How to Write an Accounting Clerk Resume for 2025

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 174,900 job openings for accounting clerks and related careers each year through 2033 [1]. Accounting clerks use expert software skills to support financial management and maintain accurate data across numerous types of organizations and businesses.

If you hope to secure an interview for one of these positions, crafting an accounting clerk resume aligned with 2025 trends can be your first step. Use the following guide to create a well-structured and attractive accounting clerk resume.

Accounting clerk resume: Essential sections

Build a compelling accounting clerk resume by organizing it into sections that showcase your qualifications, skills, and experience. Each part of your resume serves a specific purpose to prove why you’re the best fit for the role. 

1. Contact information

Strong accounting resumes start with clear and concise contact information. Ensure potential employers can easily locate your name, phone number, and email address at the top of the page. Including a link to your LinkedIn profile is also helpful, as it can provide potential employers further insight into your background. 

2. Career objective

A career objective, also called a resume objective, is a short statement explaining your professional goals as an accounting clerk. It can give potential employers a quick overview of your ambitions, the value you can bring to the role, and how your skills align with the position's requirements. Typically, you can place a career objective at the top of your resume to serve as an introduction and give hiring managers an idea of why you’re an excellent candidate. For reference, below is an example of an accounting clerk career objective: 

“A dedicated and detail-oriented accounting clerk with experience in data entry, financial reporting, and accounting software, eager to contribute to a dynamic team. Ready to support smooth and accurate financial operations while continuing to develop new skills. 

3. Skills

In this section, you’ll outline your accounting clerk skills depending on your experience level. Including a mixture of workplace skills, such as effective communication, and your technical expertise is helpful. The following examples can give you an idea of how this section might look based on your level of experience. 

Intern or student accounting clerk skills example: 

Skills:

• Knowledge of accounting and spreadsheet software

• Familiarity with core accounting principles, including debits and credits 

• Understanding of financial data record keeping

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to manage time and meet deadlines

Entry-level accounting clerk skills example:

Skills: 

• Familiar with handling accounts payable and receivable

• Experience processing invoices and performing bank account reconciliations

• Proficient in accounting software (Quickbooks, Sage 50, FreshBooks)

• Understanding of payroll basics

• Proficient in adding account totals and calculating interest charges

• Effective communication and team collaboration

• Ability to manage workload and prioritize tasks

Mid-level accounting clerk skills example

Skills:

• Comprehensive experience managing accounts payable, receivable, and payroll operations

• Skilled at preparing and analyzing financial reports

• Capable of budgeting, expense tracking, and financial forecasting

• Advanced skills in accounting systems and software integration 

• Strong understanding of general ledger processes and account reconciliations

• Skilled in adding and balancing billing vouchers with accuracy

• Strong interpersonal skills for collaboration with various teams

Senior-level accounting clerk skills examples 

Skills:

• Strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)

• Advanced skills in financial reporting tools (Microsoft Excel, Quickbooks) and automating accounting processes

• Skilled at supporting audits, resolving discrepancies in financial records, and assisting with tax filing (Quickbooks, FreshBooks) 

• Extensive background in overseeing complex accounting tasks, including monthly and annual closings

• Demonstrated success in mentoring junior accounting staff 

• In-depth knowledge of tax regulations and compliance

• Experience with presenting financial data to management, team members, and stakeholders 

Read more: 8 Types of Accounting: Careers, Degrees, and Salaries

4. Professional experience

Your employment history should be detailed, featuring your accounting background and responsibilities. Begin with your latest professional role and work backward, including job titles, company names, locations, and dates of employment. List relevant accounting tasks, measurable achievements, and career development for each position. Consider the following example of how you might lay out the professional experience section in your resume:

American Express, New York, NY 

Accounts Payable Specialist

July 2021–Present

• Processed over 500 monthly invoices, ensuring 98 percent accuracy and timely payments. 

• Reconciled vendor accounts and resolved discrepancies, reducing late payment penalties by 15 percent.

• Implemented a new filing software that improved document retrieval time by 40 percent. 

• Supported month-end close processes by preparing and reviewing journal entries. 

Bank of America, Los Angeles, CA 

Accounting Clerk

July 2017–June 2021

• Managed accounts payable for over 100 clients, maintaining a collection rate of 95 percent. 

• Performed daily data entry tasks, including recording financial transactions and updating ledgers. 

• Assisted with bank reconciliations, payroll processing, and budget preparation. 

• Collaborated with auditors during annual reviews by providing accurate financial records. 

5. Degrees and education

According to Zippia, 49 percent of accounting clerks have a bachelor’s degree, 29 percent have an associate degree, and 5 percent have a master’s degree [2]. Organize your education by listing your most recent degree or certification followed by your earlier education. For each entry, include the name of your degree, graduation year, and the school’s name and location. If relevant, incorporate specific coursework such as financial accounting or business law. 

Read more: Accounting Degrees: Courses, Careers, Salaries

Certifications and additional training

Beyond collegiate education, certifications and training can also showcase your expertise. Include credentials like Certified Management Accountant or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) that emphasize your accounting skills. If you’ve completed accounting internships or volunteer positions, highlight those experiences to demonstrate your commitment to the profession. 

Tips for optimizing your accounting clerk resume

The purpose of your resume is to capture the employer’s attention and spotlight your accomplishments. Keep the following points in mind to craft an impressive resume. 

Choose the best resume format for you. 

A well-organized format will elevate your resume, allowing you to highlight your skills clearly and professionally. Accounting clerk resumes typically come in two common formats: 

• Chronological resume: This format highlights your career path by listing your work experience from the most recent position to the earliest. This is the most common format and works best to highlight the experience a candidate has gained in recent roles and show career progression. 

• Functional resume: A functional resume focuses on your skills and abilities rather than job history. You may find this format helpful if you’re new to the accounting field. This can serve someone well who needs to focus on their core strengths and transferable skills from a different career field. 

Have a clean resume design and layout.

A streamlined resume layout will make your resume easy to read and leave a professional impression. Usually, it’s best to employ simple fonts like Arial and Times New Roman and maintain consistent formatting and simple headings to guide the reader through your qualifications. 

Optimize for keywords and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Many organizations use programs known as ATS to sort through resumes before a human reviewer sees them. These systems scan for keywords that match the job description to help recruiters identify strong candidates more quickly. To get noticed and stay ahead of resume trends, include relevant keywords that align with your skills and experience. However, remember to be authentic so your resume engages the hiring manager. 

Customize your resume for different job applications.

• Review the job description carefully. Carefully review the job description to identify essential qualifications and skills. For example, the listing may mention “accounts payable” or “maintain financial or account records.” You can even list the skills and credentials that align with your experience. 

• Tailor your resume to the main duties of the accounting clerk job you are applying for. Using the list of essential qualifications you created, prioritize relevant sections of your resume. Incorporate keywords that match the employer’s requirements, such as “financial reporting.” Tailoring your resume will help hiring managers see how your skills correspond with their needs. 

• Craft a personalized cover letter. Reflect on why you’re genuinely interested in the accounting role and why you would be a good fit for the company. Use this insight to write a cover letter that highlights your specific skills and experience matching the job description. Focus on how the position excites you and syncs up with your vision for career growth. Tailoring your cover letter reveals your enthusiasm and helps you stand out. 

Key takeaways

• Include clear contact information such as name, phone, email, and LinkedIn.

• Write a brief professional summary of your skills and career goals.

• Highlight both technical and workplace skills relevant to the job.

• List work experience using measurable achievements.

• Choose a format that complements your experience level. 

• Use keywords to optimize for applicant tracking systems. 

• Keep your resume design clean and easy to read. 

Resources for general resume-building tips

• How to Feature Key Skills on Your Resume

• How to Make a Resume: Resume Writing Guide

• How to Write a Resume with No Experience: 5 Tips

• 10 Ways to Improve Your Resume 

Enhance your accounting clerk resume with Coursera 

A strong accounting clerk resume can demonstrate your proven abilities to execute essential financial tasks, use common accounting software, and communicate with your colleagues.

Bolster your resume with the Fundamentals of Accounting Specialization on Coursera, where you’ll gain knowledge of data analysis and general accounting. Upon completion, you may be able to apply accounting principles to facilitate business decisions and goals.