How To Write a Financial Controller Resume
In this guide, we’ll show you how to construct a financial controller’s resume — a document that not only mirrors your qualifications but positions you as an excellent prospect for your target company. It should highlight your achievements, such as improving operational efficiency and relevant work in financial management, including budgeting and forecasting.
Whether you’re an experienced financial controller seeking new horizons or an aspiring financial leader ready to embark on this pivotal role, this guide will equip you with the strategies and insights to craft a resume that opens doors and conveys your commitment to fiscal precision and strategic financial management.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
A profile summary is a brief statement that highlights your most relevant qualifications and experience for the job you’re applying for. It’s typically located at the top of your resume, just below your contact information.
When writing a profile summary for a financial controller position, it’s important to focus on the following:
- Achievements: Mention any notable accomplishments in your career as a financial controller. This could include increasing revenue, reducing costs, or improving operational efficiency.
- Education: List any advanced degrees or certifications relevant to the job you’re applying for.
- Experience: Emphasize your background in finance and accounting, including any relevant work you have done in financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis.
Keep your profile summary concise and focused on your most relevant qualifications. Use strong action verbs and avoid using first-person pronouns.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Financial Controller with 5+ years of advancement and experience at major corporations. Strategist who played a key leadership role in periods of rapid business growth and change. Generate relevant, influential earnings analysis offering both big-picture insight and close attention to detail. Master of Science (MS) in Accounting.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Financial Controller with 5+ years of experience in dynamic startup environments. Highly resourceful and versatile, adding consistent value in both a leadership or hands-on role. Committed to continually gaining and applying new work skills.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
To frame your work history as a list of accomplishments rather than a rote list of former duties, do your best to answer two simple questions:
1. What new things did you introduce?
2. What did those new things do? How did they make the company more efficient or profitable?
The way you answer these questions will translate to some of the best and most interesting points on your resume and be much more engaging to the reader.
Focus on quantifiable changes, things you can put a concrete number or a percentage to. This will give weight to your contributions to the workplace and help the hiring manager see you as a valuable asset.
Senior-Level Experience Example
Corporate Controller, UNS Corp., Miami, FL | August 2019 to Present
- Lead a 10-person team managing sophisticated accounting operations for five subsidiaries
- Facilitated a key growth period by coordinating accounting aspect of three business acquisitions
- Member of leadership team that set new long-term business objectives
Entry-Level Experience Example
Controller, PST Inc., Seattle, WA | August 2019 to Present
- Manage all accounting, auditing, and budgeting operations
- Helped the company navigate severe financial challenges and business disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Successfully managed application for the Paycheck Protection Program
- Established rigorous new reporting protocols that improved both legal compliance and internal communications
3. Include your education and certifications
In addition to listing your formal education on your resume. It’s also a good idea to include any licenses and certifications that might be relevant to the job posting. Many certifications can be useful for a financial controller to have. Some of the most in-demand ones include the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification offered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification by the CFA Institute.
However, it’s important to note the specific certifications useful for a financial controller to have may vary depending on the company, industry, or country in which they work.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Business Administration
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN | 2015
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Certified Public Accountant (CPA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2015
4. List pertinent key skills
For an effective financial controller resume, include a “Key Skills” section that gives the hiring manager a quick overview of the expertise and value you offer. Consider including any of the terms below:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Accounting management | Budgeting and cost accounting |
| Cash flow management | Complex problem-solving |
| Corporate change leadership | Financial analysis and reporting |
| Financial statement analysis | Financial system implementation |
| Internal and external audits | Mergers and acquisitions |
| Operational streamlining | Payroll coordination |
| Productivity and efficiency gains | Project and program management |
| Regulatory compliance | Team management and motivation |
How To Pick the Best Financial Controller Resume Template
For finance professionals, a conservative resume format is usually best. Utilize a traditional serif font like Century or Cambria for your body text and a clean sans serif font like Calibri for your subject headings. Use color sparingly, if at all. Avoid fancier Microsoft Word format options like WordArt, Tables, and Text Boxes. This conservative approach is well-suited to your field, but it’s also often simply the best way to display your various career information. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Financial Controller Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
Cameron Malfara
123 Windermere Rd., Seattle, WA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Financial Controller with 5+ years of experience in dynamic startup environments. Highly resourceful and versatile, adding consistent value in both a leadership or hands-on role. Committed to continually gaining and applying new work skills.
Career Highlights
Controller, PST Inc., Seattle, WA | August 2019 to Present
- Manage all accounting, auditing, and budgeting operations
- Helped the company navigate severe financial challenges and business disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Successfully managed application for the Paycheck Protection Program
- Established rigorous new reporting protocols that improved both legal compliance and internal communications
Accounting Director, RMW Inc., Seattle, WA | June 2017 to July 2019
- Guided production of reports analyzing and projecting both short- and long-term revenue, expenses, and profit margins
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Economics
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Key Skills
- Accounting Management
- Budgeting & Cost Accounting
- Cash Flow Management
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Financial Analysis & Reporting
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Internal & External Audits
- Project & Program Management
- Regulatory Compliance
Jessica Lang
123 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Financial Controller with 5+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Committed to finding new ways to improve accounting efficiency and accuracy. Offer creative yet practical accounting solutions based on close analysis of available data and business resources. Ready collaborator who builds productive relationships with other finance team members and across functional lines.
Career Highlights
Financial Controller, CWD Institute, Nashville, TN | August 2019 to Present
- Implemented new timesheet software that enabled third-party contractors to log work hours more efficiently and accurately
- Streamlined sales invoice operations, reducing total accounts receivable by 30% and expediting average processing time by 15%
Finance Director, KPT Institute, Nashville, TN | June 2017 to July 2019
- Led a 5-member team to meet/exceed all goals for timely and accurate financial reporting
- Converted organization to a new payroll provider, affording more efficient biweekly processing for 300+ employees
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Key Skills
- Accounting Management
- Budgeting & Cost Accounting
- Cash Flow Management
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Financial Analysis & Reporting
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Financial System Implementation
- Internal & External Audits
- Operational Streamlining
- Payroll Coordination
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Project & Program Management
- Regulatory Compliance
Aliya Jackson
123 Pine Brook Dr, Miami, FL 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Financial Controller with 5+ years of advancement and experience at major corporations. Strategist who played a key leadership role in periods of rapid business growth and change. Generate relevant, influential earnings analysis offering both big-picture insight and close attention to detail. Master of Science (MS) in Accounting.
Career Highlights
Corporate Controller, UNS Corp., Miami, FL | August 2019 to Present
- Lead a 10-person team managing sophisticated accounting operations for five subsidiaries
- Facilitated a key growth period by coordinating accounting aspect of three business acquisitions
- Member of leadership team that set new long-term business objectives
Controller, OCB Corp., Miami, FL | June 2017 to July 2019
- Oversaw quarterly and annual reporting to state and federal government agencies
- Achieved zero findings on all internal and external audits
Education & Credential
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Master’s Degree – Accounting
Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Key Skills
- Accounting Management
- Budgeting & Cost Accounting
- Cash Flow Management
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Corporate Change Leadership
- Financial Analysis & Reporting
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Internal & External Audits
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Project & Program Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Team Management & Motivation
Frequently Asked Questions: Financial Controller Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for financial controller resumes?+
It’s easy to get stuck when writing the professional experience section of your resume. You may run out of action verbs to describe your work. To help you over the hump, we put together this list of strong resume verbs for a financial controller:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieve | Analyze |
| Audit | Direct |
| Document | Forecast |
| Generate | Guide |
| Investigate | Isolate |
| Lead | Manage |
| Motivate | Navigate |
| Oversee | Prepare |
| Project-manage | Report |
| Streamline | Uncover |
How do you align your resume with a financial controller job posting?+
When you find an interesting financial controller job posting, look closely at the required skills and credentials. Are there any you possess but haven’t featured on your resume yet? If so, add a mention of that experience to your resume’s Profile or Key Skills section.
For example, say the job has a strong leadership aspect. In that case, add a line to your Profile about any leadership experience you have. Also, consider adding a second line about the approach you take to overseeing and motivating team members. This extra step will make your resume more relevant to the job and more likely to attract the hiring manager’s notice.
What is the best financial controller resume format?+
The combination resume format is widely considered the best choice for financial controller resumes. This format combines the best features of the chronological and functional resume formats. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job and working backward. Additionally, it highlights your most relevant skills and qualifications, making it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to quickly identify your qualifications.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
Once you’re done with your resume, a good way to finalize your application before sending it off to your prospective employer is to add a cover letter. This speaks directly to the hiring manager and makes a case for why you’re the best candidate for the job.
Remember, a cover should be fairly succinct. Try not to exceed more than 400 words — 250 to 300 is ideal. For more information and ideas, view our bookkeeper cover letter examples.
