Accountant CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Accounting CVs are screened on qualification status (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA) and accounting standards before anything else. After that, finance hiring managers expect every claim to be backed by a number.

Not sure which of these your CV is missing? Upload it with a accountant job description and get your ATS score and missing keywords free.

Check my CV

Accountant hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Management accountsFinancial reportingMonth-end closeYear-end auditReconciliationsAccruals and prepaymentsVAT returnsIFRSUK GAAP (FRS 102)Budgeting and forecastingVariance analysisConsolidation

Accountant tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

Excel (advanced)SAPOracle NetSuiteSage 200XeroQuickBooksMicrosoft Dynamics 365Power BIHyperionPower Query

Accountant certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

ACCAACA (ICAEW)CIMACPAAAT Level 4CFA (for finance roles)

Accountant soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

Attention to detailDeadline managementBusiness partneringIntegrityCommunication with non-finance teamsProcess improvement

Accountant action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

ReconciledPreparedReducedImplementedStreamlinedProducedAuditedAutomatedConsolidatedForecast

Weak vs strong accountant CV bullets

Did the month-end accounts.

Cut month-end close from 12 to 5 working days for an £85M business by automating 40 reconciliations in Power Query.

Helped with the budget.

Led the annual budget for 12 cost centres totalling £34M, building driver-based models with each department head.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview.

ATS tip for accountant CVs

Always state qualification status precisely ("ACCA — fully qualified, 2024" or "CIMA — Management Level"). "ACCA" on its own is ambiguous to both ATS and recruiters.

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "Excel (advanced)", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

See exactly which keywords your CV is missing

Paste a real accountant job ad and upload your CV. You get an ATS score, your missing keywords and your top issues in under a minute — free, no sign-up.

Check my CV free

Keywords for related roles

Financial Analyst CV keywordsBusiness Analyst CV keywordsAdministrative Assistant CV keywordsAll roles →