Accounts Payable Resume Examples to Help You Succeed

Accounts payable is a unique department within a company. How can you write a resume that helps you join this profession?

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Accounts Payable Resume Example

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Accounts Payable Resumes

When a company balances a bank account at the end of the month, they need someone who’s able to understand what money is going in and out, keep a general ledger and understand financial reports. If you manage a company’s expense reports, chances are that you’re working in accounts payable or accounts receivable. Here’s what you need to know about creating the right resume to get you an accounts payable position.

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Jobs That Use Accounts Payable Resumes

There are many accounts payable positions, each with their own job requirements and associated skill sets. If your job search includes a job from this title list, you should benefit from an accounts payable resume.

Accounts payable specialist
Payable clerk
Expenditures specialist
Employee expense tracker
Accounts receivable specialist

Although each job title will have differences, you’ll still benefit from the resume tips below for all resumes in this industry.

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Important Elements for Accounts Payable Resumes

Most hiring managers look for very specific elements as they scan your resume. By structuring your resume as explained in the following sections, you can craft the perfect resume.

Resume objective or summary

Your resume objective or resume summary is a 2-3 sentence paragraph at the top of your resume that encapsulates your career. The resume summary allows the hiring manager to quickly see your key skills, years of experience and education. A resume objective indicates your career goals, while a resume summary outlines your top strengths and accomplishments.

Skills

Your skills section will largely include hard skills (knowledge and skills you’ve trained up on), but recruiters are also looking for soft skills (such as collaboration or attention to detail) on an accounts payable resume. Here are a few skills to consider adding to your resume:

Bookkeeping
Microsoft Office Excel, QuickBooks, SAP
Processing invoices
Teamwork
Multitasking
Reconciling accounts
Creating purchase orders
Creating financial reports
Credit memos

When you’re trying to decide the most important skills for your job search, look carefully at the job description. The best resume will address specific keywords that recruiters included in the job posting.

Work experience

Your professional experience will play a crucial role in telling a hiring manager whether you’re qualified to manage their accounts. If you have minimal experience, you can apply to entry-level accounts payable positions requiring less experience. However, in this resume section, list as much work history as possible, including internship and volunteer work experience.

Education

Your education section should highlight your top education credential (e.g., college degree). Even if you only have certification training and no college experience, the former is beneficial to add to your resume.

Certifications

There are a number of different certifications that you should add to an accounts payable resume if you have them, including certification in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which is an accounting standard adopted by the U.S. SEC. This certification demonstrates that you understand what you should legally be adhering to when balancing books.

Accounts Payable Resume Examples You Can Use

If you don’t know what your accounts payable resume should feature, you can use an accounts payable resume sample from ResumeHelp. Not only can you use these free resume examples to create a professional resume, but you can also use our resume builder to create a fast resume in any resume format.

Tips for Creating Your Accounts Payable Resume

Here are a few more resume tips:

When you’re working in accounts payable, everything is measured in numbers, so showing success in numbers is recommended.
Showcase unique ways you’ve balanced checkbooks. Did you once use journal entries to confirm certain payments? This demonstrates your problem-solving skills.

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FAQ: Accounts Payable Resume Example

Q: Do I need to submit a cover letter with accounts payable resumes?

It’s always a good idea to submit your application with both a resume and a cover letter. If you’re unsure about writing a cover letter effectively, use the cover letter builder on the ResumeHelp website. With this tool, we’ll provide you step-by-step advice to best showcase your skills on your cover letter.

Q: Can I get an accounts payable job with no experience?

Yes, it is possible to get an accounts payable job without experience in that particular field. On your resume, focus on other areas like internship experience, transferable experience from other jobs, volunteer experience and academic experience.

Q: Is it a good idea to change my accounts payable resume for every job posting?

Yes, it’s best to adapt your resume to each job posting by paying attention to resume keywords. Hiring managers focus on keywords in the job description (e.g., “managing vendor data” or “good written and oral communication”) that they want to see reflected in the resumes they receive. Address these keywords in your resume, and you’ll have a better chance of passing a scan by applicant tracking systems (ATS) that employers use to review resumes, based on keywords.

Move your resume to the top of the yes pile!

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