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Resume example

Accountant resume example

A comptable in France keeps the books under the French chart of accounts (Plan comptable général), which is stricter and more standardised than many foreign systems.

Your week depends on where you work. In a company, you post supplier and customer invoices, reconcile bank statements, chase late payments, prepare the monthly VAT return and prepare the year-end closing, which ends with the annual accounts and the corporate tax return package (liasse fiscale). In an accounting firm (cabinet d'expertise comptable), you look after a portfolio of small business clients, from bakeries to consultancies, and juggle their deadlines. Many accountants also handle part of payroll and the related social declarations. The work peaks around closing periods, especially between January and May for companies with a December year end.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Accountant (Comptable général) | Month-end Closing, VAT, Fixed Assets

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

General accountant with [x] years in industrial SMEs. I run the full accounting cycle up to the trial balance, prepare VAT and corporate tax returns, manage fixed assets and work directly with the statutory auditor during the annual audit.

Experience

Accountant, distribution SME, [City]

[month year] to present

  • Kept the general, supplier and customer ledgers for [x] entities and reconciled bank accounts weekly
  • Prepared monthly VAT returns and the annual corporate tax return with the accounting firm
  • Cut monthly closing time by setting up automatic bank feed matching in the accounting software
  • Prepared the audit file and answered the statutory auditor's queries during year-end review
  • Followed up overdue customer accounts with the sales team and reduced the oldest balances

Resume headlines

  • Accountant (Comptable général) | Month-end Closing, VAT, Fixed Assets
  • Client Portfolio Accountant | Accounting Firm, SMEs and Self-employed Clients
  • Accountant with Payroll | General Ledger, DSN and Social Charges

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

DCG graduate with an apprenticeship in an accounting firm in [City], where I kept the books for a portfolio of craftsmen and small retailers, prepared VAT returns and helped with year-end statements. At ease with Cegid and Excel pivot tables.

Experienced

General accountant with [x] years in industrial SMEs. I run the full accounting cycle up to the trial balance, prepare VAT and corporate tax returns, manage fixed assets and work directly with the statutory auditor during the annual audit.

Career change

Former sales administrator retraining as an accountant after a DCG obtained through evening classes. I already know order-to-cash processes from the commercial side and want to apply that to accounts receivable and general accounting in a company.

Tips

  • Say which software you have used for each task, since French firms filter heavily on Sage, Cegid or Quadra.
  • State the scope: up to the trial balance, up to the annual accounts, or including tax returns.
  • If you trained abroad, mention your knowledge of the French PCG and of IFRS if relevant.
  • In a firm, give the type and number of client files you handled rather than vague responsibilities.
  • Put your diploma level clearly (BTS CG, DCG, DSCG): French recruiters read it as a level of autonomy.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Writing "responsible for accounting" without saying how far you went in the cycle.
  • Leaving out payroll experience when the job ad mentions it.
  • Using foreign standards vocabulary only (GAAP, CPA) with no link to French practice.
  • Listing every tax form you have heard of instead of the ones you prepared.

Working as an accountant in France

General accountant (comptable) is not a regulated job in France, but employers look closely at French accounting diplomas: the BTS Comptabilité et gestion (Bac+2), the BUT GEA, the DCG (Bac+3) and the DSCG (Bac+5). Only expert-comptable is a regulated profession, requiring the DEC and registration with the Ordre. Knowledge of the Plan comptable général and French VAT is expected from day one, and most posts require good French. Search with « comptable », « comptable général », « gestionnaire comptable » or « collaborateur comptable » for jobs in accounting firms.

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Frequently asked questions

Is comptable the same as chartered accountant?

No. A comptable is an employee who keeps the books, and the title is not regulated. Expert-comptable is a regulated profession requiring the DEC diploma and registration with the Ordre des experts-comptables. Only an expert-comptable can sign off accounts for clients as an independent professional.

Do French employers recognise ACCA or CPA qualifications?

International groups and audit firms know them and value them, especially for IFRS reporting roles. Smaller French companies and accounting firms may not, so explain briefly what the qualification covers and add your hands-on knowledge of French VAT and the PCG.

What software should I put first on my CV?

The one named in the job ad, if you know it. Otherwise, start with the most common ones in France for your target: Cegid, Sage or Quadra for firms and SMEs, SAP or Oracle for large companies. Mention new tools like Pennylane if you have used them.

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