Finance & Accounting · Mid-Senior (4+ yrs)

CPA / Senior Accountant Resume

This sample follows a Colorado CPA from staff accounting into a senior role, connecting close, reporting, and control work to practical outcomes. A strong resume for this position makes close and audit scope clear and puts licensure, accounting systems, and technical strengths where employers can find them.

Resume check

What recruiters and tracking systems look for. A guide, not a prediction.

100 / 100Complete

100%
  • Contact20 / 20
  • Summary20 / 20
  • Experience30 / 30
  • Skills20 / 20
  • Education10 / 10

Contact details

Put these at the top; recruiters and tracking systems look for them first.

Optional. In the US, UK and Canada resumes usually have no photo.

42 words

One job per paragraph; start each achievement on a new line with “-”.

10 skills

Separate skills with commas, for example: Excel, SQL, project planning.

More sections

Projects, certifications, languages or anything else that supports your application.

Licenses & Certifications
Systems

Alex Morgan

CPA / Senior Accountant

  • alex.morgan@example.com
  • +1 555 0100
  • Denver, CO

Summary

Colorado CPA with four years of accounting experience in a regional manufacturing company. Handles month-end close, general ledger reconciliations, and audit support across multiple business units, using NetSuite and advanced Excel. Known for clear workpapers and practical improvements to close controls.

Experience

Senior Accountant at Summit Creek Components, Denver, CO (2024 – Present) - Prepared monthly close schedules for two business units in NetSuite, reducing close completion time from 8 to 6 business days. - Reconciled 35 balance sheet accounts each month and cleared aged items with account owners, lowering balances over 90 days by roughly one-third. - Coordinated annual audit requests and tested key close controls with documented workpapers, resolving 12 prior-year follow-up items before fieldwork. Staff Accountant at Alder Ridge Fabrication, Lakewood, CO (2022 – 2024) - Posted and reviewed recurring journal entries for payroll, inventory, and accruals, supporting a monthly close for a division with three facilities. - Reconciled cash and intercompany accounts weekly, correcting timing differences that cut unresolved items from 24 to 9 per quarter.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Accounting — Western Slope College, Grand Junction, CO (2021)

Skills

  • U.S. GAAP
  • General ledger
  • Month-end close
  • Balance sheet reconciliations
  • Audit support
  • Internal controls
  • NetSuite
  • Advanced Excel
  • Journal entries
  • Variance analysis

Licenses & Certifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Colorado State Board of Accountancy • Colorado CPA license status: active

Systems

• NetSuite ERP • Microsoft Excel: PivotTables, XLOOKUP, Power Query

How to write a CPA / Senior Accountant resume

Put the CPA license near the top

List your active CPA license in a dedicated Licenses & Certifications section near your summary, with the issuing state and current status. State licensing rules differ, so use the board and status that apply to you; do not imply active licensure if a permit or exam is still in progress. Add the license after your name only if that matches your current credential.

Show the close you owned

For each role, state the close scope: number of entities or accounts, your part in the calendar, and how long the close took. Add a modest, supportable outcome such as fewer late reconciliations or a shorter close. Distinguish work you prepared from work you reviewed or approved, since senior accountant roles often include both hands-on entries and review responsibility.

Make audit and control work concrete

Describe the accounting process or control you handled, the evidence you maintained, and what changed as a result. If you supported a financial statement audit or SOX testing, identify that context accurately and name the control area. Avoid implying you owned a company-wide control program if you performed testing or supplied workpapers for another team.

Name systems you can use

List the ERP and reporting tools you have actually used, such as NetSuite or Excel, and connect them to tasks like reconciliations, journal entries, or variance analysis. Include tax work only when it is part of your experience, and clarify whether you prepared filings, gathered support, or reviewed them. Leave out software you have only seen in a demo.

Common keywords

Skills and tools often listed for this role. Use only the ones you have, in the job advert's wording. Click one to copy it.

Action verbs

PreparedReconciledReviewedAnalyzedResolvedImplementedStreamlined

Questions about this role

How long should a CPA or senior accountant resume be?

For four years of relevant experience, one page is often enough if it clearly covers close ownership, reporting, controls, systems, and licensure. Two pages can make sense when you have additional relevant roles, substantial audit or tax work, or specialized industry experience. Keep older or unrelated detail brief so the accounting scope of your recent work remains easy to find.

Should I include my CPA license number?

Usually, list the CPA credential, issuing state, and whether the license is active; a license number is generally unnecessary on a resume. Follow any instructions in the application and the relevant state board's rules. Do not include sensitive personal information simply because a resume template has space for it.

Can I apply for senior accountant jobs before becoming a CPA?

Yes. Employers set their own requirements: some require an active CPA, while others prefer it or accept candidates who are CPA eligible or actively pursuing the exam. State your status accurately, such as exam sections passed or expected completion, only when true. Do not use the CPA title or suggest you hold a license before it is issued.

Which accounting software and standards should I list?

Name the ERP, spreadsheet, and reporting tools you have used in real work, then tie them to tasks or outcomes in your experience bullets. List U.S. GAAP when it reflects your work; include IFRS only if you have applied it. SOX belongs when you have relevant control or testing experience, and the exact expectations vary by employer and role.