
Use this accountant job description to design a job-winning resume.
Accountants help organizations make critical financial decisions and corrections. They do this in a variety of ways, including research, audits, and data input, reporting, analysis, and tracking. Accountants can be responsible for tax reporting and filing, reconciling balance sheets, helping with departmental and organizational budgets, financial forecasting, communicating findings with stakeholders, and more. An accountant job description will include this type of information, tailored specifically to the type of accounting position listed.
Why refer to an accountant job description?
If you're an Accountant looking to land your next job and need to update your resume, one of the best resources you can turn to is an accountant job description. By reviewing job description examples, you can identify what technical and soft skills, credentials, and work experience matter most to an employer in your target field. In this post, we share an example of an accountant job description summary, followed by responsibilities, requirements, and skills.
Accountant job description example
Accountant Job Description
Prepare balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and other financial reports. Accountant duties and responsibilities also include analyzing trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations incurred to predict future revenues and expenses.
Reports organization's finances to management and offers suggestions about resource utilization, tax strategies, and assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
Accounting candidates must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the [field of focus]. Astute at relying on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of additional tasks as assigned. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required.
Works under general supervision. This position will report to [title of supervisor or manager].
Requires a bachelor's degree in accounting or a similar area of specialty and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. An associate's degree in accounting might be acceptable.
Accountant responsibilities
Below the general job description summary, like the example above, you'll typically see a list of responsibilities, requirements, and necessary skills, as outlined in this section and the next two.
Here are some of the accountant job description responsibilities you might find listed:
Prepare asset, liability, and capital account entries by compiling and analyzing account information
Document financial transactions by entering account information
Recommend financial actions by analyzing accounting options
Summarize current financial status by collecting information; preparing balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and other reports
Substantiate financial transactions by auditing documents
Maintain accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures
Guide accounting clerical staff by coordinating activities and answering questions
Reconcile financial discrepancies by collecting and analyzing account information
Secure financial information by completing database backups
Verify, allocate, post, and reconcile transactions
Produce error-free accounting reports and present their results
Analyze financial information and summarize financial status
Provide technical support and advice on management
Review and recommend modifications to accounting systems and generally accepted accounting procedures
Participate in financial standards setting and forecast process
Provide input into department's goal-setting process
Prepare financial statements and produce budget according to schedule
Direct internal and external audits to ensure compliance
Plan, assign, and review staff's work
Support month-end and year-end close process
Develop and document business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls
Communicate effectively with clients
Contribute to a strong client relationship through positive interactions with client personnel
Communicate with Manager and/or Director on work status and client issues that arise
Accountant requirements
These are just a few of the job requirements you may see in an accountant job description:
Thorough knowledge of basic accounting procedures and principles, including the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
Awareness of business trends
Experience with creating financial statements
Experience with general ledger functions and the month-end/year-end close process
Excellent accounting software user and administration skills
Accuracy and attention to detail
Aptitude for numbers and quantitative skills
Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in appropriate field of study or equivalent work experience
Intermediate understanding of accounting and reporting standards, gaining experience in researching as it relates to accounting issues
Experience with accounting software is a plus
Accountant skills & proficiencies
There are several hard and soft skills that are possibilities for an accountant job description. Hard skills are measurable talents learned through training and education. Soft skills are people skills that are generally acquired through experience and are difficult to measure.
Below, we break them down by category, though you'll typically find necessary hard and soft skills listed together in the job description.
Hard skills for an accountant job description
Accounting
Corporate Finance
Reporting Skills
Reporting Research Results
Financial Data Entry Management
Basic Math
Accuracy
Scheduling and Monitoring
Problem Analysis and Problem-Solving Skills
Active Learning
Clerical Knowledge
Proficiency in Microsoft Office
Risk Analysis
Tax Returns
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Accounting Software
General Ledger Functions
GAAP
Balance Sheets
Budgeting
Data Analysis
Bookkeeping
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Financial Audits
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
Soft skills for an accountant job description
Attention to Detail
Deadline-Oriented
Confidentiality
Time Management
Organizational Skills
Communication Skills
Problem Analysis and Problem-Solving Skills
Initiative
Teamwork
Professionalism
Interpersonal Skills
Analytical Thinking
Self-started
Independent Worker
Creativity
Expert tip: To help you determine the best skills to include on your Accountant resume, use an AI software tool, like ChatGPT, to scan Accountant job descriptions online. You can then make note of the various industry-related keywords that come up across job descriptions and incorporate the ones that make the most sense based on your experience and target role.
Tailor your resume
Referring to accountant job descriptions for resume development is a smart move to get your creative juices flowing. By reviewing the job descriptions, you can assess and make a list of what skills and experience you have that align with them. From there, you can incorporate them into your resume.
Of course, you'll want to tweak your resume for each job you apply to. The good news is that you won't need to start from scratch if you have a strong initial version to work with. In that case, making minor updates to align with each job you apply to will be easy to do.
Your resume aligned with the job description wins interviews
Use the example description and lists above to guide you in developing a resume to stand out and land interviews!
Is your resume appropriately tailored to the accountant job description for the job you're applying to? Why not submit it for a free resume review to find out?
Recommended reading:
With a drive to foster safety and expand possibilities through writing, performing, and working with others, Ronda brings 25 years of combined experience in HR, recruiting, career advice, communications, mental and behavioral health, and storytelling to her work. She’s a certified career coach and holds a Master’s in Human Resources, a Master’s in Film and Media Production, and a Master’s in Counseling and Development. As a writer, she’s covered topics ranging from finance and rock mining to leadership and internet technology, with a passion for career advice and mental-health-related topics. When she’s not at her computer, Ronda enjoys connecting with others, personal growth and development, spending time with her beloved pooch, and entertainment through movies, television, acting, and other artistic endeavors. You can connect with Ronda on LinkedIn and through her website.

See how your resume stacks up.
Related Articles