Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Chartered accountant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Natalie Burgos,

Dr. George Young

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical chartered accountant skills. We ranked the top skills for chartered accountants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 33.1% of chartered accountant resumes contained internal audit as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a chartered accountant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 chartered accountant skills for your resume and career

1. Internal Audit

Internal audit is an evaluation process that ensures that a company's risk management, governing body, and other internal processes are running effectively. People who perform internal audits must be highly qualified, have experience, and knowledge to work accordingly with the international standards and the code of ethics.

Here's how chartered accountants use internal audit:

Worked in capacity of Independent/Statutory and Internal auditor of big business houses including Public and Private Sector.
Conduct internal audits to identify drawbacks in internal control and suggest remedial measures.

2. 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 chartered accountants use financial statements:

Trained as accountant whilst auditing and producing financial statements for clients ranging from individuals to nationwide businesses.
Prepared financial statements and audited procurement documents and bills for accuracy.

3. Income Tax Returns

Here's how chartered accountants use income tax returns:

Tax computation of corporate & non-corporate assesses, filing of income tax returns, estimated tax payments, T.D.S.
Prepared Corporate Income Tax Returns and income and balance sheet statements.

4. Balance Sheet

Here's how chartered accountants use balance sheet:

Profit & Loss Statement and Balance Sheet.
Prepare: Profit & Loss Account, Cash flow, Balance Sheet.

5. Audit Reports

Here's how chartered accountants use audit reports:

Prepared audit reports for companies using Excel modeling (V-lookup, Pivot tables) tools.
Created financial statements and management representation letter comments and recommendations and draft audit reports for management review.

6. Tax Audits

Here's how chartered accountants use tax audits:

Conducted audits and prepared Income tax and tax audit statements for the companies and partnership firms.
Tax Audits of Small Scale Industrial Units, Trading and Manufacturing Concerns.

Choose from 10+ customizable chartered accountant resume templates

Build a professional chartered accountant 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 chartered accountant resume.

7. Statutory Audits

Here's how chartered accountants use statutory audits:

Supervised and managed high-profile statutory audits of public, multinational, and high risk companies.
Conducted statutory audits for two major logistic clients with combined sales greater than $1B.

8. Financial Reports

Here's how chartered accountants use financial reports:

Prepared financial reports for clients as client's requirements.
Provided full cycle of bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, financial reports for clients Participated in corporate tax and accounting audits

9. 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 chartered accountants use journal entries:

Reviewed client's records including trial balances, ledgers, invoices, journal entries and monthly accrual entries.
Performed complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliation.

10. GAAP

Here's how chartered accountants use gaap:

Reviewed various financial activities for reasonableness, accuracy, compliance to internal controls/policies and determination of correct US GAAP accounting treatment.
Utilized GAAP for weekly financial reporting/invoicing and daily cash transactions as a unit accountant/controller for University of Denver Dining Services.

11. Trial Balance

Here's how chartered accountants use trial balance:

General accounting, month-end reconciliation and closing of accounts with preparation of trial balances.
Compiled and analyzed financial information to prepare entries to accounts including general ledger and trial balance, bank reconciliations various accounts.

12. Tax Planning

Here's how chartered accountants use tax planning:

Researched tax issues and helped partners and managers assist clients with tax planning and compliance issues.
Work directly for partners Property service charge account audit Tax planning and preparation of individual tax and corporation tax returns.

13. Audit Programs

Here's how chartered accountants use audit programs:

Designed and implemented audit programs.

14. Corporate Tax

Here's how chartered accountants use corporate tax:

Handled Taxation of Export Units, Corporate Taxation and Individual Taxation.
Completed personal and corporate tax returns for clients.

15. CPA

Here's how chartered accountants use cpa:

Collaborate extensively with CPA's office during preliminary and year-end audit/review process to ensure completeness of financial statements and tax returns.
Maintained monthly client bookkeeping including bank reconciliations, account payable and prepared preliminary financial statements for CPA review.

5 Chartered Accountant resume examples

Build a professional chartered accountant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 5+ resume templates to create your chartered accountant resume.

Create my resume

Build a professional resume in minutes using this template.

What skills help Chartered Accountants find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on chartered accountant resumes?

Natalie Burgos

Associate Faculty, Edmonds Community College

-Great writing and communication skills - I recommend taking Business Writing classes at Edmonds College. It helped me a lot with my business writing skills!
-Two-plus years of experience with QuickBooks or any other accounting software. Another popular accounting software is Microsoft Dynamics 365, also known as "D365".
-More than one year using Microsoft Excel. Advanced Excel is a plus! Commonly used Excel formulas and functions include VLookUps, IF formula, IFERROR, and Pivot Tables.
-Experience using Ten-Key - most companies don't use the Ten-Key machine anymore. Instead they use the calculator that's already on the computer. Some companies like to use the Ten-Key machine to print the paper and tape it on the source document to show their work. I remember throughout my college years, none of my instructors taught us how to use Ten-Key, so if you have never used the Ten-Key machine or keypad, I recommend to start practicing by using the Ten-Key on the right side of the keyboard. I self-taught myself because my mom, who is an accountant, recommended me to.

What hard/technical skills are most important for chartered accountants?

Dr. George Young

Director, Florida Atlantic University

Besides becoming fluent in accounting, which is the language of business, students should take every opportunity to learn more about spreadsheet software such as Excel and increase their skills in using Tableau. These types of software enable accountants to analyze, summarize, and communicate their results in an understandable manner.

What soft skills should all chartered accountants possess?

Dr. Henri Akono Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Maine Orono

-Teamwork
-Ability to work in teams (team-oriented)
-Interact with teammates
-Contribute to the team's work
-Keep the team on track
-Working remotely

-Communication (both written and oral)
-Written communication
-Memos
-Short papers
-Emails

-Oral communication
-PowerPoint presentations
-Use and quality of visual aids
-Making presentation videos using software such as zoom or Kaltura

-Others
-Time management
-Working under pressure
-Ability to complete the work within deadlines
-Self-motivation
-Attention to details
-Goal-oriented
-Understand firm strategy and objectives to the extent possible.

What chartered accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Stephen Moehrle Ph.D.

Professor and Chairman of Accounting, University of Missouri - St. Louis

In the spirit of continuing education I would recommend the following: First and foremost, successfully complete the cpa exam. This is a huge difference-maker in the marketplace. If the young professional has already accomplished that, I would consider developing expertise consistent with their long-term career goals. Potential areas of expertise include data analytics, information systems controls and security, taxation, SEC reporting, or management accounting. There are certificate programs in each of these skills at universities across the country. The internet is also replete with free or relatively inexpensive materials for self-starters.

What type of skills will young chartered accountants need?

Lindsay Andiola Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University

The accounting field has been rapidly evolving over the last 5 years. The pandemic really hasn't changed anything about the skills needed of these graduates. Most importantly, accounting graduates entering the workforce need to have not only the technical knowledge of accounting but also the ability to communicate well (both written and verbally). They need to have analytical and critical thinking skills, and comfort and willingness to use technology. The accounting field is changing, and in my opinion, accounting students have an amazing opportunity to be part of that change and innovate the profession. Companies and firms looking to hire accounting graduates are looking for those who are interested in driving change in the profession.

Do you want to know more?

List of chartered accountant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a chartered accountant resume and required skills for a chartered accountant to have include:

Internal Audit
Financial Statements
Income Tax Returns
Balance Sheet
Audit Reports
Tax Audits
Statutory Audits
Financial Reports

Journal Entries
GAAP
Trial Balance
Tax Planning
Audit Programs
Corporate Tax
CPA
TDS

IFRS
PVT
Audit Findings
Fixed Assets
Taxation
Non-Profit Organization
Vat Returns

Updated January 8, 2025

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 business and financial jobs