Cover Letter for Accountancy Jobs

By Monster Contributor

Hiring managers for accountancy jobs are often inundated with generic responses from would-be employees, so a smart cover letter that’s really tailored to the job at hand can make you stand out from the crowd.

Writing a cover letter for an accounting position can be tricky. You need to show you have the skills and qualifications to do the role to the highest standards, yet you don’t want to get the reader lost in an alphabet soup of jargon and acronyms – remember that not all junior hiring managers will know the difference between the ACA, the ACCA and the CIMA. At the same time, you need to demonstrate you have the soft skills – as much as anything, people need accountants to solve business problems – so make sure you bring these out too.

Read on for our tips on what to include in an accounting cover letter and use our free template as a starter, when you get to writing it.

How to write an accounting cover letter

Writing your cover letter is about finding a balance between providing evidence of your accounting expertise, while also showing why you in particular are the right person for the position – whether that’s because of your experience or your knowledge of a specialist area of accounting, for instance.

Aim to keep your cover letter under five paragraphs and no more than a page. Because of the complexity of much accounting work, you might find using formatting techniques such as bullet points useful for highlighting key skills.

Show them what motivates you

  • The best cover letters are those that demonstrate a genuine passion for the job or company, and this can make for a great launching point for your cover letter.
  • Perhaps you’re applying for a role at a charity that helps alleviate childhood poverty – certainly mention that you admire the charity’s work and cite specific examples to show that you’ve done your homework. Or, if you’re applying to work at an accountancy that supports small businesses, explain that you are attracted to working at a firm that helps support entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams. Explaining your motivation for applying to the job will catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Highlight your most relevant experience

  • Use your cover letter to provide choice examples of your most relevant work, but avoid the temptation to list all your skills – that’s the job of your CV.
  • Read the job ad and shortlist the skills and experience that’ll be most important to the hiring manager, then summarise these in plain English. Perhaps you’re applying for an assistant financial accountant job at an investment firm and the position requires external reporting – make sure you explain how you have compiled reports for the FCA or similar bodies in the past. Or maybe you’re applying for a role which requires knowledge of specific accounting platforms such as Sage, Xero or QuickBooks. In that case, it’d would be wise to mention any relevant training, certifications or experience related to those platforms.

Cross off all essential qualifications and knowledge

  • While your CV will do much of the talking when it comes to qualifications and skills, it’s still important to mention your most important ones up front. If the job ad specifically asks for ACCA qualified accountants, put that one at the top of your list. Hiring managers will skim read your cover letter and if they can easily spot the attributes they’re looking for, that gives them one more reason to keep reading.

Cover your soft skills too

  • A great accountant does much more than balance the books. To really differentiate yourself from the rest of the candidates, it’s invaluable to showcase the soft skills that go a long way in accountancy.
  • Have you completed a management course, perhaps? Being able to manage people can really open doors. The ad might be looking for someone who is flexible – show that you’re open to travelling to different offices or have worked late when tough deadlines demanded it. Having these abilities can make you a very attractive proposition for any business.

Accounting cover letter example

Click here to download our free accounting cover letter as Microsoft Word (.doc)

Image
MS doc

Samantha Reilly
17 Grey Street
Belfast
BT2 1BT
Samantha.Reilly@email.com
07785 467 731

Daniel Smith
Entrica
15 Brown Lane
Belfast
BT1 1FF

23/09/18

Re: Application for Management Accountant Role

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to apply for the Management Accountant Role at [company name] as advertised on Monster.co.uk and explain why my skills and experience would make me a strong candidate for this position. As an ambitious management accountant, I am keen to gain exposure at one of the top 10 global accountancy businesses and this position corresponds perfectly with my professional aspirations.

As a fully-qualified CIMA accountant, I am able to bring a range of relevant knowledge and abilities to this role and to support your clients:

  • On completing my BSc (1st class Hons) in Economics from The University of Liverpool, I joined a graduate scheme at BY Accountancy where I came top of my cohort in examinations
  • I completed reporting for a range of UK and European clients in a timely fashion and received a commendation from my supervisor for accuracy
  • I liaised effectively with external auditors in different jurisdictions and time zones, and built effective working relationships

With a solid base in management accounting, strong interpersonal skills and pinpoint accuracy, I believe I would be well placed to contribute to your organisation. I look forward to hearing from you and would be delighted to answer your questions at interview.

Sincerely,

Samantha Reilly