You know that your CV is a key document in marketing you to employers.
Over the last 25 years I’ve reviewed a lot of CV’s from accountants.
Occasionally there is one that has a real impact.
Sadly this is an exception rather than the norm.
The problem is accountants and indeed professionals use a style of CV that in the early stages of their career gets results.
As they progress they use exactly the same format.
They notice that it’s not working as well as it used to.
The thing is the context has changed but their CV has remained the same.
In the early stages of your career where you have limited experience you might struggle to get enough down on paper.
You are also being assessed primarily on your ability to do certain tasks.
In these early stages of your career the long list of responsibilities might well be appropriate.
As you progress in your career, employers know that every candidate is going to be able to do the job to a technically competent level.
As a result the potential employer is much more interested in what you have achieved, what you can bring to the organisation and your future potential.
What this means is that your CV needs to be more like a marketing document and less like a list of tasks and responsibilities.
So here are 3 actions:
- Think about the level of role you are applying for and the critical skills, knowledge and experience to be successful.
- Next look at your CV. Ask yourself if it really highlights those aspects that are critical to success in the role.
- If not give your CV a makeover so that it markets you effectively.