Sarah Thompson
Staff accountant with 4 years of experience in month-end close, reconciliations and audit support for a $250M manufacturing company. Shortened the close from 9 to 5 days and is pursuing CPA licensure.
- Reduced month-end close from 9 to 5 days by standardizing reconciliations
- Prepared journal entries and reconciliations for 60+ balance sheet accounts
- Supported annual external audit with zero material adjustments
- Built Excel variance reports reviewed monthly by the controller
- Managed bookkeeping and payroll for 30+ small-business clients in QuickBooks
- Prepared quarterly sales tax filings with 100% on-time submission
- Cleaned up two years of unreconciled accounts for a new client
GAAP • Month-end close • Account reconciliation • Accounts payable & receivable • Journal entries • NetSuite • QuickBooks • Advanced Excel • Audit support • Sales tax
Accountant resume summary examples
Pick the summary closest to your level and rewrite it with your own years, tools and best result. Keep it to two or three sentences.
Accountant resume bullet points
Strong bullets start with an action verb and end with a result. Replace the numbers with your real ones — never add results you did not achieve.
- Reduced month-end close from 9 to 5 days by standardizing reconciliations
- Prepared and posted journal entries in compliance with GAAP
- Reconciled 60+ balance sheet accounts monthly
- Supported external audits with zero material adjustments
- Processed accounts payable for 400+ vendors with 99% accuracy
- Prepared quarterly sales and use tax filings on time
- Built Excel variance analyses reviewed by the controller
- Assisted with NetSuite implementation and user training
- Identified $85K in duplicate payments and recovered funds
- Documented accounting procedures to improve internal controls
Top skills for a accountant resume
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords for accountant resumes
These terms appear often in accountant job descriptions. Use the ones that truthfully describe your experience, in the same words the posting uses. To see exactly which keywords your resume is missing for a specific job, try the job description matcher.
How to write a accountant resume
1. Show accuracy and speed
Faster close, fewer audit adjustments, on-time filings — these are the results finance managers care about.
2. State the scale
Company revenue, number of accounts, entities or clients help recruiters judge your level.
3. List your systems
NetSuite, QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle — use exact names from the job post, and only systems you have used.
4. Be clear about CPA status
Write "CPA", "CPA candidate (2 of 4 sections passed)" or "CPA eligible" — never imply a license you do not hold.
5. Keep it formal and simple
A classic single-column layout works best for finance roles and ATS.
New to resumes? Read our full guide on how to write a resume or browse ATS-friendly resume templates.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put CPA on my resume if I am not licensed yet?
Only as a candidate or eligibility status, e.g. "CPA candidate, 2 of 4 sections passed". Never list CPA as a credential before you are licensed.
What skills should an accountant resume include?
GAAP, reconciliations, journal entries, month-end close, AP/AR, ERP systems such as NetSuite or SAP, and advanced Excel.
How do I write an accountant resume with no experience?
Lead with education, relevant coursework, internships, VITA volunteering and software skills. Mention your CPA plans.
Is one page enough for an accountant resume?
Yes, for most staff and senior accountant roles. Controllers and managers with 10+ years can use two.