Accountant CV Example & Writing Guide

Accountants are responsible for the financial health of an organisation. From managing financial documents to helping businesses make decisions to increase their profits, employers are always looking for excellent accountants to join their business. As an accountant, it is essential that your CV comes across as structured, efficient and organised: the very traits your employer is looking for in an accountant! We’ll help you create a stellar CV to impress employers and land your next accounting job.

CVs For Accountants 

Your CV should contain the following elements: 

• Personal Statement
• Work History
• Skills
• Education

We’ll walk you through each section and help you understand the importance of each. 

Before we get started, it’s important to know how potential employers filter through CV applications. A lot of employers use tracking systems such as an  Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to effectively monitor and sort through job applications. For companies that receive a high number of applications, these tracking systems are invaluable. By utilising specific software, employers are able to quickly sort through applications and make hiring decisions. This is why it is so important for job seekers to optimise their CVs to the job role and job description; these tracking systems will search for the appropriate keywords and use them to score overall applications. With this in mind, applicants with the highest scores will be given the most attention by employers. Don’t worry – at cvapp.nz, we’ve helped millions of professionals around the world land their dream job roles. We’ll help you optimise your CV and land your dream career too! 

Personal Statements

Think of your Personal statement as your selling point for employers. It’s your opportunity to introduce your professional profile and give employers an overview of what you have to offer to the job role. Your personal statement should be brief and concise, but don’t be afraid to be confident and make a great first impression! We recommend using a professional, polite tone throughout both your CV and cover letter. As an accountant, your personal statement is your chance to promote your accounting skills. Do you have an extensive background in financial reporting? Would friends describe you as accurate and adept with numbers? Let your employers know! 

Certifications

Certifications are a great element to include on your CV. They can demonstrate your expertise, expertise and competency in an area and can increase employer’s confidence in your accounting abilities. Some of the more popular certifications include Certified Accountant (CPA) or Certified Financial Analyst (CFA). Certifications also demonstrate that you’ve put in long hours of training and discipline to become certified. Additionally, more advanced accounting job roles may be looking for candidates with certifications. If you have relevant certifications, always be sure to include them on your CV!

Work History

When writing the work history section of your CV, it is important to provide a comprehensive overview of your past professional experience. This should include a chronological list of former employers and the positions each one held, as well as the amount of time spent in each role. Additionally, you should also include a brief description of the responsibilities and accomplishments in each job. For best results, it is always good to be as detailed and specific as possible. 

Our cvapp.nz website offers plenty of guidance for crafting an effective CV for different job roles. The website offers explanations and links for different CV formats, such as Reverse Chronological, Functional and Combination CVs. If unsure which type of CV is best, visit our website and learn more now!

Education

Many employers will be interested in your education history and will pay close attention to this section. You should include all relevant educational experience in chronological order from most recent to the least recent. For example, if you received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland in 2017, and a Master of Professional Accounting in 2020, your Master’s degree should appear first. 

You can also include any significant, relevant academic accomplishments in this section of your CV. For example, if you received a scholarship to study accounting at a tertiary level or received a course award for ACCY 101, don’t be afraid to share this! This will help demonstrate that you’re a hard-worker and an ideal candidate for the role. Remember to only include relevant and significant accomplishments, as you will have a finite amount of space to include these achievements. 

CV Skills

Are you looking to highlight your skills and strengths to a potential employer? If so, be sure to include skills that are relevant to the job posting. Doing so will help you stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of getting hired. Do you have in-depth experience with financial forecasting, tax preparation or auditing? Don’t leave these skills out of your CV! Think about the skills you have that would be beneficial to the role, such as technical abilities or problem-solving capabilities, and highlight them on your CV or in an interview. Also, don't be shy about showing off skills that make you unique, such as your knitting or baking abilities. This could help you stand out from the competition and show the employer that you have something special to offer.

We hope you enjoyed our comprehensive guide for writing a stellar accounting CV! We also hope you know that the fun doesn’t stop here – feel free to check out all of our free tools and resources on our website and blog for more guidance and advice. We’re proud to help Kiwi professionals unlock the next chapter of their career story, and we hope we’ve made your job-hunting journey a little easier. 

Ngā mihi nui!