5 steps to improve your CV from an Accounting & Finance Specialist

I’ve been working in Accounting and Finance recruitment for over 8 years and although improving a CV often follows the same steps, there are different priorities within Accounting and Finance so candidates should showcase their understanding of specific requirements within their CV. 

Here are 5 of the top tips my team and I suggest when we review Accounting & Finance CV’s. 

DETAIL IS KEY

Clients will want insights into your experience and strengths to see how you will manage to work in the role they are hiring for within their business. 

Ensure your CV contains key details for each of your previous roles including information on the values and processes you have worked with. Adding this information will give employers a strong sense of your capabilities.

You could include details such as: 

• How many invoices do you process and how often do they run? 
• How many payment runs do you do and how often? (Do you work in multicurrency?) 
• What is the process you’re involved in? 
• Do you do end-to-end accounts payable or is the process passed to a different team? 
• What systems have you used in each of your previous jobs? 
• What sizes were the teams you’ve worked in? 
• What IT Skills do you have? (Include your Excel ability and the functions you use, for example, VLOOKUPS, Pivot Tables, etc.) 

CLEARLY OUTLINE YOUR STUDIES

Qualifications can be deciding factors in terms of salary and seniority within Accounting and Finance so it’s important they are clearly defined in your CV.  

Does your CV contain the information below? 

• What stage are you at with your qualifications? 
• Are you ACCA/ CIMA fully qualified? 
• Are you part qualified and continuing your studies? 

Add details on what papers you have passed when you sat them, and clearly outline if any of them are exemptions.  

INCLUDE RELEVANT PERSONAL SKILLS

Although hiring managers will want to see your previous responsibilities and how you can add value to their business, it’s also important you show your personality and transferable skills, which can benefit your CV. 

For example: 

• Attention to detail - When you are working with numbers and figures, attention to detail is key. Where have you used this skill in the past? 
• Teamwork - In many businesses, the Finance Team need to work seamlessly to ensure they hit deadlines. Show examples where you have had to work as a team previously. 

MAINTAINING PROFESSIONAL CV FORMATTING

Ensure your CV has consistent formatting and make sure you choose a professional font throughout. Your CV needs to be clear and easy to read.  

Other layout tips can make the information on your CV easier to take in such as your work history being displayed in chronological order. Ensure you include the month and year you started/ finished the role as well as the company name and your job title. 

RESEARCH THE ROLE AND TWEAK YOUR CV ACCORDINGLY

Before applying for a role check if your CV fits the role and where you might be able to improve your chances of getting interviewed. 

Another thing to consider is how the jobs fit into your long-term goals. What experience do you have and how would this impact further studies? Will the company support you to gain more qualifications? 

Researching and planning this will save you time and also allow you to focus on a smaller selection of available roles that suit you. 

LOOK FOR ROLES THAT SUIT YOUR CURRENT POSITION

If you are currently studying for your ACCA qualification, we would recommend focusing on Trainee Accountant roles, and if you are studying for your AAT qualification look for Accounts Assistant and Transactional based roles which would suit you best at this stage of your career. 

My team and I are always seeking new Accounting and Finance candidates we can support in their careers by reviewing CVs, supporting their job search, or giving them guidance on a career within the industry, so if you would like to find out more please do get in touch. We’re always happy to help!