Top Big 4 Accounting sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers & results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a job-winning experience section: Big 4 Accounting resume edition
Checklist: Ways to Make Your Experience Section Stand Out
- Find balance: use 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for;
- Use action verbs when describing your responsibilities and results;
- Highlight your achievements by adding numbers to them (e.g. instead of saying “achieved a steady increase in…”, say “achieved an X% increase in…”);
- Prove that you’re willing to work hard, both individually and in a team.
Need examples? We looked through thousands of Big 4 Accounting resumes and gathered some examples of what the ideal experience section looks like. Check them out below!
- Managed ATS for over 50 clients, generating $5M in revenue annually
- Increased revenue by 20% through cross-selling services to existing clients and acquiring new clients
- Streamlined audit preparation process, reducing audit time by 15% and increasing accuracy
- Assisted clients in successfully completing 3 IPOs by ensuring S-1 compliance and fulfilling filing requirements
- Provided technical accounting research and implementation for 20 clients, resolving complex accounting issues
- Assisted clients in completing 5 M&A transactions, providing due diligence, purchase price allocation, post-transaction support, and integration
- Managed 10 project advisory engagements, including PMO, needs analysis/requirements planning, and technical assistance and planning
- Developed and implemented training program for team members, resulting in 100% of team members passing CPA exam
- Received highest client satisfaction rating among all managing directors for 3 consecutive years
- Developed and implemented new accounting policies and procedures, resulting in a 20% reduction in monthly close time.
- Led a project to automate financial reporting processes, resulting in a 50% reduction in manual effort and increased accuracy.
- Managed the successful implementation of a new ERP system, ensuring a seamless transition and minimal business disruption.
- Developed and delivered technical accounting training sessions to team members, improving overall knowledge and expertise.
- Led audit engagements for clients with revenues ranging from $500M to $1B, managing teams of up to 15 professionals.
- Developed and maintained strong client relationships, resulting in repeat business and referrals.
- Identified and communicated accounting and financial reporting issues to clients and provided recommendations for resolution.
- Managed the development of audit plans, budgets, and timelines, ensuring adherence to deadlines and quality standards.
- Coached and mentored junior staff members, providing guidance on technical and professional development.
- Implemented new accounting systems and processes for portfolio companies, resulting in increased efficiency and accuracy.
- Managed the monthly close process for portfolio companies, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
- Provided technical accounting guidance to portfolio companies on revenue recognition, lease accounting, and equity-based compensation.
- Led due diligence efforts for potential acquisitions, providing detailed financial analysis and recommendations.
PRO TIP
Include quantitative data throughout your Big 4 Accounting resume to impress the hiring manager. Real facts and figures that show off your competency as an audit manager go a long way. Did you reduce the costs of audits? Manage a large team? Boosted efficiency? Show off the real numbers!
Action Verbs for your Big 4 Accounting Resume
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Big 4 Accounting Resume: How to Write a Strong Skills Section
How to write a strong Big 4 Accounting resume skills section?
- Make sure to include all types of skills - soft, hard, technical;
- Focus on skills that show your expertise in the field;
- Check the job description for keywords and make sure to add them to your resume – this will help you pass ATS;
- Leave room for discussion – elaborate on some of your strongest skills in other sections of your resume
Top skills for your big 4 accounting resume
Financial statement analysis
Auditing
Tax preparation
GAAP knowledge
Excel proficiency
Data analysis
Financial modeling
Accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks)
Cost accounting
Risk management
Attention to detail
Communication
Problem-solving
Time management
Collaboration
Critical thinking
Leadership
Client service
Adaptability
Project management
PRO TIP
Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.
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Big 4 Accounting resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Mastering the summary section: Checklist
- Mention the total years of experience you have in the field;
- Focus on 2 to 3 of your top achievements;
- Highlight the things that make you the best fit for the position;
- Go for short, easy-to-read sentences to keep the recruiter’s attention.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Highlight specific past projects that you’re most proud of in your summary. It sets an excellent tone for the rest of your resume. You can talk about all of your former jobs in your work experience section later on.
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Choosing the Best Format for Your Big 4 Accounting Resume
The content of your Big 4 Accounting resume is what will get you hired, right?
But even when your content’s amazing and you’re a true over-achiever, recruiters might not think you’re a good fit if your resume looks messy or is not formatted the right way.
In general, there are three basic resume formats we advise you to stick with:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Deciding which one to use depends on your experience, the industry, and the company. In short — you need to know what your applicant profile is.
For instance, reverse-chronological resumes are great for people with over 10 years of experience and no employment gaps. Here, you need to list all your relevant experience in a reverse-chronological format, starting from the most recent and going back to less recent positions.
Functional skills-based resumes, on the other hand, are great for entry-level applicants, graduate students, or people who have different kinds of experience. It focuses on skills, education, and character traits, rather than experience.
If none of these work for you, and you dream of adopting a more creative approach that makes a difference, the combination (or hybrid) resume format is exactly what you’re looking for. It allows you to focus on both your experience and your skills, making it a ‘best of both worlds’ format. It’s also suitable for those who want to spice things up by adding different creative sections (e.g. ‘life philosophy’ or ‘what my day looks like’).
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
