Table of Contents

Finance Assistant CV (Text Format)

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Dependable finance professional with experience supporting accounting operations. Proven ability to manage invoices, reconcile accounts, and assist with VAT returns. Currently progressing through AAT Level 4, with a strong foundation in accounting software including Sage and Xero. Enthusiastic about continuing to develop within a dynamic finance team and contributing to accurate, efficient financial operations.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Finance Assistant
BT Group, Glasgow
20XX – Present

  • Process high-volume invoices and ensure timely supplier payments
  • Reconcile multiple bank accounts and resolve unreconciled items
  • Support month-end processes including accruals, prepayments, and journals
  • Assist with preparation of quarterly VAT returns in line with His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) guidance
  • Maintain general ledger entries and support external audit preparation

Finance Intern
Tesco PLC, Glasgow
20XX – 20XX

  • Supported processing of supplier invoices and credit notes using Oracle
  • Assisted in reconciling cash and card transactions across retail stores
  • Helped prepare documentation for VAT submissions and internal audits
  • Worked with the commercial finance team to allocate marketing spend

KEY SKILLS

  • Accounts payable and receivable
  • Bank reconciliations
  • Sage, Xero, Microsoft Excel
  • GAAP & HMRC regulations

EDUCATION

West College Scotland, Paisley (20XX–20XX)
AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting

Paisley Grammar School, Paisley (20XX–20XX)
Highers: Accounting (B), Business Management (B), Maths (B), English (B)
N5s: 9, including English (A), Maths (A), Business Management (B), and ICT (B)

How to write a finance assistant CV that lands interviews

You might have learnt the basics of writing a CV in PSHE class in school, but these targeted tips will help you refine your finance assistant CV into a polished document that grabs the attention of hiring managers — and gets them wanting to give you a ring.

1. Include any financial or accounting qualifications to boost your credibility

Add any qualifications to your CV’s education section — if you have several of them, you can create a dedicated qualifications section to make them stand out.

While optional, qualifications like Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or bookkeeping diplomas show employers you know what you’re talking about and are prepared to accurately handle financial responsibilities.

Example education section

AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting
Pudsey Training Centre, Pudsey — Completed 20XX

GCSEs including Mathematics (Grade 9)
St Mary’s Church of England Voluntary Controlled Secondary School — Completed 20XX

2. List skills that show you understand basic accounting principles

Finance assistants must grasp fundamental UK accounting concepts such as accruals, debits and credits, and the trial balance.

Employers want candidates who can apply these principles confidently when handling ledgers, preparing financial statements, or supporting audits, so list them in your CV’s skills section.

Example key skills section

  • Accruals and prepayments
  • Double-entry accounting
  • Journal entry preparation
  • HMRC guidelines
  • Expense tracking and analysis

3. Immediately demonstrate your attention to detail in your personal statement

Attention to detail is non-negotiable in finance: One digit out of place can lead to reporting errors, delayed payments, or budget misallocations.

In your CV personal statement, mention your attention to detail from the start by showing that you have a track record of accurate data entry.

Example CV personal statement

Meticulous Finance Assistant with a strong track record in maintaining data accuracy and preventing financial discrepancies. Experienced in processing invoices, reconciling purchase orders, and updating financial systems with 99%+ accuracy. Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Sage, with a reputation for detail and precision in fast-paced finance teams.

4. Quantify your budget monitoring or cost savings achievements in your bullet points

Helping reduce costs, streamlining processes, and supporting more accurate budgeting are examples of saving costs at your company, so if you have evidence of these achievements, share it.

Here’s an example bullet point from a CV work experience section that quantifies a budgetary saving:

Example bullet point

  • Streamlined petty cash recording process, helping reduce departmental overspend by 10% over 6 months

5. Showcase your experience with financial software throughout your CV

Systems like Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks are commonly used for invoicing, reporting, and payroll support.

Demonstrating your hands-on experience with these tools gives hiring managers confidence that you can hit the ground running with minimal training, saving the company time and resources.

You can refer to the software you’re familiar with in your skills list like so:

Example key skills section

  • Sage 50 and Sage Payroll
  • Xero accounting software
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Microsoft Excel (pivot tables & VLOOKUPs)
  • Cloud-based financial reporting

And if you’ve gained certifications in a particular software package, add it to your qualifications section:

Example qualifications section

Sage 50 Accounts Certification
Pitman Training — Completed 20XX

Xero Advisor Certification (Online)
Xero Training — Completed 20XX

Get help writing your finance assistant CV

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A good example of a CV.
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Samuel Johns
Written by

Samuel Johns

Samuel Johns is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Senior Editor on the CV Genius team, with 6+ years of experience in the careers space. He has helped countless job hunters craft high-quality CVs and cover letters, exceed expectations at interviews, and obtain their dream jobs. Born and raised in County Durham in the beautiful North East of England, he graduated with a BA (Hons) in French Language and Literature from the University of Bristol in 2013 and has worked in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, London, Paris, and Taipei as a French–English translator. He’s determined to use his native English and fluent French skills to help UK and French candidates get the jobs they deserve. In addition to the British and French versions of CV Genius, Samuel’s job-hunt advice has been published on numerous websites, including Careers.org, the University of Warwick, the Enterprisers Project, and HR.com. If you’d like to collaborate, please reach out to Samuel through LinkedIn. Please note, we don’t accept guest posts and won’t reply to such requests.