How To Make Your Accounting And Finance Resume Stand Out

Making a resume stand out is no easy feat, but it's especially difficult when you're in accounting or finance. These industries are highly competitive, and hiring managers receive tons of resumes daily. So how can you make your resume stand out? Thankfully, you can do a few things to make sure your resume pops.

If you're looking for a job in accounting or finance, your resume needs to stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips to make sure it does just that. First, focus on your skills and experience. Then, list all of your relevant qualifications and highlight any achievements you have achieved.

Second, be specific when describing your work experience. Use quantifiable information whenever possible to show how you've made an impact in previous roles. Finally, proofread your resume carefully to catch any mistakes.

A typo can quickly ruin your chances of getting an interview! But, by following these tips, you'll create a resume that will impress potential employers and help you land the job of your dreams.

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to have a resume that stands out from the crowd. For example, if you're looking for a job in accounting or finance, your resume needs to show that you have the skills and experience required for the role. But how can you make your resume stand out? Check out these tips to help you create a resume that impresses employers.

Let's get started!

What Is A Resume?

A resume is a written document that advertises the applicant's professional experience as well as the applicant's educational history. It is a technique for self-marketing that demonstrates that you have the desired talents sought after for a certain post, and its purpose is to increase the likelihood that you will be invited to an interview. You are the product, and your CV is the advertisement for your services.

Your resume ought to be adapted specifically to fit the requirements of each employment for which you apply in order to effectively advertise your skills.

There is no one approach that is universally accepted to compose a CV. The kind of headers you select, as well as the order in which you list them, will be determined by the post for which you are applying. Be careful to pick an acceptable layout and arrange the headings and material in a manner that will showcase your capabilities and experience to their greatest advantage.

Over the course of several decades, there has been a dramatic shift in the market for finance and accounting. As a direct consequence of this, there are currently hundreds of job openings available to individuals who have the appropriate resume format and have demonstrated business skills.

In addition, the writing of resumes for positions in finance and accounting has developed in such a way that individuals are now better recognised for their people skills and their clever commercial talents. Previously, the emphasis was mostly placed on statistics.

The days are long gone when people thought of accountants as "bean counters" who worked in the back office and had a mentality of working in the back office. These days, there has been a significant shift in the dynamic. We see accountants having a leading position in a wide variety of areas, including commercial business strategy, the deployment of systems, mergers and acquisitions, risk strategies, project management, and many other areas.

The Good and Bad Practices

1. A resume ought to include:

• 2-4 A4 pages
• Organised according to the most relevant and logical categories
• Composed and very simple to read
• Both in terms of its content and its look, businesslike and professional
• Uplifting and not overly repetitive
• A representation of the skills and qualities that are most important to you and your career.
• Specifically crafted to highlight how effectively you meet the requirements of the role
• Maintaining a constant fashion (bullet points, spacing, indentation, and fonts)
• Instead of being saved as a Word document, the file was saved as a PDF.

2. A resume is NOT supposed to:

• Include personal details such as your marital status, religious affiliation, and date of birth.
• Be filled with numerous lengthy and wordy paragraphs.
• Include an excessive amount of information on positions that have been held for a very long time.
• Have spelling problems and typos
• Include inaccurate information in your report.
• Utilise abbreviations and other terms that the reader won't comprehend.
• Exclude vital information
• Be sent without being checked for errors initially.

Organisation

The chronological resume format is by far the most common and widely used format. In a chronological arrangement, the information is presented in backwards chronological order, or in other words, current or most recent events come first. This places the most significant bits of data at the very top of the listing.

Generally speaking, a resume will have the following sections:

1. Personal Information

Do not write "Resume" at the top of the paper; instead, use your name as the heading. Immediately below your name, type the following:

• Address
• Contact phone number(s)
• Email address (make sure this is professional, e.g. john.smith@gmail.com)

Note that it is not necessary for you to provide a personal photo, your date of birth (DOB), your marital status, or your religion.

2. Career Overview

A career summary is a short paragraph (between three and five sentences) that outlines the reasons why you would be a good fit for the position. Describe how you want to make use of your abilities, experience, and expertise to accomplish your long-term objectives.

Take a look at the keywords that are utilised inside the position criteria of the job advertisement, and then come up with comments that indicate your capacity to fulfil the needs of the work. Put the assertions in order of importance, with the most pertinent information appearing first, and finish with a statement that describes what it is that you are looking for.

A career overview is comprised of these three essential components:

• History and practical experience
• Key transferrable talents
• Goals for one's career (where you see yourself next)

Note: This section is optional.

3. Abilities and Proven Capabilities

This section's goal is to provide a condensed summary of your most relevant abilities to the position. Referring to the selection criteria will help you choose the appropriate talents.

A succinct header, such as "Leadership Skills," might serve as the format for each statement, and a summary could be included under each applicable heading. An additional option is to present one's abilities in the form of a list.

4. Employment Background

In this area, you should include a list of all of your prior and present employment responsibilities. A chronological resume will list these roles in reverse order, beginning with the employer you are currently working for or the most recent one. Include any and all relevant work experience, including full-time, part-time, casual, and volunteer work.

Include the following for each position:

•  Vacant Position(s) (e.g. Administrative Assistant)
• Identify the company or organisation and provide its location (e.g. Top Education Institute, Sydney)
• Duration of employment (for example, March 2014 to the Present or June 2012 to February 2014)
• A rundown of the most important tasks or obligations, together with the most important accomplishments (You can write this as a summary, or you can use bullet points. Show the good impact you've had on the company, your coworkers, and other people in the workplace, for example.

Note: Include information that is not as specific about positions that were held in the past. It is sufficient for you to provide an in-depth summary of your most recent and present positions.

5. Education and Professional Accomplishments

In the following part, your formal qualifications will be outlined. Please include all of the secondary, postsecondary, and additional degrees and certifications that you have earned. Include the following for each prerequisite:

•  Identifying information regarding the academic establishment (e.g. Top Education Institute, Sydney, Australia)
• The number of years spent in school or the year of graduation (e.g. Feb 2014 - Nov 2016)
• Do not use abbreviations for degrees; instead, list the full name of the qualification that was earned (for example, Bachelor of International Business with Distinction).
• If major, please provide details (e.g. Accounting)

Other optional additions include:

• Topic of the thesis
• Academic honours and awards
• Important undertakings or fields of investigation

Note that the vast majority of people choose to put this part after their employment history. On the other hand, since many employers place a greater emphasis on job experience, they like to see this section after the Employment History section on a resume.

6. Instruction as well as Career Advancement Opportunities

In this area, you should describe any other applicable training and development activities that you have already finished. Please submit the following information and identify any short courses that you have taken that are related to the post for which you are applying:

• Title of the class
• The name of the training provider
• The length of the programme and the year it was finished

Please note that only recent training and professional development should be included. It is quite doubtful that any short courses that were finished more than 10 years ago will have much value in the current market.

7. Unions & Associations

Please include any relevant professional associations that you are a part of here, for example, if you are an Associate member of CPA Australia.

8. Hobbies & Interests

This part can be skipped if you'd like. However, there are some companies who are more interested in learning about you as a person, as well as the ways in which the abilities you've developed via your hobbies and pastimes might be applied in the workplace.

Keep in mind that your interests reveal a great deal about you, so when you mention them, you should make sure they are appropriate and that they demonstrate that you are a well-rounded person. It is important to be yourself during an interview because you may be asked about your interests and hobbies.

9. Referees

Referees are individuals who are willing to testify on your behalf in a manner that is kept strictly confidential. Referees should be people who have recently supervised or managed you and on whom you can rely to give an accurate and balanced account of your capabilities. Referees should also have recent experience in the relevant field. In most cases, two or three referees are all that is required. Always make sure to get a referee's permission before listing their contact information.

Details of your referees can be added to your resume. Ensure to include:

• The official's first and last name
• Title of the position
• The name and address of their employer or organisation, if they have one
• Number(s) to call for assistance (work and mobile)
• Email address (a work email address is preferable)

It is also possible to submit information on your referees only when it has been specifically requested that you do so. Provide a remark at the bottom of your resume that reads, "Referees available upon request" if you do not want to include a list of your references on your resume.

This is due to the fact that electronic versions of your resume might be quickly given to individuals who are not those that you have planned to send it to. It's possible that the people you've included as references won't want to give their contact information to everyone who asks for a copy of your resume.

Advice That Will Help You Craft An Eye-Catching Resume

1. Customise It For The Job

I cannot stress enough how important it is that you do not send the same resume to one hundred different employers and then expect one of them to respond to you. It is a waste of both your time and theirs unless you are applying for a hundred different generic jobs, such as "sandwich hand."

Whether it's a computer programme or a human being evaluating your CV, the first thing that they are trying to determine is whether or not you are qualified for the position. Therefore, it is not enough to simply display your expertise and skills; you also need to illustrate why you are the ideal candidate for that particular job.

Two key aspects of your resume should always be tailored specifically to the position you're applying for throughout your professional career.

To begin, you must ensure that the material you give is relevant to both the job description and the criteria. They are providing you with the blueprint for their ideal candidate, so make sure you read it carefully and adapt your CV to speak to as many of their requirements as possible (but never lie!).

In the area of your resume labelled "work experience," it is important to place an emphasis on positions and accomplishments in the workplace that are relevant to the job description.

Adjust the information in the area under "personal skills" or "core competencies" so that it corresponds to the skills they are looking for.

Include any other information that you feel may be relevant to this position, such as certifications that you've earned or volunteer experience that you've had.

Modify your summary so that it is appropriate for the position (there is more information about the summary below!).

Second, you need to make sure that your resume is filled with searchable keywords that are pertinent to the role you are applying for. In the job description itself, you'll get indications about what keywords to use; just seek for the most important words in the paper.

2. Beat Your Own Path

It is important that the accomplishments of each function be explained in detail.

You don't want to mention things like "I sent out the invoices." It is preferable to say "I was able to send out invoices to around 400 different vendors each month."

Please provide some reliable facts regarding how you improved your organisation by locating cost savings that ultimately resulted in a rise of ten percent in EBIT over a specific time period.

In the eyes of the recruiter, anything that adds value, such as outstanding academic achievement, should be brought to their attention.

Be sure to call attention to your accomplishments, such as earning a high distinction average in your university coursework.

3. Keep It Sleek and Focused

It's likely that you believe it's best to jam as much information into a resume as is physically feasible, yet doing so is the very worst thing you could do.

If the paper is too cluttered, it will be tough for a recruiter to look through it and examine your experience and skills. If they have an option between reading a resume that is jammed together in a "newsprint" format or one that is ordered and edited, they will choose to read the latter.

It varies from nation to country and from job to job, but in general, two pages is considered to be a suitable length for a resume in the year 2020. Within those two pages, the following are the specifics of what you must include, in no greater nor lesser quantity:

• Name and relevant contact information
• Summary
• Links
• Practical Experience
• Key Skills: Soft and Hard
• Education, Professional Accomplishments, and Honors
• References

Make sure that any experience that is more than 10–15 years old is not included. Maintain brevity while ensuring that all information is pertinent to the position for which you are applying. If you have recently graduated from high school or university, you should not put your grades or diploma on your resume. Get rid of anything that might seem amazing but has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

However, if including your personal hobbies and passions helps you separate out from the crowd or adds credibility to your work experience, you should feel free to do so.

As an example, athletics teaches both discipline and the value of hard labour. Therefore, keep it to one point on the page, under a part that is named "Additional Experience," besides any volunteer work that you would like to highlight.

4. Utilise Your Assets Wisely

What sets you apart from others? Are you a member of the CPA (Australia) council, the leader of your sports team, or the champion Toastmaster? In a nutshell, what are you doing to improve yourself and the world around you?

A great level of self-awareness is required in order to convey this information successfully.

I am familiar with the tasks performed by a financial accountant as well as those performed by a business services tax accountant.

In that capacity, what have you been responsible for? Did you simply come in and complete your duties, or did you really excel in some areas? Have you developed a new report, slashed the amount of time it takes to complete a task, or put something innovative into action? Things of this nature demonstrate initiative, and doing them will help you stand out from the crowd.

Depending on the activities that are carried out, there is also the possibility of include community service or volunteer work.

When hiring for a variety of professions, we are always interested to see how candidates are involved in their local community.

Because it is unrelated to work, it is considered personal information, and it is up to an individual to voluntarily share it. But if you do it on purpose, it has the potential to demonstrate your leadership characteristics and provide you new talents, both of which will set you apart from other candidates.

5. Do Not Raise Red Flags

It is much too often for what would otherwise be an outstanding curriculum vitae to be brought down by unanswered questions. Eliminate the risk of this happening by addressing any employment gaps or stretches of intermittent employment.

A job hopper is not desirable to prospective employers. Everything that throws up a warning sign needs to be looked at further. There may be valid reasons for taking on positions that are just temporary, such as being on maternity leave, moving to a new city, having a maternity contract, or caring for ageing parents. Instead of letting the reader ponder it on their own, provide an explanation.

In CVs for positions in accountancy and finance, misspellings and other types of language mistakes are a significant warning sign since they reflect sloppiness.

Accountants must have excellent attention to detail in order to be successful in their profession. The number of resumes that we have read that brag about paying attention to detail while at the same time featuring careless errors has surprised us to no end.

6. Add A Fantastic Summary

You are required to provide a summary or bio underneath your name and contact information. This line should explain who you are and what you do in a nutshell. Because it is located at the beginning of your article, it is crucial to get it right, despite the fact that it can be challenging. If it is of sufficient quality, the recruiter will continue reading; otherwise, your application will be placed in the "no" pile.

Just like anything else, the information you include in it will be determined by the position for which you are applying. The same as you:

• Who exactly are they trying to find?
• What are they hoping this individual will bring to the table for their company?
• In what ways are you contributing to the success of their team?
• What are the most important aspects of your career that people should know about?

7. Design Is Crucial

It's possible that you believe being eye-catching and unique will help you differentiate yourself from the competition. It is possible that they will notice it, but it might not do so in the way that you had hoped. It is preferable to remain with a simple and clear design that does not distract the reader from the information you are trying to convey, unless you are working in a creative industry such as graphic design.

Choose neutral colours, simple dot points, and a basic layout. Instead of creating your own template from scratch using Microsoft Word, consider using one of the thousands of free templates already available online.

8. Add Concrete Evidence to It

It is one thing to talk the talk, but it is an entirely different thing to back up what you say with concrete facts. The wonderful thing about living in an age when everything is stored in the cloud is that you are able to link your resume to web content for the purpose of instantaneous cross-checking and to boost your appeal even further.

Be sure to give your professional web presence some polish and add some links to your resume at the same time.

Include your LinkedIn profile as well as shortened links to any online content that has been published that portrays you in a positive way, such as a blog post written by your employer about an award that you have won. If you are not in the marketing industry and your Instagram and Twitter accounts are professional ones, please do not add them.

Because recommendations can make or break your application, you should provide at least three references with complete contact information, including phone number and email address. Never under any circumstances state that "references are available upon request," because it is a given that they will ask for references.

Just one more thing to keep in mind: they will Google your name. Be sure to do it first to see what shows up and to delete any embarrassing stuff that may be seen online.

9. The Final Touch

At this point in time, having an impressive resume is no longer sufficient; one must also be active on social media. Candidates should also make use of their LinkedIn profiles to differentiate themselves from the competition.

When coupled with your resume, the online networking service LinkedIn can be an extremely effective tool. You can position yourself as a thought leader in the field of accounting and finance by producing and disseminating high-quality material that is industry-specific.

We propose to job searchers that they take advantage of their contacts on LinkedIn and solicit recommendations from current as well as former employers that emphasise qualities that are included on their CV.

If someone were to characterise you as an excellent team member who always delivered on time and went above and above, this could be a really powerful endorsement for you. That kind of information is really challenging to highlight on a CV.