Accountant resume: skills, keywords & examples
Last updated May 31, 2026
Accounting resumes are scanned for credentials, systems, and reliability at scale. Certifications and the ERP/tools you know matter; so do numbers that show accuracy and the size of what you handled.
What hiring teams look for
- Certifications - CPA, ACCA, CMA - listed clearly.
- Systems - ERP and accounting software you've used.
- Scope - budgets, transaction volume, close cycles, audit scale.
- Accuracy and compliance (GAAP/IFRS).
Key skills and keywords
Common terms: GAAP, IFRS, accounts payable/receivable, general ledger, month-end close, reconciliation, financial reporting, QuickBooks, SAP, NetSuite, Excel (advanced), audit, forecasting, tax. Match the posting and add your certification.
Example bullet points
Strong
Cut the month-end close from 8 to 5 days by automating reconciliations across 14 accounts in NetSuite.Strong
Managed AP/AR for a $30M portfolio at 99.8% accuracy and reduced overdue receivables 22%.Common mistakes
- Hiding the CPA/certification instead of featuring it.
- Listing duties without scope (dollar amounts, volume, cycle time).
- Omitting the specific ERP/software the role requires.
Put this into practice
Tailored-CV scores your match, surfaces missing keywords, and rewrites bullets in your voice - one at a time.
Tailor your resume free →