Landing an accounting job in the UK requires a strong CV that highlights your relevant skills, experience and qualifications. While a professional CV template can help, the end result needs to impress hiring managers and stand out from the competition. Follow these tips to create an accounting CV that will get you interviews.
Highlight Relevant Accounting Experience
The most important part of your accounting CV is the work experience section. This is where you can showcase your knowledge of accounting principles, software, regulations and financial procedures.
For each role, briefly summarise your responsibilities and achievements. Use numbers to quantify your accomplishments. For example:
- Managed accounts payable and receivable for organisation with £2 million annual revenue
- Identified and resolved accounting discrepancies, resulting in 5% increase in profit margins
- Audited financial records for accuracy and compliance with UK GAAP standards
- Streamlined invoicing process, saving 15 hours per week in administrative tasks
- Implemented new budget tracking process, improving forecasting accuracy by 20%
Tailor your experience descriptions to match the required skills in the job advert. Draw attention to any experience specifically related to the role like budgeting, payroll, tax accounting or statutory audits.
If you have limited professional experience, also include internships, voluntary roles and coursework projects that allowed you to apply accounting knowledge.
READ MORE : How to register for VAT?
Include Key Accounting Skills
Hiring managers look for specific accounting skills and technical knowledge. Include a dedicated skills section that lists abilities like:
- Bookkeeping
- Financial reporting
- Account reconciliation
- Payroll processing
- Tax preparation
- Excel proficiency
- Accounting software knowledge
- Data analysis
- Attention to detail
- Critical thinking
Back these up by weaving examples throughout your experience descriptions. Highlight programs like Xero, Sage or SAP you’re familiar with.
Specific examples might include:
- Produced monthly financial reports reconciling accounts in Sage
- Filed quarterly VAT returns using Excel pivot tables to analyse purchase data
- Developed payroll guides explaining payable taxes and National Insurance
- Audited inventory records for stock loss prevention using SAP
- Tracked daily sales and costs to input budgets into QuickBooks
Showcase Accounting Education
List your accounting-related education in reverse-chronological order. Include qualifications like:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance
- Professional accounting certification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
- AAT certification in accounting or bookkeeping
- Relevant modules if currently pursuing a degree
For each qualification, specify your grade or result if it was a first or distinction.
Highlight modules, units or dissertation topics related to financial accounting, management accounting, business taxation or statutory audit.
For example:
- BA Honours in Accounting, University of Bristol, 2018-2021
- First Class Honours
- Dissertation in International Auditing Standards
- Modules in Management Accounting, Corporate Taxation and Accounting Information Systems
This quickly shows your knowledge base and specialisations.
Demonstrate Transferable Skills
Accounting also requires collaboration, organisation, analytical thinking and communication skills. Weave examples of these strengths into your experience descriptions. Use power words like “collaborated”, “prioritised” and “analysed”.
Have a separate skills section for transferable abilities like:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Data analysis
- Leadership
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
Optimise Your CV Format
Use a neat, consistent layout with clear headings and whitespace between sections. Stick to a standard font like Arial 11 or Times New Roman 12.
Keep sections in this order:
- Contact details
- Professional summary
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
- Qualifications
Keep your CV concise – 2 pages maximum. Only include information relevant to accounting roles.
Make your name stand out in a slightly larger font. Use bullet points to break up dense blocks of text. Bold company names and job titles.
Check for Errors
Proofread your CV thoroughly for spelling and grammar errors. Ask someone else to review it too.
Read your CV out loud to spot awkward phrasing. Check for consistency in formatting and verb tenses.
Correct any long, complex sentences that may be hard to parse. Remove unnecessary words and replace clunky phrases with simpler alternatives.
Tailor Your CV
Adjust your CV slightly each time you apply for a new accounting role in the UK. Compare the job advert to your CV and highlight where your skills and experience match the position.
Tweak the professional summary to fit the specific job. Move relevant skills and experience earlier in your CV to showcase them.
Research the hiring company and incorporate relevant keywords from their website. Update your CV as you gain more experience.
Make Your CV Stand Out
Finally, take steps to make your accounting CV visually appealing:
- Use a simple, professional template that lets your content shine. Avoid complex designs.
- Print your CV on resume paper in white or subtle grey.
- Include a professional headshot in the header beside your contact details.
- Have your CV printed and bound at a print shop for very formal applications.
Following these tips will produce a compelling CV that shows off your financial and accounting expertise. Use your CV to put your best foot forward and secure job interviews. With a strong professional CV template matched to the role requirements, you can take the first step to launching your accounting career in the UK.
