Key Skills to Become an Accountant [entry-level, medium, senior]

An accountant is a specialist that makes sure the company’s financial statements are in order. Becoming an accountant requires mastering accountant skills. To craft a winning resume, you might contact Skillhub expert resume editors and let your accomplishments shine. Before that happens, check the article and accountant resume sample to:

• Learn about the basic skills you need;
• Learn how to put your skills into a resume; 
• Find the main influencers in the field to follow. 

Keep reading to learn more.

What is Accountant

An accountant is a person who develops the company’s financial statements and budget analysis by applying their accountant technical skills. However, this is not where skills of an accountant end. The accountant’s communication skills are also important since these specialists issue salaries, wage payments, and invoices. As one can see, no company can survive without a good accountant. Hence, their role is enormous.

To expand your job opportunities and succeed in the industry, we advise you to upgrade your skill set. 

Accountant Technical Skills

Some of the core technical skills for accountant will be as follows:

• Strong knowledge of accounting regulations and practices. You should know how to apply the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to ensure the company’s transactions meet standardization criteria; 
• Strong knowledge of accounting software. As an accountant, you’ll have to work with spreadsheets software and create presentations for your customers after; 
• Critical thinking and analytical skills. Some employers will need you to identify the smallest financial problems and develop a strategy to address them.

Accountant Non-Technical Skills

All careers require a professional to show their soft skills like communication and teamwork. 

• Strong verbal and written communication. One of the essential soft skills for an accountant, since most people understand nothing about numbers and budgets; 
• Self-organization and time management. Following deadlines will be one of your duties because a company needs its financial statements performed in time;
• Teamwork. Employers prefer agreeable people who are ready to share their ideas and be compassionate to others.

The Most Essential Skills to Land the Position

As you might have already guessed, recruiting firms pay attention to both technical and non-technical skills when it comes to matching the candidate with a potential employer. 

Most recruiters will tell you that to land a job as an accountant you’ll need the following top accountant skills: 

• Critical thinking;
• The knowledge of tools and programs that maximize the results of your work and save you time;
• Superb written and verbal communication skills; 
• Strong knowledge of finance-related regulations;
• Teamwork. 

Critical Thinking

When you hear of critical thinking, you might think of an IT specialist first. Sure, to code efficiently, one needs strong critical thinking and analytical skills. But guess what - a modern employer will put this skill among the basic skills of an accountant. 

Why so? All because an accountant is a professional responsible for the financial analysis of the company’s operations. As an accountant, one is supposed to avoid mistakes in their statements and suggest new ways to maximize the company’s budget and avoid bankruptcy.

Knowledge of Accounting Tools and Programs

While some professions like a psychologist or a manager require an employee to focus on their relationships with others, an accounting profession is about technical knowledge first. Sure, you’ll have to make your clients and managers happy with your financial analysis. But to do that, learn accounting software first. 

Knowing how to apply the accounting tools will help you avoid calculation-related mistakes and create efficient financial statements. Hence, expand your knowledge of software to upgrade your skills for accountant.

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Communication Skills

Thinking outside the box and providing solutions to the company’s management of its finances are among the core accountant job responsibilities and accountant skills. However, not everyone understands the language of accounting. Your presentations might win awards, and your financial advice might bring millions to the company, but what if you don’t know how to explain your findings to others? 

Communication matters. From time to time, you’ll have to explain your ideas and solve problems while communicating them to others. 

Knowledge of Finance-Related Regulations

One of the top requirements in the accountant skills list. In surroundings driven by deadlines and badly set priorities, it is easy to forget that tax reforms differ depending on the state the company is located in. Will it lead to mistakes? Sure, it will. Hence, learn your tax-related rules to perform flawless financial analysis that will boost the company’s revenue. If you feel that your knowledge of tax regulations is lower than average, reach out to finance agencies or law firms. 

Teamwork

The result of performance in any organization is based on superb teamwork. All because behind each prize-winning product is a team of people inspired to effectively perform and turn their boldest ideas into life. 

Any hiring manager will tell you that teamwork matters since all employers like dealing with friendly and easygoing people. As an accountant, you’ll work in a team of accounting professionals. Hence, put teamwork into your list of demanded skills of an accountant to acquire. 

How to Improve Accountant Skills

So, how to improve skills if you’re an entry-level specialist who lacks successful experience or has no work experience at all because you’ve recently graduated from college? Get hands-on experience and ask for professional advice from your future team members! 

Your accountant skills and abilities will start growing once you get a job in the industry. To get a bot-beating resume, reach out to Skillhub professional resume writers and make sure your resume passes the ATS system. By letting our specialists help you, you’ll land your first job and improve your accountant skills.

Influencers to Follow in Accounting

Blogs for Accounting Specialists

• Accounting Today. A leader in financial thought, this accountant blog will provide you with the recent news in business and finances and teach you about the main trends;
• Blake Oliver. Need to improve your knowledge of accounting software? Read this blogger to upgrade your work and maximize your job results; 
• Sage Advice. The creators of Sage know how to expand your career resources and can give you tips on how to win a job position.

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Twitter Experts

• Sam Antar. As a conman who stole money from companies in the past, Antar helps businesses to find culprits nowadays; 
• Tracy Alloway. Follow this amazing professional to learn everything about market changes; 
• Conor Sen. Need to learn more about statistics? Follow this guy.

How to Showcase Your Skills

How to let your accountant skills shine in your resume?

Choose a Functional format. This is especially important if you’re an industry changer searching for a new workplace;

Hard and Soft skills. Think of your skills as tasks you must divide in two columns. The most important skills go into the Hard Skills section, while secondary skills should be placed in the Soft Skills section;

Attract the recruiter’s attention. Make sure your skills match the ones mentioned in the job post.

Accountant Skills in a Resume Skills Section

When putting your accountant skills into a resume, make sure the section follows a specific structure and is well-organized. For instance, your skills of an accountant might follow the pattern as in the example below. 

Hard Skills

• Superb knowledge of accounting software and tools;
• Superb knowledge of financial regulations;
• Critical thinking and analytical skills;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong organization skills;
• Time management.

Soft Skills

• An ability to take the initiative and be responsible; 
• Teamwork;
• Active listening;
• An ability to learn and constantly grow.

How to Highlight Your Accountant Skills in the Work Experience Section

How to let your top skills for accountant shine in other resume sections? Check an example of a Work Experience section below to expand your career resources. 

MacLine Company

Accountant 

June 2018 - July 2022

• Recorded transactions and mailed invoices;
• Efficiently handled bank deposits and other bank transactions; 
• Analyzed the agency budget and communicated with the third-party agencies.

Contact us to get superb assistance with resume from our Skillhub writers and nail your dream job!

To Sum Up

Congrats! Now you know which accountant skills you need to put in your resume. Among the variety of skills required to be an accountant, we advise you to pay special attention to technical skills like the knowledge of financial regulations and accounting tools. All because these skills make the core of your profession.

Other tips to follow are:

• Mention your skills in the Work Experience section to show the recruiter how your skills helped you efficiently perform your job responsibilities;
• List your non-technical skills as well;
• Follow inspirational bloggers and Twitter leaders to learn more about your profession.

Contact our Skillhub resume writers and get the best ATS-beating resume to start a dream career!