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Bookkeeper / accounts assistant: CV and cover letter examples

2 fully written cover letters, a ready CV with a placeholder portrait and practical tips – open the example and replace the details with yours.

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Cover letter examples

Each example is written for a different starting point. Borrow the structure, not the sentences – your own examples and numbers are what make a letter work.

1Experienced purchase ledgerExperienced

Sarah Mills
15 West Street
Chichester PO19 1QH
030 23125 415 · sarah.mills@example.com

Valley Wines Ltd
Baker
50 Cellar Lane
Chichester PO19 1AA

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Accounts assistant – purchase ledger

Dear Mr Baker,

Around 1,200 supplier invoices cross my desk every month, and I make sure they are coded, approved and paid on time – we almost never miss an early-payment discount.

At a wholesaler with three companies I run purchase ledger and payments, prepare VAT returns and support month-end with accruals and reconciliations. When we moved to digital invoice approval, I mapped the approval routes with each department; processing time almost halved.

I am starting an advanced accounting qualification this autumn. My notice period is six weeks.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Mills

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2From practice to industryExperienced

Tom Walker
30 Elm Grove
Southsea PO5 1JF
0221 4710 439 · tom.walker@example.com

Southbay Construction Ltd
Harbour Road
Portsmouth PO1 3BB

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Bookkeeper

Dear Sir or Madam,

For seven years at an accountancy practice I kept the books for around 40 clients, from a bakery to an engineering firm. I now want to work in-house and really understand one business.

I produce management accounts, VAT returns and year-end working papers, and I know construction specifics such as stage payments and the reverse charge. I have also chased overdue invoices – politely and firmly.

I would welcome an interview.

Yours faithfully,

Tom Walker

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All people, companies and contact details in the examples are fictional.

CV example

A complete CV for the role – with an illustrated placeholder instead of a photo.

Preview of the CV of Sarah Mills in the Classic design
Read the CV as text

Sarah Mills

Accounts assistant

15 West Street, Chichester PO19 1QH · 030 23125 415 · sarah.mills@example.com

Placeholder portrait: replace it with your photo in the editor, or remove it.

Work experience

  • 03/2018 – present
    Accounts assistant, purchase ledger
    Southern Wholesale Group, Portsmouth
    • Purchase ledger for three companies (c. 1,200 invoices/month)
    • Payment runs and discounts
    • VAT returns, month-end support
  • 2014 – 2018
    Finance administrator
    Downs Motors, Chichester

Education

  • 2009 – 2014
    Secondary school
    Bishop Luffa School, Chichester

Training

  • 2020
    Bookkeeping qualification (level 3)

Skills

Purchase ledger, Payments, VAT, Reconciliations, Accounting software

Languages

English (Native), French (A2 – elementary)

Interests

Walking on the Downs, treasurer of a sports club

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Good to know

Your application in three steps

  1. Add your own photo – or none

    The example uses an illustrated placeholder. Replace it under “Choose photo” in the editor, or remove it: in the UK, US and many other countries a CV photo is not expected.

  2. Replace the details

    Name, contact, jobs, skills: everything is filled in and can be overwritten field by field.

  3. Save as PDF

    The PDF is created in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, no account needed.

What employers look for

Finance teams want accuracy, deadlines met and confident use of their systems. Name the areas you handle – purchase ledger, sales ledger, bank reconciliations, VAT returns, month-end – and the volume.

  • Bookkeeping qualification or solid experience

  • Purchase and sales ledger, payments, credit control

  • Bank and account reconciliations, month-end support

  • VAT returns

  • Accounting software and spreadsheets

Tips for your application

Do

  • Give areas and volumes.
  • Describe month-end work concretely.
  • List qualifications with years.

Don’t

  • Write only “accounts”.
  • Overstate software skills.
  • Share employers’ figures.
Typical interview questions

Prepare a short, honest example from your own work for each one.

  1. What do you do with an invoice that has no purchase order?
  2. What is in your month-end?
  3. How do you handle a credit note?
  4. Which systems do you know?

Salary expectations

If the advert asks for your salary expectations, give an annual gross figure or a range you have researched – through pay scales, salary surveys from public sources or people who do the job. If it does not ask, leave pay out of the letter; it will come up in the interview.

Frequently asked questions
Should I mention my qualification level?

Yes – recruiters filter by it. Add the year and any study in progress.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

It depends on the country. In the UK, Ireland and the US a photo is usually left out to avoid bias, and many employers prefer CVs without one. In Germany and some other countries it is common but optional. If you use one: recent, friendly, plain background, dressed as you would be on a good day at work.

Can I copy the example letters?

Yes, they are free to use. But recruiters read a lot of letters – one with your own examples, numbers and a real reason for choosing this employer will always do better. Use the examples as scaffolding and write the sentences yourself.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. The CV and the letter are created in your browser. Nothing is stored unless you switch on “Save the draft” in the editor – and then only on your device.

Related jobs

Finish your application

Cover letter and CV as PDF, certificates added, all in one file – small enough for any job portal.