Accounts Receivable Resume—Sample, Job Description & Tips

You have the financial literacy of Milton Friedman, and fight for the last penny like a bulldog. Ready to prove it?

Dave Rygielski
Dave Rygielski
Career Expert
Accounts Receivable Resume—Sample, Job Description & Tips

You’ve spent countless hours filling in an old-school ledger. The piggy bank strolls in and startles you with its screaming. You knock over a 5-gallon ink bucket, spilling the contents all over the books.

You wake up from this bad dream with relief, but soon remember that your mediocre accounts receivable resume is in the trash. It’s high time to write a resume that finally gets you interviews. 

In this guide: 

  • An accounts receivable resume sample that gets accounted for.
  • A quick guide on the AR resume format.
  • How to squeeze out more profit from your accounts receivable job description.
  • Which accounts receivable resume skills will get you hired.

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Accounts Receivable Resume Sample You Can Collect On

Brian A. Engles

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Personal Info

3196 Hillcrest Circle

Fridley, MN 55432

763-514-0563

brian@eagles.com

linkedin.com/beagles

Summary:

Methodical accounts receivable specialist with 4+ years of experience in handling a broad scope of billing, collections, reconciliation and month-end-closing processes. Implemented new AR/AP procedures which improved collection rate by 25%. Designed automated payment reminders using Zapier and SalesHandy, sent on shipment delivery, and in regular time intervals afterward, with alerts for AR if the emails are not opened and read within a certain time. Improved on-time collection rate by 19%, and saving 10 hours per week.Ready to implement proven strategies for Diversified Ventures’ Accounts receivable//Accounts Payable department.

Experience 

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Upshipper

2017–2020

  • Responsible for a broad scope of billing, collections, reconciliation and month-end-closing processes for a $25m wholesale shipping business.
  • Improved collection rate by 25% by implementing new AR/AP procedures.
  • Designed automated payment reminders using Zapier and SalesHandy, sent on shipment delivery, and in regular time intervals afterward, sending us emails back if emails are not opened and read.
  • Improved on-time collection rate by 19%, and saved 10 hours per week.
  • Cut down refunds from $450k to $225k annually by identifying a weakness in the refund protocols which allowed bad faith and unjustified refunds.
  • Prepared and maintained documentation for external and government audits.

Accounts Receivable Clerk

Upshipper

2016–2017

  • Managed 120+ client accounts, totalling $3m in annual turnover.
  • Responsible for billing, collections, reconciliation, investigating chargebacks.
  • Handled and made 50+ calls, 100+ emails per day.
  • Produced summary reports on clients’ accounts.

Key Skills

  • Eye for Detail
  • Independent
  • Effective Communication
  • Quickbooks
  • SAP
  • Sage 100 Standard
  • Infopak 3
  • Advanced Excel

Education 

BSBA in Accounting

University of Minnesota

GPA: 3.7

2012–2016

Certifications

  • Sage 100 – Certified Accounts Receivable Specialist
  • IOFM Accounts Receivable Specialist (ARS) Certification

Languages

  • French—Fluent 

Accounts receivable specialists are responsible for managing a company's incoming payments. They work in various industries creating and sending invoices to customers, tracking customer payments, generating reports, and more. Accounts receivable specialists must be organized and detail-oriented.

Got your bean counter? No, I meant the calculator.

1. Use a Proper AR Resume Format

You’re going to be handling money. A lot of money. The big bucks, so to speak. A person who gets their accounts receivable resume format wrong will not be trusted with the big bucks, most likely.

Let’s balance the books. Format your resume this way:

Accounts Receivable Resume Format

Expert Hint: An eye tracking-study shows that the average recruiter gives 7.4 seconds of their attention to each resume. Keep this in mind throughout this process.

2. Write a Trustworthy Accounts Receivable Resume Summary or Objective

As you well know, sometimes, trust is instant. We often can’t put our finger on it, but it’s there. You should aim for your resume profile to perform the same function remotely. Show your expertise backed with numbers and target your resume at the requirements of the position.This will also make for an ATS-friendly resume.

Which voice to use? Certainly not the first person—it’s one of the resume don’ts. Follow textbook career summary steps for a summary that grabs attention:

  • Use a power adjective that describes you, your title, and years of experience.
  • Illustrate your biggest achievements using numbers and figures.
  • End with a sentence mentioning the company and how you’ll provide added value to it.

And here it is applied:

Accounts Receivable Summary—Example

Good Example
Methodical accounts receivable specialist with 4+ years of experience in handling a broad scope of billing, collections, reconciliation and month-end-closing processes. Implemented new AR/AP procedures which improved collection rate by 25%. Designed automated payment reminders using Zapier and SalesHandy, sent on shipment delivery, and in regular time intervals afterward, with alerts for AR if the emails are not opened and read within a certain time. Improved on-time collection rate by 19%, and saving 10 hours per week. Ready to implement proven strategies for Diversified Ventures’ AR/AP department.
Bad Example
Experienced Accounts Receivable Specialist with sizable experience in handling billing, collections, reconciliation and month-end-closing. Committed to improving collection rates and times by implementing new procedures and automations.

If you have limited accounting experience and are writing an entry-level accounts receivable resume, opt for a career objective. There’s no need to lie on your resume. Simply draw on your specific qualifications and experience to highlight your accounts receivable competencies.

Accounts Receivable Objective—Example

Good Example
Diligent office clerk with 6 years of experience in administrative processes and purchasing. Worked closely with and supported the accounting team on a regular basis. Successfully covered for the AR/AP specialists for a cumulative period of 2 months each year. Excited to apply accounting experience at Diversified Ventures.
Bad Example
Enthusiastic office clerk with 6 years of administrative experience. Supported the AR/AP departments on a regular basis. Looking to use learned knowledge as an accounts receivable specialist.

Expert Hint: How to start a resume? It is best to do this once you have completed the other sections of your accounts receivable resume, especially your job description.

3. Get In the Hot Books With A Perfect AR Job Description and Skills 

There are accountants who struggle with handling self-employed people’s affairs, and there are those who seemingly run the finances of entire corporations with only minimal assistance from co-workers and stimulants.

Let them know which one you are. Let them imagine the scale of operations you handle, and how you will slot into their machine. Let them understand the improvements you can make. Quantify everything in numbers to really help them understand. If you’re tempted to stretch the truth here, don’t.

Lying on a resume is never a good idea—it can come back to haunt you. Make your accounts receivable resume work experience section a list of 5-6 varied points. See if you wouldn’t want this AR specialist to look at your business:

Accounts Receivable Job Description for a Resume

Good Example

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Upshipper

2017–2020

  • Responsible for a broad scope of billing, collections, reconciliation and month-end-closing processes for a $25m wholesale shipping business.
  • Improved collection rate by 25% by implementing new AR/AP procedures.
  • Designed automated payment reminders using Zapier and SalesHandy, sent on shipment delivery, and in regular time intervals afterward, sending us emails back if emails are not opened and read.
  • Improved on-time collection rate by 19%, and saved 10 hours per week.
  • Cut down refunds from $450k to $225k annually by identifying a weakness in the refund protocols which allowed bad faith and unjustified refunds.
  • Prepared and maintained documentation for external and government audits.

Accounts Receivable Clerk

Upshipper

2016–2017

  • Managed 120+ client accounts, totalling $3m in annual turnover.
  • Responsible for billing, collections, reconciliation, investigating chargebacks.
  • Handled and made 50+ calls, 100+ emails per day.
  • Produced summary reports on clients accounts.
Bad Example

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Upshipper

2017–2020

  • Responsible for managing B2B accounts, including billing, collections, reconciliation, investigating charge backs.
  • Contacting debtors by phone and email on a regular basis.
  • Regularly reporting and assessed on all accounts.

Your perfect resume should list the key skills for a resume.

Accounts Receivable Skills for Resume

Soft Skills

  • Analytical Skills
  • Effective Communication
  • Attention to Detail
  • Verbal & Written Communication Skills
  • Organizational Skills
  • Time Management Skills
  • Teamwork Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Decision Making
  • Detail Oriented
  • Dependability
  • Problem Solving
  • Perceptiveness
  • Self Motivated

Hard Skills

  • Quickbooks
  • SAP
  • Xero
  • Sage 100 Standard
  • Infopak 3
  • Advanced Excel
  • CRM Software
  • Validating Invoices 
  • Reconciling Accounts
  • Computer Skills

Expert Hint: If you had to go on a long hiatus, it’s best to explain it, the right way. Follow our guide on how to explain employment gaps on resumes.

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4. Balance Your AR Resume Education Section

It’s one thing to do exercises at college, and another entirely to play with your boss’s “hard-earned” (as he perceives it) cash. If you have more than a couple of years of experience in AR, just list the degree name, school, and graduation date. List the GPA if you graduated in the last 2 years.

This how you list education on your resume:

Accounts Receivable Specialist Resume Sample—Education

Good Example

Education 

BSBA in Accounting

University of Minnesota

GPA: 3.7

2012–2016

If you are completely fresh to AR, you may want to add a relevant coursework section below your degree.

Expert Hint: A good LinkedIn profile can go a very long way. If someone goes to that extent to find out more about you, make sure you reward them with something interesting, so they reward you with that job. Check out our LinkedIn career advice.

5. Add Extra Sections To Your Accounts Receivable Resume

If you have any more arguments for being employed as the next accounts receivable prodigy, speak now or forever hold your peace. Whatever you do, don’t lump them all together, split them up into logical bonus resume sections:

Compare these two examples:

Accounts Receivable Resume Example—Extra Sections

Good Example

Certifications

  • Sage 100 – Certified Accounts Receivable Specialist
  • IOFM Accredited Receivables Specialist (ARS) Certification

Languages

  • French—Fluent 
Bad Example

Other Info

  • IOFM ARS
  • Sage 100 CARS
  • Fluent in French
  • Enjoy yoga 2x a week

All that’s left is to write an accounting cover letter. Don’t send your resume without one. That’s it. I can’t cook the books any more in your favour.

Expert Hint: New to accounts receivable? Bolster your career change resume with Institute of Finance and Management’s Accredited Receivables Specialist Certification. You can apply with no degree after 3 years of related work experience, and with 1 year of experience if you did a four-year degree. Later, you can move on to an Accredited Receivables Manager certification.

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Key Points

Make sure your accounts receivable resume is marketable by:

  • Adjusting your resume format—margins, fonts, 1 page, reverse chronological.
  • Backing up the accounts receivable job description with achievements and numbers that relate to the hats you will wear in your new role. 
  • Adding your certifications, skills and other additional info in separate bonus sections. 
  • Writing an accounts receivable cover letter. 

Got questions on how to write a great resume for accounts receivable clerks? Did we help you get your accounts receivable resume right? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

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At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Dave Rygielski
Written byDave Rygielski

Dave is a career expert delivering a wide range of well-researched advice regarding the job hunting and application process. At ResumeLab, his data-driven resume and cover letter guides help readers capitalize on their potential.

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