Expert Tips for a Stand-Out CV
Creating a strong CV is the first thing on your to do list when taking the next step in your career, whatever the route you are taking or role you are aspiring towards.
When applying for a role in accountancy or finance, a strong CV will enable you to stand out above the other candidates, helping to tell your story for you, before you even step foot in an interview room. It’s for this reason that it’s worth spending time on your CV, to ensure it really captures you, your skills and strong points to best effect.
In this article, we’ve collated expert tips from our consultants to help you craft a stand-out CV and land yourself an interview.
Tailoring your CV
A CV should be tailored to each role you apply for. If you are applying for multiple roles that are very similar, you may be able to use the same CV and change only very little, but it’s important to review it each time, before you hit send.
What should your CV include in it?
- Name, address and contact details
- Profile or introduction
- Skills and achievements highlights
- Qualifications
- Employment History
- Hobbies and interests
Download our FREE CV template here
Profiles
While having a profile on your CV isn’t essential, they are a brilliant way of providing a quick overview of your skills and suitability for a role. This is ideal for recruiters or the potential employer, who may be reviewing lots of applicants for a particular position. Senior Consultant Lynsey Walsh says “I would always recommend having a profile, I always read them!”
However, writing a short profile can be difficult, many people find it a challenge to write nice things about themselves, let alone in a short, concise way. Your statement should be a brief overview of you as a professional, your CV and what you can bring to an employer. It should also be unique and a genuine portrayal of you. Keep it concise – three sections max; about you, what you do, what you are seeking.
Lynsey says: “It’s a good idea to tweak your profile for each role you apply for, however if you are focusing on specific roles, this shouldn’t need to change too much.”
The main thing to remember is to look closely at the job description and ensure that you have covered these points in your CV and clearly conveyed how your experience matches.
Skills and achievements
This section is a chance to shout about your professional achievements and highlights you are proud of. For example, it could be that you gained a high pass percentage in several of your ACCA exams, or a distinction in your qualification. It’s a great idea to include facts and figures – after all, we’re in an industry that likes numbers! This could include company turnover, success rates or growth. All of this shows an employer your understanding of the industry.
This is also the place to highlight your skills – in accountancy and finance great IT skills are always desirable. Other key skills for the industry include excellent analytical skills, commercial awareness and great communication skills – being able to clearly communicate complex matters in a simple and effective way is a real bonus for an accountant.
You should also include the systems you have experience of using here eg Sage, QuickBooks, Xero etc. As with the profile, keep it short and concise. Bullet points work well for this section.
Should I include references?
Including references on your CV isn’t essential but you should make a note that references are available upon request. At CMA if you are available for temporary employment we will have collected references for you anyway and these will be provided to the employer when we put you forward for the role if requested,
Final CV tips
While you want to demonstrate your expertise, try to keep your CV jargon-free. Be clear and concise, a good CV is a brief CV. So, keep it short and to the point, streamlining it as much as you can without losing the essence of it.
Our final tip is one of the most important – always check for spelling and any grammatical errors! Ask a friend or family member who has a good eye for spelling to give it a quick proof read before you press send.