CRAFTING YOUR CV FOR ACCOUNTING JOBS

A well-written CV will showcase your skills, experience, and qualifications, and help you stand out from other applicants.

Not sure where to start when writing your CV for accounting job applications? We’re here to help. By highlighting your education, relevant experience, and required skills, you can put together a strong and effective CV that showcases why you’re the right fit for the job.

Here are some tips for writing a graduate CV for accounting jobs.

1 Use A Prominent Cv Heading

A CV heading is the first and most important element of a CV, as it contains your name and contact information. It should be prominently displayed at the top of the page, making it easy for potential employers to spot and remember you.

It’s important to include your name, address, phone number, and email address in the space for your CV heading. You may also include your LinkedIn profile or other professional social media accounts, if you have them. Check that you have no typos on those details, and ensure that you can be reached through each of those contact channels.

Use a larger font size for your name so recruiters have an easier time finding your CV if it’s printed out and placed among other candidates’. You do not need to include a photo of yourself, so save your space. (If recruiters do request for a photo, you can usually upload it in a separate form anyway).

2 Use Simple And Professional Font And Format

The best format for accounting CVs is the reverse-chronological format. Highlight your most recent and relevant qualifications and experiences first and then work your way down to older ones. This presents your experience and education in a way that is easy for hiring managers to read and understand.

For example, when presenting your work experience, list your most recent internship first, and then list previous internships or part-time jobs in descending chronological order.

Using a simple font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and including sub-headings and bullet points will make it easy for hiring managers to quickly scan and read your CV. Have clear section breaks for each area of focus, such as “education”, “work experience”, “extracurricular activities”, or “skills”. Having a polished and structured layout helps to create a lasting positive impression on potential employers.

Your CV should be no longer than two full A4-sized pages, so do your best to keep things concise.

3

Summarise Your Education And Relevant Coursework

List your degree first. Start with your most recent degree, such as “Bachelor of Science in Accounting,” and the name of the university, actual or expected degree grade, and the date of graduation. Don’t forget to include relevant coursework! For example, if you have taken courses or attended lectures on specialised accounting topics like tax law or corporate recovery, list those briefly. Don’t waste space listing every major accounting subject you’ve taken. Focus only on topics or coursework that are most relevant to the role you are applying for.

If your accounting degree programme is fast-tracking you towards a chartered accountant qualification, make sure you identify which professional body you’re on track to qualify with (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, CPA Australia, MIA, etc.) You can also mention any honors or awards you have received as a student.

4

Highlight Your Work Experience

Don’t just list relevant work experience – make sure you provide specific examples of the responsibilities and accomplishments you had in those roles.

For example, if you had an internship experience with a small public accounting firm, list the company name, the duration of the internship, and the specific roles and responsibilities you fulfilled, such as: “Assisted with reviewing financial statements as part of external audit procedures.” or “Analysed tax compliance status with senior auditors and provided recommendations to clients.”

This will help potential employers to understand your level of experience and expertise, and how it relates to the position they are offering. It also gives you space to showcase your achievements or learning outcomes while on the job.

5

Showcase Your Additional Skills

Accounting employers aren’t just looking for technical skills – they keep an eye out for soft skills too. When describing past work experiences or extra-curricular activities, make sure you highlight instances where you put soft skills in practice. For example, you can write about how you worked on a club project together with a team, or mention that you communicated complex financial concepts to a client during your internship. Be on the lookout for opportunities to portray yourself as a well-rounded candidate with a good balance of technical and soft skills as you write your CV.

If you are proficient in using accounting software such as QuickBooks, Xero, or SAP, make sure you list those in a separate section as well (e.g. “IT skills”).

6

Show That You Are An Interesting Candidate

As a rule, employers like interesting candidates who can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the team. One way to showcase this in your graduate CV is to highlight any relevant experience or achievements that set you apart from other applicants.

For example, if you have held any leadership roles in extracurricular or volunteer organizations, or taken part in any external competitions, be sure to include these on your CV. You can also include interesting hobbies or pastimes, though try to avoid common ones like: watching movies, playing video games, or shopping.

Make sure that you can talk at length about everything you list, though. You should assume that recruiters and hiring managers will ask you more in-depth questions about anything on your CV if you do make it to the interview phase.

Need more CV writing tips? Get it Here.