In the accounting and financing industry, a resume is an important asset. When you’re applying for jobs, simply throwing together a resume is not an option. Precision is just as important when writing your resume for a position in the finance industry as it is in your daily work.
Just because you are an organized person who is well versed in the financial industry, doesn’t mean you are necessarily a great resume writer. Luckily, we are here to offer a few key tips for accounting and finance job seekers so that you can write a resume that shows off your best qualities. Make your resume stand out for the type of position you want most in the accounting and finance fields.
Create a Clean, Scannable Format
Hiring managers don’t read resumes in-depth, at least not at first. You need a resume that is well formatted. If you were writing a financial report on the pros and cons of investing in you as an employee, how would you want it to look? You certainly wouldn’t want a jumbled, difficult to read report, so your resume should be just as concise and easy to review.
Separate each point into clearly defined sections with headers, uniform information, and bullet-point highlights. Make it easy to see each of your roles, when you held them, what you did, and what you have accomplished, without making the reader search.
Be Brief and Job-Specific
For each job, be as brief as you can while still conveying the most important information. Keep the lines short, and don’t worry about writing full sentences. Write your resume more like a quick outline of your experiences and qualities, rather than in paragraph format.
Use Industry Keywords
One of the great things about an outline format is that it will help you include keywords that automated resume reviewing software and skimming managers are looking for. Mention the positions you have held, the software you are familiar with, and the certifications you hold. In each job description, be sure to use your full official title, any skills you used or learned there, and specific financial industry language that will show that you are an experienced professional in the industry.
Highlight & Quantify Your Achievements
For each job, mention your quantifiable achievements. If you reduced overhead, or integrated the company with new financial software, or improved investment returns, say it in the most mathematical way possible. Name the quarter, the percentage, and the qualities of your achievements as briefly and impressively as possible. You know better than anyone how persuasive quick, concrete numbers are in the financial industry.
Include a Precise & Motivated Custom Cover Letter
When appropriate, write a custom cover letter for each job. This is where you can include a personal pitch relaying why you are the best candidate for the role. Include why you are specifically excited to work with each company and the value you feel you could bring to the table.
Writing a resume for accounting and financial positions is not as time consuming as you may think and is an important step in getting yourself in front of a hiring manager. Remember that you are writing for a manager in your industry and use your own knowledge of what matters most in your line of work to promote yourself with clarity and decisiveness.