Best Senior Accountant Resume Examples for 2024

These senior accountant resume examples will help you make sure your resume highlights your tops skills and experiences.

Ho Profile
By Ho 5 minute read

Our customers have been hired by:*Foot Note

Senior Accountant Resume Example

Senior Accountant Resume Example

What to highlight in a senior accountant resume

A senior accountant is an important figure in many businesses. Senior accountants will have many years of experience in accounting, so they’ll typically handle more accounting tasks than administrative tasks, like gathering financial data.

If you’re interested in becoming a senior accountant, it’s important that you have a great resume to go along with your job application. Just follow the resume tips and section examples below to create your resume.

Senior accountants need to highlight their accounting skills, of course, but as a position that values experience, you should also showcase previous jobs, including specific accomplishments and benefits you’ve brought to previous employers. Our guide on making a resume
will show you how to add experience and needed skills to your resume. If you’ve received any specific awards or have any other qualifications, it’s also a good idea to highlight these in your resume.

How to write your senior accountant resume

The first thing to note is that the structure of any resume will depend on the resume format you use. A functional resume will emphasize your skills, while a combination resume will emphasize both your skills and your experience. A chronological resume will usually emphasize experience. As senior accountants are expected to have a good amount of experience, you’ll typically want to use a chronological resume templates.
 

Header

The first section on your resume is your resume resume header. This header should include your contact information such as name, phone number, location, email address and professional job networking links, like your LinkedIn.
 

Resume summary or objective

The next section is your resume summary. This is a 2-3 sentence short paragraph highlighting your best achievements and qualifications. A resume objective focuses more on career goals so it is more suited for people with less experience than those writing a senior accountant resume.
 

Skills

The skills section will include a variety of important resume skills that you’ve learned throughout your career. Format your skills as bullet points so they are easy to read. Here are some skill statements  to consider:

  • Ability to perform audits
  • Preparing journal entries and general ledger accounts analysis
  • Quickly spotting discrepancies
  • Understanding fixed assets and cash flow
  • Forecasting future trends
  • Implementing internal controls
  • Problem-solving
  • Knowledge of spreadsheet and accounting software (Oracle, QuickBooks, ERP, SAP, Checker, Excel)
  • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Ability to perform financial analysis and manage financial reporting
  • Handling accounts payable and accounts receivable
  • Account reconciliation and bank reconciliation
  • Managing a balance sheet
  • Year-end and month-end close
  • Compiling monthly financial statements

It’s important that you present both soft skills and hard skills in this section. Bookkeeping and other job-specific knowledge is an important part of being an accountant, but you also need to work well with other staff accountants, including junior accountants, and have soft skills like problem-solving and thinking well on your feet. 

 

Work history

Next is your work experience. Include up to 10 years of experience here. This doesn’t have to just include experience as a senior accountant but can also include work as an accounting manager or any other related role within a company.
 

Education

In your education section, include your professional education. You’ll typically need at least a bachelor’s degree, which you may have in a financial field or a related field like business administration. You should also include your certifications. Typically, senior accountants will be a CPA, or Certified Public Accountant.

Create your resume

Do's and don'ts for a senior accountant resume

Do's
  • Read the job description before you apply for the job. Every employer is looking for a slightly different person, so reading the job description will help you tailor your resume and present yourself at your best to a hiring manager.
  • Make full use of your LinkedIn profile. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your resume header, and make sure your profile is updated to include full details on your career, including references the employer can contact.
  • Use our Resume Builder to create your resume. A good resume builder will help you quickly and easily create a more professional resume using professional templates and job-specific suggestions.
Don'ts
  • Apply as a senior accountant without first going through the process of being a junior accountant. You need that work experience to be taken seriously.
  • Go overboard describing every single bit experience you have as an accountant. You’ll typically only need to include 10 years of experience, maximum. Focus on achievements and milestones rather than mundane daily tasks.
  • Include any samples with identifying information from previous jobs. You should never show financial statements or similar items as part of your job interview.

Customer Reviews You Can Trust

FAQ: Senior accountant resume examples

Have questions? We’re here to help.

Yes. Cover letters can be even more important when it comes to a senior accountant position. It allows you to explain why you are qualified for the job. If you’re not confident in your ability to write a cover letter, you’re not alone. You can use our Cover Letter Builder to create a great cover letter.

A senior accountant resume typically requires a significant amount of experience. In fact, most job titles with the name “senior” would require at least a few years of previous experience. Focus on as much related experience and achievements that you have if you’re looking to land this job title.

The most important point to remember is that you should never apply to two different jobs with the same resume. Instead, look through the job listing to find resume keywords. You can then apply those keywords throughout your resume. This will help your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and rank well so that your resume reaches a hiring manager’s desk. This can improve the likelihood that you’ll get through to the job interview.

Couldn't find the answer you're looking for?

You can always contact us.

Ho Profile
WRITTEN BY Ho

Ho is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

right resume

Pair your resume with a matching cover letter