Boost Your Chances Headings
What type of CV is best for me?
20 ways of getting your CV in the Yes pile
CVs for qualified but without experience and ‘Graduate entrance’
How to write a computer-friendly CV
Get short-listed with your cover letter
135+ possible interview questions and answers
135+ possible interview questions and answers part2
Personality tests: another hurdle
Questions to ask your interviewer
How to negotiate your remuneration package
Your ‘Thank-You-For-The-Interview’ note
Coming out first in your second interview
(Sample Templates):
20 ways of getting your CV in the “Yes” pile
1. Keep it short- The vital rule!
2. Appearance – it makes the difference between being read or being binned
3. Organise your Accountancy CV
4. Tell the truth …. stretch it only slightly!
5. Don’t over-emphasise your computer skills
6. No photograph – please!
7. Include numbers, percentages and amounts
8. Use active verbs
9. Use significant, powerful or emphasising adjectives
10. Key words – vital for computer-read CVs
11. Watch your use of jargon – not too much not too little
12. Beware of clichés
13. Buzzwords won’t help your image
14. Don’t slip up on your spelling
15. Proof-read your CV – we all make mistakes
16. There are some simple commonsense rules for CVs
17. Presentation and paper
18. Get your foot in the door first
19. Have multiple versions
20. Make your CV viewable
1. Keep it short – The vital rule!
Don't make your CV any longer than TWO sides of A4—one page is probably enough for recent graduates or job entrants. No one wants to read through many pages of long-winded accomplishments and experience. If your CV doesn’t fit within two pages, cut it down to the most relevant and impressive items.
Don’t drone on at length about your education and don’t think it’s smart to go into too much detail about your hobbies. HR experts disagree about the benefits of including hobbies and interests in a CV. However, on balance, you would be wise to include some mention of your hobbies and interests because:
- §They help paint the ‘whole’ picture of you.
- They may be able to tell the accountancy recruiters a lot about your personality, leadership potential and team working skills.
- Listing your interests outside work reassures them that you can get along with others (team sports), are curious (pub quiz team member), that you are broad minded (love of travelling), that you can be responsible (youth club mini-bus driver).
- They form a basis for discussion at the job interview.
The accountancy recruiters will have two primary objectives when meeting you. They need to know:
- Can you do the job?
- Will you fit in?
“Can you do the job?” is normally addressed by accountancy recruiters assessing your skills and experience to date. They can also set tests and ask technical or professionally-based questions. However the question “Will you fit in?” is harder to answer. Your hobbies and interests will provide a clue.
However, you must still remember the vital 2-page rule. Just mention your hobbies and interests without going into detail. Why would your employer be interested in your different ju-jitsu arm-lock skills anyway?
Incidentally, don’t invent hobbies in order to sound impressive. For example, don’t say you’re an avid opera goer just because you saw Pavarotti once on TV. Remember, your sins of embellishment will catch you up in the interview!
2. Appearance – makes the difference between being read or being binned
Your CV shouldn’t be handwritten but rather word-processed.
Choose your font carefully. Whether you post, e-mail or fax your CV, keep your font plain and easy to read. Use a sans serif font like Arial or Verdana, not Times New Roman or Comic Sans MS. Also select a reasonable size of font – anywhere between 9 and 12 points should be acceptable.
Too many different fonts, colours or graphic styles will irritate the reader. Simple bullets are best for separating out points; use bold and italics sparingly. Formatting should emphasis your accomplishments, not draw attention away from them. If you want your CV to stand out, keep it brief, stick to facts, and put down the information the employer wants to read.
3. Organise your Accountancy CV
In functional CVs, you put your skills into a ‘Personal Profile’ at the head of your CV then briefly list past job titles at the bottom. When creating a chronological CV, outline your experience, education and skills to show what you have accomplished.
Use three other tonysurridge.co.uk free download guides to help organise your Accountancy CV:
4. Tell the truth …. stretch it only slightly!
The essential thing to remember when writing your Accountancy CV is to be honest. It might seem a good idea at the time to concoct a few qualifications or embellish your work experience but your new employer may have a higher expectation of your ability than you are capable of. It is much better to be honest, but show that your are willing to learn.
Many jobseekers inflate their CVs by providing false or exaggerated information on their CVs, ranging from innocent omissions to blatant lies. The most common lies discovered on a CV average, according to a mix of different surveys:
- Embellished responsibilities 40%
- Skills set 19%
- Dates of employment 14%
- Academic degree 12%
- Companies worked for 8%
- Job title 7%
There is considerable evidence to show that employers who receive falsified applications do not employ the candidates involved.
Even the slightest embellishment can destroy your credibility. If you’re concerned about the thinness of your academic background, lack of skills required by a position you want, or time gaps in your CV, invention is not your way out. Your sins will catch you up in the interview! Use your cover letter tactically to extend your Accountancy CV, focusing on your strengths and achievements explaining any areas of concern if needed.
5. Don’t over-emphasise your computer skills
Do not over-emphasis your computer expertise. Listing of computer skills (such as proficiency with accountancy software) was a strong differentiator during the early 1990s but was considered passé (‘old hat’) for most professional positions by the late 1990s. A mention of the software you have experience using is enough.
Do not over-emphasis your computer expertise. Listing of computer skills (such as proficiency with accountancy software) was a strong differentiator during the early 1990s but was considered passé (‘old hat’) for most professional positions by the late 1990s. A mention of the software you have experience using is enough.
6. No photograph – please!
Do not include a photograph of yourself. This would suggest that the employer is one who discriminates on the basis of a person's appearance — age, race, sex, attractiveness, or the like. The theatre and modelling industries are exceptions, where it is expected that CVs will include photographs; however this is not the case in the accountancy and financial professions. Remember, even if you are “stunningly attractive” it can act against you – the CV’s recipients may be inclined to reject you out of jealously (especially those of the same gender). Another problem with photographs is that the scanning-digitisation-printing process may distort your features or colouring.
7. Include numbers, percentages and amounts
Do not include a photograph of yourself. This would suggest that the employer is one who discriminates on the basis of a person's appearance — age, race, sex, attractiveness, or the like. The theatre and modelling industries are exceptions, where it is expected that CVs will include photographs; however this is not the case in the accountancy and financial professions. Remember, even if you are “stunningly attractive” it can act against you – the CV’s recipients may be inclined to reject you out of jealously (especially those of the same gender). Another problem with photographs is that the scanning-digitisation-printing process may distort your features or colouring.
7. Include numbers, percentages and amounts
Your achievements, both within and outside work, must be clear and quantified? Include numbers, percentages and amounts in the CV to support your achievements. For example:
- §My accounting department reduced the average receivables from 60 to 40 days ...
- I supervised a team of 8 people ...
- I managed a payables account of an annual £10 million ...
- We grew by 20% in one year …
Always use percentages when quoting figures relating to improvements, growth or performance. Increased income by £500,000 may be small to a big company, whilst by 8% means the same across the board.
8. Use active verbs
Employ verbs in the active assertion ("I did X", not "X was done")? Use strong action verbs to emphasise your job experience and duties. Instead of starting your sentence with a noun, kick off with an active verb, for example:
- I developed the system …
- I widened my scope of involvement …
- I supervised new accounting team members …
- I directed the work …
One of the classic pitfalls to avoid is being vague on your CV. If you start your points with words such as ‘managed’, ‘developed’ or ‘trained’ the recruiter will be left wondering just how little you actually did! Either describe precisely what you did, or better still use an active verb and then describe. For example, ‘ ‘Decisively managed …’, ‘successfully developed …’ or ‘conscientiously trained …’.
Here are some action verbs arranged in handy groups. Try to add to them – it’s not difficult with a little thought.
| Financial | Management | Technical | Clerical |
| Accurately assessed | Proficiently administered | Creatively adapted |
Beneficially arranged
|
| Professionally audited | Clearly attained | Expertly computed |
Quickly compiled
|
| Correctly balanced | Well coordinated | Resourcefully designed | Economically generated |
| Fully budgeted | Strongly directed | Constructively enhanced |
Successfully maintained
|
| Technically estimated | Comprehensively evaluated | Productively managed |
Usefully organised
|
| Continuously monitored | Perceptibly improved | Imaginatively programmed | Efficiently processed |
|
Successfully projected
|
Skilfully supervised | Ingeniously upgraded | Suitably scheduled |
| Communication | Service | Helping | Other |
| Clearly Addressed | Rapidly assembled | Caringly aided | Profitably achieved |
| Directly contacted | Securely built | Enthusiastically coached |
Largely expanded
|
| Firmly convinced | Effectively operated | Tactfully counselled | Decisively resolved |
| Plainly explained | Carefully prepared | Conscientiously demonstrated | Resolutely responded |
| Positively interacted | Rigorously repaired | Consistently facilitated | Confidently translated |
| Sensitively persuaded | Totally supported | Persuasively motivated | Wholly utilised |
| Reliably relayed | Constantly tested | Robustly represented | Happily volunteered |
You see from the above examples that it is useful to use significant, powerful or emphasising adjectives? Examples are:
- It was a fulfilling experience …
- I made a vital contribution to …
- It was a worthwhile exercise …
- I used advanced software …
For another example, read the following two personal profiles and decide which person you would most want to call for interview.
- “An accounts supervisor with experience in receivables and good knowledge in overseas factoring. Has good interpersonal and communication skills”.
- “A resourceful and professional accounts manager with extensive skills in receivables and proven expertise in overseas factoring. Has developed strong people and communication skills.
But a word of caution. Don’t use so many adjectives that your CV becomes unbelievable. Although you are selling yourself and emphasising your strengths, don’t over-state to the point that your CV seems nonsensical.
This is a very difficult balancing act. While many accountancy job-seekers ruin their prospects by appearing self-important and conceited, a similar number wreck their chances by selling themselves short. This ‘modesty factor’ is also dangerous because it can prevent you from giving a good account of yourself, or even cause you to be unaware of the many useful qualities you have. Never be afraid to blow your own trumpet – just make sure you don’t blow it too loud! Always remember the old adage: “Moderation in everything!”
10. Key words – vital for computer-read CVs
Don't forget that many potential employers now obtain candidates' CVs online through search engines, which makes it more important for you to use appropriate keywords when writing your Accountancy CV. Please download our free guide: “How to Write a Computer-Friendly CV” which gives more details about computer-read CVs and provides examples of key words used in the accountancy and finance professions.
11. Watch your use of jargon – not too much not too little
Consider with care your use of technical language. Most professional positions have some technical jargons or abbreviations that are attached to them and when completing a CV it can be difficult to know whether you should use this technical jargon yourself. Some points to bear in mind are:
- The use of jargon may demonstrate to an employer that you understand the profession or the company’s industry well enough to be comfortable with its terminology.
- §The over-use of technical language can be perceived as a little pretentious.
- The use of unusual technical jargon could result in confusing the person reading your CV.
- It’s best to take clues from the accountancy job advert or job description. If the employer has used ‘common words’ to describe technical elements in the role, then it is a good idea to follow their lead and stick to simplified language, but use technical words to emphasis a specific professional point if appropriate.
A final point, if you write in pretentious jargon instead of making clear, simple statements you are in grave danger of being stereotyped in two ways:
(i) you are a person who tries to conceal lack of knowledge or experience, and
(ii) you a person who glorifies in mediocrity.
So, use technical language and jargon sparingly!
12. Beware of clichés
12. Beware of clichés
Clichés are another aspect of language that you should avoid using in your CV. It is a difficult problem because there are so many clichés used nowadays that it can be difficult to know if a particular word or phrase is classified as a cliché or not. Some commonly used examples from the accountancy and finance professions would be:
- §Added value …
- Conglomerately arranged …
- Synergistic effect …
- Rightsizing …
The use of clichés do not add to the appeal of your CV!
13. Buzzwords won’t help your image
In a similar vein don’t use buzzword-driven statements to describe yourself and your achievements. Too many of these are stale, unsubstantiated and twaddle. Examples are:
- I am a dynamic, self-motivated, forward-looking professional …
- I am an achiever, brimming with confidence …
- I relish mind-stretching challenges …
- I have highly developed people skills …
Put yourself in the position of the tired employer reading through dozens and dozens of CVs looking to fill that accounting position. You can be sure that yours will be binned very quickly!
Also, use words in their simplest form. Never use two or more words when one is sufficient. A few examples are shown below, although of course, there are many, many more!
- §In this day and age means now
- In spite of the fact means though
- To divide into parts means apportion
- Gave up a position means resigned
- Wise in the ways of the world means sophisticated
14. Don’t slip up on your spelling
- I worked in a busty office …
- I was a good leeder to my team …
- I worked hard at collage …
- We had god public relations …
What can we say? Worse still, what would the recruiter do to your CV?
15. Proof read your CV – we all make mistakes
Print your CV out and proof-read it slowly – and remember: running a spell-check won’t pick up all mistakes, such as “It was had work …” Make spelling or grammatical mistakes and you can be sure that your CV will be binned! Just one small error can mean the difference between being invited to an interview and losing a good career opportunity. The best way to avoid even the smallest slip is to ask someone else to check your CV - a fresh set of eyes will be more likely to pick up your errors. Make sure, though, that your friend is “amply-literate”!
16. Commonsense rules for CVs
Ensure that all your personal information (name, address, e-mail address, telephone number) is immediately identifiable. If you have an inappropriate e-mail address (“it seemed funny at the time”) it will probably look unprofessional to a recruiter. So go back to your e-mail server and set up a new e-mail name.
Your CV must have a logical flow. Many job-seekers hide their personal details at the end of their CV and others often omit details like age, marital status and contact details. Yet even more job applicants choose to bombard the recruiter with personal profile sections, education and career history in whichever, whatever sequence, and effectively screen out the vital expertise and capability information that the reader really wants to know. If the logic of a CV is not easy to follow it does not take long for it to be binned!
Education, qualifications and work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order. HR personnel and employers take less than a minute to scan your CV, so it’s vital to highlight and organise items in several concise and relevant segments in a sequence that gives them access to the important facts first. This depends, in most part, on whether your Accountancy CV is functional or chronological.
17. Presentation and paper
Print your CV on good quality paper. Don’t use fancy or coloured paper – it rarely aids your application. Anyway, it’s likely that your CV is going to be photocopied several times. Do not use the wrong envelope size – match the paper and envelope together. Having gone to some pains to present an immaculate CV, the last thing you want to do is fold it up numerous times and put it in a standard-sized (small) envelope (say size DL). Spend a bit extra on a board-backed A4 envelope (size C4) to make sure that when it arrives on the recruiter’s desk, your CV is unfolded and looks as pristine as it did when you printed it out.
Ensure your CV is a balanced presentation with sufficient white margin (space) to encourage reading and allow the interviewer to write comments.
Staple your CV together but do not bind it.
18. Get you foot in the door first
Apply for that accounting job early. Nearly one-in-ten employers receive more than 50 applications for open-market positions and recent research shows that this number is increasing. Get your foot in the door before other applicants by signing up for job alerts that automatically e-mail job listings to you as they become available. (The tonysurridge.co.uk/job-search provides a job alert service.)
19. Have multiple versions
If you have skills that fit more than one role you should create multiple versions of your CV that highlight your different skills. For example, if you have years of experience in financial control, and also have treasury experience, have two CVs: one emphasising your control experience and another highlighting your treasury experience. Remember, though, that the most successful CV is the one that is ‘tailor-made’ for a particular advertised position. You can set up multiple CV profiles on the tonysurridge.co.uk website, ready if you want to apply for multiple types of positions. Upload your CV now, and include multiple profiles to suit the accounting job.
20. Make your CV viewable
Employers like to search for candidates. If your CV is not someplace where an accountancy recruiter can find (or “source”) it, then they don’t know you exist. In addition to ordinary job boards, consider posting you CV on personal web pages, or the job boards of the professional institutions. Of course, you can lodge your CV on our own specialist Accountancy and Finance Job Board and we will put it on view in a number of different ways to help you secure your next accounting job.
