Project Accountant Resume: Example and Tips

A project accountant is responsible for managing a company’s accounting system, monitoring project costs and supplier expenses, checking customer billings and payments and assisting with financial administration. A project accountant can be an entry-level or mid-level position, depending on work experience.

Use our resume examples and tips to assist you in building your own professional accountant resume.

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Project Accountant Resume Example

Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Project Accountant Resume

  1. Summary This section should be a concise description of your skills and work experience. Read the job description and identify your essential skills that best match requirements. For example, if the job includes involvement with project contracts, you could write: “Driven and motivated accountant with an in-depth understanding of project contracts.” Make sure to mention work accomplishments relevant to the job. For example, for a job that requires analyzing estimated costs and direct job costs, you could write: “Analyzed estimated and direct job costs, leading to an increase of 35% in spending efficiency.”
  2. Skills Focus on prerequisites such as expertise in financial and project management, and proficiency spreadsheet and accounting software. Since this role requires project supervision and coordination, soft skills such as analytical thinking, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, ability to work under pressure and manage deadlines, should also be featured.
  3. Work history Highlight your achievements; providing details on accomplishments is better at catching the recruiter’s attention than just listing duties. For example, write “Modified complex balance sheet reconciliation, reducing errors by 25%” instead of “Changed the format of balance sheet reconciliation.”
  4. Education This position usually requires a bachelor degree in accounting, business or finance. Be sure to include advanced degrees or training, such as being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

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Find the Right Template for your Resume

Finding it a challenge to pick the right design for your resume? Use one of these professionally-designed templates.

Modern

This layout uses judicious spacing and subtle use of color resume fonts to ensure maximum readability, and a no-fuss look.

Centered

The bold header of this template accentuates the applicant name and summary statement, while leaving plenty of room to customize content.

Deluxe

Dotted lines divide each section in this design, resulting in a crisp, professional look. The alignment of section headings on the left makes for easy navigation.

For more than 20 other free designs you can use to build your resume, visit our resume templates page.

Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume

  • Do highlight relevant skills Your first priority in composing your resume is making sure that you’ve included the right skills for the job. Read the job description and pick out important phrases that describe what the job requires (e.g., “maintaining financial statements,” “general ledger accounts” or “monitoring the project budget and costs”), along with specific account software knowledge (e.g., strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite). Make sure you address these skills in your resume, and show how you’ve deployed them in your work experiences. Don’t forget to mention intangible skills that show employers how you approach your work, such as effective oral and written communication, or the ability to multitask.
  • Do present a story through your resume Your skills, qualifications and work experience should work together to explain why you’re the right candidate for the job. Use your summary as an “elevator pitch” to sum yourself up, and then provide details through your skills and work history that show how you’ve succeeded. Describe your accomplishments using action verbs. For example: “Managed and monitored employee payroll” rather than “Was responsible for payroll functions for employees.”
  • Do back your achievements with proven figures Everyone will list regular duties in their resumes; quantify your achievements to stand above the crowd. For example: “Introduced an automated system for filing process, leading to 80% reduction in processing time.” These descriptions show how you add concrete value to a company, and will make a stronger impact on employers.
  • Don’t write a lengthy resume It’s been shown that recruiters spend barely 7 seconds on each resume. The longer your resume, the greater the chance that important information gets missed. Stick to details that directly address what the job needs, use short and punchy sentences and bullet points, and aim for a resume around one page long.
  • Don’t stretch the facts or exaggerate It might be tempting to stretch the truth about your skills and experiences, especially if you think you’re short on qualifications, but getting caught in a lie can be damaging for your career. If you’re short on experience, feature volunteer or extracurricular work (e.g., volunteering as an accountant for a nonprofit) that applies to the job, or make sure you emphasize your ability to work hard and pick up new skills quickly in your summary and skills sections.
  • Don’t forget your awards and certifications Mention any special recognitions you’ve received on previous jobs, or any publications or other credits you have that are related to accounting. You should also mention activities such as volunteer work or internships that also tie in with what the job needs, as well as certifications and courses you’ve completed or are currently pursuing, such as a certificate in Accounting Fundamentals.