Accounting Manager Resume: Definition Plus How to Write One

An accounting manager is a supervisor in the finance industry who oversees accounting teams at companies or accounting firms. As this position can involve specialised job duties and technical accounting skills, many accounting managers revise their resumes to include job-related information. If you're considering this career path, it can be helpful to learn what to include in a resume for an accounting manager job, as showcasing your relevant experience may increase your chances of getting hired. In this article, we describe what an accounting manager resume is, explain how to write one and provide a template and an example.

What is an accounting manager resume?

An accounting manager resume is a document that highlights your professional experience, education and background. Employers can browse the document to learn more about you as a candidate and to determine if you are a match for a job opening. You can frequently update your resume for an accounting manager position to include new credentials, recent milestones, new jobs and more. A resume lets you list all your relevant experiences in your industry to help you secure an interview and gain employment.

Many resumes for accounting manager roles use a standard format that include the following elements:

• name and contact information

• professional summary

• work experience

• education

• skills

• licences, certifications and additional or relevant training

How to write an accounting manager resume

The following includes a list of steps you can use to write your own accounting manager resume:

1. Include your contact information

Your contact information helps you introduce yourself. This can immediately tell employers your name and general education level, which might help them determine whether you're right for a job. In this section, you can include the following details:

• your full name

• your key degrees or certifications

• your phone number

• your email address

• your location

2. Write your professional summary

Consider adding a professional summary to highlight your most impressive qualifications. A professional summary describes the key aspects of your professional background, such as your top skills, experience and qualifications you can bring to an accounting manager role. You can also change the summary when necessary and adjust it to include keywords for specific roles, companies or professional development opportunities.

When writing your professional summary, try to keep it to two or three sentences. This can help ensure that hiring managers can review it quickly, which can be beneficial because they often review several applications at a time.

Related: Entry-Level Resume Summary Examples (And How to Write One)

3. Discuss your work experience

Next, create entries to discuss your work experience. It can be best to list your content in reverse chronological order, with the newest information first. When describing your experience, share a few examples of your responsibilities with the specific results that you achieved, since this is often the best place to highlight your accomplishments. For example, you might include numbers to quantify your experience and showcase your achievements in budgeting, forecasting and management. For each entry in the work experience section, include the following details to offer a complete summary of your expertise:

• previous or current job title

• duration of your employment

• previous or current employer's name

• key job duties

Related: 6 Accounting Titles (With Salaries and Qualifications)

4. List your skills

Once you finish writing about your professional experience, make a section to list your skills. This can be helpful for accounting managers because they typically have strong accounting and soft skills that allow them to succeed in the field. When writing this section, create a list of your most relevant skills on a single line, as this can allow hiring managers to browse them quickly.

Related: Accounting Skills: Definition, Examples and Tips to Improve

5. Add your education

After listing your skills, discuss your educational background. While many accountants can enter the field with a diploma, accounting managers often have bachelor's degrees. This is because completing a bachelor's degree can offer more in-depth education about accounting principles and allow students to spend more time preparing for their careers. Create an entry that lists your diploma or degree and the school you attended. Include your graduation year if it's within the last three years.

6. Include your certifications

The final section to add to your resume is one that showcases your certifications. This can be especially important for accounting managers, as all accountants usually need a licence and certification to practise. For example, accountants can earn the certified practising accountant (CPA) credential and a public practice certificate from CPA Australia to qualify for public accounting work.

For accounting managers, there are also specialty certifications that can highlight their specific expertise, like the certified management accountant (CMA) credential from CMA Australia. For each entry in this section, list the certification you have, the host organisation and the year you earned it.

Related: How to Get a Bookkeeper Certification (With Benefits)

Resume template for an accounting manager

The following is a template you can use to write your own resume for an accounting manager role:

[Full name], [Degree or certification if applicable]

[Phone number] | [Email address] | [Location]

Professional summary

[Write two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Work experience

[Job title] | [Start date–End date]
[Company name] | [Location]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

[Job title] | [Start date–End date]
[Company name] | [Location]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

[Job title] | [Start date–End date]
[Company name] | [Location]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

• [strong verb] + [job duty] + [reason, outcome or quantified results]

Skills

[skill] | [skill] | [skill] | [skill] | [skill] | [skill]

Education

[Degree], [Graduation year if applicable]
[Name of school or university], [Location]

Certifications

[Certification name], [Organisation], [Year completed or expiration date]

Resume example for an accounting manager

The following is an example of a resume for an accounting manager you can use to help make your own:

Amy Farnsworth, Bachelor of Accounting, CPA, CMA

+61 3 9233 8394 | amyfarnsworth@email.com | Brisbane, Queensland

Professional summary

Experienced accounting manager with seven years in the industry and expertise in business and personal accounting. Outstanding leadership and accounting skills, including mathematics and word processing.

Work experience

Accounting manager | May 2021–Current
Brandenham Financial | Brisbane, Queensland

• oversee a team of 10 accountants who serve corporate and personal clients

• initiate vendor contract reviews, saving 20% quarterly on office supply procurement billing

• recruit new accountants to join the team when new positions open

• prepare and publish monthly financial reports for executives, highlighting continued cost equipment savings and adjusted vendor service level agreements

• complete forecasting and planning for the annual budget to maintain the company's financial health

Accounting manager | December 2019–May 2021
Bayview Accounting | Brisbane, Queensland

• oversaw a team of six accountants to maintain productivity, efficiency and client satisfaction

• conducted and reviewed simultaneous audits across the various departments of each client's organisation to ensure compliance with legal and ethical policies

• forecasted for budgets, capital expenditure planning, comparison reports and cost reductions

Accounting manager | June 2016–December 2019
Kaplan Financial | Brisbane, Queensland

• conducted research in procurement cost reduction for printing, marketing and digital advertising needs, resulting in a 23% annual savings

• created two annual budgets and 24 end-of-month comparison reports

• prepared documents and reports for annual external audits

Skills

leadership | financial analysis | communication | attention to detail | computer skills | mathematics

Education

Bachelor of Accounting
Cactus Point College

Certifications

Certified Management Accountant, CMA Australia, 2018
Certified Practising Accountant, CPA Australia, 2016
Public Practice Certificate, CPA Australia, 2016

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.