Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobsSalaryResume

Skills

What They DoEducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesJob OutlookComparePart Time jobsEntry Level jobsFull Time jobs
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Accounting and administrative assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Curtis Nicholls Ph.D.,
Frank Longo
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical accounting and administrative assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for accounting and administrative assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 11.6% of accounting and administrative assistant resumes contained data entry as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an accounting and administrative assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 accounting and administrative assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use data entry:
  • Instituted data entry procedures for receiving inventory of raw materials, resulting in more timely and accurate reporting.
  • Handled multifaceted administrative tasks such as data entry and records management among others.

2. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use customer service:
  • Raised the bar in delivering exemplary customer service with pronounced and value-added communication etiquette via verbal and written skills.
  • Communicated with customer service and outside warehouse regarding status of orders and ability to meet customer requested dates.

3. Financial Statements

A financial statement is a report of an individual or a company that includes all the information about the declared assets, the use of money, income, and also the contribution of shareholders over a certain period.

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use financial statements:
  • Facilitated close working relationship with outside firms in preparation of annual financial statements, legal documents and representation letters.
  • Produced financial statements and recorded all transactions Submitted monthly and quarterly financial statement to management Maintained G/L and accounting statement

4. Purchase Orders

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use purchase orders:
  • Processed, distributed and accurately verified invoice/purchase order information and resolves variations and billing discrepancies.
  • Prepared quotations and purchase orders and also processing expense report sale representative.

5. Vendor Invoices

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use vendor invoices:
  • Ensured input all vendor invoices timely and accurately into QuickBooks.
  • Processed vendor invoices inventory purchases for payment.

6. QuickBooks

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use quickbooks:
  • Reconcile QuickBooks accounts and provide balanced reports, input bank statement data assuring accounts are updated accurately and timely.
  • Recorded/maintained accounts payable and accounts receivable by investigating business transaction discrepancies via QuickBooks.

Choose from 10+ customizable accounting and administrative assistant resume templates

Build a professional accounting and administrative assistant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your accounting and administrative assistant resume.

7. Credit Card Statements

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use credit card statements:
  • Reconciled vendor statements and credit card statements.
  • Handle the company's banking needs, balancing the general ledger and reconciling monthly bank/credit card statements and monitoring cash flow.

8. Expense Reports

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use expense reports:
  • Processed AP invoices and expense reports for both an international textile manufacturing company and luxury bedding licensing company.
  • Processed office expenses, verified employee expense reports for accuracy and prepared budget comparison reports.

9. General Ledger

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use general ledger:
  • Developed and documented written procedures for major responsibilities, such as the accounts payable system and general ledger account reconciliations.
  • Balance accounts receivables and submit all general ledger information to Administrative Partner.

10. Journal Entries

Journal entries can be defined as an act of keeping or making records of any transactions either economic or non-economic. The journal entries are made in the accounting systems of an organization. The entries are filled with two main fields; debit and credit. The debit and credit must be equal at the end of a journal entry else it is not considered correct. The journal entries also keep the date of transactions and the names of the accounts that were affected by the transactions.

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use journal entries:
  • Prepare monthly inter-company reconciliation journal entries.
  • Assisted inter-company accountants logging journal entries.

11. PowerPoint

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use powerpoint:
  • Maintained Investor Presentation using MS PowerPoint, mailing database, assembled investor packets, mailed quarterly company information to investors.
  • Created numerous PowerPoint presentations for internal and external presentations.

12. Accounts Receivables

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use accounts receivables:
  • Handled customer inquiries, researched problems and developed solutions for accounts receivables.
  • Communicated with clients regularly regarding accounts receivables to maximize collections.

13. Travel Arrangements

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use travel arrangements:
  • Managed calendar, scheduled appointments, arranged travel arrangements, booked reservations and assigned conference rooms utilizing Microsoft Outlook.
  • Provided administrative support to Director of Administration, which included scheduling meetings, interviews, and arranging travel arrangements.

14. Bank Deposits

Any money that a customer chooses to leave with their bank account is a deposit. Deposits can vary in amounts and different banks have limits on the deposits their customers can have as a minimum. Banks charge customers for deposits especially when a teller is used by the customer to deposit money into their account.

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use bank deposits:
  • Designed a more effective procedure for tracking bank deposits, which allowed for absolute accountability.
  • Generated all weekly bank deposits from returned travel advances and miscellaneous revenues.

15. Office Equipment

Here's how accounting and administrative assistants use office equipment:
  • Coordinate maintenance of office equipment such as phones, voice mail systems, computers, copiers and printers.
  • Executed clerical duties of managing the internal and external mail and supplies as well as office equipment.
top-skills

What skills help Accounting And Administrative Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on accounting and administrative assistant resumes?

Curtis Nicholls Ph.D.Curtis Nicholls Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Accounting, Co-director of the Student Managed Investment Fund, Bucknell University

The obvious trends are going to become more pronounced: coding and technology-related skills. I think we are going to see an elevation in the coding expectations. In the future, I expect employers to begin providing coding assessments to potential candidates. This is a common feature of engineering and finance jobs, and I think we will see it with respect to claims about coding prowess.

Data skills will also continue to become more prevalent across all business disciplines. Employers are looking for experience with large data sets, data visualization software (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI, Alteryx, etc.) and statistical analysis. Data has become a major currency, and employees' ability to utilize data for decision making will be critical to success in the employment marketplace.

Beyond the obvious, I think the pandemic has also shifted focus to skills surrounding resilience and motivation. I've heard employers during the pandemic express surprise at the disparity of responses to the pandemic: some employees made the pivot to remote work seamlessly, others required significantly more support. Skills that demonstrate resilience, such as group work, honors programs, etc. will become more important.
I would encourage job seekers to highlight skills learned during the pandemic. I would anticipate a regular interview question inquiring about how the job seeker used their extra time during the pandemic. The most common answers will likely include lots of Queen's Gambit and Tiger King, but employers will look for answers surrounding the development of new skills or acquired certifications. Imagine the employer's thoughts when you suggest that you used the extra time to pursue a lifelong dream such as learning to play the piano or guitar. If you missed the early pandemic window of opportunity, take advantage now!

This line of questions may precede a dangerous trend for employers to look for indications of mental strength. I find this possibility disheartening as we could see employers screening employees with mental health challenges at a time when the solidarity of a job could provide much needed structure.

What hard/technical skills are most important for accounting and administrative assistants?

Frank Longo

Assistant Professor of Business, Centenary University

Proficiency with emerging technology is an attention-getter. We should note that the Certified Public Accountants Exam will contain three sections by 2024, including Data Analytics, Tax Compliance and Planning, and Information System and Controls. A basic knowledge will be required in each of these, and the CPA candidate will identify one area of the above for more detailed testing. This change in knowledge requirements reflects the skills employers see as most important to hire. Using technology in any of these areas can move a candidate to the top of the hiring list. We should emphasize that the job candidate does not need to be an expert in each area, but the ability to effectively use technology in one area is important. Employers are looking for the ability to use technology in information security, business processes, information systems, IT audits, data analytics, and tax planning but not all of them.

Keep in mind that successful firms performed audits, prepared tax returns, advised clients on data security, and much more during the pandemic, and they often did so remotely. This can be expected to continue into the future.

What soft skills should all accounting and administrative assistants possess?

Frank Longo

Assistant Professor of Business, Centenary University

The skills listed above in question number one are soft skills. They are the skills that truly differentiate the candidate. All candidates are expected to possess hard skills such as excel proficiency. It is the soft skills that get the job done. The ability to solve problems and to lead a team are the top requirements. Recent studies conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers consistently arrived at this conclusion, as did a recent Centenary University survey that included New Jersey and New York employers. These skills can be demonstrated through work experience, internships, and extra-curricular activities, including clubs and sports, which can serve as examples.

What technical skills for an accounting and administrative assistant stand out to employers?

Jodi OlsonJodi Olson LinkedIn profile

Assistant Accounting Professor, Winona State University

Accountants serve many industries and sectors, so a broad range of technical skills is required to be ready to meet the needs of employers. Graduates must be technically competent in areas such as accounting information systems, tax preparation, auditing, managerial/cost accounting, financial reporting, and financial statement analysis. Also, graduates are expected to have general business acumen in areas such as management information systems, business law, operations, strategic management, and ethics. All these skills are important for graduates, but the pandemic has made the accounting systems and management information systems skills operative in allowing graduates to deliver their other areas of technical expertise.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about accounting and administrative assistant

List of accounting and administrative assistant skills to add to your resume

Accounting and administrative assistant skills

The most important skills for an accounting and administrative assistant resume and required skills for an accounting and administrative assistant to have include:

  • Data Entry
  • Customer Service
  • Financial Statements
  • Purchase Orders
  • Vendor Invoices
  • QuickBooks
  • Credit Card Statements
  • Expense Reports
  • General Ledger
  • Journal Entries
  • PowerPoint
  • Accounts Receivables
  • Travel Arrangements
  • Bank Deposits
  • Office Equipment
  • Administrative Tasks
  • ACH
  • Front Desk
  • Process Invoices
  • Bank Reconciliations
  • Word Processing
  • Tax Returns
  • Scheduling Appointments
  • Bank Statements
  • Telephone Calls
  • Provides Administrative Support
  • Human Resources
  • Administrative Functions
  • Customer Accounts
  • Bank Accounts
  • Accounts Payables
  • CPA
  • Credit Card Payments
  • AP
  • Ar
  • Financial Data
  • Transferring Calls
  • Computer System
  • W-9
  • ADP
  • Inventory Control
  • Payable Invoices
  • Clerical Support
  • Vendor Statements
  • Financial Transactions
  • Collection Calls
  • Customer Inquiries
  • Credit Memos
  • Sales Orders
  • Multi-Line Phone System

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs