If you’re applying for a new job, you may be wondering – will my potential employer call my previous employers? Checking references is a common part of the hiring process. Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about employers contacting your work history.
It’s Standard for Employers to Check References
The majority of employers will call your references as part of vetting you for an open position. They use these reference checks to verify your past duties, skills, and performance. Speaking with past managers or coworkers provides insights beyond what’s on your resume.
How Far Back Do Employers Check?
Many employers will contact your most recent 1-2 past jobs. Some may only check your current or previous employer. Jobs from earlier in your career are less likely to be contacted unless particularly relevant. Leadership roles, noticeable gaps in employment, and jobs you held longest often warrant a reference check.
What Questions Are Asked?
Common questions asked include confirming your employment dates, job responsibilities, strengths and weaknesses, work quality, and eligibility for rehire. Legally, past employers can only provide objective facts, not subjective opinions. Ensure your references are prepared to respond professionally.
Let Your References Know Ahead of Time
Contact your references to inform them they may be called for a reference check. Verify they still have your current contact information. Provide details on the roles you’ve applied for and share a copy of your latest resume to refresh their memory.
Consider Declining Certain References
If you left a previous job on poor terms, consider excluding them as a reference. You can decline to provide certain references if their assessment may be unfairly negative. Alternatively, you can explain the situation to the potential employer.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Avoid expressing bitterness about past jobs during new interviews. Speaking poorly about managers or coworkers reflects negatively on you. Keep discussions focused on the positive.
Reference checks are par for the course in today’s hiring landscape. By choosing appropriate references and keeping them informed, you can ensure employers get a precise depiction of your background and qualifications. With preparation, reference checks don’t have to be a source of anxiety.
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Crafting an accounting resume that catches hiring managers’ attention is crucial to landing job interviews. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to optimize your resume step-by-step to showcase your skills, achievements, and value to accounting departments.
Leverage Targeted Keywords
Research the job posting to identify key accounting terms like “financial reporting”, “budget analysis”, “auditing”, etc.
Organically incorporate these keywords into your resume. Avoid simply adding a list of keywords or skills.
This helps ensure your resume resonates with recruiters and hiring managers.
Emphasize Technical Accounting Skills
Include your expertise in GAAP principles, IFRS standards, taxation, Excel modeling, accounting software, etc.
Provide specifics like “Advanced user of QuickBooks and SAP, including automating key processes to improve efficiency.”
Mention any relevant training programs or certificates.
Structure with Relevant Headings
Use clear, descriptive section headers like “Professional Experience”, “Core Competencies”, “Education”, etc.
Place the most compelling sections like work experience at the top.
Organize information under headings in reverse chronological order.
Quantify Achievements with Metrics
Use numbers, percentages, statistics, and specific examples to demonstrate your contributions.
For example, “Reduced operating expenses by 10% annually through regular budget cost analysis and variance reporting.”
Avoid vague statements like “Participated in the annual financial audit.”
Optimize Visually for Skimmability
Use line spacing, indentation, and bullet points to break up dense blocks of text.
Implement stylistic formatting like bolding, italics, underline, and ample white space.
Keep it concise and scannable at 1-2 pages maximum.
Proofread Thoroughly
Carefully review your resume line-by-line to catch any errors.
Read slowly from start to finish multiple times and have others review as well.
Mistakes can remove you from consideration.
By showcasing your skills with relevant metrics and optimized content, you can craft a resume that grabs employers’ attention. Follow these tips to highlight your value and maximize your chances of landing accounting interviews.
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Having no direct IT experience should not put you off firing off a resume for your dream role.
Gaining industry certifications, learning relevant skills, and finding the right components in your degree can all help.
You may be an ideal candidate for a certain IT role and if you have the right skills and experience from elsewhere that this can be applied and your resume should demonstrate that.
In this article, we will look at what to put on an IT resume, even if you have no experience.
Achieve Relevant Industry Certifications
If you fail to have a specific IT degree, or relevant experience in the industry, then that should not stop you from trying to prove that you can do the job you are applying for.
Once you appreciate that a degree may take a total of four years to complete then a few certifications can prove well worth attaining.
Take your pick, get down and study and within a few months, you will have a few IT certifications that you can detail on your resume.
If you want to specialize in a certain sector, or simply want a broader understanding of the industry you want to join, there are a range of certifications available.
For entry-level positions, the CompTIA Network is a good place to start to gain technical skills to manage various business networks.
Similarly, CompTIA Security+ can help you into a cybersecurity role. Then there is the ITIL® 4 Foundation to help you grasp the key concepts of the IT industry and provide a focus on digital service delivery.
By taking the time to learn relevant industry certifications you have already shown a willingness to learn.
There is some debate over the importance of an IT degree over certifications and a lot of businesses are willing to look past the lack of an IT degree and look towards relevant industry certifications.
They can be a great way to show how ideal you are as a candidate, and it comes cheaper and quicker than a degree. Now, with the right skills, you can become a standout in their pool of job applicants.
Learn Relevant IT Skills
Information technology is such a broad subject and there are many relevant hard skills you can learn that should be ideal for the role you are applying for.
These hard skills are the ones that you should learn via specialized training or education.
You could even learn these skills in previous employment through on-the-job training. The skills tend to be job-specific and should be listed in the job description.
These hard skills will include specific abilities and knowledge that are required to be successful in the role.
If you are a blogger then appreciating how to use WordPress could go a long way and help prove that you have a basis in code.
Try to appreciate that, though you may not have learned certain skills in a job role, you can still apply them having watched a few tutorial videos and then practicing them out.
Check out a few videos on YouTube, practice the skills on a computer, and list them on your resume once you gain a competency.
Should you envisage yourself in a dream IT role then realize it by learning the relevant skills.
Learn about hardware and software when you can and once you become competent at a skill, you can justify including it in your resume.
That practice of learning a skill in your free time should also be valuable to employers who are looking for candidates to show some initiative and are willing to put the hours in to learn.
If you have the work ethic to learn relevant IT skills, then that itself can qualify as a soft skill that employers are looking for.
Alongside the work ethic and initiative, try to consider examples of soft skills such as verbal and written communication, time management, self-management, and team leadership.
Perhaps you have been in employment that left you to look after your own workload, communicate effectively with others, and lead a team.
If you have, then those skills, and an attitude to learn more skills, should be detailed on your resume as it could be exactly what the recruiter is looking for.
Consider Your Degree, Even From Another Field
We all make mistakes, yet choosing a certain degree may not be the disaster you think it is. Certainly not when it comes to applying for jobs in another field.
If you desire a job in the IT field, even a degree from another field could prove useful to detail on your resume.
Simply finishing a degree can demonstrate initiative and a hard work ethic and should remain an achievement to be proud of.
Try to look past the fact that your degree is not in a specific IT field, even an unfinished degree, and consider how it applies to the job you are applying for.
You may not realize it, yet a major in philosophy may be ideal to show a creative, thoughtful approach to challenges by applying logic.
Remember that the simple fact you have a degree to list on your resume is a plus point, especially when you detail how it can apply to the role.
IT is a growing sector so more employers are looking to broaden their pool of new hires from different fields.
Final Thoughts
Updating your resume to make it relevant when applying for a certain position is a daunting task.
However, once you get past your lack of experience, take the time to look over the job description and demonstrate that you can have a range of skills and experience that are still worth considering.
If there are certain certifications or areas of expertise that you are lacking then make a note of them and make plans to become competent so you are better prepared for the role.
That willingness to learn and demonstrate initiative with a hard-working ethic are vital skills to possess and should be included on your resume.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Best Skills To Put On An It Resume?
Think about the IT role you are applying for and consider which skills will have the most relevance.
For a help desk position, you need to demonstrate good communication skills and an understanding of Microsoft Office.
However, you could learn Salesforce in your spare time which would prove useful to include on your resume to show you understand customer relationship management software.
What Are Considered The Seven Essential Soft Skills?
There are seven essential soft skills and they include a work ethic, active listening, adaptability, and an openness to feedback.
The set of skills is completed by a growth mindset, team player attitude, and emotional intelligence.
