Free accountant cover letter template

For trainee, part-qualified and qualified accountants in practice or industry. A full example for an assistant accountant role, and what to mention in yours.

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An accountant cover letter in the Heritage design, with a made-up name and a typed signature

Accountant cover letter example

Joseph Turnbull, Assistant Accountant, manufacturing · AAT qualified, studying for ACCA

Dear Ms Dawson,

I am applying for the Assistant Accountant role at Northgate Packaging. I am AAT qualified and studying for ACCA, with two exams passed so far, and for the past three years I have worked in the finance team of a building supplies wholesaler, where I now prepare most of the month-end journals.

Each month I post accruals and prepayments, reconcile our bank accounts and balance sheet control accounts, and keep the fixed asset register and depreciation up to date. I also prepare the quarterly VAT returns, which our financial controller reviews before I submit them through our Making Tax Digital software, and we have never missed a deadline. I also run the weekly supplier payment run and agree statements with our larger suppliers.

Your advert mentions improving the month-end process. Last year I rebuilt our balance sheet reconciliation workbook in Excel, using lookups and Power Query to pull data straight from Sage 200. It removed most of the manual copying and helped us close a day earlier.

I would like to move into a manufacturing business where I can learn costing and stock accounting, and Northgate’s move into recycled packaging is the kind of change I would like to support. I was also pleased to see that you support staff through their professional exams.

My notice period is one month. Thank you for considering my application.

Yours sincerely,
Joseph Turnbull

Or write yours from the job advert

What to mention in an accountant cover letter

Keep it to one page. Pick what the advert stresses most, and give an example for each point.

Writing the CV too? See the accountant CV template and our accountant CV example.

Invited to interview? Read our accountant interview questions, with how to answer each one.

Tips for yours

  • Be exact about exams: say which you have passed and when you expect to finish, not just "studying".
  • Check every figure and spelling: an error in an accountant’s letter gets noticed.
  • Moving from practice to industry, or the other way? Say why in one sentence.

  1. Qualification status

    AAT, ACCA, ACA, CIMA or CTA: qualified with the year, or the exams you have passed and what comes next.

  2. Practice or industry

    The work you do (management accounts, year end, VAT, payroll, audit) and the size of the clients or the business.

  3. Systems

    Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, your ERP, and Excel at the level you really use it.

  4. An improvement

    A faster month end, a reconciliation you automated or tighter controls.

  5. Deadlines

    Month ends, VAT quarters or filing dates you meet reliably.

  6. Why this business

    The sector, its plans or the training it offers, in one or two lines.

Accountant cover letters: your questions

Should I mention study support in my cover letter?

You can, briefly and positively, for example that you were pleased to see the employer supports staff through professional exams. Leave the detail of study leave and fees for the interview or the offer.

How do I write a cover letter for a trainee accountant role?

Lead with your degree, A levels or AAT progress, any finance or office experience, and why you have chosen accountancy. Show you are accurate and organised with one or two real examples, and name the qualification you want to train for.

Do I need a cover letter when a recruiter is handling the job?

Usually not: the recruiter presents your CV. Give them a short summary of what you want next instead, and write a letter when you apply to an employer directly.

Keep going

Cover letters for other jobs: Nurse Healthcare assistant Care worker Teacher Teaching assistant Retail Customer service Hospitality Administrator Receptionist Project manager Sales Marketing Software developer Electrician Warehouse School leaver Apprenticeship Part-time job Career change

Your turn. Write yours

Paste the job advert and make the draft your own. Download it in your CV’s design, with your signature.

Write yours freeSee the example