Accounts Payable Specialist Resume Guide + Tips + Example
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Want a job as an accounts payable specialist? Then you need a great accounts payable specialist resume. We’re here to help. Use our guide to create a stand-out resume for an accounts payable specialist and make the most of your budget control and organizational skills.
Start by editing this accounts payable specialist resume sample or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find the best resume template for you.
Accounts payable specialist resume example (text version)
Ava Taylor
Denver, CO 80439
555 555 5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Accomplished accounts payable specialist with a high degree of professionalism and strong problem resolution capabilities. Maintains 100% accuracy in processing invoices. Proficient at vendor management and thrives in challenging, fast-paced environments. Dedicated to providing current state-of-accounts reports to inform cash flow management decisions.
Work History
October 2011 – Current
Richie Restaurant Group – Denver, CO
Accounts Payable Specialist
- Efficiently process vendor invoices and maintain up-to-date system, improving productivity by 35%.
- Open and assign over 300 new vendor accounts.
- Coordinate approval processes of all accounts payable invoices.
- Balance batch summary reports for verification and approval.
- Prepare month-end closing entries for detailed reporting and research and resolve all payment problems.
April 2008 – September 2011
Weller Machining – Denver, CO
Accounts Payable Assistant
- Verified details of transactions, including funds available and total account balances.
- Revamped 70% of the accounting quality system to prepare for important audits.
- Renegotiated payment terms with dozens of suppliers.
- Coded the general ledger and processed vendor invoice payments.
- Rectified escalated accounts payable issues from employees and vendors, reducing loss by 85%.
April 2007 – March 2008
Garrett Roofing – Denver, CO
Accounts Payable Clerk
- Assisted management in developing effective accounts payable system to bring all delinquent accounts current.
- Developed monthly tracking reports to keep management informed of due and past-due vendor invoices.
- Applied proper codes to invoices, files and receipts to keep records organized and easily searchable.
- Prepared over 200 vendor invoices and processed incoming payments.
Skills
- Vendor management
- Bank reconciliation
- Reporting
- Regulatory compliance
- Budget control
- Accounts administration
- Organized
- Proactive
- Self-motivated
- Detail-oriented
Education
- 2011 – January 2016
University of Colorado Denver Aurora, CO
Bachelor of Science Accounting - Coursework emphasis in Accounting, Business and Mathematics
5 essentials of a top accounts payable specialist resume
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our accounts payable specialist resume example shows, your contact information must include your full name, your city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last.
Personal statement
A personal statement, also known as a professional summary, is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you offer. Your summary must include job-relevant skills and one or two notable accomplishments. It should also touch on how long you’ve been in the industry. If you are applying for your first job or changing careers, use an accounts payable specialist resume objective instead.
Skills
Create a skills section on your resume so hiring managers can see if you match their needs. Add your job-relevant skills to a bulleted list. It’s best to include both hard and soft skills, such as regulatory compliance and building vendor relationships.
Work history
Whether this is your first job or you’ve been at it for decades, a resume for an accounts payable specialist must include a section to display your job history. In reverse-chronological order, show your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them. Include three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list.
Education
An accounts payable specialist resume must include an education section, whether or not you have a degree. In reverse-chronological order, display the names of the schools and the years you graduated using bullet points. If you did not attend college, list your high school information and the classes you’ve taken since graduating.
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Action words for a stand-out accounts payable specialist resume
Use action words and numbers to add impact to your resume.
Here’s a short list of perfect action words for a accounts payable specialist resume:
- Record
- Report
- Track
- Negotiate
- Code
- Rectify
- Balance
- Coordinate
- Develop
- Verify
- Manage
- Maintain
- Organize
Need a professional resume now? Our Resume Builder has all the tools you need to create a professional resume in minutes! Just fill in one of our templates, and you can make edits as you go, download your finished resume, and save it in any file format you want. It really is that easy!
Top skills for an accounts payable specialist resume
Review the job description closely and match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
As a accounts payable specialist, your skills might include the following:
- Administration
- Management
- Leadership
- Organization
- Compliance
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
- Microsoft Office
- Attention to detail
- Invoice auditing
- Quality control
- Quality assurance
Certifications for an accounts payable specialist resume
Having a certificate for an accounts payable specialist job is not required, but having at least one on your resume will make you shine in the eyes of hiring managers.
Here are a few of the certifications available for accounts payable specialists:
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Accounts payable specialist resume FAQ
1. What is the right way to include keywords in an accounts payable specialist resume?
Having the right keywords in your resume is more important than ever, as employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes based on keywords. Browse through the job requirements and find words that spell out the job’s major requirements, such as “bank reconciliation” or “Manage vendor relationships.” then match these keywords with your abilities and work experiences, and include them in your resume.
For example, you could include a skill like “Efficiently managed 75+ accounts per month” in your work history section.
2. What does an accounts payable specialist resume look like?
There is no standard accounts payable specialist resume template; you can use any of our resume templates and customize them for the job you want. A good resume for an accounts payable specialist will look like the sample resume on this page. It must display the job seeker’s contact information, various hard and soft skills, job history, education and certifications, if applicable. Your resume might also contain sections for awards and honors if the job candidate has them to display.
3. What is the right format for an accounts payable specialist resume?
The resume format you use depends on your experience and goals. If you have a few years of experience in billing, choose the combination resume format, which highlights your noteworthy work history and skills. If you’re a fresh college graduate or are just breaking into the industry, go with the functional resume format, which focuses on your industry-related skills and training. If you have more than five years of experience, go with a chronological resume format, which leans heavily on your work achievements. Refer to resume examples for accounts payable specialists to find the best format for you.
Do’s and don’ts for building an accounts payable specialist resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your accounts payable specialist abilities and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your accounts payable specialist resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target accounts payable specialist job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your accounts payable specialist resume.
- Format your accounts payable specialist resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your accounts payable specialist experience and skills.
- Boast that you’re the “best accounts payable specialist ever.”
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience not pertaining to being an accounts payable specialist.
- Forget to proofread. A accounts payable specialist resume with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing an accounts payable specialist interview
Research.
It’s vital to take the time to learn about the company’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. Doing so conveys interest, passion and commitment — traits that can set you above the competition.
Practice.
Practice really does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- How would your coworkers describe you?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Give me an example of how you juggle multiple deadlines
Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend.
Ask questions.
Always have at least three questions ready for each person you speak with during the interview process. Doing so shows that you’re interested and that you’ve been paying close attention.
Some questions you might ask for an accounts payable specialist job are:
- What is the team’s biggest accomplishment this year?
- What are the biggest challenges of this role?
- What are the expectations about managing workflow within the team?
Prepare references.
Have professional references ready before you enter your interview — you never know if the hiring manager might want to contact them immediately. Ask a former manager and two former colleagues who can speak about your performance and who you know will give you an excellent review.
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Accounts Payable Specialist Resume Example
Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.