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Writing your accounting resume can be a challenging undertaking. Knowing what to include, how to format it, and what to exclude can all add up to a complicated task. Follow these guidelines to ensure you stand out among other accounting candidates and land the position you want.

Identify Your Goal

A well-stated objective is your first step in showing your communication skills and highlighting your relevant experience in the field. You want to outline your previous accounting work and the responsibilities you want to assume in your new position. Discuss your familiarity with job-specific software and general computer applications relevant to your work. Highlight your strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills by emphasizing your written and verbal communication abilities. Also include your general clerical experience, interdepartmental communication skills, and other relevant qualifications. Be sure you reference the business by name in your objective statement.

Condense Your Qualifications

Summarize your strengths and key qualifications in the top half of the first page in sections labeled Professional Profile and Areas of Expertise. For example, in a professional profile, a candidate seeking a CFO position may say, “Chief financial officer with 15 years’ corporate accounting and management experience. Hands-on manager with expertise in accounting systems development, fiscal management, and financial reporting. Proven record of developing and implementing financial and operational controls that improve P&L scenario and competitively position firm.”

Your prospective employer will quickly see the range of your professional experience by reading this brief paragraph. Follow with Areas of Expertise, listing keywords pertinent to your accounting career. For example, the CFO may use the terms “financial and strategic planning,” “auditing and compliance,” or “business valuations.” Also include your accounting industry licenses and certifications, such as CPA, CFA, and Series 7, 63, and/or 64.

List Your Accomplishments

Use the rest of your resume for highlighting your professional accounting background. Under each employer, write a brief paragraph describing your job responsibilities, followed by a bulleted list of your accomplishments. Be sure you show quantifiable results for your work and that you stand out from all the other accounting candidates with similar experience. For example, “Performed revenue recognition, analysis, and forecasting that improved the company’s reporting system by over 30 percent.” This statement shows time savings, something employers definitely want. Another example is “Managed two departments of 25 individuals.” This statement shows leadership and management, since you set priorities, helped colleagues work as a team, coached them, and faced tough discussions. Accomplishments are the most critical part of your resume, so focus closely on documenting them.

Follow these guidelines when writing your accounting resume to help land the position you want. For additional assistance moving forward in your accounting career, contact the expert staff at Trimble and Associates today!Let-the-experts-at-Trimble-Associates-help-you-find-the-perfect-match

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