Crafting a job winning resume is your first step in landing the position that best suits your professional goals. A resume is your calling card, it’s like a marketing piece where you are the product being advertised. Even if your day-to-day job is more focused on numbers than words, this is your opportunity to get creative – not with the facts, of course, but in the way you present them. Make this a document that hiring managers will want to keep reading.
Don’t send a generic resume. When customizing a resume is as easy as updating a saved document, there is no excuse for sending the same resume to every opportunity. Today’s resumes are dynamic, not static. Examine the job posting closely and demonstrate with your resume that you are the best candidate for the position. Mirror their terminology and tone. Downplay or delete anything irrelevant to the role you are applying for.
Do quantify your accomplishments. Wherever there are numbers or metrics that prove your success, include them on your resume. Particularly in accounting and finance, interviewers are looking for hard data to determine if you have the qualifications they require and are the best candidate for the job.
Do make it readable. Leave plenty of white space and use bulleted lists so your resume is easy to read and the most important information can easily be found. Interviewers look at dozens of resumes or more every day. You’ll start with one point in your favor if they can skim your resume for salient facts and save their eyesight.
Don’t include irrelevant information. Most personal information is a waste of limited space at best, at worst could include information that could be prejudicial. Hiring managers may toss your resume immediately to avoid any appearance of conflict.
Do edit carefully. Remove extraneous words or outdated content. Your resume should be a page or two at most so space is limited – use it wisely. Proofread more than once to catch any mistakes. Try reading it aloud or asking a friend to read it over to ensure your resume is 100% error free.
Now that you know how to present yourself in the best possible light, contact the accounting and finance recruiting experts at ExecuTeam. We can help find the right opportunity for you and walk you through the entire process from interview to offer. Contact us today to begin your Houston job search.