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How to Make Your Finance Resume More Competitive

Posted By: Julie Shenkman In: Accounting & Finance
Never compared your finance resume against other resumes in the Philadelphia market? That could be a huge mistake...

If you’re looking for accounting jobs in Philly, you’ve naturally prepared a resume and a cover letter to use in your job hunt. However, how competitive is your accounting resume? Do you know how it measures up against other resumes submitted for other accounting jobs in Philly? Some candidates have never compared their resume against other resumes and it is a big mistake in a competitive job market.

When comparing resumes for accounting jobs in Philadelphia, you’ll likely notice shortcomings in one resume or the other. If those shortcomings show up on the other person’s resume, be sure to file that information away for later. You may need to rework your own list of qualifications and experience against this information for the best document possible.

What are some of those shortcomings? A resume should be targeted, contain only information relevant to the specific job, and be relatively easy for a non-accountant to understand.

Never forget that an intermediary or a hiring manager who isn’t well versed in accounting jargon may view your resume. Don’t write above this person’s head when listing your career objectives, experience or cover letter. Finance jobs in Philadelphia aren't limited to "all-finance" firms. You may find yourself interviewing at a company that doesn't have a finance expert on the staff.

Unless otherwise requested, list your career experience in reverse chronological order. Let the resume reader see your most recent experience first, since that’s most likely your strongest accounting and finance job experience. Did you work for an accounting firm in Philadelphia that required you to also perform non-finance related duties? Be sure to list your skills and duties in ways that convey the right impression.

If you were involved in non-accounting duties, ask yourself how they related to your main duties in your Philadelphia finance job and place the emphasis there. You want your resume to be an advertisement for your accounts and finance job skills, so be sure it points the reader back to your main skill sets wherever possible.

Those hiring for accounting positions often look for education and qualifications relevant specifically to accounting and finance. A business degree, your CPA certification and any other valuable education information should get special attention.

Don’t bother with degrees or certifications that aren’t relevant to getting a financial job. It sounds basic, but some people think that any certification listed on a resume is a good thing—that it shows initiative.

In this case, that notion is not true. Listing your CPR certification may not prevent you from landing an interview, but it’s a distraction from the finance material. Remember, your accounting resume is a sales pitch for your skills as an accountant.
 
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Posted by: Armil@businessfinance
every merchant wants to maintain their business finance. And it's good to hear that they can do it through invoice discounting or invoice factoring.
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