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Bookkeeper CV example

Bookkeeping ads screen on software, returns and reliability: can you keep the books clean, file on time and hand the accountant something they don't have to fix? This bookkeeper CV example answers all three with client numbers, deadlines met and the errors caught along the way.

Written for New Zealand, with notes for Australia · Checked

Free. Then compare it with a real Bookkeeper job ad.

The example

A Bookkeeper CV, start to finish.

Fiona McKenzie is made up, and so are the employers. The layout and the wording are what New Zealand employers expect: no photo or date of birth, the most recent job first, and every bullet showing what was done and what came of it.

Fiona McKenzie

Bookkeeper, small business and rural clients

Invercargill · 021 555 0753 · fiona.mckenzie@email.com

Profile

Certified bookkeeper with ten years in accounts, the last five keeping the books for small businesses and farms across Southland. Reconciles accounts, runs payroll and prepares GST returns in Xero and MYOB, always on time. Hands clean, reconciled books to the accountant at year end, and explains the numbers to owners in plain language.

Skills

Bank and account reconciliations · GST returns · Payroll and payday filing · Accounts payable and receivable · Month-end reporting · Xero, including Xero Payroll · MYOB Business · Hubdoc and receipt capture · Rural and farm accounts

Experience

Bookkeeper, Murihiku Bookkeeping

Invercargill · 2021 to now

  • Keep the books for 32 clients, from sole traders to farms and a 40-staff engineering firm, reconciling each month
  • Prepare and file around 90 GST returns a year, with none filed late in five years
  • Run fortnightly payroll for seven clients with 110 employees, including payday filing and KiwiSaver deductions
  • Moved 11 clients from paper and spreadsheets to Xero with Hubdoc, cutting their monthly bookkeeping hours by about a third
  • Found a supplier who had been paid twice over eight months, and recovered $14,200 for the client

Accounts Administrator, Oreti Rural Supplies

Invercargill · 2016 to 2021

  • Processed around 400 supplier invoices a month and ran the weekly payment run
  • Managed 350 farmer trading accounts, bringing overdue balances down by 40% with monthly statements and friendly follow-up calls
  • Reconciled bank, stock and trading accounts each month, and prepared the month-end pack for the external accountant

Education

New Zealand Certificate in Business (Accounting Support Services) (Level 4), Southern Institute of Technology

2020

NCEA Level 3, James Hargest College

2014

Other details

Certifications
Xero professional certification and payroll specialist badge, both current
Membership
ICNZB Certified Bookkeeper
Driver's licence
Full

Referees

Available on request

Fiona wrote a cover letter to go with it. Read the bookkeeper cover letter

Skills and keywords

What bookkeeper job ads look for.

Use the ad's own words where they're true of you. An ATS, and a recruiter skimming, both look for them.

  • ReconciliationsThe first thing an accountant checks. Say how often you reconcile and which accounts: bank, credit cards, loans, stock.
  • GST returnsNew Zealand ads ask for GST by name. Give the number you file and that they go in on time.
  • XeroThe most asked-for package. List Xero certifications if you hold them, and any other software, such as MYOB.
  • PayrollMany bookkeeping roles include it. Mention payday filing, KiwiSaver and the number of staff you pay.
  • Accounts payable and receivableShow the volume and a result, such as overdue debt reduced.
  • Month-endSay what you hand over: a reconciled ledger, a management report, a pack for the accountant.
  • Attention to detailDon't just write it. Give one error you caught and what it saved.

Bullet points

9 strong lines to borrow from.

Each says what was done, how, and what came of it. Swap in your own facts: a line is only strong if it's true.

  1. 1Kept the books for 32 clients, from sole traders to a 40-staff firm, reconciling every month
  2. 2Filed around 90 GST returns a year, none late in five years
  3. 3Ran fortnightly payroll for 110 employees across seven clients, including payday filing and KiwiSaver
  4. 4Moved 11 clients to Xero with Hubdoc, cutting their monthly bookkeeping time by about a third
  5. 5Found a supplier paid twice over eight months and recovered $14,200 for the client
  6. 6Brought overdue trading account balances down by 40% with monthly statements and follow-up calls
  7. 7Processed around 400 supplier invoices a month and ran the weekly payment run
  8. 8Prepared year-end packs that the accountant signed off with no reworking
  9. 9Set up simple monthly reports that helped two farm clients plan for seasonal cash flow

Common mistakes

What costs bookkeeper CVs interviews.

  • Not giving the number of clients or transactions.

    Say how many clients, what size, and how many invoices, returns or pay runs you handle. Volume shows you can keep up.

  • Listing software without saying what you do in it.

    "Xero" alone could mean entering receipts. Say you reconcile, file GST, run payroll or set up new files in it.

  • Hiding your certifications at the bottom.

    Put Xero or MYOB certification and any bookkeeping membership near the top. Many ads filter on them.

  • Calling yourself an accountant.

    Use the title you hold. Say what you prepare for the accountant, which shows you know where your job ends and theirs begins.

New Zealand and Australia

What changes across the Tasman.

New Zealand

A New Zealand business must register for GST once its turnover reaches $60,000 in 12 months, so bookkeepers often help clients watch that threshold and then file their GST returns with Inland Revenue.

New Zealand CV format

Australia

In Australia, anyone who provides BAS services for a fee must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board, so if you want to work for your own clients there, look into registering as a BAS agent. Australian employers usually say resume rather than CV, and expect about two pages.

Australian CV format

Sources: Inland Revenue: registering for GST, Tax Practitioners Board: tax practitioners, Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers, Xero: certifications.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Do I need a qualification to work as a bookkeeper?

Not always, but many employers and clients want one, such as a Level 4 accounting support certificate, plus Xero or MYOB certification.

Should a self-employed bookkeeper write a CV like an employee?

Yes, with your business as the employer. Describe your client base, the services you provide and your results, just as you would for a job.

What's the difference between a bookkeeper and an accounts administrator?

An accounts administrator usually handles one part, such as payables, inside one business. A bookkeeper keeps the full set of books, often for several clients. Use the title you held and let the bullets show the range.

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