As a full-cycle accountant, articulating the breadth and depth of your experience on a resume can be a challenge, often leading to an overstuffed or unfocused document. Our guide will walk you through tailoring your resume, ensuring that each relevant skill and accomplishment is presented clearly and concisely, aligning perfectly with what hiring managers are looking for.
- Defining the highlights of your full cycle accounting career through your resume summary, objective, and experience.
- Real-world full cycle accounting resume samples with best practices on how to stand out amongst the endless pile of candidate resumes.
- Most in-demand full cycle accounting resume skills and certifications across the industry.
- Standardizing your resume layout, while maintaining your creativity and individuality.
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The ultimate formula for your full cycle accounting resume format
Our best advice on how to style your full cycle accounting resume is this - first, take the time to study the job advert requirements.
The resume format you select should ultimately help you better align how your experience matches the specific role.
There are four crucial elements you need to thus take into consideration:
- How you present your experience. If you happen to have plenty of relevant expertise, select the reverse-chronological resume format to organize your experience by dates, starting with the latest.
- Don't go over the top with writing your resume. Instead, stick with a maximum of two-page format to feature what matters most about your profile.
- Headers aren't just for "decoration". The header of your resume helps recruiters allocate your contact details, portfolio, and so much more.
- The PDF format rules. It's the most common practice to submit your full cycle accounting resume as a PDF so that your resume doesn't lose its layout. However, make sure the read the job well - in some instances, they might require a doc file.
Tailor your resume format to the job market – a Canadian resume, for example, might differ in layout.
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Highlight any significant extracurricular activities that demonstrate valuable skills or leadership.
The key to your full cycle accounting job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proficiency in accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics)
- Understanding of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and regulatory compliance
- Detailed experience with the accounting cycle processes including journal entries, accounts payable/receivable, general ledger, and financial statement preparation
- Demonstrated ability to reconcile complex accounts and prepare accurate reports in a timely manner
- Experience with end-of-month and end-of-year closing procedures and audits
What is the resume experience section and how to write one for your past roles
The experience section in a full cycle accounting resume is critical for your profile and overall application. It should not only display your work history, but also highlight your achievements in previous roles.
Many candidates either simply list their duties or provide excessive details about past, irrelevant jobs. A more effective approach involves first examining the job advertisement for keywords - specifically, skills essential for the role. Then, demonstrate these key requirements throughout different parts of your resume, using accomplishments from your roles.
Format each bullet point in your experience section by starting with a strong action verb. Follow this with a description of your role and its impact on the team or organization.
Aim to include three to five bullet points for each role.
Finally, gain insights into how professionals have crafted their full cycle accounting resume experience sections by exploring some best practice examples.
- Managed the entire accounting cycle, from journal entries to financial statement preparation and analysis for a mid-sized manufacturing firm overseeing annual revenues of $20 million.
- Improved the month-end closing process by implementing new software integration that reduced time spent by 30% and increased data accuracy.
- Successfully collaborated on a cross-departmental project to standardize expense reporting, which cut down on discrepancies and enhanced the efficiency of budget tracking by 25%.
- Directed and optimized accounting operations for a leading SaaS provider, ensuring compliance with industry standards and overseeing a team of 7 accountants.
- Led the financial integration and accounting standard alignment of two acquired companies, growing the total assets managed by 40%.
- Revamped the quarterly reporting process by automating data collection, improving the accuracy of financial projections and reports presented to executive leadership.
- Executed daily accounting tasks for a busy legal firm, including reconciliation, payroll, and client billing cycles, maintaining a ledger accuracy rate of over 98%.
- Developed and presented monthly financial reports to the firm’s partners, helping to identify areas for cost reduction which resulted in a 15% cut in unnecessary expenses.
- Coordinated with external auditors for annual audits, ensuring documentation was accurate and readily available, culminating in a 20% decrease in time required for audit completion.
- Oversee full accounting responsibilities for a growing tech startup, rapidly adapting processes to scale from a $5 million to a $15 million company in the two-year timeframe.
- Streamlined accounts receivable and payable, reducing turnaround times by an average of 15 days, thereby enhancing cash flow and financial stability.
- Implemented a new ERP system tailored for tech companies, ensuring greater control over the financial reporting cycle and compliance with tech industry financial regulations.
- Executed in-depth revenue and cost analysis for products that significantly affected the strategic pricing model of a healthcare provider, boosting profitability by 22% over two years.
- Led the transition to accrual-based accounting from cash basis, aligning the company's practices with GAAP, and revealing actionable insights into the timing of revenue recognition.
- Pioneered a custom budget forecast model which allowed department heads to effectively manage their finances, contributing to an overall 18% cost savings.
- Solely responsible for end-to-end financial functions within a mid-sized retail corporation, including all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards.
- Designed and executed a comprehensive budget that reduced financial waste by identifying inefficiencies, resulting in a 20% operational cost reduction within the first year.
- Developed an internal audit protocol that detected and corrected various minor financial discrepancies before escalating to material issues, preserving company integrity.
- Managed the end-to-end accounting processes for a hospitality chain, driving adherence to fiscal policies, and generating a 10% increase in financial efficiency through procedural refinements.
- Introduced a new financial database management system which reduced data retrieval times by 50%, significantly improving decision-making agility for senior management.
- Played a key role in developing and monitoring annual budgets that reduced variance to within 2% of projected costs, ensuring tighter control over financial planning.
- Orchestrated the full scope of accounting duties for a non-profit organization, ensuring meticulous management of over $10 million in funds and maintaining compliance with non-profit accounting standards.
- Spearheaded a donor funds allocation project that improved tracking transparency by 100%, greatly enhancing donor trust and subsequent funding by 35%.
- Facilitated the successful pass-through of three consecutive federal grant audits by maintaining impeccable financial records and optimizing the reporting process.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Managed a portfolio of 150+ accounts, ensuring accurate full cycle accounting and timely financial reporting.
- Processed over 500 invoices per month, maintaining an error rate of less than 1%.
- Reduced outstanding accounts receivables by 20% through the implementation of a new collection process.
- Compiled and analyzed financial statements for 10+ departments, guiding budgetary decisions.
- Improved month-end closing efficiency by 30% through the development of streamlined procedures.
- Conducted internal audits for a company with revenues exceeding $50 million annually.
- Implemented a new accounting software that led to a reduction in processing time by 25%.
- Managed a budget of $10 million, identifying cost savings of 15% without reducing productivity.
Action verbs for your full cycle accounting resume
Making the most of your little to none professional experience
If you're hesitant to apply for your dream job due to limited professional experience, remember that recruiters also value the unique contributions you can offer.
Next time you doubt applying, consider this step-by-step approach for your resume's experience section:
- Rather than the standard reverse chronological order, opt for a functional-based format. This shifts the focus from your work history to your achievements and strengths;
- Include relevant internships, volunteer work, or other non-standard experiences in your full cycle accounting resume's experience section;
- Utilize your education, qualifications, and certifications to bridge gaps in your full cycle accounting resume experience;
- Emphasize your interpersonal skills and transferable skills from various industries. Often, recruiters seek a personality match, giving you an advantage over other candidates.
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Highlight any significant extracurricular activities that demonstrate valuable skills or leadership.
Key hard skills and soft skills for your full cycle accounting resume
At the top of any recruiter full cycle accounting checklist, you'd discover a list of technical competencies, balanced with personal skills.
Hard or technical skills are your opportunity to show how you meet the essential responsibilities of the role. The ability to use a particular job-crucial technology or software would also hint to recruiters whether you'd need a prolonged period of on-the-job training - or you'd fit right in the job.
But to land your dream role, you'd also need to demonstrate a variety of soft or people resume skills . Employers care about soft skills as they show how each candidate would fit into the team and company culture.
Both types of skills are specific and to best curate them on your resume, you'd need to:
- Create a skill section within which you showcase your hard and soft skills and present how they help you succeed.
- List specific examples of projects, tasks, or competitions, within which your skill set has assisted your results.
- Soft skills are harder to measure, so think about situations in which they've helped you thrive. Describe those situations concisely, focusing on how the outcome has helped you grow as a professional.
- Metrics of success - like positive ROI or optimized workplace processes - are the best way to prove your technical and people skills.
Take a look at some of full cycle accounting industry leaders' favorite hard skills and soft skills, as listed on their resumes.
Top skills for your full cycle accounting resume:
General Ledger Management
Accounts Payable and Receivable
Financial Reporting
Tax Preparation
Financial Software (e.g., QuickBooks, SAP)
Budgeting and Forecasting
Reconciliation Procedures
Cost Accounting
Excel (Advanced)
Accounts Reconciliation
Attention to Detail
Analytical Thinking
Time Management
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving
Organizational Skills
Team Collaboration
Adaptability
Critical Thinking
Integrity
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Listing your relevant degrees or certificates on your full cycle accounting resume is a win-win situation. Not only does it hint at your technical capabilities in the industry, but an array of soft skills, like perseverance, adaptability, and motivation.
Including your education and certification on your full cycle accounting resume
The significance of your resume education section is paramount. It can show your diverse talents and experiences that are relevnt to the position.
- Incorporate educational qualifications, mentioning the institution and period.
- If you're on your academic journey, pinpoint your expected completion date.
- Opt for leaving out degrees that don't serve the job's purpose.
- Provide an overview of your educational experiences if it spotlights your milestones.
When recruiting for full cycle accounting roles, candidates with relevant education and certification definitely stand out amongst competitors.
Showcase your academic background in the best way possible by:
- Listing all degrees and certifications that are part of the candidate qualifications in the full cycle accounting advert
- Including any extra certificates, if they make sense to your application
- Not going over the top in details - the certificate name, institution, and dates are enough
- If you're in the process of obtaining a degree or certificate that's relevant to the job, include your expected graduation/certification dates
The education and certification sections help back up your application with years of experience in the industry or niche.
Select some of the most cutting-edge or applicable credentials for your next full cycle accounting application from our list:
The top 5 certifications for your full cycle accounting resume:
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) - American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Chartered Accountant (CA) - Institute of Chartered Accountants
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA) - Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) - Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
- Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) - American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
PRO TIP
Listing your relevant degrees or certificates on your full cycle accounting resume is a win-win situation. Not only does it hint at your technical capabilities in the industry, but an array of soft skills, like perseverance, adaptability, and motivation.
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Should you write a resume summary or an objective?
No need to research social media or ask ChatGPT to find out if the summary or objective is right for your full cycle accounting resume.
- Experienced candidates always tend to go for resume summaries. The summary is a three to five sentence long paragraph that narrates your career highlights and aligns your experience to the role. In it you can add your top skills and career achievements that are most impressive.
- Junior professionals or those making a career change, should write a resume objective. These shouldn't be longer than five sentences and should detail your career goals . Basically, how you see yourself growing in the current position and how would your experience or skill set could help out your potential employers.
Think of both the resume summary and objective as your opportunity to put your best foot forward - from the get go - answering job requirements with skills.
Use the below real-world full cycle accounting professional statements as inspiration for writing your resume summary or objective.
Resume summaries for a full cycle accounting job
- Seasoned accounting professional with over a decade of experience managing full-cycle accounts for Fortune 500 companies. Expert in GAAP, auditing processes, and tax regulations with a proven track record of reducing costs by 20% through strategic financial planning and analysis.
- Dedicated CPA with 8 years of experience specializing in financial reporting and compliance for multinational tech firms. Skilled in leveraging ERP systems to optimize accounting workflows and improve month-end close efficiency by 30%, earning recognition for outstanding performance.
- Former Senior Financial Analyst ready to transition to full-cycle accounting, bringing over 5 years of experience in budgeting, forecasting, and strategic analysis. Eager to apply my analytical skills and comprehensive knowledge of financial modeling to enhance accounting functions.
- Eager Marketing Manager pivoting into the accounting sphere, aiming to integrate 6 years of budget management and ROI optimization experience within a dynamic accounting department. Enthusiastic to develop technical accounting expertise and contribute to fiscal success.
- Looking to embark on an accounting career with a strong foundation in mathematics and a Bachelor's degree in Finance. Highly motivated to apply analytical skills and attention to detail to learn cutting-edge accounting practices and contribute meaningfully to financial reporting and reconciliation.
- Recent college graduate with a B.A. in Economics, aiming to leverage strong quantitative skills and a passion for financial analysis as a stepping stone into the accounting field. Committed to mastering the nuances of full-cycle accounting and supporting key financial operations.
Beyond your full cycle accounting resume basics - extra sections
Ensure your full cycle accounting resume stands out from the crowd by spicing it up with a couple of supplementary sections that showcase your:
- Prizes - as a special nod to what matters most in the field;
- Projects - ones that would really further support your application;
- Hobbies - include only if you think they'd further your chances at landing the role with personality
- Community impact - to hint at the causes you care about.
Key takeaways
We trust that this Enhancv guide has been informative and useful. To summarize the essential points:
- Opt for a simple and readable format, focusing more on your full cycle accounting achievements rather than just duties;
- Emphasize your accomplishments in the full cycle accounting experience section over mere responsibilities;
- If lacking relevant experience, utilize various resume sections like education and volunteering to demonstrate your suitable skill set;
- Never overlook the significance of pertinent higher education, training, and certifications;
- Incorporate diverse sections in your resume to highlight not just your skills expertise but also your personality.
