One specific CV challenge faced by accounts receivable is the accurate prediction of cash flow to ensure efficient working capital management. By utilising our guide, you'll discover strategies to leverage AI-driven forecasting tools, optimising your financial processes and decision-making.
- Answer job requirements with your accounts receivable CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your accounts receivable CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your accounts receivable CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your accounts receivable CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your accounts receivable CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your accounts receivable CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
PRO TIP
Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a accounts receivable CV
- Key skills in accounts receivable highlight your expertise in managing and tracking financial transactions.
- Professional experience in finance shows your work history and accomplishments in similar roles.
- Educational background with emphasis on accounting or finance outlines your relevant academic qualifications.
- Software proficiency in accounting tools demonstrates your ability to use necessary financial software.
- Achievements in credit control reflects your success in managing and collecting receivables.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your experience with various accounting software and platforms, such as Sage, QuickBooks or Xero, to show familiarity with the tools commonly used in accounts receivable roles.
- Emphasise your ability to manage and reconcile complex accounts, demonstrating your meticulous attention to detail and ability to ensure accuracy in financial records.
- Include specific metrics, such as the volume of invoices processed, the value of receivables managed, or improvements in days sales outstanding (DSO), to provide concrete examples of your effectiveness.
- Showcase your communication skills by mentioning any experience you have liaising with clients or internal departments to resolve payment issues or discrepancies.
- Detail any experience you have with credit control, risk assessment, or setting payment terms, as these are key aspects of the accounts receivable function.
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How to present your contact details and job keywords in your accounts receivable CV header
Located at the top of your accounts receivable CV, the header presents recruiters with your key personal information, headline, and professional photo. When creating your CV header, include your:
- Contact details - avoid listing your work email or telephone number and, also, email addresses that sound unprofessional (e.g. koolKittyCat$3@gmail.com is definitely a big no);
- Headline - it should be relevant, concise, and specific to the role you're applying for, integrating keywords and action verbs;
- Photo - instead of including a photograph from your family reunion, select one that shows you in a more professional light. It's also good to note that in some countries (e.g. the UK and US), it's best to avoid photos on your CV as they may serve as bias.
What do other industry professionals include in their CV header? Make sure to check out the next bit of your guide to see real-life examples:
Examples of good CV headlines for accounts receivable:
- Accounts Receivable Specialist | AAT Certified | Credit Control | 5+ Years' Experience
- Senior Accounts Receivable Analyst | Reconciliation Expert | Cash Flow Management | CICM Member
- Accounts Receivable Team Lead | Invoice Management | Client Relations | 8 Years in Finance
- Accounts Receivable Clerk | Data Entry Pro | Efficient in Receivables Tracking | Recently Qualified
- Accounts Receivable Manager | Strategic Debt Recovery | Financial Reporting | 10+ Years’ Expertise
- Junior Accounts Receivable Coordinator | Billing and Collections Enthusiast | Fast Learner | 2 Years Hands-On Experience
Opting between a accounts receivable CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your accounts receivable CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a accounts receivable job:
- Diligent Accounts Receivable Specialist with over 5 years of comprehensive experience effectively managing invoicing, credit controls, and financial record-keeping for a multimillion-pound organisation. Proven track record in reducing debtor days by 30% and improving cash flow through robust account management strategies.
- Detail-oriented professional, boasting a successful 7-year career in financial analysis, seeking to transition into Accounts Receivable management. Expert in data interpretation with a strong foundation in accounting principles, ready to apply analytical skills to manage receivables efficiently.
- Financial Analyst with a decade's experience in managing large data sets and forecasting trends, aiming to bring analytical acuity to the accounts receivable realm. Keen to leverage big-data experience to ensure accurate billing processes and improve collection times in a dynamic invoice management setting.
- Former Retail Manager, with hands-on experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams over 8 years, eager to apply strong leadership and customer service skills to an Accounts Receivable position. Adept at driving performance and productivity through effective communication and team collaboration.
- Recent finance graduate, enthusiastic about commencing a career in Accounts Receivable. Equipped with fresh knowledge of accounting software and a keen interest in developing practical skills in credit management and financial reporting.
- Aspiring Accounts Receivable Clerk, currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Committed to learning on the job and contributing to the effective management of receivables. Eager to apply academic finance principles to real-world scenarios while developing proficiency in industry-standard accounting systems.
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your accounts receivable CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Managed a portfolio of over 500 client accounts, consistently maintaining a 98% collection rate, surpassing industry benchmarks.
- Implemented an automated invoicing system that reduced errors by 25% and accelerated payment times by an average of 15 days.
- Liaised with sales and customer service departments to resolve discrepancies, leading to a 30% decrease in disputed invoices.
- Negotiated payment plans with clients experiencing financial difficulties, which resulted in a 20% reduction in overdue accounts.
- Conducted monthly reconciliations of the accounts receivable ledger, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial reporting standards.
- Initiated credit checks on potential customers, decreasing the risk of non-payment and contributing to a more robust credit control system.
- Collaborated with the legal team to successfully recover long-standing debts, recouping significant amounts that were written off previously.
- Analysed trends in payment patterns to forecast potential cash flow issues, aiding in more effective strategic planning and resource allocation.
- Provided training to new team members on accounts receivable processes, fostering a knowledgeable and efficient team environment.
- Leveraged advanced Excel skills to streamline invoice tracking, reducing processing time by 30% for monthly billing cycles.
- Implemented a new customer credit scoring system which decreased bad debt expenses by 15% through more accurate risk assessments.
- Coordinated with the sales department to reconcile accounts totaling over $500,000, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction.
- Introduced an automated payment reminder system that reduced overdue invoices by 40%, securing consistent cash flow.
- Managed the monthly closing of financial records and posting of month-end information, which led to a 25% reduction in closing time.
- Negotiated with key accounts to facilitate the early settlement of outstanding balances, improving the company's Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) by 10 days.
- Performed detailed financial analysis on receivables to identify patterns and resolve outstanding payment issues.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to enhance the billing system, which reduced errors by 20% and improved client satisfaction ratings.
- Assisted in the preparation for annual audits, resulting in zero discrepancies related to receivables for the fiscal year.
- Collaborated with IT to develop a custom automated billing system, shortening the average collection period by 15 days.
- Played a pivotal role in introducing electronic invoicing, which enhanced operational efficiency by 35%.
- Administered training for new hires on accounts receivable processes and software, boosting team productivity by 20%.
- Processed an average of 500 invoices per month while maintaining a 98% accuracy rate, contributing to the department's performance excellence.
- Collaborated on the implementation of a new ERP system that enhanced reporting capabilities and invoice tracking.
- Initiated a customer service program to address and resolve invoice disputes, successfully recovering $300,000 in receivables.
- Spearheaded a project to standardize invoicing procedures across all departments, leading to a 90% reduction in intra-departmental discrepancies.
- Trained and mentored two junior accounts receivable clerks, who went on to become valuable contributors to the finance department.
- Took initiative to personally reach out to high-risk accounts, securing payments on more than $250,000 of aging receivables.
Writing your CV without professional experience for your first job or when switching industries
There comes a day, when applying for a job, you happen to have no relevant experience, whatsoever. Yet, you're keen on putting your name in the hat. What should you do? Candidates who part-time experience , internships, and volunteer work.
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PRO TIP
If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
Describing your unique skill set using both hard skills and soft skills
Your accounts receivable CV provides you with the perfect opportunity to spotlight your talents, and at the same time - to pass any form of assessment. Focusing on your skill set across different CV sections is the way to go, as this would provide you with an opportunity to quantify your achievements and successes. There's one common, very simple mistake, which candidates tend to make at this stage. Short on time, they tend to hurry and mess up the spelling of some of the key technologies, skills, and keywords. Copy and paste the particular skill directly from the job requirement to your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Now, your CV skills are divided into:
- Technical or hard skills, describing your comfort level with technologies (software and hardware). List your aptitude by curating your certifications, on the work success in the experience section, and technical projects. Use the dedicated skills section to provide recruiters with up to twelve technologies, that match the job requirements, and you're capable of using.
- People or soft skills provide you with an excellent background to communicate, work within a team, solve problems. Don't just copy-paste that you're a "leader" or excel at "analysis". Instead, provide tangible metrics that define your success inusing the particular skill within the strengths, achievements, summary/ objective sections.
Top skills for your accounts receivable CV:
Accounts Receivable Management
Invoicing
Financial Reporting
Cash Application
Credit Management
Collections
General Ledger
Reconciliation
ERP Software Proficiency
Microsoft Excel
Attention to Detail
Communication Skills
Organisational Skills
Time Management
Problem-Solving
Teamwork
Customer Service Orientation
Adaptability
Negotiation
Analytical Thinking
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Further professional qualifications for your accounts receivable CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your accounts receivable CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
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If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your accounts receivable CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
