Accountant CV example: bullet points, skills and summary
An accountant CV (or accounting resume) has to show accuracy, ownership of a close or reporting cycle and the systems you work in. Finance managers scan for your qualification status, the size and type of entities you have handled, and proof that you made processes faster or more reliable.
Example achievement bullet points
Numbers are illustrative – use your own. Each bullet: action verb + scope + result.
- Owned the month-end close for 3 UK entities with combined revenue of about £40m, delivering accounts within 5 working days.
- Reduced the close timetable from 8 to 5 days by automating accruals and bank reconciliations in Xero and Excel.
- Prepared statutory accounts and audit files for 2 year-ends with no material audit adjustments.
- Reconciled intercompany balances across 4 entities and cleared a backlog of unreconciled items within 3 months.
- Built a cash-flow forecast model in Excel used weekly by the CFO for funding decisions.
- Prepared quarterly VAT returns and supported a successful HMRC compliance check.
- Trained 2 accounts assistants on purchase ledger processes, reducing invoice processing errors.
Skills recruiters look for
- Month-end and year-end close
- Financial reporting (IFRS / UK GAAP)
- Reconciliations
- Accruals and prepayments
- VAT and tax compliance
- Audit preparation
- Management accounts
- Cash-flow forecasting
- Advanced Excel (pivot tables, XLOOKUP)
- ERP / accounting software (SAP, Xero, Sage)
- Attention to detail
- Clear communication with non-finance teams
Sample CV summary
ACCA-qualified accountant with 6 years of experience in month-end close, statutory reporting and audit for multi-entity groups. I like turning manual processes into reliable routines — most recently cutting the close from 8 to 5 days. Looking for a senior role in a growing finance team.
Tips for this CV
Lead with your qualification
Show ACCA, CIMA, ACA, CPA or "part-qualified, 9/13 exams" next to your name or in the summary. Recruiters filter on it first.
Quantify the entities and cycles
Mention the number of entities, revenue size, close timetable and reporting standards. These tell a hiring manager whether you can handle their scale.
Name your systems
List the ERP and accounting tools you actually use (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Xero, Sage, Power BI). Many finance job ads filter on a specific system.
Designs that suit this job
FAQ
How long should an accountant CV be?
One to two pages. One page works for early-career roles; senior accountants usually need two to cover entities, systems and qualifications.
Should I list exams in progress?
Yes. Write the qualification, how many papers you have passed and your expected completion date. It shows commitment and helps you pass ATS filters for "part-qualified".
What design suits an accounting resume?
A calm, classic layout with clear headings. RezuYes's AI picks a conservative design for finance roles, and you can switch to any of 50 designs in the preview.