Accounts Payable Specialist Resume Guide + Tips + Example

Kellie Hanna, CPRW
By Kellie Hanna, CPRW, Career Advice ExpertRated 4.5/5 Stars
Last Updated: August 25, 2023
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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.

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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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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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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

  1. 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.

  2. Practice.

    Practice really does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as: 

    Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend.

  3. 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?
  4. 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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