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Bank Accountant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted Experts
Alex Yen Ph.D.,
Dr. Jennifer Thayer
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical bank accountant skills. We ranked the top skills for bank accountants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 17.2% of bank accountant resumes contained reconciliations as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a bank accountant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 bank accountant skills for your resume and career

1. Reconciliations

Here's how bank accountants use reconciliations:
  • Analyze and approve support documentation for assigned reconciliations.
  • Prepare reconciliations for all 50+ agency bank accounts (Payroll, AP, Petty Cash, Main, etc.).

2. General Ledger

Here's how bank accountants use general ledger:
  • Accumulated and analyzed financial information to prepare entries to accounts, such as general ledger accounts, documenting business transactions.
  • Implemented a monthly cash reconciliation tracker utilized to document all pending items and general ledger corrections.

3. Financial Statements

A financial statement is a report of an individual or a company that includes all the information about the declared assets, the use of money, income, and also the contribution of shareholders over a certain period.

Here's how bank accountants use financial statements:
  • Prepare annual budget, financial statements, regulatory reports and quarterly dividend packages.
  • Monitored bank financial statements for unusual activity and resolved issues noted.

4. Financial Reports

Here's how bank accountants use financial reports:
  • Produce internal and external financial reports.
  • Reconcile monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports and statements of foreign exchange business to headquarter of the bank.

5. Reconcile General Ledger

Here's how bank accountants use reconcile general ledger:
  • Reconcile bank statements - operating and payroll account statements, reconcile general ledger accounts, and daily transaction reconciliation.
  • Maintain and reconcile general ledger balances and calculate carry charges for energy efficiency and renewable demonstration programs.

6. Balance Sheet

Here's how bank accountants use balance sheet:
  • Participate in the preparation financial position statement, cash flow and balance sheet.
  • Utilized Bank's balance sheet and trial balance to forecast Daily Funds.

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7. Financial Data

Here's how bank accountants use financial data:
  • Gathered/analyzed statistical and financial data to determine product cost/profitability information.
  • Counseled 10 department heads in interpretation and analysis of financial data, recommending courses of action to maximize profitability.
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. Bank Statements

Here's how bank accountants use bank statements:
  • Reconciled bank statements, make appropriate adjustment and transmitted weekly disbursement to project head office.
  • Streamlined bank reconciliation process to ensure completion one month after bank statements was received.

9. ACH

Automated Clearing House, ACH is a computerized electronic network to process, coordinate and manage transactions (credit and debit) and automated money transfers between banks and other financial institutions without the use of paper checks, electronic transfers, credit cards, or cash networks. The ACH network is regulated by the federal government and managed by the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA).

Here's how bank accountants use ach:
  • Assumed responsibility for cash management encompassing wire and ACH transfers processing, bank activity confirmation, and monthly bank account reconciliations.
  • Reconciled corporate credit union operating accounts including allocation of the institution invoices paid via ACH.

10. Bank Secrecy Act

Here's how bank accountants use bank secrecy act:
  • Maintained monthly wire transfer files for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act.

11. Bank Deposits

Any money that a customer chooses to leave with their bank account is a deposit. Deposits can vary in amounts and different banks have limits on the deposits their customers can have as a minimum. Banks charge customers for deposits especially when a teller is used by the customer to deposit money into their account.

Here's how bank accountants use bank deposits:
  • Processed incoming payments / justified with invoices; bank deposits.
  • Prepare and submit daily bank deposits as a priority at the beginning of each workday following established policies and procedures.

12. Check Runs

Here's how bank accountants use check runs:
  • Prepare, batch, file and submit weekly demand ASAP check runs according to established policies and procedures.
  • Conduct weekly check runs, enter and code invoices, and cut checks for approval.

13. Cash Management

Here's how bank accountants use cash management:
  • Reconcile Oracle cash management system to ensure proper loading of daily payments.
  • Maintain and balance HERC Depository, Disbursement and Cash Management accounts.

14. Financial Analysis

Here's how bank accountants use financial analysis:
  • Performed financial analysis and prepared reports in collaboration with loan officers to manage risk for large foreign portfolios.
  • Assist Budget and Banking Manager in financial analysis, internal controls, and budgets.

15. Mortgage Loans

Here's how bank accountants use mortgage loans:
  • Previewed mortgage loans before going to underwriters
  • Formulated standardized procedure and steps in securing mortgage loans.
top-skills

What skills help Bank Accountants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Bank Accountant resumes?

Alex Yen Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Accounting, Stonehill College

As mentioned above, the ability to work with "big data" is highly valued by CPA firms these days. So recruiters are looking (on resumes) for experience working with "big data" and experience with the tools to analyze data and communicate results, like Excel, Power BI, SAS, Python, and Tableau.

But public accounting is also a people business and CPA firms also value leadership, communication skills, leadership, and the ability to work in teams. Resume items like having a leadership position in a campus organization or having a customer-facing position in retail or food service will signal to recruiters that a student is developing these skills. But having the position is just the start. Once in a formal interview, recruiters will want to hear anecdotes and specifics from students about how they leveraged a leadership position into success for the organization or how students worked with others to overcome challenges in their organization or work.

Finally, and I am not sure how it can be communicated on a resume, CPA firm recruiters are looking for students who are eager to learn more and want to continue to expand their skill set. The idea that a student is fully formed and has learned everything s/he will ever need to know for their job while they were in college is a faulty assumption. Students cannot feel that now they have their degree that they can coast. The economy is constantly changing in terms of technology, new industries being created, globalization, and changing tax and regulatory laws, and accountants will need to keep up with these developments to be able to audit companies and to advise their clients. For example, in technology, the programs mentioned above that are in vogue today could be obsolete in 3 to 5 years, requiring accountants to learn new programs. The openness and ability to adapt and be a lifelong learner is critical for accountants entering the profession and recruiters are looking for graduates with that mindset.

What soft skills should all Bank Accountants possess?

D

Dr. Jennifer Thayer

Assistant Professor of Accounting, Socrates Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipient, Clarksville Chamber of Commerce APSU Distinguished Faculty Award for Community Service Recipient, Accounting Society at Austin Peay Advisor, Austin Peay State University

From speaking with employers in the industry, the number one soft skill seems to be written and spoken communication. Many current students need to hone their written communication skills to avoid "text speak" when communicating with potential employers and/or clients. Other important soft skills include problem-solving, collaboration, adaptability, and willingness to deal with failure and/or criticism. Especially in the world of COVID and ever-changing work environments, the importance of adaptability and problem-solving have only been highlighted. Since most work environments involve people working in teams, effectively collaborating with others and accepting criticism are vital skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Bank Accountants?

D

Dr. Jennifer Thayer

Assistant Professor of Accounting, Socrates Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipient, Clarksville Chamber of Commerce APSU Distinguished Faculty Award for Community Service Recipient, Accounting Society at Austin Peay Advisor, Austin Peay State University

In addition to general accounting knowledge, critical thinking, data analytics, and advanced Microsoft Excel abilities are some of the most important skills. Clearly, having a solid foundation in general accounting knowledge is necessary to be a candidate for a job in the accounting field. However, possessing the ability to critically think and analyze data and use Microsoft Excel beyond the basics, such as pivot tables, will only improve a candidate's chances.

What Bank Accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Stephen Moehrle Ph.D.Stephen Moehrle Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Professor and Chairman of Accounting, University of Missouri - St. Louis

In the spirit of continuing education I would recommend the following: First and foremost, successfully complete the cpa exam. This is a huge difference-maker in the marketplace. If the young professional has already accomplished that, I would consider developing expertise consistent with their long-term career goals. Potential areas of expertise include data analytics, information systems controls and security, taxation, SEC reporting, or management accounting. There are certificate programs in each of these skills at universities across the country. The internet is also replete with free or relatively inexpensive materials for self-starters.

What type of skills will young Bank Accountants need?

J

Jeff BoganJeff Bogan LinkedIn Profile

Adjunct Professor, California State University - Fullerton

The skills required for young accounting and tax graduates are evolving. Young accounting professionals must be more skilled in working with various types of technologies and applications. Young graduates should have experiences working with data integration tools, such as Microsoft getting & Transform, Alteryx, data visualization tools, cloud-based platforms such as Microsoft Azure, and robotic processes automation applications such as UiPath and Blue Prism.

Over the last decade, we have seen global transparency initiatives such as OECD's BEPS initiative, complex tax law, and numerous complex accounting guidance. Also, the business has become much more complicated with global footprints and digital platforms. These changes now require accounting professionals to have the well-developed critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills. Accounting professionals must now also have a "continuous learning" mindset. Technology is changing rapidly, and accounting professionals will need to adapt and learn new technologies.

List of bank accountant skills to add to your resume

Bank Accountant Skills

The most important skills for a bank accountant resume and required skills for a bank accountant to have include:

  • Reconciliations
  • General Ledger
  • Financial Statements
  • Financial Reports
  • Reconcile General Ledger
  • Balance Sheet
  • Financial Data
  • Bank Statements
  • ACH
  • Bank Secrecy Act
  • Bank Deposits
  • Check Runs
  • Cash Management
  • Financial Analysis
  • Mortgage Loans
  • Internal Controls
  • Taxation
  • Wire Transfers
  • Petty Cash
  • Federal Regulations
  • Credit Card Transactions
  • Fixed Assets
  • Bank Policies
  • Customer Accounts

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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