Make Your Accounting CV Stand Out From The Crowd
With the accounting and finance industries booming in Australia, companies are flooded with job applications and CVs every day. The competition can be tough and most accounting graduates are finishing University with the same levels of knowledge and training.
You may see your CV as merely a piece of paper telling a company who you are and what you are all about, but in reality, it is the only thing that can land you an interview for that ‘perfect job’.
It is essential that you present a great CV to prospective employers and that you make yourself stand out as a ‘top applicant’ against other accounting job seekers. Your CV primarily needs to show your qualifications, achievements, skills, and experiences. Everything on your CV must be relevant to the job that you are applying for and it is advisable to remove anything that is not relevant as far as the reader (prospective employer) is concerned.
Some of the golden rules are: use bullet points and use spelling and grammar checks, make every effort to get your hands on a job spec for a vacancy, and explain all gaps on your CV.
1. Create a Personal Statement
At the top of your CV, you should have a personal statement. It is the first thing that any prospective employer will see as they pick up your CV and it is imperative as to whether they will read the rest of your CV or not. Your personal statement in a few lines should cover who you are (education and skills), what you can offer the company, and what your career goals are. Keep the job description in mind whilst writing this personal statement and remember that every job you apply for this is going to be a little different. Make your statement unique to you and place emphasis on relevant skills and abilities. Personal Statements tend to be 4-5 lines in length.
2. What Is Your USP?
If you are applying to a job that you feel you are almost perfectly suited for, then what is your USP? What have you previously done or what can you bring to this role that other candidates can’t?
Everyone has something that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd, you just need to reflect on what that something is and then tailor it to suit the job in question. For example, if you volunteered to teach Mathematics to disadvantaged youths for a year during College, this shows you are hard-working, trustworthy and a great communicator. If these types of traits are requirements for the job in question, do not be afraid to list on your CV your real-life achievements and experiences.
If you have links to any work, blogs or websites, etc that you have created previously, be sure to list these on your CV too.
3. Keywords
Sometimes you do not have to send your CV to a company in order to get found. Now more than ever companies themselves are searching online for the perfect candidates to fill available positions based on their skills, experiences, and whether they are open to new opportunities or not. This is especially the case via job sites such as LinkedIn, Seek, and Indeed.
This doesn’t mean that you have to litter keywords relevant to your career all over your CV, but it certainly helps to be mindful of them as you write it. Keywords that employers search for are often based on the job title they are recruiting for, its duties required skills, and your education training.
If you are open to new opportunities when you are writing your CV look at various job descriptions and words used in roles that you are suitable for e.g. accounting graduate, payroll officer, MYOB trained.
4. Match Your CV To The Job
One of the most time-consuming aspects of job hunting is that in order to stand out and be considered for a role, you need to customize your CV for each and every job that you apply for. Whilst this can be a tedious and frustrating process (as most people apply for many jobs at once) it will definitely be worth it once you land your perfect role!
Alter your CV in line with the job you are applying for – research the company, see what they value and look for, and use skills, attributes, and relevant experiences that match the job description. Your CV is your one chance to sell yourself, and unless you can make the employer see why you are a great fit for the job in question, they will move on to read the CV of the next candidate in their pile.
5. Format and Grammar
When you are writing and sending out your CV please ensure that it is formatted correctly and that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes. Whilst you may be the perfect candidate for a job in terms of your education and experiences, if you present to an employer a CV that is messily put together or one that is scattered with spelling and grammar mistakes, it is unlikely that you will be considered for any available roles. Take the time to make sure your CV is neat, accurate clear, and concise.
If you are still struggling to get your CV right, get in touch with us here at BLC Training and Internships. We regularly offer free CV and Cover Letter Workshops and we also offer Career Skills Courses that train you on all aspects of the job search process including CV Writing, Cover Letters, LinkedIn For Job Search, 1st round interviews & Assessment Centers.
For more info on these courses please email: info@bluelotus.edu.au.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.