Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Resume Sample Guide

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Resume Sample Guide CPA Resume SampleRose J. Castaneda, CPACertified Public Accountantrose.castaneda@gmail.com(727) 349-9999linkedin.com/in/rosecastanedaSummary of QualificationsResults-oriented certified public accountant with 5+ years of experience working in the St. Petersburg area. Skilled in all areas of finance and accounting, from individuals to large businesses. Reduced spending by $100,000 each in 5 small businesses. Seeking to leverage top corporate finance experience and individual finance planning to become the certified public accountant at Alta Street Capital.Work ExperienceCertified Public AccountantMay 2016July 2019Clearwater Financial Advisors, St. Petersburg, FLKey Qualifications ResponsibilitiesOrganized and maintained corporate financial records for more than a dozen companies.Planned key financial strategies for corporations and smaller businesses, and insured that companies were defended against audits and market fluctuations.Advised board members and management on financial decis ions and investment opportunities.Balanced budgets and analyzed accounting ledgers for accuracy and direction.Key AchievementsSaved 5 small businesses over $100,000 each through financial planning and tax preparation procedures.Certified Public AccountantApril 2014April 2016First Florida Financials, St. Petersburg, FLKey Qualifications ResponsibilitiesPerformed tax accounting and audit defense procedures for individual clients and small- and medium-sized businesses.Facilitated early retirement planning for individual clients and families with net worths over $5 million.Made recommendations for better use of savings, investments, and bank balances.Eliminated risk of fraud and identity theft for clients through various strategic finance procedures.EducationUniform Certified Public Accountant ExaminationThe National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)Pass: 2014Score: 98/99Bachelor of Science in FinanceThomas Edison State University, Trenton, NJGraduation: 2013Relevant C oursework: Business Administration, Corporate Regulations and Compliance, Accounting Fundamentals, Foundational Business Finance, Fundamentals of Investments, Financial Decision-Making, Modern Business Concepts, Personal Tax Preparation Accounting.Key SkillsEstate PlanningCorporate Finance AccountingFinancial Planning AnalysisTax Preparation Audit DefenseFederal State Regulatory ComplianceInternational Tax RegulationsCertificationsFlorida State Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA)MembershipsAmerican Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)LanguagesSpanish: Native ProficiencyWant to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample CPA ResumeSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page lon g, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowHere are some other CPA-related accounting resume examples to view:Accounting ResumeAccounting Clerk ResumeActuary ResumeTax Accountant ResumeTax Preparer ResumeSenior Accountant ResumeAuditor ResumeFinancial Analyst ResumeBookkeeper ResumeBusiness Analyst ResumeAccounts Receivable ResumeAccounts Payable ResumeAccounting Assistant ResumeSamples of Resumes for All ProfessionsAbove these links was our version of the best sample CPA resume.Now, lets get to yoursHeres how to write a CPA resume:1. Choose a Great Format for a CPA Resume TemplateA Certified Public Accountant, commonly referred to by its abbreviation CPA, is a person licensed or certified to provide financial services related to accounting, such as tax preparation and financial planning, to the public. A CPA resume needs to show the employer that you have the financial background, finance skills, and accounting experience to deserve an interview.To write a resume certi fied public accountant employers will love, theres something to do before you begin writingYou must format CPA resume templates for easy readability.This is how to format a CPA resume template:In the professional header, start with the phone number and contact info on a resume.How to put CPA on resumes? The first place to add it is after your name. Below that, you could choose to spell it out entirely as your professional title.Create legible sections of a resume by allowing section titles to stand out with larger, bold fonts.Use the reverse chronological resume template as its the most effective resume format.What size font for a resume? Stick to 1112pt font in the general body of the resume for CPA jobs.Pro Tip: How to save your public accounting resume? Stick with the resume PDF format unless the CPA job description says otherwise. PDF documents appear nicely on any device, whereas Word documents may look funny on some.2. Write A CPA Resume Objective or Summary StatementLike a gr eat elevator pitch or your deal-winning sales spiel, the resume profile is a brief paragraph effectively introducing you as a candidate.It comes in two varieties, the objective and the summary.Been a certified public accountant for ages?Go with the career summary.The summary statement on CPA resumes is perfect for experienced accountants. Youll use this heading statement to talk up your financial skills, accounting expertise, and general background as a CPA. Include a numbered accomplishment to really get your message across.First time as a CPA or writing a CPA candidate resume?Go with the career objective.In order to overlook your lack of CPA resume experience, youll instead talk up your past experience, skills, and background in a way which makes sense for accounting jobs. However, still include a numbered win from your past experience to verify your talents to them.Pro Tip: To make sure your heading statements as solid as your bookkeeping skills, write it last. With this method, youll have the rest of your finished resume to look back upon to locate the best opportunities to list in the intro paragraph.3. Create the Best CPA Job Description for a ResumeLike a general ledger, the resume work experience section must be documented correctly.SoThis is how to write a CPA job description on a resume:Go reverse-chronologically by starting with your most recent or current job first.Add the business job title, employment dates, and the companys name and location.Use 5 or 6 bullet points to outline your accounting job responsibilities and duties.Start each bullet entry with power verbs (e.g., audited, planned) to make a powerful statement.Give an achievement or two with numbers to quantify just how great you were at your past workplaces.Pro Tip: Learn how to tailor a resume to a specific job, rather than sending one generic resume to every CPA job description you find on Indeed. Like generic financial advice, its useless for this institution.4. Make Your Certified Pu blic Accountant Resume Education Section ShineJust as you adhere to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), there are guidelines to follow when listing education on a resume.Heres the gist:Use reverse-chronological order in your education, as well, by listing your most advanced degree at the top.Provide your major name, the schools name and locale, your completion date, and any classwork you had related to finance and accounting.Since you need a degree (or at least 120 credits) to become a CPA in most states, dont add high school on resumes for CPAs.Pro Tip: If youre writing a resume without experience, such as a CPA-eligible resume, your degree in finance may be more impressive than your work experience. In this case, switch these sections so the education is on top, giving the hiring manager the most salient info first.5. Highlight Your Accounting Skills on a CPA ResumeThere were 1.4 million CPAs and other accountants in 2016, and that number is set to explode 10% by 2026 , adding another 140,000 employees.Youre in a crazy-large applicant pool.SoTo impress the finance department head or financial consultancy firm, highlight your relevant skills in the best way possible:General Accounting Skills for CPA ResumesExamplesIncome Tax Payroll TaxEstate PlanningCorporate Finance AccountingFinancial Planning AnalysisTax Preparation Audit DefenseFederal State Regulatory ComplianceInternational Tax RegulationsAsset ManagementAccounting Software (e.g., Quickbooks, SAP Business One, Sage)Skilled in CommunicationSkilled in Project ManagementSkilled in Interpersonal RelationshipsSkilled in Making DecisionsSkilled with Technical DetailsSkilled in Time ManagementSkilled in Solving ProblemsSkilled with PresentationsSkilled in ManagementSkilled in TeamworkSkilled in Critical ThinkingSkilled in Creative ThinkingNow, heres how to put those skills onto a resume for accounting professionals:List your job skills and abilities you have which relate to work as a certifie d public accountant.Dont forget to include both soft skills and hard skills.Go back to the CPA job ads responsibilities section to locate the best resume keywords to use.If they line up, add that skill to your tax accounting or CPA auditor resume.Pro Tip: Use similar wording in your skills list for CPA jobs as you find in the job ad. If they ask for Microsoft Office skills and you put youre awesome at Word and Excel, any software scanner (the ATS) might not put two and two together like a human would, costing you an interview, potentially.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.6. Add Extra Sections to Your CPA ResumeExtra sections on a resume help to round you out as an accounting candidate, showing youre more than just the professional skills and experience you added.SoHere are top sections to add for an experienced or entry-level CPA resume:CPA Resume ExamplesExtra SectionsFinancial licenses and certificationsLevels of language proficiency on a resumeExamples of professional achievementsAccounting organizational memberships (e.g., AICPA, AAFA)Hobbies interests on a resumeVolunteer experience on a resume7. Attach a CPA Cover Letter to Accounting ResumesDo you need a cover letter for a resume for CPA jobs?More than half of all employers prefer a cover letter, so not sending one cuts your chances in half from the start.So, always include a cover letter for CPA applications.Here are a few tips for how to write a CPA cover letter:Learn how to format a cover letter, just like with the resume, before you start writing.The best way to start a cover letter is with a strong, concise introductory statement.Explain to the CPA employer why youre the best accountant to consider.Show them that this office is the ideal place for your ski lls and experience.Include a quantifiable achievement to prove you have the abilities theyre looking for.Close it using a cover letter conclusion and a strong call to action.Need to know how long a cover letter should be? That guide has the answers!Pro Tip: Remember to follow up on your job application by sending an email after waiting a week or so.Got any questions about how to write CPA resumes? Need more CPA, CPA candidate, and CPA eligible resume examples? Lets talk about it below in the comments area, and thank you for reading!