Accounting Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide
Create an effective Accounting Manager resume using this step-by-step writing guide and example. Learn what to include and how to structure each section properly. Get expert tips on highlighting your accounting skills and experience to impress hiring managers. Includes a downloadable resume template you can adapt and use.
A strong resume is essential for accounting managers looking to advance their careers. In a busy job market, a well-written resume can help you get noticed by potential employers and increase your chances of landing an interview. Your resume should highlight your skills, experience, and achievements in a clear and concise manner.
This guide provides an accounting manager resume example and tips to help you create a resume that effectively showcases your qualifications. By following these guidelines, you can develop a resume that grabs the attention of hiring managers and positions you as a top candidate for accounting manager roles.
A great accounting manager resume should include relevant work experience, educational background, and key skills such as financial reporting, budgeting, and team management. It should also demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, solve problems, and drive results.
By crafting a compelling resume that highlights your strengths and accomplishments, you can stand out from other applicants and take the next step in your accounting career. Let's dive into the essential components of an effective accounting manager resume.
Common Responsibilities Listed on Accounting Manager Resumes
- Oversee and manage the accounting department's operations
- Prepare and analyze financial statements, reports, and records
- Ensure compliance with accounting principles, standards, and regulations
- Develop and implement accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls
- Supervise and train accounting staff
- Manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger
- Coordinate and oversee the annual audit process
- Analyze financial data and identify trends and opportunities for improvement
- Prepare budgets, forecasts, and financial projections
- Liaise with external auditors, tax authorities, and other stakeholders
- Continuously improve accounting processes and systems for efficiency and accuracy
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How to write a Resume Summary
A potent summary or objective section in your resume does more than just listing your experiences and credentials. It is akin to an elevator pitch, communicating your career narrative and highlighting your most significant assets which match the requirements and needs of the position. As an Accounting Manager, you need to formulate a summary that realizes this purpose.
Understanding the Summary/Objective Section
The summary, also known as the objective section of a resume, serves as the initial glance an employer takes into who you are as a professional. It is a brief paragraph that sits at the introduction of your resume and provides a precise snapshot of your professional achievements, applicable skills, and career objectives. Its purpose is to express how your professional skills, experiences, and achievements align with the job in consideration.
Dos and Don'ts of Writing a Resume Summary
Do:
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Tailor it to the Job: Each job has a unique set of requirements, and your summary should mirror that uniqueness. Look for keywords in the job description and integrate them into your summary.
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Emphasize Achievements: Your summary should highlight your career achievements. As an Accounting Manager, you've presumably led projects or made contributions that had quantifiable impacts on the organization. These insights could be percentages of costs saved, efficiency increased, or revenue gained, all denoting your value as a professional.
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Maintain Clarity and Precision: A summary section should be concise, clear, and straight to the point. This is where you showcase your ability to communicate effectively. Avoid unnecessary jargon and ensure that your point gets across within 2 to 4 sentences.
Don't:
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Use Generic Descriptions: Phrases like "team player" or "hard-working" are often overused and do not provide much value. Focus on your unique skills and experiences that truly set you apart from others.
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Include Irrelevant Information: Stay focused on the attributes that make you suitable for the role in context. Discussing irrelevant accomplishments or skills may confuse the employer about your value proposition.
Remember, a well-written summary/objective section will provide employers with a succinct understanding of what you bring to the table as an Accounting Manager. By being clear, concise, and tailored specifically to the position, your summary section can stand as a robust testament to your capabilities and your suitability for the role.
Strong Summaries
- Detail-oriented Accounting Manager with over ten years of experience overseeing accounting departments, supervising staff, and improving financial processes. Proven track record of implementing robust financial systems leading to increased efficiency and profitability.
- Accomplished Accounting Manager with a CPA certification and 8+ years of experience in budgeting, financial reporting, and advising on fiscal improvements. Demonstrated expertise in sustaining regulatory compliance and managing financial audits.
- Experienced Accounting Manager with a history of working in fast-paced environments. Proficiency in various accounting software and extensive knowledge of GAAP practices. Committed to improving finance departments by implementing innovative management techniques.
- Versatile Accounting Manager with a deep understanding of all aspects of financial management and a profound ability to work on multiple projects concurrently. Demonstrable achievements in streamlining financial operations and improving internal controls.
Why these are strong?
The above examples provide an excellent showcase of the candidates' skills, experience, and accomplishments, which are all essential for an Accounting Manager position. Each example highlights the individual's expertise in different aspects like compliance management, financial reporting, budgeting, and staff supervision. Including specific achievements and certifications will capture the attention of hiring managers. The use of action words like 'improving', 'implementing', 'managing', and 'overseeing' demonstrates proactive abilities. Also, mentioning the number of years of experience in the field gives clarity on the individual's level of expertise.
Weak Summaries
- I am applying for the Accounting Manager position because I want a higher salary. I was the top of my class in school and I'm great at numbers. Please hire me.
- Accounting Manager here. Lots of experience in the field. Quick at numbers, really good at my job. Looking for a new place because the old one was too boring.
- Looking for Accounting Manager role. I'm great, I promise. Not sure what else to put here but I'm sure you'll love me. Let's have an interview.
- Aspiring Accounting Manager. I was fired from my last job. Hoping for a fresh start. Experienced in different accounting stuff.
Why these are weak?
The above examples are bad and ineffective for several reasons. Firstly, they are unprofessional and lack proper structure. A professional summary should ideally showcase the candidate's skills, experiences, personal attributes and what they can bring to the role, but these examples don't do that effectively. They either over-simplify this (e.g. 'I'm great at numbers.') or omit it entirely. Secondly, crucial information about the candidate's experience and achievements is missing, vague or poorly presented which does not create a positive impression. In some examples, there's also irrelevant information included such as personal reasons for leaving the last job which is inappropriate for a professional summary. Additionally, these summaries do not show the level of seriousness and dedication expected for a Manager level role.
Showcase your Work Experience
The Wellspring of Every Top-Notch Resume: Your Work Experience Section
When navigating the labyrinth of resume-building, one critical area routinely rises to prominence: the Work Experience section. This gem of a section is not simply an obligatory list of past employment – it's so much more. For potential employers, it’s the backbone of your professional identity. It testifies, in precise and concrete language, to your skills, talents, and track contributions. Let's delve into how you – Accounting Managers specifically – can cultivate a robust Work Experience section, turning this portion of the resume into a luminous, masterful showcase of your professional narrative.
Seizing the Snapshot: Demonstrating Your Accounting Manager Qualifications
The brief, bulleted rundown of your work history serves as a pivotal magnetic pull for potential employers. It's through these concise descriptions that they can peek into your capabilities and gauge precisely your fit into their organizational puzzle. Mirroring key points and primary objectives from job adverts within those tidbits can help attract their attention, given the use of specific industry terminology, criteria, or essential skills.
Strictly Relevant: Pruning the Irrelevant
Similarly significant is ensuring your work experience section reflects relevant roles which align with the job's requirements. Detailing diligent score-keeping on a high school basketball team may not precisely scream "Accounting Manager." Your initial endeavors as a Cashier, on the other hand, prove potentially pertinent, showing a meticulous eye for detail and perhaps an early appetite for numerical demands.
Quantify your achievements and impact using concrete numbers, metrics, and percentages to demonstrate the value you brought to your previous roles.
The High Impact Bullet Points: Scripting Achievement
Give substance to your experiences. It's not adequate to simply describe your role as an Accounting Manager in the past. Breathing life into bullet points means spelling out concrete accomplishments. Did you effect an annual saving of $200k through streamlining processes? Did you augment department efficiency by 30%? Quantifying successes provides promising glimpses into your potential triumphs within their organization. It gives potential employers a clear image of what you could offer them, making them more likely to reach out and invite you for an interview.
Proof is in the Pudding: Substantiate Every Claim
Branding yourself as an "expert" or a "highly skilled" Accounting Manager scarcely suffices without the corresponding proof delineating it within your work experiences. Make sure to solidify your achievements by attaching the narrative of your work-progress to each designation, displaying steady ascendancies, and continuous personal and professional growth.
An Marathons, Not Sprints: Consistency is Key
Just as the importance of completed marathon courtyard in displaying stamina, the presence of long-term commitments in your resume resonates well with potential employers. It proves that you inhabit workplaces, fostering growth and advancement, rather than hopping from one company to another in swiftness.
Be meticulous with your crafting, as the Work Experience section is more than a mere list of titles and tenure. It's an opportunity to shape your professional identity and designs employers' perceptions of your candidacy. You're painting a picture of your professional life – so be thoughtful, be consistent, and above all, be true to your achievements and abilities as an Accounting Manager.
Strong Experiences
- Managed a team of 5 accountants to ensure accurate financial management and instituted monthly training workshops for team skill development.
- Oversaw preparation of company's financial statements and ensured compliance with GAAP.
- Reduced overhead by 15% ($45K annually) by identifying inefficiencies and implementing improvements.
- Lead on a financial project which resulted in a net profit increase of 25% year over year.
Why these are strong?
These examples highlight concrete accomplishments, show management skills which are important for an Accounting Manager role and demonstrate a clear understanding of financial principles. Emphasizing results (like costs savings or profit increase) in each role is also a great practice, as it shows the direct value of the applicant's work. Starting with an action verb ('managed', 'oversaw', 'reduced', 'led') gives the impression of a proactive individual, which can be very appealing to recruiters.
Weak Experiences
- - Did some accounting stuff.
- - Managed things.
- - Handled some money.
- - Was in charge of some people.
- - Worked with numbers.
Why these are weak?
These bullet points do not provide any details or specifics about the tasks and responsibilities carried out. Bullet points in a resume need to be comprehensive and clear to effectively communicate the skill set and potential of a candidate. Moreover, using vague phrases like 'Did some accounting stuff' or 'Managed things' does not reflect professionalism or seriousness about the role. Also, using 'Was in charge of some people' does not indicate if you were a team leader, and how many people were under your management. 'Worked with numbers' is entirely too broad, and does not specify what kind of data or software was used. In conclusion, these examples do not demonstrate the hard and soft skills required for the position of an Accounting Manager, making them bad examples.
Skills, Keywords & ATS Tips
Whether you're an accounting manager currently crafting your resume or in the process of honing your skills, it's necessary to understand the distinction between hard and soft skills, as well as how they can impact your job prospects. Keywords, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and matching skills all play a significant role in this process. Let's break down each of these components to better understand their importance and interconnectedness.
Hard and Soft Skills in an Accounting Manager's Resume
Hard skills are specific, learnable abilities you've acquired through education, training, or work experience. For an accounting manager, these can include proficiency in accounting software, knowledge of tax laws, or experience in budget planning.
In contrast, soft skills are more intangible and often relate to how you work with others or respond to challenges. Even in a field heavily dependent on technical skills like accounting, soft skills matter. They can include leadership, problem-solving, time management, and communication abilities.
It's crucial to possess and highlight both hard and soft skills on your resume. This shows potential employers you have the necessary technical proficiency for the role and the interpersonal skills that will allow you to handle management-related tasks or face workplace challenges effectively.
Connection Between Keywords, ATS and Matching Skills
The inclusion of relevant hard and soft skills in your resume is doubly important when considering the use of Applicant Tracking Systems. An ATS is a software that sorts through resumes, helping recruiters to filter out candidates who might not match defined job criteria. The ATS scans for specific keywords that match those written in the job description and ranks resumes based on these keywords.
By aligning your skills section with the language used in job postings, you'll increase your chances of passing through these automated scans. This happens when your resume matches the keywords the employer has defined as critical to the role. If your skills reflect those required as per the job description, the ATS will 'see' you as a good fit.
In summary, to prepare an optimized resume for an accounting manager role, you must showcase a balance of hard and soft skills, while ensuring alignment with the keywords used in the job description. This way, you increase your chances of bypassing the ATS and standing out to prospective employers.
Top Hard & Soft Skills for Full Stack Developers
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Top Action Verbs
Use action verbs to highlight achievements and responsibilities on your resume.
Education
To add education and certificates to your Accounting Manager resume, first create a dedicated Education section, listed typically after your Experience section. Mention your degrees in reverse chronological order, including the name of the institution, your course of study, and dates of attendance. Then create a separate Certifications section. List your relevant certificates, mentioning the name of the certificate, the issuing organization, and the date of attainment. Remember to include any ongoing certifications, indicating their expected completion date.
Resume FAQs for Accounting Managers
What is the ideal resume format for an Accounting Manager?
The most recommended resume format for an Accounting Manager is the reverse-chronological format. This format highlights your work experience and achievements in a clear and organized manner, which is crucial for accounting roles.
How long should an Accounting Manager's resume be?
An Accounting Manager's resume should typically be one page in length. However, if you have extensive relevant experience (15+ years), it can be up to two pages. The key is to be concise and highlight only the most relevant information.
What are the most important sections to include in an Accounting Manager resume?
The most important sections to include in an Accounting Manager resume are: Summary or Objective, Core Competencies or Skills, Professional Experience, and Education. You may also include additional sections like Certifications, Professional Memberships, or Awards, if applicable.
How should I quantify my achievements on an Accounting Manager resume?
Quantifying your achievements is crucial for an Accounting Manager resume. Use specific numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts to demonstrate your impact on the company's financial performance, cost savings, process improvements, and other measurable accomplishments.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing an Accounting Manager resume?
Common mistakes to avoid include: using generic or vague language, listing job duties instead of achievements, including irrelevant information, using an unprofessional email address, and failing to proofread for spelling and grammar errors.
An Accounting Manager supervises accounting operations, ensures compliance, and leads the accounting team. Key qualifications include a CPA, expertise in accounting software and principles, management experience, and strong analytical abilities. For the resume, emphasize achievements streamlining processes, enhancing reporting accuracy, and managing teams. Use clear sections, quantifiable metrics, and powerful verbs highlighting your financial management prowess. Tailor your background to mirror the job description.
Seasoned Accounting Manager with a proven track record of driving financial efficiency and optimizing accounting processes. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, implementing robust financial controls, and providing strategic insights to support business growth. Known for strong analytical skills, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to navigate complex financial landscapes.
- Spearheaded the implementation of a new accounting system, reducing month-end close process by 5 days and improving accuracy by 98%.
- Managed a team of 12 accountants, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
- Developed and executed a comprehensive internal audit plan, identifying and mitigating financial risks across the organization.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline financial reporting processes, resulting in a 25% reduction in reporting time.
- Provided strategic financial insights to senior management, supporting data-driven decision making and long-term planning.
- Led the successful completion of multiple client audits, ensuring compliance with GAAP and regulatory requirements.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive training program for junior accountants, improving team efficiency by 30%.
- Conducted in-depth financial analyses to support client decision-making and identify opportunities for cost savings.
- Collaborated with tax and advisory teams to provide integrated solutions to complex client challenges.
- Recognized as a top performer, consistently exceeding client expectations and contributing to the firm's growth.
- Prepared and analyzed financial statements for a diverse portfolio of clients across various industries.
- Assisted in the development and implementation of internal control procedures, enhancing financial data integrity.
- Conducted research on complex accounting issues, providing recommendations to senior management.
- Collaborated with audit teams to ensure the timely completion of engagements and delivery of high-quality work.
- Actively participated in the firm's community outreach and volunteer initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility.