Home Bookkeeper Resume template
Bookkeeper resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what bookkeepers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most bookkeepers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Bookkeeper with solid experience managing day-to-day financial records for small and medium businesses. Comfortable reconciling accounts, processing payroll and preparing BAS under the supervision or registration of a BAS agent. Known for accuracy under deadline pressure and clear communication with business owners who aren't financial specialists.
Key skills
- Bookkeeping and ledger management
- Bank and supplier statement reconciliation
- Payroll processing and STP reporting
- BAS preparation and lodgement support
- Xero
- MYOB
- QuickBooks
- Advanced Excel
- Attention to detail
- Client relationship management
Experience: example bullet points
- Recorded and coded daily transactions across multiple client accounts, keeping ledgers current for month-end reporting
- Reconciled bank accounts and supplier statements weekly, identifying and resolving discrepancies before they reached the general ledger
- Processed supplier invoices and customer receipts, maintaining payment terms and reducing overdue accounts
- Prepared quarterly BAS working papers for review and lodgement by a registered BAS agent
- Produced monthly management reports summarising cash position and outstanding debtors for business owners
- Managed payroll runs including PAYG withholding and superannuation guarantee calculations for a small staff group
Education
Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping (or Diploma of Accounting) is the common entry qualification; registration as a BAS agent with the Tax Practitioners Board requires this qualification plus relevant experience and membership of a recognised professional body.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- BAS agent
- Tax Practitioners Board
- business activity statement
- single touch payroll
- superannuation guarantee
- PAYG withholding
- Xero certified
- MYOB
- GST reconciliation
- accounts payable
- accounts receivable
- general ledger
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.