Accounting Manager CV [Full Sample]
Here’s a full Accounting Manager resume sample, which we wrote for a client recently.
About the Accounting Manager Role
Accountancy is a discipline which is becoming increasingly popular nowadays. Amidst challenging job market conditions, it’s seen as an ‘iron rice bowl’ – every company needs someone to keep the books, and while the basic bookkeeping may be automated away, high-level accounting and financial management entails a lot of subjective decision making which computers can’t easily handle. Just look at the grades needed to even get in the door in our local universities now: nearly straight ‘A’s!
I’ve seen a lot of accountants looking for new jobs recently. Unlike other industries, they’re not coming to me because they can’t land a job. They’re coming to me because they want to land a more senior position at a better company. This is great news! At the most basic level, this entails a different strategy – I tend to spend a lot more time with these clients to get every single achievement and project they’ve worked on in the past. To stand out, those are a must. This is especially the case in industries dominated by high-flyers, where performance is very easy to measure objectively.
Many accountants and accounting professionals look really impressive when it comes to account handling and auditing of finances of big brands and large corporations. However, they seem to be quite challenged when it comes to presenting their skills and achievements in their resumes. These candidates can do a lot better than what they already have written in their CVs. It’s so important to showcase your contributions – your CV is a marketing tool, and must thus show your best side. If you’d like more in-depth reading, check out my Ultimate Guide to CV Writing – I go into far greater detail on each section of the CV there, and break down how you should write each part and how to combine them to achieve an effective resume.
If you are one of those professionals who need help crafting a well-written CV, here’s my guide on how to write an accounting resume!
CV Template and Formatting
I thought I’d touch a bit on this first. Nowadays, we’re seeing a lot of fancy templates and infographic-style CVs. On one hand, this helps you to stand out a bit, but on the other hand, the nature of the industry means that these funky designs aren’t looked favourably upon! Accounting is an industry rich in tradition with a very long history. It’s also notably professional and formal. As such, stick with a simple yet professional template like the one I’ve used.
Key Pointers Hiring Managers Look For in Accounting Resumes
- Your strong experience in financial, compliance, and/or controlling functions within SMEs and large corporations
- You being comfortable and confident in doing budget planning, forecast, and preparation
- Deep understanding of the financial market and trends in Singapore
- Proven expertise in using accounting and financial systems
Additional Accounting Resume Writing Tips
- Accounting is quite a broad field of knowledge that covers many different kinds of functions and responsibilities. It is always best to specify your area of specialization and tailor your CV according to this, in order to put a focus on your profile — rather than being a “jack of all trades” who may confuse hiring managers. You can do this in your executive summary and job title.
- Don’t forget to mention accounting certifications or licences you were able to acquire to help improve your resume and boost your career. These certifications could be things like CA/CPA, CFA, CISA, CMA, etc. They’re very nice bonuses to include on any accountant’s CV. Even if you’re still taking the qualification (i.e. you don’t have the paper in your hand yet) you can still list the certification on your CV – just put “In Progress (Est completion: X)” – this shows that you’re trying to improve yourself which is great :).
Accounting Job Opportunities
- Join LinkedIn groups or follow companies you wish to work for to keep abreast with new job openings.
- Alternatively, you can reach out to these headhunters in Singapore to learn about any vacancies they may be trying to fill out.
Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
- Create a winning cover letter and send it along your resume. The cover letter will serve as an introduction about yourself and is a great venue to answer the question “Why should we hire you?”
- Be active on social media, particularly on LinkedIn. Make sure to create a strong online profile that represents you and you professional experiences. Here’s our comprehensive guide on writing a great LinkedIn profile.
Before You Go… Common Questions about Accounting Resumes
What should be on an accounting resume?
On your accountant resume, you should include a short introduction followed by an executive summary or resume objective highlighting your best features. Then, break down your professional and educational experience, along with the skills that you’ve acquired from them too. Finally, wrap things up with an additional section at the bottom covering any volunteer work you’ve done, and include the references for the hiring manager to contact.
What are the best skills for an accountant?
Knowledge of accounting practices in the country you’re residing in is the most important thing for an accountant. Along with this, soft skills like communication and critical thinking are important too.
What are the roles of accounting?
In simple terms, the role of an accountant is to manage the finances of a company. But, the description can often be a lot broader than that, as it often involves managing transactions, budgeting and forecasting, reconciling accounts and more.
Be sure to download this resume sample, which uses our tested-and-proven resume writing techniques, as a guide for your own CV. Best part is, this sample is available for free 🙂
And before you start sending out applications, send us your resume for a free CV feedback analysis from our team. We’ll review your CV in detail, share personalised feedback on its strengths and weaknesses, and show you how you can improve it.
Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys road cycling, diving deep into biographies, and devouring copious amounts of dumplings.
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