Senior Accountant Resume Sample 2024 (Guide & Tips)
Create Your Resume NowLooking for a new job as a senior accountant, but your last resume dates back to when you were a junior? Or perhaps you're simply not proud of it?
Whatever the case may be, we'll show you how to write a perfect senior accountant resume in just a few minutes, and with examples.
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Senior Accountant Resume Sample
Clifford Barnhouse
Senior Accountant
clifford.bhouse@email.us
564-875-2996
linkedin.com/in/cliffordbarnhouse
Summary of Qualifications
CPA-certified senior accountant with 5 years of experience in financial analysis and consultancy. Coordinated end of the month closing procedures under accordance with GAAP. At SmartFinance Co. implemented quality assurance procedures for accounts payable that resulted in saving $10.000 in a year. Looking to bring my general accounting expertize and experience in managing complex asset accounts to the financial department of ProFinace.
Work Experience
Senior Accountant
SmartFinance Co., Garden City, NY
July 2017–January 2019
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
- Coordinated the full month end procedure, including preparation of balance sheets, income statements, and trial balance statements.
- Performed SOX audit for compliance with legal regulations.
- Prepared reconciliations for monthly closings.
- Ensured accuracy of revenue and expense accounts.
- Provided weekly quality checks of documents.
- Managed and supported two junior accountants and provided them with accounting advice.
Key Achievements
- Implemented new check procedures for accounts payable that resulted in $10.000 expense savings in a year.
Accountant and Finance Advisor
Blue Solutions, Garden City, NY
January 2014-June 2016
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
- Prepared general ledger and journal entries analysis.
- Supervised junior accountants and monitored their work daily.
- Assisted junior accountants in preparing month end reports and monthly bank reconciliations.
- Filed SEC reports and forms.
- Analyzed the company’s expenditure and benefits.
- Cooperated with internal and external auditors.
Key Achievements
- Created an easily navigable company database with 400+ past and ongoing projects.
Education
MA, Accounting
University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
2013
BA, Business Administration and Finance
University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
2009
Key Skills
- Familiarity with GAAP
- General ledger, profit and loss
- Mathematics
- Quickbooks
- Oracle
- Critical thinking
- Organization
- Time management
- Leadership
- Communication
Certifications
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
Check out other accounting and finance guides:
- Accounting Resume
- Accounting Assistant Resume
- Accounting Clerk Resume
- Accounting Manager Resume
- Entry-Level Accounting Resume
- Staff Accountant Resume
- Tax Accountant Resume
- Tax Preparer Resume
- Accounts Receivable Resume
- Accounts Payable Resume
- Best Resume Samples for All Jobs
Make use of this senior accountant resume sample and land that dream job.
1. Choose the Best Format for Your Senior Accountant Resume
Senior accountants supervise financial activities within the company, perform budget investigation and prognosis, and maintain general ledger. They also manage teams of accountants and support them in daily tasks. Your senior accountant resume needs to reflect both—your financial expertise and organizational skills.
Whether planning a weekly agenda, or preparing a huge year-end report, in finance—the structure matters.
The right structure is also vital when writing a resume. It helps the recruiter easily find the information they're looking for.
Follow this set of fixed rules and format your resume the proper way:
- Put your personal information on a resume in a resume header that tops the page.
- Make sure your resume is divided into neat resume sections easy to navigate.
- Choose the proper resume format. In most cases it’s the reverse-chronological resume format that works best.
- Use the best font size for a resume. And stick to the classic font type.
- Don’t clutter your resume with too much information. Appreciate the margins.
- Save and send your resume in PDF. Unless your future employer asks for an MS Word file in the job ad.
2. Write a Senior Accountant Resume Summary or Objective
If you’re targeting an upper-level position, you need to hook the recruiter right away.
There's a simple formula to do this—write a resume profile. It's a short professional intro that tops your resume and highlights your proudest career moments.
There are two types of resume profiles: a professional objective and a professional summary. As you're a senior, you need to write the latter.
A resume career summary: it’s the best choice for candidates with 2+ years of experience in senior accounting. It focuses on key achievements and responsibilities.
Pro Tip: Numbers speak for themselves. And the recruiters trust them. Remember to put a quantifiable achievement or two in your resume profile.
3. Create the First-Rate Senior Accountant Job Description for a Resume
The work experience description on your resume is where the hiring managers want to find the gold.
Keep it clear and concise and tailor your resume to the specifics of the job ad.
Follow the following tips:
- List your latest or current job first and move back in time.
- Start each position with your job title, the add a company name, location, and dates worked.
- Use bullet points (around 6) to describe your duties.
- Avoid a worn-out “responsible for” phrase. Instead, use some tasty resume action verbs.
Pro Tip: Make sure your resume experience section reflects your skills. Show your duties and say how you perform them.
4. Make Your Senior Accountant Resume Education Section Great
Education requirements for senior accountant positions may be huge.
A bachelor's degree is a minimum but a major is recommended. Relevant coursework and certifications are also a must.
All in all, your resume education section matters a lot.
Here’s how to list your education history on a resume:
- Follow this order: your degree, major/minor, school name and location, and the graduation year.
- Mention: awards and honors, publications, relevant coursework.
Pro Tip: Create a separate resume section for your licenses and certifications to make them more prominent. Certifications and up-to-date accounting know-how are crucial for senior accounting positions.
5. List Your Key Skills for Senior Accountant Resume
If you won’t convince the hiring manager that you’re skilled for the job, you can say goodbye to these six figures you dreamed of.
But—
Don’t be discouraged!
Choosing proper skills for a resume is much easier than a month end close.
Use the list below to pick the relevant ones:
Senior Accountant Examples of Skills
- Financial statements
- Payroll
- IT skills
- Asset management
- Account analysis
- Regulatory filings
- Account reconciliation
- Budgets
- General ledger
- Profit and loss
- Mathematics
- Quickbooks
- Paychex
- Invoices
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Organization
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Analytical skills
- Teamwork skills
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
- Leadership
- Problem-solving
- Time management
Insights from 11 million resumes crafted with our builder show that:
- On average, the typical resume for a Senior Accountant includes 20 skills.
- Skills such as financial reporting, bank reconciliation, payroll processing, and expense tracking are top choices for Senior Accountants.
- The average resume length for Senior Accountants is 3 pages.
Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.
When you’re done, our easy 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 Senior Accountant Resume
Want the hiring manager to shout your name out loud?
Well—
You need to prove you’re number one for this position.
There’s a sure way to impress the recruiters. Add an extra section to your resume that will show your unique professional traits.
These may be:
- Certifications
- Language skills
- Projects
- Awards and achievements
- Licenses
- Memberships
- Hobbies and interests
- Volunteering jobs
Pro Tip: Wondering how to keep track in the fast-paced accounting world? Join one of the national accounting associations and follow the accounting events.
7. Attach a Senior Accountant Resume Cover Letter
You’re great with numbers and think maths in your sleep?
Good, but listing skills and duties on a resume may not be enough to win with other candidates.
What you need is a resume cover letter.
About 50% of recruiters still expect one.
So—write your cover letter in no time:
- Use the right format for a cover letter.
- Strike the recruiter with a cover letter intro.
- Show what you can offer to the employer.
- Include a call to action in your cover letter ending.
Pro Tip: To double your chances of landing an interview, follow up on your job application. This will show the recruiter that you really care.
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:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Now it’s your turn to write an Accountant Cover Letter!
Use our tips and write a great senior accountant resume that will get you a new job.
How did you like our sample senior accountant resume? Are writing a senior staff accountant resume or maybe you’re a senior taxist? We’d love to hear from you, leave your comment below!
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