This guide explains how to write an entry-level accountant CV that highlights the most relevant experience you have, even if you are new to the profession. You will learn what to include, how to format each section according to UK conventions, and concrete phrasing you can copy into your CV to get noticed by recruiters and applicant tracking systems.
Building a Accountant resume?
Skip the blank page. Start with a template built for this role, then tailor it for each job you apply to.
Tip: use the template as a starting point, then swap in your own numbers and project names.
Contact details and CV headline
Start with a clean contact details block that includes your full name, a UK mobile number, a professional email address, LinkedIn profile URL, and city and postcode. Add a one-line CV headline under your name such as 'Entry-Level Accountant' or 'Accounting Graduate with Internship Experience' to clarify your target role and make your CV scannable.
If applicable, briefly note your right-to-work status in the UK.
Profile
Write a two to three sentence professional profile that focuses on concrete skills and recent achievements rather than vague goals. Mention your degree (e.g.
BSc Accounting or MSc Accounting), a relevant internship or part-time role, two to three accounting skills (e.g. ledger control, reconciliations, financial reporting, VAT/tax compliance), and a measurable outcome when possible to show immediate value.
Education and professional qualifications
List your degree, university, and graduation date in the format DD/MM/YYYY, and include relevant modules such as financial accounting, management accounting, taxation, and auditing. Include UK qualifications such as ACCA/CIMA/ACA status or progress, AAT, or other recognised credentials, and place qualifications directly under education for emphasis.
For recent graduates, include GCSEs and A-levels if results are strong; mention UCAS status or any outstanding exams if relevant.
Presenting relevant experience
For a UK entry-level CV, treat internships, placement years, part-time roles, volunteering in bookkeeping or budgeting, and class projects as relevant experience. Use a reverse-chronological layout; for each position include the job title, employer or organisation, location (town and country), dates in DD/MM/YYYY format, and three to five bullet points that start with strong action verbs and show outcomes or improvements.
Focus on tasks such as reconciliations, reporting, and audit support.
Experience statements: Examples
Translate duties into impact by pairing the task with a result or scale. For example, write 'Reconciled weekly bank statements for four small business clients, delivering accurate month-end closes' or 'Processed supplier invoices to reduce the accounts payable cycle time by 25%, while maintaining accuracy.'
Additional Tips
- 1If you completed an accounting capstone or final-year project, include a two-to-three-line description naming the dataset, software tools, and a key finding or deliverable to demonstrate applied experience. This provides concrete evidence of working with real financial information.
- 2When possible, quantify volunteer roles or student activities by describing the number of accounts, transactions, or budgets managed to show scale and responsibility. Employers look for transferable accounting skills, so highlight reconciliations, financial reporting, and audit support.
- 3Prepare a concise portfolio or one-page project summary you can share via a link that includes anonymised spreadsheets, reconciliations, or management accounts you produced to demonstrate technical ability beyond the CV. Label files clearly and keep client data private and anonymised.