Crafting a resume for construction accounting can often be challenging due to the need to balance technical accounting skills with an understanding of the construction industry. Our comprehensive guide is designed to walk you through showcasing your unique blend of financial expertise and construction knowledge, ensuring your resume stands out to potential employers.
- Utilize real-life examples to refine your construction accounting resume;
- Effectively write the experience section of your construction accounting resume, even if you have minimal or no professional experience;
- Incorporate the industry's top 10 essential skills throughout your resume;
- Include your education and certifications to highlight your specific expertise.
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The ultimate formula for your construction accounting resume format
Our best advice on how to style your construction accounting resume is this - first, take the time to study the job advert requirements.
The resume format you select should ultimately help you better align how your experience matches the specific role.
There are four crucial elements you need to thus take into consideration:
- How you present your experience. If you happen to have plenty of relevant expertise, select the reverse-chronological resume format to organize your experience by dates, starting with the latest.
- Don't go over the top with writing your resume. Instead, stick with a maximum of two-page format to feature what matters most about your profile.
- Headers aren't just for "decoration". The header of your resume helps recruiters allocate your contact details, portfolio, and so much more.
- The PDF format rules. It's the most common practice to submit your construction accounting resume as a PDF so that your resume doesn't lose its layout. However, make sure the read the job well - in some instances, they might require a doc file.
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If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
The key to your construction accounting job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Project cost tracking and analysis skills, including knowledge of job cost reports, work-in-progress (WIP) reports, and variance analysis.
- Experience with construction accounting software such as QuickBooks for Construction, Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate, or Procore.
- Understanding of construction finance principles, including percentage-of-completion accounting and billing methods like progress billing and retainage.
- Familiarity with compliance and regulatory requirements, such as lien waivers, AIA documents, and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) guidelines.
- Proficiency in managing budgets and forecasts for large-scale construction projects, including the ability to work closely with project managers and engineers to ensure financial objectives are met.
Guide to your most impressive construction accounting resume experience section
When it comes to your resume experience , stick to these simple, yet effective five steps:
- Show how your experience is relevant by including your responsibility, skill used, and outcome/-s;
- Use individual bullets to answer how your experience aligns with the job requirements;
- Think of a way to demonstrate the tangible results of your success with stats, numbers, and/or percentages ;
- Always tailor the experience section to the construction accounting role you're applying for - this may sometimes include taking out irrelevant experience items;
- Highlight your best (and most relevant) achievements towards the top of each experience bullet.
You're not alone if you're struggling with curating your experience section. That's why we've prepared some professional, real-life construction accounting resume samples to show how to best write your experience section (and more).
- Directed fiscal operations for large-scale commercial construction projects, managing budgets exceeding $50 million, delivering all projects within 2% of budget forecasts.
- Implemented a new cloud-based accounting software, increasing departmental efficiency by 35% and reducing processing time for contractor payments.
- Negotiated with suppliers and subcontractors, achieving a cost savings of $4 million over the course of 5 major projects through effective cost control measures.
- Supervised a team of 10 accounting personnel, fostering a collaborative environment that improved project reporting accuracy by 25%.
- Developed comprehensive financial reports that provided strategic insights into construction spend, contributing to a 15% reduction in yearly expenditures.
- Managed the financial close process for the fiscal year end, ensuring compliance with GAAP and timely submission to stakeholders.
- Executed all accounting functions for residential construction projects, with a cumulative budget of over $30 million, maintaining strict adherence to timelines.
- Analyzed and reconciled financial statements for multi-family units, which enabled the company to identify cost-saving opportunities and decrease expenses by 10%.
- Collaborated closely with project managers to monitor budgets and forecast financial performance, leading to a profitability increase by 18%.
- Oversaw financial operations for a high-profile, $75 million infrastructure project, successfully achieving financial objectives by stringent cost management.
- Facilitated training programs to educate project staff on financial protocols, significantly enhancing compliance with internal financial controls.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to integrate project accounting with ERP systems, enabling real-time financial tracking and streamlined reporting.
- Conducted elaborate financial modeling for proposed construction projects, influencing the tactical decision-making process and increasing bid win rate by 20%.
- Spearheaded the quarterly financial review process, providing critical insights that led to a strategic pivot in business focus, resulting in a 22% growth in revenue.
- Streamlined the accounts payable process by implementing automation tools, effectively reducing the payment cycle time by 10 days on average.
- Managed accounting operations for multiple construction projects simultaneously, ensuring all financial reporting and compliance with a portfolio totaling $40 million.
- Pioneered the transition to a new financial management system, which reduced financial reporting errors by 90% and improved stakeholder satisfaction.
- Devised strategic cost-reduction initiatives that were instrumental in decreasing project overhead costs by 12% while maintaining quality standards.
- Provided strategic financial oversight for commercial construction projects valued at over $60 million, ensuring optimum utilization of financial resources.
- Coordinated with external auditors to facilitate the annual audit process, resulting in zero findings and upholding the company's reputation for financial integrity.
- Designed and executed a training module for junior accountants that improved their understanding of construction accounting standards by 40%.
- Lead a robust construction accounting team in managing over $100 million in assets and liabilities, consistently achieving smooth fiscal period closures.
- Optimized tax strategies for construction project activities, which led to a 5% reduction in overall tax liability for the company during the fiscal year.
- Directed the successful financial integration for a merger with a smaller construction firm, thereby expanding the company's market share and financial capacity.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Highlight the total value of construction projects you've managed to demonstrate your experience with large-scale budgets.
- Specify the percentage by which you've increased efficiency through improved accounting processes to show your impact on productivity.
- Detail the amount of cost savings achieved through effective negotiation with suppliers and subcontractors to reflect your financial acumen.
- Indicate the number of financial reports and statements you prepare monthly to illustrate your workload capacity and reliability.
- Mention any financial software implementations you've led, and the subsequent increase in processing speed or data accuracy to showcase technological proficiency.
- Report the size of the accounting teams you've supervised or trained to establish your leadership and team management skills.
- Discuss the number of compliance audits you've successfully passed to highlight your expertise in adhering to regulations.
- Quantify any debt recovery or reduction achievements to demonstrate your ability to positively affect the company's bottom line.
Action verbs for your construction accounting resume
Remember these four tips when writing your construction accounting resume with no experience
You've done the work - auditing the job requirements for keywords and have a pretty good idea of the skill set the ideal candidate must possess.
Yet, your professional experience amounts to a summer internship .
Even if you have limited or no professional expertise that matches the role you're applying for, you can use the resume experience section to:
- List extracurricular activities that are relevant to the job requirements. Let's say you were editor-in-chief of your college newspaper or part of the engineering society. Both activities have taught you invaluable, transferrable skills (e.g. communication or leadership) that can be crucial for the job;
- Substitute jobs with volunteer experience. Participating in charity projects has probably helped you develop an array of soft skills (e.g. meeting deadlines and interpersonal communications). On the other hand, volunteering shows potential employers more about you: who you are and what are the causes you care about;
- Align job applications with your projects. Even your final-year thesis work could be seen as relevant experience, if it's in the same industry as the job you're applying for. Ensure you've listed the key skills your project has taught you, alongside tangible outcomes or your project success;
- Shift the focus to your transferrable skills. We've said it before, but recruiters will assess your profile upon both job requirements and the skills you possess. Consider what your current experience - both academic and life - has taught you and how you've been able to develop your talents.
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
Construction accounting resume skills section: writing about your hard skills and soft skills
Recruiters always care about the skill set you'd bring about to the construction accounting role. That's why it's a good idea to curate yours wisely, integrating both hard (or technical) and soft skills. Hard skills are the technology and software you're apt at using - these show your suitability for the technical aspect of the role. They are easy to track via your experience, certifications, and various resume sections. Your soft skills are those personality traits you've gained over time that show how you'd perform in the specific team, etc. Soft skills are more difficult to qualify but are definitely worth it - as they make you stand out and show your adaptability to new environments. How do you build the skills section of your resume? Best practices point that you could:
- Include up to five or six skills in the section as keywords to align with the advert.
- Create a specific technical skills section to highlight your hard skills aptitude.
- Align the culture of the company you're applying to with your soft skills to determine which ones should be more prominent in your skills section.
- Make sure you answer majority of the job requirements that are in the advert within your skills section.
A construction accounting's resume requires a specific skill set that balances both industry-specific hard skills with personal, soft skills. Discover the perfect mix for the construction accounting role from our list:
Top skills for your construction accounting resume:
Proficient in accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Sage 300)
Knowledge of construction management software (e.g., Procore, Buildertrend)
Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and advanced spreadsheet functions
Understanding of project cost management and budgeting
Experience with financial reporting and analysis
Knowledge of construction contracts and bid processes
Ability to perform job costing and variance analysis
Familiarity with payroll systems and labor cost tracking
Understanding of tax regulations related to construction
Experience with accounts payable and receivable processes
Strong analytical skills
Attention to detail
Effective communication skills
Problem-solving abilities
Time management skills
Team collaboration
Adaptability and flexibility
Ability to work under pressure
Strong organizational skills
Customer service orientation
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Your academic background: should you include your education and certifications on your construction accounting resume?
Adding relevant education and certifications to your construction accounting resume is beneficial, whether you're an experienced candidate or just starting in the field.
Featuring your higher education degree that aligns with the role demonstrates your commitment to the industry. On your construction accounting resume, include the start and graduation dates, followed by the name of the institution that awarded your degree.
Regarding certifications, it's wise to list those most relevant to the role or that have contributed to your array of crucial technical or personal traits. Be sure to include the name of the certificate and the awarding institution.
If uncertain about which certifications to feature prominently on your construction accounting resume, refer to our compiled list of the most in-demand ones for guidance.
The top 5 certifications for your construction accounting resume:
- Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) - Institute of Certified Construction Industry Financial Professionals
- Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) - Construction Financial Management Association
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) - American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA) - Institute of Management Accountants
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) - American Payroll Association
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If you're in the process of obtaining your certificate or degree, list the expected date you're supposed to graduate or be certified.
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Deciding between a resume summary or objective for your construction accounting role
Understanding the distinction between a resume summary and an objective is crucial for your construction accounting resume.
A resume summary, typically three to five sentences long, offers a concise overview of your career. This is the place to showcase your most pertinent experience, key accomplishments, and skills. It's particularly well-suited for those with professional experience relevant to the job requirements.
In contrast, a resume objective focuses on how you can add value to potential employers. It addresses why they should hire you and outlines your career expectations and learning goals. Therefore, it's ideal for candidates with less experience.
In the following section of our guide, explore how resume summaries and objectives differ through some exemplary industry-specific examples.
Resume summaries for a construction accounting job
- Expert construction accountant with over 12 years of experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets for large-scale commercial developments in New York City. Excel in strategic financial planning, cost control, and enhancing profitability. Successfully negotiated a 15% cost reduction in material procurement for a high-profile skyscraper project.
- Dedicated CPA and construction accountant with a track record of reducing overhead costs by 25% through meticulous financial analysis and streamlining of processes. Skilled in SOX compliance, project accounting, and financial forecasting for major construction firms in the Pacific Northwest, enhancing operational efficiency across projects.
- Motivated financial professional transitioning from a 10-year career in corporate finance into construction accounting. Proven expertise in financial modeling, budget management, and implementing robust controls to ensure fiscal integrity. Adept at learning new industry-specific software, eager to apply strong analytical skills to manage project finances effectively.
- Transitioning from a successful 8-year career in manufacturing accounting to construction accounting. Brings a deep understanding of cost accounting, inventory management, and financial reporting. Keen to leverage transferable skills and a proven capability for managing budgets and cost optimization in the dynamic environment of construction projects.
- Recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in accounting, aspiring to launch a career in construction accounting. Equipped with an internship experience at a regional construction firm and a passion for crunching numbers. Aiming to leverage my dedication and academic knowledge to contribute to successful financial management of construction projects.
- Ambitious individual with a master's degree in Finance seeking an entry-level opportunity in construction accounting. Focused on applying my comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and keen analytical abilities to support the financial health and reporting accuracy of construction projects. Committed to continuous learning and professional development in the field.
Bonus sections for your construction accounting resume
Looking to show more personality on your construction accounting resume? Then consider including a couple of extra sections.
They'd benefit your application by highlighting your most prominent:
Key takeaways
Securing your ideal job starts with crafting a compelling construction accounting resume. It should not only highlight your professional strengths but also reflect your personality. Key aspects to remember include:
- Choose a clear, easily editable format, allowing more time to focus on the content of your resume;
- Emphasize experience relevant to the job, focusing on your impact on the team;
- Opt for a resume summary if you have extensive professional experience, and a resume objective if you're just starting out;
- Include technical skills in the skills section and interpersonal skills in the achievements section;
- Recognize the importance of various resume sections (e.g., My Time, Projects) in showcasing both your professional abilities and personal traits.
