Controller Resume Sample (Financial & Assistant Positions)

You’ve just learned about a great job opportunity that could put your career on the right track. But your old resume depreciated a long time ago, right? It’s time to show your assets and create a controller resume that will guarantee profits in the balance sheet of your career.

Not sure where to start? Worried about the costs? Come, on, it’s easy—the only thing you must invest is your time. No collateral needed!

This guide will show you: 

• A controller resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a controller resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a controller resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a controller to get any job you want.

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Looking for other jobs in finance and accounting? See our other guides:

• Auditor Resume Sample
• Internal Auditor Resume
• Financial Analyst Resume
• Financial Planning & Analysis Resume
• Accounting Resume
• Private Equity Resume
• Senior Accountant Resume
• Insurance Claims Adjuster Resume
• Treasurer Resume Sample
• Business Analyst Resume
• Resume Examples for Every Career

Controller Resume Sample

Here’s how to write a controller resume that gets jobs:

1. Choose the Best Controller Resume Format

Controllers are like manager accountants. They handle upper-level accounting tasks for businesses, coordinating payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, asset management, and other financial functions. A controller resume must show strong accounting, math, and big-picture skills, plus the ability to generate reports and financial statements.

Look your best—

Prove you’re detail-oriented to the hiring team.

For example a chronological resume is the ideal resume format for controller jobs. Why? It makes it easy to find your relevant experience.

• Personal information on a resume goes in a resume header at the top, with name & title first.
• Use good fonts for resumes like Helvetica and Arial in 10–12pt.
• The best resume format is PDF. Most hiring managers prefer them. The ones that don’t will tell you in the job ad.

Pro Tip: Don’t cram too much info on the page. A little white space goes a long way toward making your financial controller resume inviting to the hiring team.

2. Write a Controller Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Take three deep breaths.

Took about six seconds, didn’t it?

That’s how long you’ve got to snag their attention.

That’s why your controller resume needs a solid professional summary.

That’s where you tell them the best things about you as a candidate—fast.

List:

• Your job title (Controller)
• Your objective (to help the company in some way)
• A couple skills
• Your greatest few controller accomplishments.

If you’re writing a resume for your first job or with little relevant experience, tout your skills a little more and write a resume objective.

Pro Tip: When should you write a profile summary or resume objective in a resume for controller jobs? Last. You’ll need goodies from the rest of your professional resume before you start.

3. Optimize Your Resume for the Controller Job Description

What’s the single most important thing a controller resume must do?

Fit the job.

There’s a special way to do that.

How to add work experience in a resume:

• List a job title (Controller), then the business name and dates.
• Analyze the job ad. What skills does it point to?
• Find job-related achievements that used those controller skills.
• Add yardsticks like “$3M in new revenue.”

Pro Tip: Don’t say “responsible for” in a resume for controller jobs. Use action words for resumes instead. “Raised, implemented, slashed,” or “led.”

4. Invigorate Your Controller Resume Education Section

Hidden tip:

The education section of a resume needs more than school, degree, and dates.

It has to tell a story.

The right one is, “I was destined to be a controller, and you can see that from my school accomplishments.”

To tell it, include education bullets with projects, classes you aced, groups, or publications.

Extra credit for fitting them to skills the company needs.

Pro Tip: Should you add a GPA? If you graduated within a year or blew out all the curves, yes. If not, say something else impressive elsewhere in your assistant controller resume.

5. Show Controller Skills in Your Resume

Use this controller resume skills list.

Controller Resume Skills

Hard Skills:

• Accounting
• GAAP
• Payroll
• Business economics
• Corporate investing
• Cash flow management
• Accounts payable
• Accounts receivable
• Generating reports
• Budgeting
• Financial statements
• Asset management
• Regulatory filings
• MS Office
• Tax law
• General ledger
• Quickbooks

Soft Skills:

• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership
• Printed and spoken communication
• Attention to detail
• Collaboration
• Perceptiveness
• Organization
• Analytical thinking
• Problem solving
• Time management
• Adaptability

But—

On your resume, just list a few skills required by this controller job.

Pro Tip: Show a blend of hard skills and soft skills in your resume for controller jobs. Whichever ones you list, make sure to prove them in your education and experience sections.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Other Sections to Your Controller Resume

So you’re experienced.

But do you love your career?

Prove you’ve got energy to burn with bonus parts of your resume.

Pick from:

• Pro bono work
• Association memberships
• Activities
• Speaking engagements
• Conferences
• Projects
• Commendations
• Sports activities
• Honors & awards
• Media mentions
• Languages
• Publications
• Personal interests

Got a CPA license? Add a certifications and licenses section under “education.”

Pro Tip: Dig deep to find bonus resume sections that fit the job. Sometimes the thing you think is no big deal can be the one detail that makes employers want to talk to you.

7. Send a Cover Letter With Your Controller Resume

If you’re asking, Do I need a cover letter for my resume for controller jobs, the answer’s “yes.”

You need to show employers you’re not just filling in the form.

That starts with proper cover letter formatting:

• Put something arresting in the first paragraph of your cover letter. Cite your biggest achievement or a detail about the business that grabs you.
• In the second paragraph, share things you’ve done that show you’re they’re finest candidate. (That means you have to understand what they need done.)
• Make a pitch in your cover letter closing. It doesn’t have to be fancy. “I’d love to share how I can slash your yearly tax bill 10%” can work fine.

Is my cover letter too long?

If it’s more than half a page, it’s probably too long.

Pro Tip: Not sure how to follow up on a job? Send a short email three days after the interview, in one week, and in two weeks. Reference something positive about the interview.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

That’s it!

That’s how to write a controller resume.

What do you love about your resume for controller jobs? What parts still need work? Give us a shout in the comments. We’d love to talk!

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