Graduate's food of thought

Resume tips for finance professionals

Tune up your resume to highlight the financial expertise and accomplishments employers are looking for.

By Kim Isaacs, Monster resume expert

 

Finance and accounting professionals can find career opportunities in any business sector. Whether you're looking to be a CFO or controller, financial analyst or financial planner, portfolio manager or investment counselor, the requisites for the resume are the same. 

When developing your finance or accounting resume, focus on skills, areas of expertise, certifications and specific accomplishments. The resume must convey what you can do for the companies you are targeting. This can be accomplished by illustrating how you contributed to previous employers' or clients' fiscal health.

Identify your goal

Before you develop your resume, you must have a clear finance or accounting job target. Do some preliminary research—review job postings, see what types of positions are available and which companies are hiring, and get a good feel for the desired qualifications. This research will help you determine the skills and experience you should emphasize on your resume.

Summarize your key qualifications

When constructing your finance or accounting resume, summarize your strengths and key qualifications in the top half of the first page. This can be accomplished with the Professional Profile and Areas of Expertise sections. Here is an example of an opening paragraph for an individual seeking a CFO position:

Chief financial officer with 2 years of corporate accounting and management experience. Hands-on manager with expertise in accounting systems development, fiscal management and financial reporting. Proven record of developing and implementing financial and operational controls that improve P&L scenario and competitively position firm.

In reading this brief paragraph, a prospective employer or recruiter will immediately grasp the scope of this candidate's professional experience. Follow your profile section with an Areas of Expertise, a list of keywords pertinent to your finance or accounting career choice.

The Areas of Expertise should highlight your specific skills and knowledge. You should also include your finance or accounting industry certifications and licenses, such as CPA, ACCA and CIMA.

 Emphasize your accomplishments

The rest of the resume delves into your professional finance or accounting background. Under each employer, present a brief paragraph describing your basic job responsibilities, followed by a bulleted list of accomplishments. Show quantifiable results of your work. For example:

·         Increased cash flow by $15 million by consolidating credit-analysis function, reducing outstanding receivables from 48 to 15 days and minimizing risk from marginal customers.

Have your resume reviewed

Putting together an impressive resume isn't the easiest task, but it really does make a difference to hiring managers, so take the time to do it right. Could you use some help making your resume stand out? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at Monster's Resume Writing Service. You'll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review of your resume's appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiter's first impression. Think of it as a wise investment for your job search.

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