Staff Accountant Resume Sample & Writing Tips for 2024

For all their abundance, accounting jobs can be notoriously hard to land. Every opening attracts dozens, even hundreds of applicants—how can you hope to stand out in a crowd like that, short of a serious stroke of luck? 

You’ll be glad to know that there is a way, and it’s easier than you think. In a few short steps, you’ll have a staff accountant resume on your hands that’s all in the black and ready to land you any job you want. 

In this guide:

• A staff accountant resume sample better than most.
• How to make the perfect staff accountant job description for resumes.
• How to write a resume for staff accountant jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a staff accountant job.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

Create your resume now

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

Need a resume sample for a different accounting job? Take a look at some of our related articles: 

• Accounting Assistant Resume Sample
• Accounting Manager Resume Sample
• Accounting Resume Sample
• Accounts Payable Resume Sample
• Accounts Receivable Resume Sample
• Bookkeeper Resume Sample
• Entry-Level Accountant Resume Sample
• Finance Resume Sample
• Senior Accountant Resume Sample
• Tax Accountant Resume Sample
• Resume Samples for Every Industry & Profession

Staff Accountant Resume Sample

Staff accountants are mid-level accounting professionals who handle a company’s accounting processes, ensuring relevant regulations are being followed. A staff accountant resume should show an appropriate level of experience, alongside a strong accounting skill set that includes relevant abilities. 

Here’s how to write a successful resume for staff accountant jobs: 

1. Set Up Your Staff Accountant Resume With the Right Format

With resume writing, just as with accounting, doing things by the book is the way to go. And the first thing the proverbial book will tell you is that if your resume doesn’t look the part, it’ll hit the recycling faster than you can say ‘inconsequential misstatement’. 

Here’s how to format your resume to ensure it makes the right first impression: 

• Use the reverse-chronological resume layout—most recent experience goes first, then older jobs, then education, and so on. Every recruiter is familiar with this format, so they’ll have an easier time navigating your document. 
• Use a readable, clear font, set to 10–12 points. The best resume fonts include simple, universally compatible choices like Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Gill Sans. 
• Set your resume margins to one inch on all sides to give your text some breathing room—and include 1–1.15 line spacing for the same purpose. 
• Include a header on your resume with your full name, job title, and contact details. 
• Divide your document into the standard resume sections: profile paragraph, work experience, education, key skills, additional information. 
• Submit your resume as a PDF file, unless the employer has specifically asked for a different format. 

Keep the style of your resume simple and the formatting basic. Images, tables, and other graphical elements may be eye-catching, but they can also interfere with how well the employer’s recruitment software reads your document. Most employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)—software for scanning incoming applications—that don’t handle images or advanced formatting very well. 

Expert hint: Keep an eye on your page count. If you have fewer than 10 years of experience, the best resume length will be one page. You can consider a two-page resume if you’ve been in the field for over a decade and have enough accomplishments to justify the addition of the second page. 

2. Report on Your Strengths in the Staff Accountant Resume Summary or Objective

The idea behind your resume profile paragraph is to brief the recruiter on the most important parts of your application. If you show your value straight away, you’ll ensure that the reader will pay greater attention to your resume. 

So, here’s how to win the recruiter’s interest: 

1. Start with an impactful adjective that describes your work ethic (detail-oriented, driven, proven, reliable, accurate)
2. Add your job title and extent of experience (staff accountant with 4+ years of experience)
3. State how your expertise will benefit the new employer—try to be relatively specific and mention the name of the employer (eager to apply my forecasting and data analysis skills towards making accurate, actionable financial recommendations for budgeting and investment decisions at XYZ Company)
4. Highlight a couple of your most relevant professional accomplishments that prove you have the skills you claim to have (forecasted monthly and annual income and expenses with 98.7% accuracy across 5 years, improved departmental efficiency by 5% by implementing spreadsheet automation, maintained positive relationships with up to 18 corporate clients at a time, receiving 100% positive feedback and customer satisfaction ratings)

Let’s see this formula in action—Here’s an example resume summary for a staff accountant with a few years of experience: 

Staff Accountant Resume Summary Examples

Detail-oriented staff accountant with 6+ years of experience and excellent process optimization skills. Seeking to apply my expertise towards maintaining and improving financial and accounting processes at LC Insurance. At ABP Transit, forecasted financial data with 98% accuracy. Improved data retrieval efficiency by 10% and decreased data entry errors by 20% for accounting and financial databases. 

Gets the point across, doesn’t it? 

This summary does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It shows the reader that this person: 1. meets requirements and expectations, 2. is a self-aware, mature professional, and 3. cares about working (and achieving something) for this particular employer. 

Here’s what happens when those goals are not met: 

I’m an experienced accounting professional with over six years of experience and a strong set of skills that’s easily applicable in any industry. Particularly talented at improving and optimizing processes to increase efficiency and cut down on errors. Seeking a challenging opportunity in a fast-paced work environment with a possibility of future professional development. 

All that talk of optimizing processes and universally useful skills can make this summary seem impressive at first. But when you break down what the candidate is saying, cut out the buzzwords, and get to the essence of their message, it goes something like this: 

I’m good at vague finance-y, process-y things (and you’ll have to take my word for it), and not overly bothered about who my employer is as long as I can be offered a promotion sometime soon. 

Setting aside the generic ‘fast-paced environment’ and so on, this summary lacks substance—your resume is prime real estate and the recruiter’s time is an extremely finite resource. Make the most of both by ensuring every word of your profile brings you closer to that interview invite. 

Now, for less experienced candidates—If you’re applying for your first staff accountant job, you’ll want to adapt the above formula to suit your circumstances. An entry-level profile is called a resume objective, and it relies on transferable skills and experience from different jobs, education, volunteering, and projects to show your potential. 

Here’s a set of resume objective examples for a beginner staff accountant: 

Staff Accountant Resume Objective Examples

Driven accountant with 2+ years of experience and a B.Sc. in Accounting (3.8 GPA), eager to join LC Insurance as a staff accountant. Seeking to maintain, improve, and optimize accounting processes while providing accurate reporting and ensuring full compliance with relevant regulations. As a junior accountant with Collins & Jones, processed 150+ customer payments per week with zero errors and developed a database of customer records with elements of automation. 

Not much experience, but likely ready to take on more complex roles. Note how the offer to the employer in the second sentence highlights this candidate’s awareness of what’s required in the role of staff accountant. 

Here’s a less effective example that doesn’t do that, for comparison: 

Motivated recent accounting graduate looking to transition into the position of staff accountant or similar. Able to complete all standard corporate accounting procedures (payroll, AR/AP, financial statement analysis, etc.), seeking to take on more advanced tasks like forecasting and audit prep. 

If you find you’re having trouble starting your resume, skip the profile section for now and circle back later on. Once you’ve put your experience down on paper, it’ll be easier to extrapolate the key information for building your profile paragraph. 

3. Adapt Your Work Experience and Skills to Employer Expectations

The work experience resume section is where you list your previous jobs, sure—But the biggest error of principle made by most applicants is sending the same generic resume to every job opening, with the same experience and skills. Logic dictates that this strategy would only be sound if every single staff accountant job and employer were identical—which they clearly are not. 

The bottom line is that in order to be successful in your job hunt, you need to tailor and target your resume to each job. You want the recruiter to read your resume and feel blown away by how closely your experience and skill set match their needs. 

Here’s how to make that happen with a customized staff accountant job description for a resume: 

1. Analyze the job ad and identify resume keywords—skills and proficiencies the employer is after. 
2. Consider each keyword. How can you work it into your experience? When, in your previous jobs, have you used each skill to achieve something specific? For example, if the employer wants a good problem solver, can you offer an example of when you found the solution to a pressing issue? 
3. Frame those examples as achievement statements on your resume—aim for 3–6 bullet points for each of your jobs. 

Here’s an example of what that looks like in practice: 

Staff Accountant Job Description Resume Examples

Staff Accountant

ABP Transit, Towson, MD

June 2018–present

• Analyzing financial reports and making recommendations for the accounting of assets, reserves, and expenditures. 
• Preparing and reviewing monthly reconciliations and daily revenue reports. 
• Forecasting hourly labor, company paid benefits, and manufacturing overhead on a weekly and annual basis with 98% accuracy across 4+ years.
• Assisting with meeting audit and tax compliance requirements. 

Key achievement: 

• Improved data retrieval efficiency by 10% by automating large portions of Excel databases and creating dashboards for displaying key information. 
• Decreased data entry errors by 20% for Access databases by improving the forms for inputting new client/contractor information. 

Note how each of the bullet points starts with an impactful verb with consistent use of the same tense. This makes the job description easier to follow and lends it a professional air. 

Now for a contrasting example that’s more loss than profit: 

Staff Accountant

ABP Transit, Towson, MD

June 2018–present

• Responsible for financial reporting, including monthly reconciliations, revenue, etc. 
• Accurately forecasting costs and income at regular intervals. 
• Able to make tax compliance recommendations to ensure smooth auditing processes. 
• Automating and improving databases to speed up data retrieval and prevent errors in data accuracy. 

Did you notice that both examples describe the same experience? It’s all in the way you phrase it. 

Now, back to those resume keywords you identified. If you recall, we touched upon the topic of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) earlier on—the software used by companies to scan incoming resumes. Many ATS solutions also score resumes based on how relevant they are to the job advertisement. 

This is why it’s worth using keywords as they appear in the ad—this makes your resume more ATS-friendly and therefore likely to reach the recruiter already with a high score. 

So, hedge your bets and include keywords in your resume skills section as well. Go for up to 10 most relevant accounting skills, such as: 

Staff Accountant Resume Skills

• Computer skills
• GAAP
• SAP
• Sage Intacct
• QuickBooks
• FreshBooks
• Xero
• NetSuite
• Microsoft Office
• Analytical skills
• Forecasting
• Budgeting
• Creating financial reports
• Financial advice
• Investment evaluation
• Record-keeping skills
• Customer service skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Data entry
• Accounts payable
• Accounts receivable
• Communication skills
• Sales
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management skills
• Organizational skills
• Process optimization skills
• Payroll
• Leadership skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Conceptual skills

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

4. Capitalize on Your Education

The amount of detail to include in your staff accountant resume education section depends on how much experience you have. 

You could say that the importance of your college activities is subject to depreciation—

If you graduated years ago, include only the bare essentials: your highest degree, where you got it, and when (graduation date or years of attendance). Employers will be more interested in your work experience, so this will suffice. 

However, if you graduated recently and are writing an entry-level resume, your college years likely hold your most valuable experiences to date. Detail them in bullet points containing relevant coursework, academic achievements, projects, extracurriculars, memberships, and anything else that shows your skills. 

Here’s an example of a recent grad describing their education on a staff accountant resume: 

Sample Staff Accountant Resume—Education Section

B.Sc. in Accounting

University of Maryland, College Park, MD

September 2016–June 2020

• GPA: 3.8
• Relevant coursework: Organizational Behavior, Financial Statement Analysis, Complex Financial Structures, Corporate Valuation
• Extracurricular activities: Member of Beta Alpha Psi for 2 years and of the Accounting Student Association for 3 years
• Other achievements: Dean’s List for 7 semesters

Expert hint: Not sure where to list your internships? Easy: if you have other work experience as a staff accountant, you can include them as a bullet point under education. If the internships are your only experience, however, list them under work experience, just as you would with a paid job. 

5. Expand Your Staff Accountant Resume With Extra Sections

Towards the end of your resume, you can share assets that didn’t fit into the previous sections. Consider adding extra headings for some of the following: 

• Accounting licenses and certifications—mention your driver’s license as well if the job ad calls for candidates to have one
• Foreign languages you can speak—indicate your level of proficiency on your resume
• Volunteering experience
• Memberships in professional associations
• Publications
• Public appearances
• Conferences
• Projects
• Awards

If you’re tempted to add a hobbies and interests section to your resume, first ask yourself whether your interests are relevant to accounting, and/or to the job and employer. 

For example, if your interests happen to coincide with the employer’s industry, they may be worth mentioning. But if you’re adding a section just to list ‘reading, walking & gym’, the space would be better used for more immediately relevant information. 

Here’s an example of additional sections on a staff accountant resume: 

Staff Accountant Resume Examples—Additional Sections

Certifications & Licenses

• Microsoft Office Specialist: Access Associate, 2018
• Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Associate, 2016
• Class D Maryland Driver’s License, Maryland Department of Transportation, 2012

Languages

• English—native
• Spanish—bilingual
• French—beginner

Before you call it a day, make sure to write a cover letter to accompany your brand-new staff accountant resume. It’ll serve as additional evidence of your value and help to convince the employer to give you a call. 

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

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

Here’s how to write a successful staff accountant resume: 

• Format your resume document following the best practices listed above: keep it looking simple, professional, and easy to navigate. 
• Make your resume profile paragraph all about the employer and what you can offer them, not the other way around. 
• Identify the skills that the employer wants and build your work experience section around them to prove you’re the ideal candidate. 
• Remember to list details of your education and any other experience that makes you a good fit with the company and/or role. 
• Write a cover letter that highlights your suitability for the job and outlines your motivation. 

Thanks for reading! Do you have any lingering questions about how to write a staff accountant resume? How did you find our staff accountant resume examples? Give us a shout in the comments section below! 

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

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.