CV example
Accountant CV example
Accounting CVs are read by detail-oriented people, so accuracy and clarity matter as much as content. This example shows a qualified accountant who quantifies close times, savings and audit results instead of listing duties.
Below you'll find a full example CV (also called a résumé), summaries for different experience levels, the skills and keywords employers search for, stronger bullet points, and the interview questions to prepare for.
Accountant CV summary examples
Your summary is the first thing a recruiter reads. Two or three sentences: who you are, your strongest evidence, and what you want next. Here is the example CV's summary, plus versions for other levels.
Example CV
ACCA-qualified accountant with 6 years in manufacturing and professional services. I run tight month-end closes, produce reliable management accounts and keep audits smooth.
Trainee or graduate
Accounting graduate with 18 months as a trainee in an audit firm, part-qualified in ACCA (9 of 13 exams passed). Strong with reconciliations, Excel and accounting software.
Finance manager
Chartered accountant (ACA) with 10 years in group reporting and FP&A. Lead a finance team of 6 and own budgeting and statutory reporting across 4 entities.
Skills to put on a accountant CV
Hard skills
- Month-end and year-end close
- Financial statements and management accounts
- Reconciliations and journals
- Accounting standards (IFRS, or US GAAP for US roles)
- Tax and VAT basics for your country
- ERP and accounting software (SAP, Oracle, Xero, Sage, QuickBooks)
- Advanced Excel
Soft skills
- Accuracy
- Meeting hard deadlines
- Explaining numbers to non-finance colleagues
- Integrity
Show soft skills through your bullet points rather than listing them on the CV itself.
Keywords recruiters and ATS look for
Many employers screen CVs with an applicant tracking system (ATS) that matches words from the job ad. These come up often in accountant postings. Use the ones that are true for you, in the same wording as the job you're applying for. To compare your CV with a specific job ad, use the free CV keyword checker, or have Litjob tailor your CV to the job description for you.
- accountant
- month-end close
- financial reporting
- management accounts
- reconciliation
- general ledger
- IFRS
- audit
- VAT
- budgeting
- variance analysis
- ACCA
For live figures, see the skills most requested in Finance and accounting job ads, updated weekly from thousands of postings.
Bullet points: before and after
Strong bullet points say what you did, how big it was and what changed. Compare:
WeakDid month-end tasks.
StrongerRan month-end close for 3 entities, consistently delivering within 5 working days.
WeakPrepared reports for management.
StrongerProduced monthly management accounts and explained key variances to the leadership team.
WeakHelped with the audit.
StrongerPrepared audit files that cut external auditor queries by 40% compared with the previous year.
WeakWorked on cost control.
StrongerAnalysed overheads and found £120,000 in annual savings from duplicate subscriptions and suppliers.
Only use numbers you can explain in an interview. An honest estimate (“about 30%”) is better than a made-up exact figure.
Tips for writing a accountant CV
Put your qualification next to your name
ACCA, CIMA, ICAN, CPA or ACA status is often the first filter. Say whether you are qualified or part-qualified and how many exams remain.
Name the systems
SAP, Oracle, Xero, Sage and QuickBooks are frequently required by name in job ads.
Quantify speed and accuracy
Close timelines, audit outcomes and errors reduced are the accountant’s version of sales numbers.
Check every detail
A typo or inconsistent date on an accountant’s CV is noticed. Proofread carefully, or have someone else check it.
Common accountant interview questions
Your CV gets you the interview, and interviewers will ask about what's on it. Prepare for these:
- Walk me through your month-end close.
- List the steps in order and mention how you made it faster or more accurate.
- How would you investigate an unexplained variance?
- Start with the ledger detail, check for timing or coding errors, then talk to the budget holder.
- Tell me about a mistake you found and how you handled it.
- Show honesty, a clear fix and a control you added to stop it happening again.
- Which accounting software have you used?
- Be specific about what you did in each system, not just that you have logged in.