How To Write an Accounts Payable Specialist Resume

To write a good accounts payable specialist resume, update it for each job you apply to and list your education, accounting software skills, and bookkeeping knowledge. Below are tips for creating each section of your resume and aligning it with employer job postings.

  • Entry-Level
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior-Level
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1. Write a brief summary of your accounts payable qualifications

Include a short profile summary near the top of your document. This section lets you introduce yourself as a candidate and highlight some key takeaways for employers. For example, you may note your experience managing multiple vendors or creating automated systems for faster bookkeeping. Also, consider including any industry software you’re familiar with or relevant keywords from the job posting.

Senior-Level Profile Example


Senior accounts payable specialist with over 13 years of advancement and experience. Expertly manage vendor relations while keeping all accounts in good standing. A highly organized bookkeeper who delivers prompt, accurate records at tax time and during reviews and reconciliation. Firm grasp of many industry-standard software programs.

Entry-Level Profile Example


Entry-level accounts payable specialist with strong recent academic and work experience. Focused on helping automate systems to improve financial transaction accuracy and transparency. Fast learner who quickly gains and applies expertise in new systems and software.

2. Outline your accounts payable experience in a compelling list

One of the best ways to impress hiring managers is in your professional experience section. Outline your previous experience, and pair it with bulleted examples of the results you can deliver. For example, you might tell employers that you improved invoicing processes to drive a 50% increase in efficiency and qualify for early-payment discounts.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example


Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Boise Business Solutions, Boise, ID | January 2015 to present

  • Process about 15,000 invoices per month, remitting over $1 million in payments to vendors
  • Review deliveries and inventory to ensure vendors meet obligations
  • Provide business leaders with weekly and quarterly reports on vendor payments and any invoice issues
  • Reconcile vendor invoices with internal records to identify any errors or overpayments

Highlights:

  • Reduced annual vendor costs by around $120,000 by purchasing services early and in bulk
  • Found and recovered over $500,000 worth of overpayments to date

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example


Accounts Payable Intern

JNE Accounting Firm, Topeka, KS | May 2022 to present

  • Track and manage payments and transactions totaling over $100,000 for five to seven clients
  • Help train new staff on the latest accounting software

Highlight:

  • Selected to present original research at an anti-fraud seminar to more than 250 accounts payable specialists

3. Add accounts payable education and certifications

Depending on the accounts payable job opening, employers may want someone with a relevant associate degree or higher. Certifications can also help show your skills and knowledge and may bolster your resume if you’re an entry-level candidate.

Include accounting, financial, and other related degrees or certifications on your resume, listing them in an easy-to-scan manner, as shown in the examples below.

Education

Template

  • [Degree Name]
  • [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]

Example

  • Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting
  • San Francisco University, San Francisco, CA | 2015

Certifications

Template

  • [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Year]

Example

  • Certified Accounts Payable Professional, Financial Professionals Association | 2021

4. List key accounts payable skills and proficiencies

When businesses use applicant tracking systems (ATS), a computer program will likely be the first entity to review your resume. These programs are coded to ignore resumes that don’t meet certain requirements or include relevant skills and keywords. Thus, work accounts payable-related terms into your resume wherever possible. Start with some of the common skills below.

Key Skills and Proficiencies
Account reconciliation Accounting software
Bookkeeping Budgeting and cost accounting
Customer service Data analysis
Data entry General ledger
Invoicing Microsoft Excel
QuickBooks Time management
Vendor negotiations  

How To Pick the Best Accounts Payable Specialist Resume Template

In their search for accounts payable staff, employers are primarily concerned with applicants’ skills and experience. They aren’t looking for design-heavy resumes, so you can stick to a plain template that presents the facts clearly and concisely. If you have a lot of experience, choose a template with plenty of room for your work history. On the other hand, if you’re a new college graduate, look for a template that puts your accounting education front and center.

Accounts Payable Specialist Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

  • Entry-Level
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior-Level

Marlon Brown
(000) 987-6543 | [email protected] | 155 Row Lane, Toledo, OH 43613

Profile

Motivated Accounts Payable Specialist with 2+ years’ experience. Highly organized and proficient in many software platforms. Adapt readily to new work challenges and shifting priorities. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new skills.

Areas of Expertise

  • Account Administration & Reconciliation
  • Budget Control
  • Data Entry
  • General Ledger
  • Efficiency Improvement
  • Invoicing
  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Oracle NetSuite
  • Process Streamlining
  • Purchase Orders
  • QuickBooks
  • Reporting & Documentation
  • Sage X3
  • SAP Accounts Payable Module
  • Team Collaboration
  • US GAAP
  • Vendor Relations Management

Professional Experience

Accounts Payable Specialist, STP Enterprises, Toledo, OH | January 2020 to Present

  • Coordinate approval of accounts payable invoices
  • Balance batch summary reports for verification
  • Enter financial transactions into database with 100% accuracy and compliance with corporate policy

Highlight:

  • Introduced audit procedures that reduced processing time by 15%

Accounts Payable Clerk, FasTemp Staffing Solutions, Toledo, OH | June 2018 to January 2020

  • Filled in for accounts payable roles at various companies
  • Communicated regularly with suppliers and vendors nationwide

Highlights:

  • Resolved many backlogged work and billing issues, recovering $25K in overpayments for one business and $15K in overpayments for 2 businesses
  • Praised by company executives for drafting timely, accurate reports on cash flow and accounts payable liability

Education

Associate of Applied Business – Accounting Technology, Owens Community College, Toledo, OH | 2018

Frequently Asked Questions: Accounts Payable Specialist Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for accounts payable specialist resumes?-

Employers may review dozens or even hundreds of resumes for each job opening. Anything you do to make yours stand out will help you advance to the next round of consideration. Start your bullet points with action verbs that align with your experience and the job expectations for an accounts payable specialist. Verbs like those listed below can position you as a dynamic and engaged accounting professional.

Action Verbs
Approve Assess
Audit Balance
Calculate Create
Enter Invoice
Manage Pay
Prepare Prevent
Process Reconcile
Report Resolve
Review Schedule
Streamline Support
Transfer Update
How do you align your resume with an accounts payable job posting?-

When your resume speaks directly to a job posting, it’s more likely to draw a response from the hiring manager. Each time you apply for an accounts payable position, review the job posting carefully. Write down any words, phrases, or skills that match your own knowledge and experience. Then try to incorporate those words with your resume.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment for bookkeepers and accounting clerks to decrease by about 77,000 jobs between 2021 and 2031. In a competitive job market, aligning your resume with each opportunity can help you stand out.

What is the best accounts payable specialist resume format?-

Most accounts payable specialists should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section and the functional format’s profile section.

A combination resume offers the best of both worlds by fusing these two sections. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you display your career highlights at the top, regardless if they’re from that work history or another part of your background. The resulting resume is straightforward yet strategic. It gives hiring managers the clearest possible view of your background and relevant skills, so they can decide to proceed with your candidacy.

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Expert Advice
Include a cover letter with your resume
Adding a cover letter to your application gives you another chance to connect with employers and emphasize certain skills or experience. Get some ideas and inspiration for your cover letter by reading our guide to bookkeeper cover letters.
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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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