Accountants can make or break a company’s finances. And since companies hire accountants with care to keep their finances in order, getting hired is competitive.
You have the skills to make any company proud, but even the best accountant resume might not be enough. It’s hard to argue with a killer resume and cover letter, though.
Problem is, creating a cover letter can be as hard as building a resume, especially if you’re better with numbers than prose.
We know it’s no fun having towrite a cover letter, but we’ll help you worry less and write better with our accountant cover letter examples, writing guide, and AI cover letter generator so you can wow employers and get the accounting role you want.
Why this cover letter works
- Matthias leverages Stone Environmental’s mission statement throughout his cover letter, and he includes his experience working with other environmental science companies to show how he’s participated in a similar mission.
- For your accounting cover letter, find a way to incorporate the company’s mission into your experience. You can also discuss how you supported that mission at previous jobs.
- Stone Environmental mentions company values throughout its job ad, including quality, innovation, improving the environment, and employee ownership. Matthias addresses these values throughout his letter and discusses his own big-picture goal to use accounting in a way that benefits the outside world.
- If the employer lists a vision statement, this could be a way to make a connection. Incorporate their vision into your cover letter by referencing it concerning your own vision for the future. This tells the employer you share the same goals.
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Why this cover letter works
- See how Aria talks about running a small business during her university years, sharing the challenges and wins of handling financials and mastering account reconciliation.
- Such is an unexpected twist that showcases a practical understanding of accounting principles and entrepreneurial spirit. Strive for a similar trick to make your assistant accountant cover letter captivating.
Why this cover letter works
- Stand out from the pack by spotlighting your objectives for the role within your staff accountant cover letter’s intro, something Liam executes perfectly in his masterpiece. It radiates relevance and your dedication to the company’s success.
- In so doing, align your aim with the potential employer’s needs, demonstrating a convergence of interests that suggests beneficial mutual fulfillment.
Why this cover letter works
- Throughout the letter, Samaria addresses AMP Services’ job ad, discussing experience where she completed responsibilities similar to what AMP Service needs and even including key phrases from the job description itself, like “deadline-driven environment” and “hands-on familiarity.”
- Use the accountant job listing to find out what the company needs and the skills they value. Then you can mention past positions and achievements relevant to the company’s mission in your senior accountant cover letter.
- While not every paragraph lists the company’s name, the whole letter is focused. Each paragraph explains one concept that relates to the company and job description.
- For example, AMP Services’ job ad states they need someone who “resolves account discrepancies by investigating documentation.” Samaria speaks directly to this in a paragraph focused on reviewing documentation and how she improved the system.
Accounts Payable Specialist Cover Letter Example
USE THIS TEMPLATE
Why this cover letter works
- Malik goes above and beyond, explaining how he completed relevant past accounting duties but also drove real and significant change in his workplace.
- Describe how you’ve positively impacted the company as a whole beyond just measurable accounting metrics. You don’t have to have cured cancer, but employers like to see that you invest in your work beyond duties.
- This accounts payable specialist cover letter addresses the company immediately and explains why Malik wants to apply—he shares Alterra’s vision of making outdoor sports more accessible.
- Snatch the company’s attention with a company-focused intro. Give them a compelling reason you’re applying—needing to pay the bills won’t convince employers you’re the right candidate for the job, even if it’s truthful.
Accountant resume
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3 Steps to Writing Your Accountant Cover Letter
An amazing accountant cover letter is two things: specific and separate from your resume. Your cover letter should stand on its own as a concise, detailed document that highlights your qualifications.
Step 1: Due diligence comes first
Many people use the same cover letter repeatedly, but that won’t impress your future employer. Just as you can see financial trouble from a mile away, employers can spot a recycled cover letter within seconds. So, tailor your cover letter to each job for which you apply.
Just as you can see financial trouble from a mile away, employers can spot a recycled cover letter within seconds.
Stuck on where to start? Let the accountant job description you’ve found guide you. Does the company need someone who has experience with Quickbooks? Explain how you used it to manage invoices for annual grants to the community college you worked for last year. Does the job ad mention a need for improved accounting processes? Describe how you implemented a mentorship program that reduced error rates by 33%.
Do your research to confidently address how you can meet the company’s needs. You can also address the soft and hard skills they require; if they need someone to assist with annual audits, discuss how your time reconciling accounts means you have a keen attention to detail and a strong grasp of GAAP and FASB standards. In essence, take what you know and use it to show you have the necessary skills.
Step 2: Go beyond your resume
Most cover letters summarize their accompanying resume in boring, professional jargon, which won’t inspire someone to hire you.
Your accounting cover letter must convince the employer to seriously consider you even if they haven’t seen your resume. It needs to dig deeper than your resume allows and tell the story of your career.
What are your crowning achievements, and how did they impact your workplace or clients’ financial operations? Refer back to why you’re applying for this role and how you’ll change the company for the better.
Think of it this way: your resume is a shallow pool, but your cover letter is a narrow trench. One gives a general overview of your qualifications while the other explores a few experiences in-depth. Below, we’ve shared two examples that dive into the trench.
- We identified and eliminated multiple unnecessary expenditures, saving a total of $750+ for each project associated with reef research, particularly for their survey work regarding coral cover on the mesophotic reefs of Palau. This specific project spurred my interest in environmental care, particularly water quality and wastewater management.
- With every document, I identified discrepancies or errors and collaborated with my team members to craft solutions, resulting in a significant decrease in error resolution time and an invoice exception rate of over 27 percent. For every client, I reached out after four months to ensure their financial departments were still running smoothly.
Both mention responsibilities that should also be on the resume, but they explain the significance of their work and what happened afterward.
Step 3: Do communicate the right message
Now that you know what to include, let’s discuss how to include it. Keep in mind this is still a letter; it should be informative without going over a page, and it needs to sound professional without being stuffy.
Much like a normal letter, imagine you’re having a conversation. You need to be professional, but you should also be relatable and interesting. And just like a good conversation, you should always circle back to how you can improve the employer’s business.
The good news is you can revise your cover letter before you send it. Review your cover letter with the same precision you apply when reviewing financial transactions. As you revise, shorten your sentences, improve your word choice, and establish your personality. We won’t say it’s fun, but revision is an essential step to writing a cover letter that gets you the job.
Outline Your Accountant Cover Letter
Staring at a blank page can be intimidating, especially when it comes to cover letters. Never fear, BeamJobs is here! Use our outline to organize your cover letter to perfection.
Your contact info: Your future employer will need to contact you at some point, so include your number, email, and your location (city and state). And of course, they’ll need your full name, so don’t forget to enter that into your template. Many employers also ask to see your LinkedIn profile.
- Formatting: Whether you’re using a template or a block format, leave your name out of your address. If you’re using a template, put your name on the letterhead. If you’re using a block format, only include your name in your signature.
Date: Every letter needs a date, but if you’re using a template or outline, don’t forget to change the date when you submit. If you sent your letter in April but started drafting it in February, the hiring manager may look at you funny.
- Formatting: Write out the full date, not just the month and year, e.g. January 3, 2023.
Inside address: It sounds a bit counter-intuitive to include the inside address (aka the recipient’s address) since most cover letters are virtual, but it shows the employer you’ve done your research, and it makes it look more professional and complete.
Include the hiring manager’s name, their title, and the company’s address at the top of your cover letter, left-justified. If you can’t find the company’s complete address or the hiring manager’s name, don’t stress. Try checking on LinkedIn, Facebook, their website, and other job boards.
- Formatting: Each part of the address should be on a new line. Double space between the inside address and greeting.
Example
Joanne Perry
Stone Environmental Human Resources/Office Administrator
535 Stone Cutters Way
Montpelier, VT 05602
Greeting: Just like a good handshake, a good greeting (also called a salutation) helps you make the right first impression. Always say “Dear [Name]” instead of “hello” or any other iteration. (It is a business letter, after all.) Then, address the employer/hiring manager by name. This shows you’ve taken the time to research who’s in charge of the hiring process.
- Formatting: After your greeting, you can use either a colon or a comma; colons are typically used in business letters, but a comma works if the company is more casual. Whether you use a comma or a colon, don’t forget to include their title of “Mr.” or Ms.” and don’t ever just use their first name.
Body: The body of your accountant cover letter should cover why you’re interested in the position, your credentials, and your enthusiasm for future discussion. We’ll take a look at each section.
- Formatting: Single-space the text in your body, but be sure to double-space between paragraphs.
Opening paragraph: Just like a good book, you’ve got to get your reader hooked from the first line. That’s hard to accomplish, though, which is why so many cover letter openings sound like this (and yes, we’ve seen this actual example!).
Example
When I found the job listing at Alterra Mountain Company, it sounded like a dream come true.
While this has potential, it’s generic and lifeless. Even the cliché “dream come true” phrase can’t strengthen this intro. This example, though, enthusiastically shows your interest and your credentials.
Example
I first heard about Alterra Mountain Company when you joined the Climate Collaborative Charter, and ever since, I’ve wanted to join your community of passionate outdoor adventurers who love the mountains and their communities with equal fervor. As a CAPP with four years of accounts payable experience, I know I can manage your travel and expense systems, resolve system issues, and support Alterra Mountain staff as your Travel & Expenses Accounts Payable Specialist.
This tells the employer that the candidate not only knows about but values the company’s mission. He also makes it clear that he’s studied what this role will entail.
If you’re struggling to write your intro, write a few openers until you get one that sounds right. Sometimes it takes a few tries, and that’s okay—just keep trying until you hit one that’s focused and engaging.
Paragraphs 2-3: These paragraphs support your claims in the opening paragraph. Each paragraph should focus on a clear accomplishment. Maybe you managed grants totaling over $15 million for a community college, or maybe you initiated daily reporting to reduce manual reporting work hours.
Avoid the temptation to tackle too much per paragraph; you can’t go into as much detail (save the list of your credentials for your resume, instead). Here’s a good example of a focused discussion of a significant milestone.
Example
Within the hospitality industry, I have three years of experience working as an accountant for the Goode Company Restaurant Group. I learned how to work within a team-oriented and deadline-driven environment while managing multiple accounts. By the end of my time there, I had lowered the cost per invoice and invoice exception rate by 17 percent, and through my partnership with management, improved the budget to actual variance by 13 percent.
This paragraph gives a general overview of the candidate’s past role without getting sidetracked. It also includes some phrases from the job description, including “team-oriented” and “deadline-driven” while including metrics.
Closing paragraph: Finish strong with a sentence summary of how your values and qualifications align with the company’s needs. Lastly, give a call to action. Whatever you do, don’t end the way 99 percent of other accountants will, like this.
Example
I believe I would be a good fit for the senior accountant position, and I hope to talk more with you soon about my qualifications.
It’s not that those sentiments are untrue, but they’re, once again, generic and lifeless. This close, however, will leave a positive lasting impression.
Example
Achieving these goals has been rewarding, but I’m excited to master new skills and handle multiple dynamic projects that will help provide scientific tools, information, and analyses to help clients solve environmental challenges. Stone Environmental is a place where I can live my values, grow my skills, collaborate with a motivated, talented team, and assist employees directly. I would be thrilled to share more of my experience with you and look forward to connecting soon.
Signature: Make sure you say “thank you” if you didn’t do that in the closing paragraph. Then sign off with a professional closing phrase along with your name.
- Formatting: If you’re presenting hard copies of your accountant cover letter, you’ll want to physically sign the document, so quadruple space after the closing phrase to leave enough room for your signature in handy black/blue ink.
Example
Best regards,
Samaria Singh
Enclosure(s): Lots of cover letters miss this step, but this alerts the hiring manager to what follows your knockout cover letter. As an accountant, you’ll want to include your resume, the job application form, and any reference letters requested in the job ad. Employers may also ask for your college transcript or CPA/CMA licenses, although many just ask for the application and your resume.
- Formatting: Use the singular or plural form of “enclosure” depending on how many documents you attach. If you say “enclosures” but only have your resume, it feels like you copied and pasted it from a template.
Example
Enclosures:
Resume
Application
2 letters of recommendation
CAPP certification
Takeoff with Your Accountant Resume
Now that you have the resources you need to make your cover letter shine, don’t neglect your accountant resume. They’re two sides of the same coin, so make sure your resume is just as polished as your cover letter. After all, your resume is where you can list the duties you excel at, such as analyzing balance sheet accounts and checking compliance with financial policies and procedures.
We know—it’s exhausting writing financial reports all day only to have to write a resume on top of your cover letter. We ease the process with our quick 11 steps on how to make a good resume, and we have free resume templates like this one, which you can edit right now, to help you start (or rewrite) your resume.
Senior Accountant Resume
Need a resume to pair with your senior accountant cover letter?
You have what it takes, so let our tools empower you to take your career documents from general to great. We’re cheering for you, and when you land your next accounting role, be sure and let us in on your great news!
The best approach is to adjust to match the company, but always leave a little room for error and keep things professional if you’re unsure. Browse through the accountant job description and company website—if both are casual, it’s all right for you to be semi-relaxed, too. Keep in mind that accounting involves a lot of hard data and finances are at stake, so maintain a tone of respect and professionalism, but don’t use big words if the job listing doesn’t—it’s important to sound human.
Much like your accountant resume, the cover letter may be scanned and skimmed, so it’s best not to make it too long. Try to keep it around 300 words. Go over it and edit it a few times, cutting out things that don’t accurately showcase your excitement at joining the company or your specific skills as an accountant, such as your background in corporate taxes.
It’s okay to have a template you refer back to every time you apply, but it’s best to update every paragraph to match the job listing. Include the company name, role, and references to the job itself throughout. For instance, if you’d be working in accounts payable, you can talk about your experience using QuickBooks to manage invoices.
