyms, just in case and stick with standard section headings that the ATS recognizes.

Choosing the best resume format for accounting and finance

The tried-and-true reverse chronological order resume is most likely to be your best-bet format. Why? Because it works and because it makes it easy for recruiters to find the information they seek. 

If you are in a technology or specialty field and need to highlight niche or complex skills, you may want to use functional resume format instead. Within this format, you can expand your skills section to show off your expertise and contract your employment history to a simple listing of employers or contract engagements. 

Other life situations that call for different resume types are gaps in work history, first-time entry into the job market or career changing. Check out our alternate resume formats for more information on how to write resumes in those circumstances.

Resume summary example: up your valuation

You’re well more than a numbers-cruncher, and the summary section of your accounting and finance resume is where you can show that off. Here, you have 3-4 sentences to dig into that fraud you found or the creative budget you prepared. Tailor your highlighted achievement to each position to hook the hiring manager in.

Be sure to include a few glowing adjectives to describe your professional demeanor and attitude. Definitely pat yourself on the back, but avoid veering too far into bragging territory. The best summaries intrigue hiring managers, give them something to follow up on in the interview and explain what you will add to the company.

Expert tip

If you want summary section resume samples for specific accounting positions, try our accountant resume example or, if you’re ready for a move up, our senior accountant resume example. For finance ideas, check out our finance director resume example or our financial analyst resume example. Bankers may find inspiration in our loan officer resume example or our investment banker resume example.

You can find a resume example for your summary section below.

Resume summary example

Accomplished and highly motivated Accounting Manager seeking to utilize my skills for the betterment of the next team I join. Committed to driving continuous improvements for finance operations through the identification and implementation of process enhancement opportunities. 

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Employment history sample: career trend analysis

The employment history section of your accounting and finance resume is really an analysis of your career progress and achievements. Beginning with your most recent position (here is where reverse chronological order comes in), you will create bulleted items that detail tangible outcomes, not responsibilities.

Start each item with a strong action word and follow it with a phrase that describes your achievement. Use data, details and dollar signs whenever possible. You are, after all, a person who deals with numbers all day.

Expert tip

Don’t be afraid to head to Thesaurus.com if inspiration for the perfect word is not coming. Just don’t veer too far from your everyday language. You want to sound genuine and professional.

Below you will find an adaptable employment history resume example.

Exployment history sample

Accounting Manager at Smith and Caufield, New York 
February 2015 - July 2021 

  • Reviewed and analyzed financial accounting information and presented analysis and commentary to key business partners.
  • Worked to ensure that the financial control framework was in place to ensure the accurate reporting of financial conditions.
  • Collaborated with teams including Cash Operations, Treasury, and Tax.
  • Successfully interpreted and communicated financial information to teams across the business.
  • Oversaw the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing of the books, reconciliations, and journal entries.

 

Accounting Manager at Diamond Marketing, Jersey City 
September 2013 - March 2015 

  • Oversaw and managed cost accounting, capitalizing variances, and inventory provisions.
  • Properly reviewed and supported the preparation of entries related to business operations.
  • Completed the documentation of processes and standardized operating procedures.
  • Prepared monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for Corporate reporting
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Accounting and finance resume skills example: asset management

Your skills section tells recruiters a few important things quickly. Because this is such a pointed part of your accounting and finance resume, they will know within seconds whether you have the attributes they seek.The other key piece of information here is what you think are the most important skills for the job. These two factors mean you should curate this section carefully. 

The soft skills most in demand by employers are time management, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, according to the Journal of Accountancy. The top hard skills are knowledge of GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles), Quickbooks, business intelligence software, and tax preparation software. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and preparation of financial statements as well as data query and management ability and independent research skills, the staffing agency 4 Corners Resources says. 

Expert tip

If you are having trouble deciding on your top skills, try putting the text from your resume and the job listing into a word cloud creator such as WordArt or WordClouds. That will show you which information appears most often.

Skills section resume example.
  • Financial Reporting
  • Financial Analysis
  • ERP Systems
  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Interpersonal Communication Skills
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Accounting and finance education resume example

The education section of your accounting and finance resume lists your academic degrees. Unless you have just graduated and have a 4.0, there’s no need to include your GPA. Do include any training or certifications you have earned.

If you are active in professional organizations that add to your skills or networking abilities, also include those.

Below you will find an education section resume example as a formatting guide.

Education resume example

Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Manhattan College, New York
Sep, 2009 - May, 2013

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Resume layout and design: project the right image

Even the numbers people need an art department to give their presentations the proper look. The layout and design of your accounting and finance resume are just as important because before a recruiter reads your resume, they will see it. That first look counts.

What impression do you want to give? Organized, neat, clear and professional? Of course! The best way to do that is to keep it simple. Avoid over-designing or using too much color. Stick with easy-to-read fonts and 1-inch margins. Avoid cramming in too much text: Save something for the interview!

To save yourself the time and effort of formatting, use one of our expertly-designed resume templates

Key takeaways for an accounting and finance resume

  1. Many specialties within accounting and finance are in high demand, so this is a great time to set yourself apart with an excellent application.
  2. Your analysis skills will come in handy as you aim to beat the ATS and create a skills section that speaks to your prospective employer.
  3. Make your case stronger with data, details and dollar signs.
  4. Use the online resume maker as a way to make your life easier and the job application process - faster!
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