An Accounting Cover Letter is written to a hiring manager or recruiter by an individual to highlight their skills, qualifications, and experiences for the position of an accountant as part of their application for an accounting position.
A cover letter presents you with an opportunity to showcase why you are a great fit for an accountant position and why you should be hired. It is written to supplement your resume and is more detailed. It marks your first engagement with the recruiter, and if well-written, it increases your chances of securing the accountant job.
How to Write an Accounting Cover Letter
An accountant is a vital figure in any organization. Therefore, an accounting cover letter should exhibit a high level of professionalism. This might sometimes be time-consuming but necessary. As an applicant, you can use the guide below to ensure you sell yourself accordingly to secure the job.
Section 1: Header
First and foremost, the accounting cover letter should have a header at the top of the page. The header should identify the sender and the recipient. This information can be captured in the following way.
Include your personal information
Start the header by providing your details. Indicate your full name, designation, valid phone number, email, and address. You can also choose to add personal information, such as a Linkedin profile URL.
City and date
When writing down the mailing address, ensure that you state all the relevant details, that is, street address, city, and state of residence. Location is an important consideration in the hiring process. Then, state the date when the cover letter was written. A cover letter, like standard formal letters, has to be dated.
Hiring manager’s details
The letter should then identify the hiring manager or recruiter. You should write down their full name and the capacity in which they operate in the company. Then indicate the company you are applying to by stating its name and official physical address. The address should take the format that indicates a street address, city, and state.
Section 2: Introduction
The next step is creating a formal introduction to the cover letter. The introduction can be made to include a formal salutation and a concise introduction of the applicant. It should be written as discussed below.
A greeting/salutation
Provide a formal salutation. Ensure to write a more personalized salutation by addressing the hiring manager directly instead of a generic greeting. Consider the following format; Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms, the recruiter’s name. If you don’t know their name, consider doing some basic research. Personalization makes the letter stand out from a mass-sent letter.
Briefly introduce yourself and state your interest
Next, introduce yourself to the recruiter. This is an area well known to influence recruiters’ decision to proceed with reading the letter or not. An effective introduction will introduce you as a qualified accountant and highlight your interest in the position. The introduction can be made to just a few sentences long.
Section 3: Body
The next step is crafting the body of the cover letter. The body is the section where you highlight why the recruiter should consider hiring you based on merit. Give concrete evidence that you deserve the job in this section. Consider the following when writing down the information.
Showing how you’re the perfect fit
Start the body of the letter by presenting your case. You can review the job description and note down the key requirements of the position, and state how you meet these requirements. Highlight your education, training, and certification. Some of the common requirements in accounting are;
- A bachelor’s degree in accounting, economics, finance, or business administration.
- Chartered Accountant (CA)
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
- Chartered Global Management Accountant
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
- Enrolled Agent (EA)
- Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA)
Show your skills and experiences
You should then illustrate to the recruiter the skills and experiences that make you the best person for the accounting position. As an accountant, you will ordinarily be tasked with tracking the company’s financial transactions. You should then provide skills that are relevant to accounting. Some examples of such skills are;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Organizational skills
- Excel and other accounting software
- Problem-solving skills
Also, include experiences from your past jobs that further illustrate why you are suitable for the position. Consider using statistical data to represent results. Numbers are important to recruiters as they are easily interpretable.
Match your skills with job requirements
You should then demonstrate how your skills can be used to the benefit of the company. This section should show an experience where you used one skill or more and how you can replicate the same to help the company address its challenges.
State your interest in the job
The body of the accounting cover letter can then be finalized by stating your interest in the position. You can align your career goals with the company goals, vision, and mission. Let the recruiter know the company suits your objectives and be specific.
Section 4: Conclusion
The last step is to finalize the accounting cover letter. An exceptional conclusion will contain the following information.
End with a strong closing statement
Provide a strong closing statement to encourage the recruiter to invite you for an interview. Also, provide contact details the recruiter can use to reach out. A phone number, email address, or bot will usually be sufficient.
Thank the employer/hiring manager
Next, thank the recruiter for taking the time to go through the entire accounting cover letter. Politeness can go a long way in the professional sector. A summary of your qualifications for the position can also be given.
Sign off
Lastly, you can close the letter by adding a complimentary close followed by a signature then your full name.
Sample Accounting Cover Letter
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Hiring Manager,
I hereby apply for the senior accountant position, which your organization [company name] advertised on its website yesterday. My qualifications and professional background strongly match the requirements to fill this position.
I have worked for [name of your previous company] for four and a half years as a senior accountant. In those years, I have acquired more knowledge and experience that will be very valuable to your company. With great organizational and problem-solving skills, I believe I can contribute positively to this organization if hired.
During my tenure, I made two impressive achievements. In my third year with the organization, I helped the company reduce operating costs by 20 percent, thus receiving a commendation from my boss. Then in my final six months, I had the company’s tax obligations drop by 5 percent.
As a member of the AICPA for more than five years, I have attended numerous seminars organized by this association to further hone my skills and stay updated with new standards and practices in the accounting profession.
Attentive to detail, result-oriented, and a great team leader, I would like to put those qualities together with sharp skills and vast experience to use for the benefit of your organization. If considered, I am confident that I will play a key role in the future growth of your organization. I have done a great job for many organizations with a proven track record.
By Errol
Free Templates
Below are given some free downloadable templates for you:
Tips for Writing a Good Accounting Cover Letter
To improve the effectiveness of your cover letter, there are several considerations you should keep in mind.
They include:
Make a good start
Always aim to create an impression from the get-go. The best way to do this is to craft a strong introduction. Like a good impression, a good start will motivate or encourage the recruiter to review your letter.
Do your research and check the fact
Research is key in getting the information right before you include it in the cover letter. Conduct extensive research on the company and the writing process of the letter. Accurate information in the letter shows your attention to detail which is a positive in accounting.
Write in an easy-to-read format
Design the cover letter to be easily legible. Use legible fonts and font size. How you present the letter is an indication of how you will present company documents if hired, therefore ensure the cover letter best reflects your writing skills.
Present education and work experience
Use a reverse chronological order when outlining academic and professional qualifications. This implies you should start with experiences that occurred at the furthest date from the current date and work backward.
Put references on a separate page
If you are going to include references, place them on a separate page. References are not part of the elements of an accounting cover letter.
Finish strong
Create a strong closing statement that prompts the hiring manager to review your application and resume.
Check spellings and grammar
Proofread your cover letter before submitting and correct any grammar and spelling mistakes. Errors in the letter can hurt your chances of getting the job. Having someone else read the letter is an effective way of proofreading.
Dos and Don’ts of Writing an Accounting Cover Letter
When writing an accounting cover letter, the following dos and don’ts are worth implementing to improve the quality of your cover letter:
Do’s
- Always create a customized cover letter for each company you apply to and address the letter to the right party. Avoid copy-pasting previous cover letters. This will often require research.
- Keep the cover letter at least one page long with 250-350 words at most. Individuals with extensive experience can, however, write it in two pages but not more than that.
- Borrow the best qualities from your resume and expound on them I the cover letter.
- Show some personality. Focus on not just selling yourself as an asset but also as an employee. Show some enthusiasm. Monotonous letters can be difficult to read through. Showing some personality creates room for uniqueness which is what the recruiter will often be looking for.
- Always proofread your cover letter before handing it to the company.
Don’ts
- Avoid technical language that is industry-specific or company-specific. Write the letter in a language that can be understood by individuals that don’t practice accounting or work in your company.
- Do not apologize for not meeting certain requirements needed by the company or lie to have met those requirements. Provide what you are actually good at and factual information.
- Do not copy-paste information from the resume or previous cover letters.
- Don’t provide unprofessional or outdated contact details. Use recent and professional contact details that can be used for effective communication.
- Don’t include information that does not add value to the cover letter. The information outlined should be related to the position and what the company is looking for.
Drafting a great cover letter is an essential step in your job search journey. When writing your cover letter, make sure that you properly reference the requirements listed in the job description. In the letter, also make sure that you reference your most outstanding or relevant qualities to help your employers see why the position would best suit you. By following the sample provided, we believe that you will be able to write a cover letter that best highlights your experience and qualifications. If you are ready to apply for your next role as an accountant, download our free sample templates today and get started on your journey.
Key Takeaways
An accounting cover letter is an opportunity for you to market yourself as the most suitable candidate for the accounting position. You should ensure to mention your education, certification, training, skills, and relevant experiences. The letter should be personalized for every position you are applying for; reusing a cover letter can be more harmful than beneficial to your chances of getting a job. Ordinarily, keep the length of the letter at one page. One page is enough to provide precise information that can persuade the recruiter to hire you.
