4 things recruiters look for in an accountant's resume
Guest Post by Nicole Gorton, Director, Robert Half. Nicole shares her insights on what the recruiter looks for when vetting an accountant’s resume.
Every industry has its particular quirks when it comes to resumes, and accounting is no different. At Robert Half, there are some key things we look for in an accountant’s resume. Here are my tips on what you should and should not include.
Your resume is your sales brochure, and it could be the thing that lands you an interview,, so it’s worth investing a little of your time to get it right. When employers are looking at an accountant’s resume, they’re looking to answer four questions:
- Who are you, and what do you have to offer? (And be quick about it) A good accountant’s resume should have a short synopsis about who you are, what you've done, what you've achieved and what you have to offer. This is your elevator pitch. Get my attention and let me know why I should bother to read on.
Because it’s the accounting field, this should include the numbers too. It should also indicate whether you are primarily a ‘technician’ or if you have ancillary skills such as team leadership and business development.
Finally, let me know about one major achievement or significant account you’ve handled.
- Can you do the job? Next are the nuts and bolts of the resume. Start with your qualifications and professional memberships, followed by your work history.
Once again, include some specifics about your role and the types of accounts or companies you’ve handled. Use the following as a guide for what to include:
- Dates of employment
- Name of company
- Synopsis of company
- Turnover of company
- Global or local?
- Type of company i.e. publicly listed or privately owned
- Your title, duties and achievements/outcomes/impact
- Use bullet points if you can
Don’t risk being overly simplistic by using acronyms or assuming others know what your responsibilities entailed. Remember, it may not be another accountant reading your resume.
State what you’ve achieved. Did your work lead to cost savings, business development, streamlining and consolidation, increased revenues or administrative efficiencies?
- Do other people agree? What you say about yourself is one thing, but when it’s backed by a former employer it’s even better. This is where your references, referees, awards and accolades become important as proof of your claims.
Have at least three referees, and provide written references if you get the chance. Your references should ideally talk about what you did, what you achieved and how great you were to work with.
- Where are you headed? Employers want to know not only what you can do now, but also what you might be able to do in the future. In your synopsis, make sure to include the type of opportunity you are seeking and state your aspirations for the future. Also include other relevant education and professional-development information, even if it doesn’t directly relate to this job.
You are an accountant, and eventually your resume is going to be read by other accountants. Accountants deal in numbers and evidence, so that’s what they want to see in your resume – evidence and outcomes.
Is your resume up to scratch, or could it use a little tweaking?
Nicole Gorton, Director, Robert Half
A good accountant’s resume should have a short synopsis about who you are, what you've done, what you've achieved and what you have to offer.
Nicole Gorton is Robert Half’s Asia Pacific Director of Strategic Accounts – based in Sydney. She is responsible for the partnership with large corporate organisations, cultivating the relationship and providing advice.
Nicole has over 18 years’ experience in the recruitment industry, across multiple lines of businesses and various geographies. Most notably in the UK, where she led temporary, contract and permanent hiring, and also developed high-performing teams.
While SEEK partners with trusted contributors to bring you the latest career advice, the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
