Top Forensic Accounting sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers & results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a strong Forensic Accounting experience section
Forensic Accounting Resume Experience Section: Ultimate Checklist
- Use no more than 4-6 bullet points per position;
- List relevant positions and situations that add value to your application;
- Describe situations, tasks, actions, and results (the S-T-A-R method);
- Remember to include numbers in whatever form you like (e.g. the number of projects you’ve finished);
- Begin each bullet point with an action verb.
If you prefer to be led by example, check out some great Forensic Accounting resume experience section snippets below!
- Analyzed and traced over $10M in assets and liabilities for high-profile legal cases.
- Created and presented accounting schedules and reports for court, resulting in a 90% success rate in settling cases.
- Managed financial investigations, resulting in the successful prosecution of a fraudulent employee who embezzled over $500,000.
- Developed and implemented a new tax return analysis process, resulting in a 30% increase in efficiency.
- Collaborated with attorneys, investigators, and other professionals to provide accurate and reliable financial information for legal proceedings.
- Maintained detailed records of all accounting procedures, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards.
- Performed financial statement audits for over 20 clients, resulting in the identification and resolution of several accounting errors and irregularities.
- Prepared and reviewed tax returns for individuals and small businesses, resulting in an average tax savings of 15% for clients.
- Provided financial consulting services to clients, resulting in a 25% increase in revenue for one client.
- Collaborated with team members and managed multiple client engagements simultaneously, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of services.
- Maintained accurate and complete financial records and reports for clients, ensuring compliance with relevant accounting standards and regulations.
- Performed loss quantification and business valuation for a major client that resulted in a successful settlement worth £1.2M
- Prepared bid-proposal documents that secured a £500K corporate finance deal for a mid-sized company
- Analyzed complex business models and produced meaningful reports that led to increased profits for clients
- Collaborated with team members to deliver high-quality services and maintain a positive working relationship with clients
- Kept up-to-date with regulatory frameworks and attended regular training courses to improve technical knowledge
- Contributed to the preparation of forensic accounting reports for high-profile litigation cases involving matrimonial disputes
- Conducted extensive research and data analysis to identify financial discrepancies and inconsistencies
- Assisted in the development of new strategies for loss quantification and business valuation
- Maintained accurate records and documentation for all assignments
PRO TIP
In writing your Forensic Accounting resume, you will no doubt want to list your previous duties - as you should. But steer clear of just listing your duties, instead of your achievements. Make your resume stand out by communicating what you have done, and not merely what the job needed you to do.
Action Verbs for your Forensic Accounting Resume
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Forensic Accounting Resume: The Skills Section!
Forensic Accounting Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Match your hard skills to the job description;
- Add keywords to pass applicant tracking systems;
- Don’t list soft skills such as ’teamwork’ – rather, mention how they’ve helped you gain success in some other sections of your Forensic Accounting resume;
- List only skills you actually have, keep lying out of the picture.
Top skills for your forensic accounting resume
Accounting principles
Financial analysis
Auditing
Fraud detection
Data analysis
Excel proficiency
Tax preparation
Forensic technology
Investigation techniques
Litigation support
Attention to detail
Critical thinking
Problem solving
Communication
Time management
Teamwork
Objectivity
Integrity
Analytical skills
Interpersonal skills
PRO TIP
Don’t feel obliged to spend a separate section for your soft skills - you can weave them throughout your job experience or career summary. But, don’t just write empty words - back them with examples.
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Forensic Accounting resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Forensic Accounting resume summary checklist:
- Mention your position and total years of experience in the field;
- Highlight 1-2 of your top achievements;
- Go for shorter sentences and keep them to the point – don’t include anything that doesn’t support your application;
- Add 2-4 keywords present in the job description.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
When writing a resume summary or objective, avoid first-person narrative.
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Choosing the Best Format for Your Forensic Accounting Resume
The content of your Forensic 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’).
Forensic Accounting Resume Formatting Checklist
- Choose the resume format based on your level of experience and the company you’re applying for
- Go for a traditional 10-12p font
- Stick to 1-inch page margins to ensure high readability
- Match the length of your resume to your experience, but don’t go for more than two pages!
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.