Why this resume works
- Quantifies accomplishments: By highlighting measurable accomplishments like managing portfolios worth $3M and leading audits saving $500K, the applicant effectively illustrates significant impact.
- Highlights industry-specific skills: Administrative skills, such as financial analysis and audit management, detailed in the resume, align with industry demands, showcasing tailored expertise for controller roles.
- Showcases career progression: Progressing from accounting manager to controller reveals a steady climb in responsibility, reflecting a clear trajectory of career advancement and leadership growth.
More Business Operations Resume Examples
Review more business operations resume examples to see how to highlight your financial expertise, analytical skills, and leadership experience. Use these samples to craft a resume that demonstrates your impact in financial management roles.
Finance Manager
Why this resume works
- Centers on academic background: The education section lists advanced degrees in business, showcasing strong academic foundations important for early career progression.
- Effective use of keywords: The applicant skillfully integrates role-relevant keywords like financial analysis and budget management, ensuring a strategic approach to passing applicant tracking systems.
- Shows digital literacy: Experience in financial modeling and risk assessment highlights computer skills and digital readiness for boosting modern workplace performance.
Chief Financial Officer
Why this resume works
- Points to measurable outcomes: By showcasing achievements like reducing costs by 15% annually and increasing revenue by 12%, the applicant emphasizes a consistent ability to deliver impactful, measurable financial outcomes.
- Includes a mix of soft and hard skills: Combining technical strengths like risk management and data analysis with interpersonal skills, the applicant reflects a balanced approach to leadership and collaboration.
- Displays technical expertise: Certifications such as CFA and CFP, paired with strategic decision-making expertise, highlight the applicant’s advanced technical knowledge essential for complex financial management roles.
Chief Operating Officer
Why this resume works
- Focuses on work history: Using a chronological resume format, the applicant outlines a career path marked by increasing responsibilities, showing steady professional growth in operations management roles across various industries.
- Showcases impressive accomplishments: The resume lists standout accomplishments like leading revenue growth and improving client satisfaction, revealing significant business impacts and senior-level performance metrics.
- Lists relevant certifications: Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Operations Manager demonstrate the applicant’s dedication to operational excellence and continuous professional development.
Related Resume Guides
Advice for Writing Your Controller Resume
Explore how to write a resume for a controller position and learn how to highlight your financial expertise and leadership skills. Tailor your resume to stand out in the competitive field of finance and explore strategies specific to making your experience shine.
Highlight your most relevant skills
Listing relevant skills when applying for a controller job is important because it helps employers quickly see what you can do. Highlighting both technical and interpersonal skills shows you are well-rounded and can handle the demands of the role.
Technical skills like financial analysis, budgeting, and accounting software skills are key for a controller. Interpersonal skills such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving are also important because they help in managing teams and working with other departments effectively.
Creating a dedicated skills section on your resume makes it easy for hiring managers to find out what you bring to the table. Balance this section by including hard skills that demonstrate your ability to perform specific tasks and soft skills that show how well you work with others.
For example, listing skills like Excel expertise alongside teamwork highlights your technical know-how and your ability to collaborate. To make an even stronger impact, integrate these key skills into your work experience section.
This adds context and shows practical application of your abilities. For instance, mention how you streamlined budget processes using Excel or led a team through a successful audit. This way, potential employers can see not just what you can do but also how you’ve done it in past roles.
Highlight your skills in audits, budgets, and compliance by picking a resume format that showcases accuracy and reliability.
Showcase your accomplishments
When organizing your work experience as a controller, list your jobs in reverse chronological order. This means starting with your most recent job and working backward. For each position, include the job title, employer name, location, and employment dates. This structure makes it easy for hiring managers to see your career progression and recent experiences.
Turning duties into achievements is key to making your resume stand out. Instead of just listing tasks you completed, focus on what you accomplished in those roles. Use numbers to show success—like percentages or cost savings—to make a stronger impact. For example, if you helped reduce expenses by 15%, say so. This approach highlights how you’ve made a difference in past roles.
Use action words like “managed,” “implemented,” or “improved” when describing your accomplishments as a controller. Highlighting measurable results helps employers quickly understand your skills and contributions. Quantifying achievements shows that you’re not just doing tasks but actively improving processes or saving money for the company.
5 controller work history bullet points
- Developed and managed annual budgets exceeding $50 million, improving financial forecasting accuracy by 20%.
- Implemented a new accounting software system that reduced monthly closing time by 30%, improving reporting efficiency.
- Supervised a team of 10 accountants, providing training and mentorship that increased overall productivity by 15%.
- Conducted quarterly financial reviews, identifying cost-saving opportunities that resulted in a $1.5 million reduction in expenses.
- Streamlined financial reporting processes, cutting report preparation time by 25% and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
Choose a straightforward resume template with readable fonts. Organize sections to showcase your skills and experience, avoiding complex designs or flashy graphics that take away from the content.
Write a strong professional summary
A professional summary serves as an introduction to hiring managers, giving a brief overview of your experience and skills right at the top of your resume. It’s important to choose between a summary and an objective based on where you are in your career.
A professional summary is typically three to four sentences long and highlights your experience, skills, and achievements. It’s ideal for experienced applicants who want to quickly showcase their professional identity and value. A strong professional summary helps hiring managers see what you’ve accomplished and how you can add value in the controller role.
Resume objectives are statements about your career goals. They work well for entry-level applicants, career changers, or those with gaps in their work history. While a summary focuses on “what I’ve accomplished,” an objective concentrates on “what I aim to contribute.”
Next, we’ll provide examples of both summaries and objectives tailored for different industries and experience levels, including the controller position. See our library of resume examples for additional inspiration.
Controller resume summary examples
Entry-level
Recent Bachelor of Science in Accounting graduate with comprehensive knowledge of financial reporting and analysis. Familiar with GAAP principles and skilled in using accounting software like QuickBooks and Excel. Eager to leverage strong analytical skills and attention to detail in a controller role to support business decision-making.
Mid-career
Results-driven controller with over seven years of experience in manufacturing and retail industries. Proficient in managing corporate budgets, forecasting, and financial audits. Known for streamlining financial operations, reducing costs by 15%, and improving efficiency through process optimization. Holds CPA certification and excels in cross-department collaboration.
Experienced
Strategic finance leader with 15+ years as a controller in multinational corporations. Expert in complex financial modeling, mergers & acquisitions, and international tax compliance. Proven track record of driving profitability by implementing robust fiscal strategies that improved revenue growth by 20%. Dedicated mentor committed to developing high-performing finance teams.
Controller resume objective examples
Entry-level
Aspiring financial controller with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and hands-on experience through internships. Eager to apply analytical skills and knowledge of financial reporting standards to support a company’s financial accuracy and business growth.
Career changer
Detail-oriented professional shifting from administrative management to the field of financial control. Possesses strong organizational skills and a keen understanding of budget management, aiming to contribute effectively by ensuring fiscal responsibility and supporting strategic decision-making.
Recent graduate
Dedicated recent accounting graduate seeking an entry-level controller position to use academic knowledge in finance and accounting principles. Aiming to improve team efforts in maintaining accurate financial records while developing expertise in cost analysis and financial planning.
Want to showcase your skills as a controller? Use our Resume Builder to easily organize your experience and create a resume that stands out.
Match your resume to the job description
Tailoring resumes to job descriptions is important for job seekers, especially those applying for roles like a controller. It helps you stand out and increases your chances of passing through applicant tracking systems (ATS). These systems scan resumes to find keywords and phrases from job postings, ensuring that only the most relevant applicants are considered by employers.
An ATS-friendly resume includes specific keywords and phrases that match your skills with the job description. This alignment makes it easier for hiring managers to notice you. When your resume reflects the language used in the job ad, it shows that you understand what the employer is looking for.
To identify these keywords, carefully read the job posting. Look for repeated skills, qualifications, and duties. For example, terms like “financial reporting,” “budget management,” or “regulatory compliance” might be important if they appear often. Using exact phrases from the posting can help your resume get past ATS filters.
Incorporate these terms naturally into your resume content. For instance, instead of saying “Managed budgets,” you could write “Oversaw budget management to optimize financial performance.” This way, you’re mirroring the language of the job description while showcasing your experience.
Creating targeted resumes not only improves ATS compatibility but also improves your appeal to employers. By customizing your resume with specific job requirements, you significantly increase your chances of landing an interview and ultimately securing a position as a controller.
Don’t let little errors keep you from getting the job! Our ATS Resume Checker helps find mistakes, missing keywords, and layout problems in your resume before you send it out.
Salary Insights for Controllers
Understanding salary data can help you decide on your career path or if moving to a new city is right for you. Check out more information below to make informed decisions about your career.
Top 10 highest-paying states for controllers
Controllers earn varying salaries across the United States, with a national average of $126,006. The table below highlights the states where controllers command the highest compensation.
Our salary information comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. This official government data provides the most comprehensive and reliable salary information for writers across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The figures presented here reflect the May 2025 dataset, which is the most recent available as of this publication.
State | Average Salary |
---|---|
Virginia | $171,440 |
Minnesota | $164,870 |
Georgia | $157,770 |
Illinois | $156,590 |
Texas | $155,660 |
California | $152,970 |
New York | $151,270 |
Washington | $150,020 |
Kansas | $148,420 |
Utah | $147,090 |
FAQ
Do I need to include a cover letter with my controller resume?
Yes, including a tailored cover letter with your controller resume can give you an edge in the hiring process. A cover letter lets you highlight specific achievements, like managing budgets or streamlining financial systems, and connect them directly to the company’s needs. To start crafting one quickly, try our Cover Letter Generator.
A cover letter is also your chance to show your understanding of their industry, whether it’s manufacturing, healthcare, or another sector, and explain how your expertise aligns with their goals. Explore cover letter examples to see how others showcase their skills effectively.
If you’ve implemented significant cost-saving measures or led successful audits in previous roles, this is the perfect place to elaborate briefly on those accomplishments.
How long should a controller’s resume be?
For a controller, your resume can be either one or a two-page resume, depending on your experience and expertise.
If you’re early in your career or have less than ten years of experience, aim for a concise one-page resume to highlight key skills like financial analysis, budgeting, and regulatory compliance.
If you have extensive experience or specialized accounting certifications, a two-page resume might fit. Make sure every detail is relevant and highlights significant achievements like improving financial processes or managing large teams.
To find more tailored advice based on your career stage, explore resources about how long a resume should be for additional tips and examples.
How do you write a controller resume with no experience?
Creating a controller resume without direct experience involves highlighting your transferable skills, education, and any related experiences that can demonstrate your potential for the role. Check out these tips to build a strong resume with no experience:
- Emphasize your education: Start with your degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. Include relevant coursework like financial analysis, accounting principles, or management courses to show foundational knowledge.
- Showcase relevant internships or projects: Highlight any internships, volunteer work, or academic projects where you used financial skills. Detail tasks like budget management, financial reporting, or data analysis to reflect practical experience.
- Highlight transferable skills: Controllers need strong analytical abilities and attention to detail. Mention skills like financial modeling, skill in Excel, or familiarity with accounting software, even if gained through school projects or personal learning.
- Include certifications: If you have certifications such as CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in process or completed, list them prominently as they demonstrate commitment and expertise.
Consider using a functional resume format, which focuses on skills rather than chronological experience. This approach can better showcase your readiness for a controller position.
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