Accountants thrive when surrounded by spreadsheets, with the sound of a calculator and the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air. And one of the best tools that can help them reach that environment is a strong accountant cover letter.
If there’s one thing that can boost your chances with hiring managers—in addition to a compelling resume—it’s a personalized document that talks about your skills and achievements. But how do you convert an entire career rich with skills and experiences into a single piece of paper?
That’s where this article comes into play. We’re going to show you everything from broad general rules to specialized tips and tricks that will help you write an impeccable accountant cover letter. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
The best way to write an accountant cover letter is to include a catchy introductory paragraph, an information-packed body, and a closing paragraph with a call to action.
Your cover letter should be one page long, with a professional font and a clean layout.
One of the easiest ways to connect with the hiring manager and start building rapport from the get-go is to find out their name and address them personally.
To maximize your chances of success, you want to tailor the skills and experiences you include in your document to the requirements in the job advertisement.
How to Format an Accountant Cover Letter
Knowing the right format for your accountant cover letter is the first step in writing a structured and information-packed document. The neat thing is that the format stays the same, regardless of whether you’re writing a junior accountant cover letter, a general accountant cover letter, or anything in between.
Your cover letter should be structured as follows:
Cover Letter Format Guidelines
Your contact information, the receiver’s contact details, and the date of writing
A formal greeting
An impactful first paragraph that should grab the hiring manager’s attention
The body of the letter that should contain most of the information about your skills and experiences
The final paragraph with a call to action
A formal closing
Your name
By following this list when writing your accountant cover letter, you’ll ensure that you’ve included everything a cover letter needs to have. The document should be one page long since hiring managers likely won’t spend their precious time reading lengthy writing. Keep it brief, concise, and between 250 and 400 words.
Optionally, you can add a postscript with a particularly impressive accomplishment. Its goal is to catch the eye of a hiring manager who may have skimmed through your letter and persuade them to start from the top.
How to Create a Professional Layout
Having a good format for your cover letter might not be enough if your document is a visual mess. So, here’s how to craft a professional layout that will help you convey valuable information in the best way possible:
Cover Letter Layout Guidelines
Pick a cover letter-friendly font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Verdana).
Set font size between 10 and 12 pt.
Adjust margins to one inch.
Set line spacing to 1.0.
Split your letter into 3–5 paragraphs.
As you can see, you don’t have to be a graphic designer to craft a compelling layout.
You should avoid adding colors and graphics unless you really know what you’re doing. To be on the safe side, stick with plain black text on a white background, and you can’t go wrong.
How to Write an Accountant Cover Letter
Armed with knowledge about the format and layout, let’s delve deeper into the specifics and learn how to write each section of our accountant cover letter. As a visual aid, we prepared this informative template:
#1. Add Contact Information in the Header
Contact information is a straightforward section that goes in your cover letter header. Start by adding your details, such as:
Mandatory Information
Name
Job title
Phone number
Email address
Continue by adding the date of writing and the receiver’s contact information. At this point, you should do your research to figure out the name of the hiring manager who will read your cover letter.
By including it in the contact information section and greeting, you can create a strong personal connection and start building rapport immediately, getting ahead of the competition.
Let’s put all that into practice and check out an example:
Good Example
Harry Clark Accountant 2051 Park Boulevard Batavia, IA 52533 641-662-3600 harry.clark@example.com
Los Angeles, 23/04/2023
Grace Wier Hiring Manager Quantified 2990 Denver Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90017
#2. Greet the Hiring Manager
It’s hard to go wrong with a simple, polite, and professional formal greeting, like in the following example:
Good Example
Dear Ms. Wier
What you should avoid writing here is a generic “To whom it may concern,” as it feels too distant, even for a professional document. If you can’t find the recipient’s name, you can address them by their title—that will be good enough.
#3. Emphasize Your Achievements in the Introduction
The worst thing that can happen to an accountant cover letter that you spend hours writing is for a hiring manager to skim through it and skip it. That’s why you want a strong opening paragraph to hook them immediately.
If you’re writing an accounting cover letter with experience, you want to highlight a couple of your most impressive achievements. On the flip side, if you’re an entry-level candidate, you can emphasize your skills, goals, and motivation.
Here’s an example:
Good Example
It is with great enthusiasm that I write to apply for the accountant position at Quantified, as advertised on your website. With more than 9 years of experience in public accounting and financial auditing and over $21 million of government and private foundation grants managed annually, I am confident in my ability to contribute to your organization’s success.
#4. Elaborate on Why You’re the Right Fit
Every accountant applying for the same job as you will showcase a set of valuable skills and experiences. So, how do you stand out in a crowd of adept professionals? The answer is simple: you emphasize those qualities that are specifically important for the job and the company in question.
In other words, to show why you’re the right fit for their organization, you want your cover letter to meet the specific requirements of the job ad. Moreover, by researching the company, you can find particular competencies that they look for in candidates that aren’t mentioned in the job advertisement.
Once you figure out which skills and experiences potential employers want to see, it’s going to be easy to add them to the body of your cover letter. Let’s see that in an example:
Good Example
During my time as an accountant at Northern Group, I performed monthly GL account analyses for assets worth $15 million or more. I am adept at collaborating, with extensive experience working closely with management on programs, budgets, and financial reporting. On top of that, I am proficient in using industry-leading software, including Excel, SAP, and Quickbooks.
#5. Add a Call to Action
The last paragraph of your document shouldn’t just be a simple farewell statement. Instead, you can use the opportunity to end your cover letter with a powerful call to action and increase your chances of getting called for an interview. Let’s check out an example:
Good Example
I would welcome the chance to further discuss how my skills and experiences align with your company’s goals during an interview. Thank you for considering my application.
#6. Write a Formal Closing
Much like the way you greeted the hiring manager, you want to formally close your cover letter. There are several ways of doing it, including the one in this example:
Good Example
Sincerely,
Harry Clark
#7. Proofread the Cover Letter
Attention to detail is one of the crucial skills for accountants, and having mistakes in your cover letter shows a lack of it. That’s why you want to meticulously proofread your accountant cover letter to fix any typos and correct any errors.
In addition to eliminating any potential inaccuracies in your writing, proofreading can help you further improve your cover letter. By taking the time to read the letter once you’re done writing it, you can improve its flow, trim certain bits, and expand on others.
Pro Tip
You can ask a friend or a colleague to help you with proofreading. A fresh pair of eyes is more likely to spot mistakes or parts that can be improved.
Here’s a complete example of an accountant cover letter.
Accountant Cover Letter Writing Tips
Our comprehensive guide is almost finished. All that’s left are a couple of expert tips that can help you polish your accountant cover letter to perfection:
Accounting is a world of numbers, so you should add them to your accountant cover letter as well. When you talk about your professional achievements, you should add numbers and percentages next to them for quantification. That adds measurable value to your efforts, making them concrete in the process.
The best cover letter is the one that complements your accountant resume. In addition to tailoring it to the job ad, you also want your document to match the resume that you submitted. Instead of repeating the skills and achievements you’ve included in your resume, add new details for a greater impact on hiring managers.
You should submit a soft copy of your accountant cover letter as a PDF file. A PDF preserves the format and layout of the document, regardless of the device it’s viewed on. Don’t make the mistake of sending a cover letter for an accountant in Word format, as the reader can end up with a messy and potentially incomprehensible document.
Closing Thoughts
And so we reach the end of our journey, dear number-savvy wordsmiths! Hopefully, crafting an accountant cover letter no longer feels like a daunting task. As you’ve discovered, having a professional narrative with a touch of personality is the way to go.
Even in a world where numbers reign supreme, a bit of creativity goes a long way. So, as you tell stories about your financial triumphs and cost-cutting adventures, remember to emphasize how that makes you a good fit for the job.
Go forth with confidence, armed with the knowledge that can help you craft a cover letter that will set you apart from the competition, and may you conquer the world of accounting!
