Brandon Kim: Staff Accountant
Brandon's resume shows a new accountant who already owns part of the close. Specific counts of entries, accounts and plants make his work concrete, and the audit internship explains why he is comfortable with documentation. Listing CPA exam progress honestly, with sections passed, is better than writing CPA eligible with no detail.
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Brandon Kim · Columbus, OH · brandon.kim@email.example · (614) 555-0151
Summary
Staff accountant in a manufacturing company's corporate accounting team, handling journal entries, bank and balance sheet reconciliations and fixed assets during month-end close. Completed a public accounting audit internship and a master of accountancy. Sitting for the CPA exam, with two sections passed.
Experience
Staff Accountant, Scioto Precision Components · Columbus, OH · Aug 2025 — Present
- Prepare about 60 recurring and adjusting journal entries each close for a $140 million manufacturer, including accruals, prepaids and inventory reserves.
- Reconcile 18 balance sheet accounts monthly in NetSuite and clear aged reconciling items, closing out three that had carried for over a year.
- Maintain the fixed asset subledger and depreciation schedules for two plants, tying additions to capital project approvals before quarter-end.
Audit Intern, Hartwell and Burke CPAs · Cincinnati, OH · Jan 2025 — Apr 2025
- Performed cash, accounts payable and revenue cut-off testing for four private-company audits, documenting work papers in the firm's audit software.
- Drafted confirmation requests and tracked responses for a construction client, escalating two unresolved differences to the senior.
Projects
VITA volunteer tax preparer
- Prepared 45 federal and state individual returns for low-income households through a campus Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site during tax season.
Education
Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Buckeye Plains University (2025)
BS, Accounting, Buckeye Plains University (2024)
Certifications
CPA candidate (AUD and FAR passed)
Skills
Month-end close, Journal entries, Account reconciliations, Fixed asset schedules, US GAAP, NetSuite, Excel (XLOOKUP, pivot tables), Accruals and prepaids, Audit support, Bank reconciliations
Priya Sharma: Senior Accountant
Priya's resume covers the common move from public accounting into industry. Her industry bullets show ownership of close, consolidation and lease accounting under IFRS, while the assurance role proves she can review work and supervise. Her CPA designation appears with the provincial body, as Canadian employers expect.
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Priya Sharma · Calgary, AB · priya.sharma@email.example · (403) 555-0129
Summary
CPA with six years of experience across assurance and industry, now senior accountant for a mid-market energy services company reporting under IFRS. Owns the monthly close for two entities, intercompany and consolidation, and leads audit preparation. Comfortable improving close processes and explaining results to operations managers.
Experience
Senior Accountant, Chinook Field Services · Calgary, AB · May 2023 — Present
- Own the monthly close for two operating entities and the consolidation, preparing financial statements and variance commentary for the controller within six business days.
- Implemented IFRS 16 lease schedules for 140 vehicle and equipment leases, replacing a manual spreadsheet that external auditors had flagged in the prior year.
- Rebuilt intercompany reconciliation in Power Query, cutting the process from two days to three hours and eliminating recurring out-of-balance differences at consolidation.
- Coordinated the year-end audit with the external firm, preparing 70 PBC items on schedule and resolving all findings without adjustments to reported results.
Senior Associate, Assurance, Bowmont Chartered Professional Accountants · Calgary, AB · Sep 2020 — Apr 2023
- Led fieldwork on audits and reviews for 12 private clients in construction and oil and gas services under ASPE and IFRS, supervising two junior staff.
- Tested revenue, inventory and payroll controls and drafted management letter points that clients used to tighten approval processes.
- Prepared financial statements and notes for compilation engagements and trained new hires on the firm's working paper standards.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting, Foothills University (2020)
Certifications
CPA, Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta
Skills
IFRS, ASPE, Month-end and year-end close, Consolidation, Intercompany reconciliation, Revenue recognition (IFRS 15), Lease accounting (IFRS 16), Audit coordination, GST and AR reporting, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Excel and Power Query, Variance analysis
Michael O'Connell: Assistant Controller
Michael's sample is built for controller-track roles at growing companies. It leads with team size and company scale, then lists the four things finance leaders care about most at that stage: close speed, revenue recognition, controls and systems. Older audit work is trimmed but still shows public company exposure.
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Michael O'Connell · Boston, MA · michael.oconnell@email.example · (617) 555-0176
Summary
CPA and assistant controller with 13 years in public accounting and SaaS finance, leading a six-person accounting team through a scaled close, SOX readiness and a NetSuite implementation. Specialist in revenue recognition under ASC 606 and in building close processes that hold up to audit as the company grows.
Experience
Assistant Controller, Beacon Hill Cloud Software · Boston, MA · Mar 2021 — Present
- Lead a six-person accounting team covering GL, revenue, AP and payroll for a SaaS company growing from $60 million to $150 million in annual revenue.
- Shortened the monthly close from 12 to 6 business days by introducing a close calendar, BlackLine reconciliations and reviewer checklists.
- Led ASC 606 policy for multi-element contracts and usage billing, writing memos accepted by auditors without changes over three annual audits.
- Designed and documented 85 key controls during SOX readiness ahead of a planned IPO, with no material weaknesses reported in the first audit.
Accounting Manager, Charles River Medical Devices · Waltham, MA · Jun 2017 — Feb 2021
- Managed the close for three US entities and one Canadian subsidiary, including foreign currency translation and intercompany eliminations.
- Served as lead on a NetSuite implementation, mapping the chart of accounts and testing data migration with the systems team before go-live.
- Adopted ASC 842 for 30 facility and equipment leases, preparing the transition entries and disclosures reviewed by external auditors.
Audit Senior, Kensington Tate LLP · Boston, MA · Sep 2013 — May 2017
- Ran audits for technology and life sciences clients, managing teams of three to five and coordinating with partners on significant judgments.
- Reviewed revenue and stock compensation work papers for two SEC-registered clients during their first years as public companies.
Education
BS, Accounting, Commonwealth Bay University (2013)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Massachusetts
Skills
US GAAP, ASC 606 revenue recognition, ASC 842 leases, SOX controls, Financial close leadership, Consolidation, NetSuite, BlackLine, Audit management, Team leadership, Process improvement, Board reporting support, Equity accounting
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How to write each section of a accountant resume
Header and designation
Add your designation after your name only once you hold it: Jane Doe, CPA. In the US, mention the state that issued your license if relevant to the job. In Canada, write CPA and, if you held a legacy designation, it can follow, such as CPA, CA.
If you are still a candidate, never put CPA after your name. Write your status in the summary or certifications section instead, for example CPA candidate, three of four sections passed, or enrolled in the CPA Professional Education Program.
Summary
Name your track (public accounting audit, tax, or industry accounting), your standards (US GAAP, IFRS, ASPE), the size or type of organization and the parts of the cycle you own. Controllers hiring a senior accountant want to know whether you can run close for an entity, not just prepare entries.
Mention ERP systems in the summary when the posting names one, since migrations between systems are costly for employers.
Experience
Use numbers that describe responsibility: entities closed, accounts reconciled, entries prepared, close days, audits supported, team members reviewed. Include the company's revenue range or size if public, or describe it plainly, such as a mid-market manufacturer or a multi-entity nonprofit.
For public accounting roles, list industries, engagement types (audit, review, compilation, tax) and the number of clients. When moving to industry, emphasize the areas you tested that match the job, such as revenue or inventory.
Systems and technical skills
List your ERP and close tools by name, such as NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Dynamics, QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct and BlackLine, and specify your Excel level with concrete functions. Add standards you have applied, like ASC 606, ASC 842, IFRS 15 or IFRS 16.
Tax accountants should name the software they prepare returns in and the return types they handle, such as individual, partnership, corporate or trust returns, and any state or provincial filings they manage.
Education and licensure
List your accounting degree and any graduate accounting program, since credit hours matter for licensure. Note the CPA exam or program status clearly with dates if recent. Employers use it to plan when you will be able to sign off work or take on licensed responsibilities.
Other credentials like the CMA or CIA belong here too, with the issuing institute. Avoid listing courses unless you are a new graduate with no other accounting work.
Accountant resume summary examples
Entry-level objective: Accounting graduate with a master of accountancy seeking a staff accountant or audit associate role. Brings an audit internship, volunteer tax preparation experience, strong Excel skills and steady progress toward the CPA exam.
It names both acceptable paths and gives three concrete pieces of evidence plus CPA progress.
New-grad summary: Staff accountant handling journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations and fixed assets for a manufacturing company's month-end close in NetSuite. Audit internship background gives a habit of documenting support for every entry. Two CPA exam sections passed.
It sounds like someone already doing the job, with system, tasks and exam status stated plainly.
Mid-level summary: CPA and senior accountant with six years across assurance and industry, owning multi-entity close, consolidation and IFRS 16 lease accounting. Leads audit preparation and has replaced manual reconciliations with Power Query workflows that cut close time.
Designation, standards and the process improvement theme make this candidate easy to place.
Senior summary: Assistant controller and CPA with 13 years across audit and SaaS finance, leading a six-person team through a faster close, SOX readiness and a NetSuite rollout. Deep experience with ASC 606 and with building controls that scale ahead of an IPO.
It shows leadership, technical depth and readiness for public company requirements in three lines.
Accountant resume bullet examples: weak vs strong
The strong versions use made-up figures for a fictional candidate. Replace them with your own real numbers, or describe the scope (team size, volume, frequency) if you have none.
Volume, company size and entry types show exactly what part of the close you own.
Clearing old items shows judgment and follow-through, not just ticking off a checklist.
Gives the before, after and the actual tools that made the change stick.
Auditor acceptance is the clearest evidence of technical accounting quality.
Counts and a clean outcome are what controllers want from audit preparation.
Shows scope and the result that matters most in SOX work.
Proves Excel skill through time saved instead of claiming it in a skills line.
Client count, frameworks and supervision show the level you reached in public practice.
Keywords from live accountant job postings
We read 446 live accountant postings (204 US and 242 Canadian) from our job feed on October 14, 2026 and counted how many mention each skill, tool or credential. A posting counts once per term, wherever it appears in the title or description. Use the list to check your resume for gaps that are real for you, not as a checklist. For grouped lists with placement tips, see the accountant resume keywords guide.
| Keyword | Postings | |
|---|---|---|
| Account reconciliations | 354 of 446 (79%) | |
| Excel | 304 of 446 (68%) | |
| Audit | 287 of 446 (64%) | |
| Bachelor's in accounting | 264 of 446 (59%) | |
| Month-end close | 249 of 446 (56%) | |
| Financial reporting | 237 of 446 (53%) | |
| CPA | 219 of 446 (49%) | |
| Journal entries | 213 of 446 (48%) | |
| Budgeting | 191 of 446 (43%) | |
| Financial statements | 182 of 446 (41%) | |
| General ledger | 171 of 446 (38%) | |
| Variance analysis | 161 of 446 (36%) | |
| Accounts payable | 155 of 446 (35%) | |
| Internal controls | 131 of 446 (29%) | |
| Accounts receivable | 130 of 446 (29%) | |
| GAAP | 121 of 446 (27%) | |
| Payroll | 114 of 446 (26%) | |
| Accruals | 108 of 446 (24%) | |
| Fixed assets | 75 of 446 (17%) | |
| Sales tax / GST/HST | 73 of 446 (16%) | |
| Intercompany | 67 of 446 (15%) | |
| QuickBooks | 63 of 446 (14%) |
Source: 446 unique postings whose title matches the role, from the WhatJobs publisher feed (US and Canada), collected October 14, 2026. Duplicate reposts were counted once. Counts change daily; a term not listed may still matter for a specific employer.
Skills for a accountant resume
Accounting and reporting
- Month-end close
- Journal entries
- Reconciliations
- Financial statements
- Consolidation
- Accruals
Describe which parts of the close you own and for how many entities.
Standards and compliance
- US GAAP
- IFRS
- ASPE
- ASC 606
- ASC 842
- SOX
Name the frameworks you applied, matched to the country and company type.
Systems
- NetSuite
- SAP
- Oracle
- Microsoft Dynamics
- QuickBooks Online
- Sage Intacct
- BlackLine
ERP experience is often a hard filter; list the modules you used.
Analysis and tools
- Excel (pivot tables, XLOOKUP, Power Query)
- Variance analysis
- Budgeting support
- Audit work papers
Show analysis through commentary you wrote for managers or auditors.
Soft skills, and how to prove them
- Attention to detail: Point to reconciliations cleaned up, audit results without adjustments or errors you caught before reporting.
- Deadline management: Show close days you met or shortened, and audits or filings delivered on schedule.
- Explaining numbers: Mention variance commentary or reports you wrote for non-finance managers and what they used them for.
- Process improvement: Describe a manual process you automated or redesigned, with time saved or errors removed.
- Supervision: Note staff you reviewed or trained in audit or close, and any onboarding material you created.
Certifications and licenses
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (State boards of accountancy (exam by AICPA and NASBA)): US license issued by each state; exam and experience requirements vary by state.
- Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) (CPA Canada and provincial CPA bodies): Canadian designation earned through the CPA Professional Education Program, the Common Final Examination and practical experience.
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA) (Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)): Useful for cost, management and FP&A-leaning accounting roles in industry.
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) (The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)): Relevant for internal audit, controls and SOX-focused positions.
Looking for low-cost options? See our list of free certifications in this field.
US vs Canada: accountant resumes and pay
United States
In the US, the CPA license is issued by each state board of accountancy after the Uniform CPA Exam, and education and experience rules vary by state, so name your licensing state. Public company roles emphasize US GAAP, SEC reporting and SOX; private companies may mention ASC 842 and revenue recognition. Tax accountants often list the PTIN or Enrolled Agent status when relevant, the latter granted by the IRS. Avoid writing CPA after your name before you are licensed; several states regulate that use.
| BLS occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Annual wages, US national, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Canada
Canadian accountants hold the CPA designation through provincial bodies such as CPA Ontario or CPA Alberta, after the CPA PEP, the Common Final Examination and a practical experience requirement. Public companies in Canada report under IFRS, while many private companies use ASPE, so state which you know. Older designations CA, CMA and CGA were unified into CPA and can follow it, as in CPA, CMA. Tax roles mention GST/HST, T2 corporate returns and Quebec QST where relevant. In Quebec, the Ordre des CPA du Québec regulates the profession and French is usually required.
| Job Bank occupation | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant (NOC 11100) | $25.00/h | $40.36/h | $71.43/h |
Canada-wide wages in CAD, Job Bank (Government of Canada), reference period 2023-2024. Provincial figures differ; follow the link for your province.
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FAQ
Can I list CPA on my resume if I haven't passed all exams?
Not after your name. Write your status honestly, for example CPA candidate with sections passed and expected completion date, or CPA PEP in progress in Canada. Using the CPA designation before you are licensed or certified can break professional rules in many states and provinces.
What's the difference between a staff and senior accountant resume?
A staff accountant resume shows tasks owned within the close, such as entries and reconciliations. A senior accountant resume shows ownership of an entity's close or a complex area, review of others' work, audit coordination and process improvements. The senior version needs more results and fewer task lists.
How do I move from public accounting to industry on a resume?
Translate audit work into the skills industry needs: the account areas you tested, your understanding of controls and the standards you applied. Add any client-facing advisory or financial statement preparation. A summary naming your target role, like senior accountant, makes the move clear.
Should accountants include Excel on their resume?
Yes, but specifically. List functions and features you use, such as pivot tables, XLOOKUP, Power Query or macros, and show one in a bullet about time saved. Plain Excel in a skills list is too common to stand out.
Which systems should I list?
List every ERP and accounting tool you used in real work, with the modules when possible, such as NetSuite GL and AR or SAP FI. Many postings filter on the system in use, and familiarity shortens training. Leave out tools you only saw briefly.