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5 Entry-Level Accountant Resume Examples [& Templates]

Entry-Level Accountant Resume

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

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• Entry-Level Accountant
• Entry-Level Accountant 2
• Entry-Level Accountant 3
• Entry-Level Accountant 4
• Entry-Level Accountant 5
• Entry-Level Accountant Resume Writing 101

As an up-and-coming accountant, you’re skilled at crunching numbers. As you prepare to take on responsibility for the financial backbone of a company, you know it’s more than just that adding up receipts.

Employers are looking for an accountant with hard skills like savvy financial reporting and soft skills like cross-team collaboration. But how can you showcase that experience when you’re, well, not experienced in the role?

Worry not! We’ve helped thousands of entry-level accountants score interviews and land their first job with our resume and cover letter writing tips. First, here are five entry-level accounting resume examples you can use to jumpstart your career.

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Why this resume works

• Seriously, even if that internship streak was just for a few months, it’s the perfect chance to show off how well you know the ropes of the industry and its hurdles. And hey, make those achievements shine—put numbers to them for that extra oomph.

Entry-Level Accountant 2 Resume

Entry-Level Accountant 3 Resume

Entry-Level Accountant 4 Resume

Entry-Level Accountant 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• Staff Accountant
• Forensic Accountant
• Management Accountant

The Most Important Part: Your Skills & Work Experience

What matters the most at the end of the day, simply put, are your skills and work experience. If those fall short, the chances of you landing an interview for that accountant position drop significantly.

Basically, the skills you show provide a quick, overarching summary of your technical prowess and demonstrate your abilities.

Early in your accounting career, you’ll want to focus on courses you’ve taken and skills you’ve learned and picked up (or via internships).

Another pro tip : if you see a skill mentioned in the accounting job description and you have it, make sure you include it, even if it’s not a requirement.

9 top entry-level accounting skills

• Financial Reporting
• Microsoft Excel
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receivable
• TurboTax Business
• Data Analysis

Sample entry-level accounting work experience bullet points

If there’s one word you should remember, it’s impact . When you talk about your early experience or projects in accounting (or in another field with translatable skills), hone in on your accomplishments.

Don’t just list your duties; explain what they achieved. Instead of “implemented centralized purchasing,” say “implemented centralizing purchasing to reduce costs by 12% .”

By quantifying your impact (using a measurable outcome, when possible), you can show the value of your expertise.

Let’s make it concrete with a few more examples (notice that some of these examples are accountant-related while others are relevant experience with transferable skills in other industries):

• Identified problem areas in financial reporting when assisting in reviewing client’s company tax returns, saving them $3K in fees
• Reviewed and analyzed company’s operating budget under senior accountant’s leadership, reducing expenses by 8%
• Accurately reconciled deposits and invoices with a daily turnover of $22K
• Managed a $50K annual budget as Finance Chair for the robotics club, and applied for 4 grants to fund 75% of the budget for club participants
• Collaborated with chair members, establishing an annual fundraising event that boosted contributions by $118K

Top 5 Tips for Your Entry-Level Accounting Resume

• Regardless of whether you have accountant internship experience, financial-based projects, or semi-relevant work in another industry, use metrics and state accomplishments that prove you have meticulous attention to accuracy, can think analytically and problem-solve, and that you don’t mind digging for answers.
• The best way to highlight your impact is by using active verbs. They pack a punch and show you’re proactive! Some examples include “achieved,” “doubled,” “solved” or “streamlined.” Improve your verb choices with our resume checker that checks for active voice.
• Even if you don’t plan on working directly in tax accounting, you’ll probably work with colleagues who do. A great way to stand out is to have at least a functional knowledge of one or two of the more significant corporate tax software options, like TurboTax or ProSeries.
• If this is the first accounting job you’re applying for, your experience might be a little thin. Write down courses you’ve excelled at, such as Financial Modeling or ERP Technology, which will help showcase your savvy. If you have business analytics skills, like with Tableau or Zoho Analytics, add them too!
• You might feel tempted to stretch the truth on your accounting resume, but don’t. If you wouldn’t be comfortable being interviewed about your expertise with Quickbooks, best not to add it.

Since this is an entry-level accounting position, perhaps. If you do, it’s important to customize your resume objective to every job you apply to. Mention the company by name, speak to your best skills the company is also seeking, and clearly show what you can bring to the table like this example:

Transparent, organized, and flexible accounting graduate with practical internship experience. Desire to thrive in team-based roles at Robert Half to grow under the expertise of senior accountants as I use my data entry and spreadsheet background.

Absolutely! Don’t worry; that doesn’t mean entirely rewriting your resume. Instead, carefully read each job ad and ensure the skills and work experience they want have been woven throughout your resume. (This same idea applies when it comes time to create a cover letter , too.)

Your skills section should be specific enough for a recruiter to get a good summary of your mastery. Instead of just saying you’re skilled in financial accounting software, mention the software you’ve worked with, like Xero or FreshBooks, especially if the job listing also mentions that specific skill(s) .

Accountant Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Accountant Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

How to write an accountant resume, how to pick the best accountant resume template, frequently asked questions: accountant resume examples and advice.

• Entry-Level
• Senior-level

• Senior-Level

Michael Hamill (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Los Angeles, CA 33333 | www.linkedin.com/example

College graduate with CPA certification and nearly two years of accounting internship experience. Fast learner able to work long and flexible hours. Equally effective working independently or on a team.

• Accounts payable and receivable
• Budget planning and forecasting
• Reporting and documentation
• Team collaboration
• Time management

Bachelor of Science (BS) – Accounting (minor in Business Administration), Los Angeles University, Los Angeles, CA | 2022 3.9 GPA | magna cum laude | Member of the university’s chapter of the Accounting Society

Accounting Intern, Woolworth’s Incorporated, Los Angeles, CA | August 2021 to present

• Help prepare debit and credit documents for over 100 clients
• Facilitate weekly audits of varying accounts to ensure accuracy
• Organize and maintain records for many clients and vendors
• Collaborate with other interns on key projects
• Perform complex accounting procedures, and assist support staff

Highlights:

• Ranked No. 3 out of 15 team members for both efficiency and accuracy
• Helped team leader develop four new initiatives for better internal communications and organization

Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) | NetSuite | QuickBooks | Quicken | ZipBooks

Tammy Jones (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Sacramento, CA 12345 | www.linkedin.com/example

Organized accounting professional with a record of success helping clients decrease costs, balance books, and reconcile accounts. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new expertise. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.

• Account reconciliation
• Client relations
• Cost reduction and elimination
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Statutory Accounting Principles (SAP) accounting system

Accounting Specialist, XYZ Accountants, Sacramento, CA | January 2012 to present

• Ensure accuracy of all transactions with clients, vendors, and employees
• Collaborative role working closely with managers and other staff members
• Identified and averted over $250,000 in lost revenue from bank errors
• Won “Accounting Expert of the Month” five times for outstanding diligence and accuracy
• Enhanced client relationships by actively addressing and resolving late payments

Bachelor of Science — Accounting (minor in Business Administration), Sacramento University, Sacramento, CA

Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian

Ann Smith (123) 789-6788 | [email protected] | Fort Worth, TX 11111 | www.linkedin.com/example

CPA dedicated to raising companies’ bottom line. Skilled at preparing financial reports, reconciling accounts, collecting money owed, and completing special projects. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions.

• Accounting software (QuickBooks, Quicken)
• Accounts receivable
• Financial report preparation
• General ledger accounting
• Process streamlining
• Project management

Senior Accountant, Brown & Associates, Fort Worth, TX | January 2015 to present

• Streamline work processes to improve productivity of a 100-person workforce
• Prepare monthly closing and profit and loss (P&L) statements for managers and board of directors
• Advise company president on financial issues and considerations
• Found and recovered about $120,000 in lost revenue through bank reconciliation
• Introduced accounting best practices that decreased company financial errors by 10% in five years

Staff Accountant, Tom Smith Accountant, College Place, TX | August 2008 to December 2014

• Coordinated benefits for a staff of more than 20
• Generated weekly payroll and bonuses, and checked for accuracy with time
• Investigated and resolved any discrepancies with bank accounts
• Collaborated with senior financial officers to print and distribute quarterly financial statements

Bachelor of Science (BS) — Accounting, University of Texas, Austin | 2014

• CPA, Association of Certified Public Accountants

Whether you’d like to work with companies, nonprofits, or individual clients, you can write a great accountant resume by showing your skill at building financial success and stability. The following tips and examples will assist you in exploring this topic and creating compelling content for each section of your accounting job resume.

1. Craft an outstanding profile with a summary of your accountant qualifications

In a brief paragraph at the top of your resume, the Profile should name three to five key reasons why you deliver strong accounting oversight and support. By showcasing your top qualifications this way, you can assure target employers you’re a fit for the accountant role they want to fill.

For example, maybe you have a reputation for helping businesses find and remove unnecessary costs. Or perhaps you’ve worked on successful initiatives for better legal compliance. Alternatively, you may have years of experience with startup budgets, and that’s a key focus of the accounting jobs you’re now after. You can also cite reasons outside your accounting work experience – for instance, a recently finished master’s degree or advanced certification that sets you apart.

Mid-Career Profile Example

Senior-level profile example.

Certified public accountant (CPA) dedicated to raising companies’ bottom lines. Skilled at preparing financial reports, reconciling accounts, collecting money owed, and completing special projects. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions.

2. Add a compelling section featuring your accountant experience

Under each past accounting job, give quantified examples of your helping people or organizations improve their financial position. For example, you may have developed cost analyses that enabled your organization to improve its bottom line. Perhaps you designed a system to prepare your taxes faster and more accurately. Or you depleted a backlog of late payments. Examples like these show hiring managers you can generate similar fiscal solutions for their company.

For any non-accounting jobs in your recent work history , focus your description on the transferable skills you gained. Say you worked as a receptionist – you could use this job description to emphasize client relations, careful documentation, or any other skill areas you expect to use in your next accounting job.

Entry-Level Experience Example

Accounting intern, Woolworth’s Incorporated, Los Angeles, CA | August 2021 to present

• Facilitate weekly audit of varying accounts to ensure accuracy
• Perform complex accounting procedures and assist support staff

Mid-Career Experience Example

3. include accountant-related education and certifications.

View the Education and Certifications sections as another chance to show your expertise in supporting clients’ or employers’ financial health. Give at least the basic details on your highest degree in finance or accounting and any other postsecondary degrees you’ve earned. Also, share details on your CPA or other accounting-related certifications. With these credentials on your resume, you can assure hiring managers you’ll draw on a solid knowledge base when offering financial analysis and solutions.

Below are templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details. Note that optional template items appear in [brackets].

• Degree Name — [Concentration], School Name, City, ST | [Year]
• [#.# GPA] | [academic honors or awards]
• Bachelor of Science (BS) — Accounting (minor in Business Administration), Los Angeles University, Los Angeles, CA | 2022

Certification

• Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [Year]

4. Outline your most useful accountant skills and proficiencies

Include a “Key Skills” section on your resume to show the various ways you help build and ensure financial success. For most accountants, this section should cover expense reduction, financial reporting, and complex problem-solving. You may also want to name the specific technical programs or accounting software you’ve used, like advanced Excel or QuickBooks (but if you have five or more, consider making them their own “Technical Skills” section). Below are some common accounting skills you may add to your “Key Skills” section:

As with most vocations, accountants should use a resume template that’s clear and straightforward. Opt for a visual design that lets the hiring manager quickly review your most impressive career details. Use a simple resume font , and avoid any template that has an overly colorful or elaborate design.

What are common action verbs for accountant resumes? -

One of the best ways to enhance your resume is by using a good mix of action verbs in your Experience section. Strong verbs for accountants include “secure,” “reconcile,” and “reinforce.” The following list will help you brainstorm and write about the various ways you’ve made an impact in your accounting career so far:

How do you align your accountant resume with a job posting? -

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for accountants will increase by about 6% between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is roughly the same as the average for all U.S. vocations.

You can get more interviews in this growing field if you tailor your resume to each application. For example, if the job post calls for someone with a collaborative streak, you may want to emphasize that aspect of your experience in your Profile and Key Skills sections. Or say the company has many non-English speaking clients or business partners. In that case, highlight your foreign language skills both in your Profile and as a separate section farther down the document. With adjustments like these, you can make your resume more relevant to each opportunity in your job search.

What is the best accountant resume format? -

In nearly all cases, use a Combination (or Hybrid) resume because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your relevant skills and experience. It’s also simplest for you to modify based on your job goals. With the Combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and background in your Experience or Work History section and an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro usually should include a Profile summary and Key Skills section, but you may also include an Awards or Career Highlights section.

To increase your chances of an interview, write a strong cover letter. The key to an effective letter is customizing it based on each job opening. Read our accountant cover letter guide to learn how. For other related examples, see our bookkeeper and finance cover letter guides.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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