Senior Accountant Resume Sample (+ Summary & Objective)

Most senior accountant resumes are thorough and detailed. No surprises there. Few show an awareness of what hiring managers are looking for, though, and that’s a problem.

A problem for them, an opportunity for you: make sure your senior accountant resume speaks hiring managers’ language, and your chances will be way better than average.

In this guide:

• A senior accountant resume sample better than most.
• How to craft senior accountant duties and responsibilities for resumes.
• How to write a resume for senior accountant jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a senior accountant job.

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Senior Accountant Resume Example

Now here’s how to write a senior accountant resume they’ll love:

1. Choose the Right Senior Accountant Resume Format

Imagine: Hiring manager Susan is scrolling through senior accountant resumes, quickly eliminating the time-wasters as she goes. Wait—Was that your senior accountant resume she just archived? But you’re experienced, qualified... However, your resume looks like a free-form statement of financial position, and Susan just couldn’t take it seriously.

Don't make that mistake in your senior accountant resume. Instead, make sure your resume formatting is clear and concise. Here’s how:

Senior Accountant Resume Format

• Use the chronological resume format—it’s what hiring managers expect to see.
• Choose a resume font like a Noto in 11–12 pt.
• Lock your resume margins at one inch and leave plenty of white space.
• Limit the length of your resume to one page, if possible. Go with a two-page resume if you have many years of varied accounting experience.
• Include at least these sections in a resume for a senior accountant: Resume Header, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.

Saving your senior accountant resume in PDF rather than as a *.docx file is your best bet for preserving formatting and layout.

But that’s not your only concern: Some companies use ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) that can’t parse resume PDFs. When writing your ATS resume, be sure to check the job ad for file-format preferences before defaulting to PDF.

2. Start With an Enticing Senior Accountant Resume Summary or Objective

Start your resume for senior accountant jobs like you start a financial report: with something like an executive summary. This is what your resume profile does.

Been working in senior accounting roles for a year or more? Go with a professional resume summary. It’ll let you leverage that experience.

Use the following elements in your senior accountant resume profile:

1. One adjective (efficient, dedicated, passionate)
2. Job title (Senior Accountant)
3. Years of experience (5+, 9+)
4. How you’ll help (provide accurate financial forecasts)
5. Two or three of your most relevant achievements (tracked and managed expenditures in excess of $3.3 million annually, maintained 99% accuracy even as throughput grew by 27% without an increase in staff)

These senior accountant resume examples show how:

Senior Accountant Resume Summary—Examples

Thorough senior accountant with 5+ years’ experience, skilled in audit preparation. Seeking to help Company ABC analyze complex financial data. At Seraphic, reconciled bank activity for 2018 and 2019 to clear variance of over $450,000 and isolated gross margin allocation errors to correct influential report by 250 basis points.

Senior accountant with 5 years’ experience. Seeking to join a well-disciplined team at a low-risk company. At Seraphic, reconciled bank activity and isolated gross margin allocation errors.

The first senior accountant resume sample above does two things that make all the difference: It’s focused on what the candidate can do for the company. Then, it transforms ho-hum duties into resume achievements by quantifying them.

What if you have little or no senior accountant experience? Write a resume objective statement instead and keep the spotlight on relevant achievements from other jobs.

Senior Accountant Resume Objective—Examples

Dedicated accountant with 3+ years’ experience, skilled in audit preparation. Seeking to help Company ABC analyze complex financial data in the position of Senior Accountant. At GreenSky, reduced expenses by $60,000 by revising income statement on a weekly basis and saved 25 labor hours a month by making the FCC compliance process more efficient.

No experience working at senior level, but my colleagues frequently comment that I’m well-suited to a more senior role. Looking for a fresh start at medium-to-large enterprise. Prefer to start late on Mondays or work from home.

The first senior accountant resume example is all about bringing value to this employer and quantifying the value brought to the previous employer.

Struggling? Here’s a shortcut that actually leads to better results all round: Write your senior accountant resume summary or objective last of all. When you have the rest of your resume ready in front of you, you’ll easily pick your best wins.

3. Create the Perfect Senior Accountant Job Description and Resume Skills Sections

Your goal: Showing them you’re up to the task.

The best way to get there: Showing what you’ve handled previously on your senior accountant resume.

Turn your resume work experience section into a ledger of achievements. Here's how to write a job description for senior accountants:

1. Re-read the job ad.
2. Flag the senior accountant skills and duties in it.
3. Think of times those skills helped you wow employers.
4. Create resume bullet points that describe and quantify the above.

These senior accountant resume examples show how:

Senior Accountant Job Description for a Resume

Senior Accountant

Seraphic

2019–present

• Isolated gross margin allocation errors to correct influential report by 250 basis points.
• Retrieved over $35,000 in past-due receivables in less than three months.
• Reconciled bank activity for 2018 and 2019 to clear variance of over $450,000.
• Streamlined generation of SG&A leverage reports, reducing time needed for closing procedures by 50%.

Senior Accountant

Seraphic

2019–present

• Isolated gross margin allocation errors.
• Retrieved past-due receivables.
• Reconciled bank activity.
• Streamlined generation of SG&A leverage reports.

The first senior accountant work experience section above is all about concrete, quantified value generated by the candidate, not just their duties.

One more thing before you move on: You’ll need a resume skills section. But more is not better in this case. Not that accountants are known for being long-winded in general. Aim to provide the required skills for a resume, and pretty much stop there. These lists will help you see the differences between hard and soft resume skills:

Skills for a Senior Accountant Resume

Hard skills

• Balance sheets / financial statements
• Accounts receivable / accounts payable
• Accounting software
• Tax preparation / tax returns
• General ledger accounts
• Financial management
• Financial analysis
• Internal controls
• Financial reporting
• Account reconciliation
• Computer skills

Soft skills

• Time management
• Communication skills
• Problem solving
• Analytical skills
• Critical thinking
• Teamwork
• Collaboration
• Presentation skills
• Prioritization
• Organization

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4. Add Education to a Resume for Senior Accountant Jobs

It’s no secret. The right educational background is a must for becoming an accountant, and the requirements pile on as you rise to more senior levels.

Use your resume education section to set yourself apart:

• List your degrees (with majors), school names, and graduation years.
• Add bullet points that show your aptitude for accounting.

This senior accountant resume example shows how:

Senior Accountant Resume Example—Education Section

MS in Accountancy (MSA)

San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

2019

• Thesis topic: Non-binding codes of ethics as limiting factors in cost accounting.
• GPA: 3.8.

BS in Business Administration, with a Concentration in Accounting

San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

2015

• Pursued a passion for forensic accounting coursework.
• GPA: 3.9.

5. Cook Your Senior Accountant Resume With Added Sections

A good accountant is thorough, and never leaves a job half-done. So, don't leave your resume with empty spaces. You can put so much more on your senior accountant resume to improve it.

Add one or two extra sections to your senior accountant resume:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Classes Taken
• Awards on a Resume
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteer Experience
• Professional Certifications
• Professional Resume References

These two senior accountant resume examples show yes vs no:

Senior Accountant Resume Samples—Extra Sections

Certifications

• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), 2018
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), 2016

Languages

• English – native speaker
• French – advanced

Certifications

• CIA, CPA

Hobbies and Interests

• Poaching eggs
• Checkers
• Full-contact Frisbee golf

It’s definitely not the case that you should avoid mentioning hobbies and interests. Far from it. But every single thing you include in your resume has to be directly relevant to the job ad.

One final query: Go back to the job ad one last time. Does it ask you not to include a cover letter with your senior accountant resume? Because that’s the only way you can safely get away with not writing one.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

For a senior accountant resume that gets interviews:

• Use the senior accountant resume sample up top as your template. It’s what hiring managers like to see.
• Put senior accountant resume achievements in your resume profile, work experience, and education sections to show you’re up to the task.
• Decide on the right senior accountant skills to include in your resume. The job ad will let you know which those are.
• Write a senior accountant cover letter. It’s your chance to show your passion for the role as you make your case.

Got any unanswered questions when it comes to writing your senior accountant resume? What about advice to other accountants out there? Leave a comment!

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