You see numbers like Neo from the matrix in your head. But do letters and words refuse to compose themselves into a great cover letter? Don’t worry, I’m here to help.
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert
You have your accounting degree and maybe some experience under your belt. That’s great.
But unless you’re also waving a perfectly structured staff accountant cover letter around like a hefty paycheck, the hiring manager likely won’t notice you.
To advance your career as a bookkeeper, you must prove you’re fully solvent.
In this article, you’ll get:
A sample staff accountant cover letter for excellent results every time.
Step-by-step tips on how to write a staff accountant cover letter that will land you more interviews.
A template you can copy, adjust, and have ready in 15 minutes.
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your cover letter.” Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan
My previous cover letter was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George
The staff accountant position opening at your company was a clear signal to me to apply for it. I am uniquely suited to apply for this role given my experience implementing an expense reporting system, which saved over $50,000 annually. As you mentioned something similar in the job posting, applying was the obvious choice.
In my current role at the Zinda Law Group, I analyzed our expense reporting workflow and identified inefficiencies causing reimbursements to take up to two weeks to process. Using Expensify, I automated approvals and greatly hastened the process. As a result, reimbursements now take only 3 business days to process. Another accomplishment involved automating depreciation calculations, saving the accounting team over 15 monthly hours.
As the (hopeful) new staff accountant at Regeneron, I would leverage my skills in accounting to make quick but immediately noticeable contributions. Additionally, I’m sure you’ll be delighted to know that I hold the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation, posited as a requirement for this particular position.
I would love to discuss how my process improvement experience and technical skills could help achieve your goals of streamlining operations and reducing costs at your company. Can we schedule an initial interview in the coming days?
Sincerely,
Rodney Arellano
Staff Accountant
You could not ask for a more exemplary candidate!
Let’s get to the fine print of writing your staff accountant cover letter.
How to Write a Cover Letter as a Staff Accountant
A staff accountant handles routine accounting tasks and daily organizational transaction processing. A good staff accountant cover letter should highlight your skills in accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll processing, financial reporting, and reconciling bank statements.
1. Format Your Staff Accountant Cover Letter Professionally
The senior accountant will be ruthless when looking over your letter. They’ll be after the tiniest discrepancies and inconsistency. So, show them that you understand what a cover letter is, and it all starts with handling how your cover letter looks.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
2. Adjust Your Cover Letter Header to Match & Lead with an Exciting Intro
Ever fall into a routine doing your daily tasks? Data entry and expense tracking can get boring, but your muscle memory might kick in here when filling out this template for a cover letter header:
Sample Header for a Staff Accountant Cover Letter
[ Your Full Name]
[ Your Job Title ]
[ Address ]
[ Phone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ LinkedIn Profile ]
[ City and Today’s Date ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Full Name ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Position, e.g. Head Accountant ]
[ Company Name ]
[ Company Street Address ]
[ City and Zip Code ]
After this, make it clear as day that you’re applying to be their staff accountant in your cover letter opening statement, and proceed to list an impressive achievement or two in the first few lines.
The point is to catch their undivided attention like an extra zero on their paycheck—that’s bound to keep anyone reading!
3. Introduce Yourself and Your Accounting Experience
It’s crucial to demonstrate that you’re GAAP-compliant in everything you do. Accountants in charge of recruitment are just that prickly.
So, how can you impress them (and do so every time)?
Listing career achievements in the right way makes you look like a paragon of proper accounting etiquette in their eyes. And it’s simpler than you think.
4. Focus on Finding What You and the Company Have in Common
In your job, you deal with money: payroll, budgeting, taxes, the whole nine yards. But there is an unspoken task your cover letter should accomplish, other than presenting your qualifications in all previous ones.
Indeed, it’s to show you’re not just about the money.
Employers are less likely to treat you like a variable in their Excel sheet if you prove you’re just a human being, not a money-obsessed robot. So, find things you relate to within the company, like their mission, values, or charity efforts, and bring that to the forefront towards the end of your cover letter.
Expert Hint: Mentioning salary requirements on your cover letter is a colossal blunder. Avoid this and other cover letter mistakes.
5. End by Giving Them an Effective Call to Action and Sign-Off
If you’ve managed to stick it up until now, you’ve got a professional staff accountant cover letter on your hands. Time to finish it off in a similarly professional manner.
You're almost guaranteed to get the interview after showing your most confident side and building it up with achievements, so it’s best to keep up the confident act. Simply ask for an interview in a final sign-off to end your cover letter.
To cap it all off, use a simple method of signing off, such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” and you’re as good as ready to start preparing for the interview.
Haven't finished your staff accountant resume yet? Click the embedded link and read our handy guide.
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Key Points
For an exceptional staff accountant cover letter:
Adhere to the standard cover letter formatting guidelines we outlined at the start.
Address the hiring manager by name and explicitly state your interest in the staff accountant position.
Elaborate on your relevant experience in handling accounting tasks and completing financial projects, emphasizing noteworthy achievements.
Express your sincere enthusiasm for the role, showing what you and the company have in common that makes you a great fit.
Conclude your letter professionally and politely request an interview to discuss your qualifications and potential contributions to the accounting team's success.
Writing a staff accountant cover letter with no experience? Got advice or tips for entry-level accountants of all shapes and sizes? Drop me a line; I’m eager to hear from you!
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At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article per editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog annually.
Caio is an expert in professional development and holds a certification in resume writing. He has accumulated 4+ years of experience in this field. His approach is to merge entertainment concepts with resumes, thus making your application more captivating.