8 Tips to Consider When Writing A Finance Resume

Recruiters and hiring managers have no idea how amazing a finance expert you are. Your resume is the first thing they see and judge you based on. It has to be perfect, which isn’t all that easy to achieve. If you’re after your next career opportunity in the competitive finance job market, check out these resume-writing tips. They’ll help!

#1 Start Writing Only After You’ve Done the Research

One of the most important things behind any great resume is research. Job seekers need to know what’s new in their industry and the resume writing world before they can produce an up-to-date resume that presents them in the best light.

At the very least, you need to find similar job listings, look up other finance professionals’ resumes, and check how resume writing standards have changed since you last searched for a job. Unless you have enough time to do all this, hiring a Skillhub resume experts is the better option to avoid sending a half-baked resume. Nothing good ever comes in a hurry.

#2 Ditch the Objective

If it’s been a while since you last looked for a job, you might not know that a resume objective is no longer a thing. An occasional job applicant still uses it, but it doesn’t work in their favor. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that a resume objective is outdated and shows that a job seeker didn’t bother to do their research before writing a resume.

Ditch it for a resume summary. It’s a short (up to three sentences long) intro that summarizes what the candidate has achieved in their career. The more specific it is, the better. You’ll have a chance to discuss your ambitious goals during the interview. For now, focus on landing it.

#3 Be Concise and Specific

The most challenging thing about resume writing is that you need to be concise without sacrificing the crucial details that show who you are as a professional and your main accomplishments. Of course, the more experience a job seeker has, the harder it is to fit everything on just one page. But that’s the length you should aim for.

Still, no matter how short your resume is, make sure it isn’t vague. That’s a sin that costs a lot of job seekers their interviews. Your resume (and the entire job application, including the cover letter) should clarify why hiring you is a great idea. Mention everything you’ve personally done for your previous employers’ performance and include numbers.

#4 Make Sure All the Sections Are There

Overconfident job seekers, who think they don’t need to look up resume samples or use templates, often forget to include a section or two in their resumes. Don’t make the same mistake. Here’s everything that a decent finance resume must feature:

• Your contact information
• A resume summary
• Education information
• Your experience (starting from the most recent employment)
• Your skills (both hard and soft)
• “Other” or “Additional Information” (for things like your language knowledge, unexpected talents, and whatnot)

You’re wrong if you think that any of these sections are optional. The “Other” section could be, but it’s your chance to stand out and impress your potential employer. Use it!

#5 Use Keywords

Another huge mistake many job seekers make is not using keywords. Unless you saturate your resume with the right keywords, you won’t land an interview—the recruiter simply won’t see your resume. The thing is, most companies are using ATS (Applicant Tracking System) these days. It ranks the job applications based on how well they fit the job listing.

Without keywords, your resume will rank very low if it makes a list. So never neglect them. Keywords are the repeated words from the job listing (related to your position), key skills expected from a finance professional in your line of work, names of previous roles, and so on. Look up resumes of job seekers with similar experience and career goals to know what to include.

#6 Don’t Use Over-the-Top Designs

It’s perfectly understandable to want your resume to look nice. There’s nothing wrong with that. But finance is a pretty conservative industry. Also, some job seekers overdo it to the point where the design of their resumes makes it difficult to understand what’s written there. That annoys most employers to no end. So even if you use templates akin to Canva’s, keep it simple.

#7 Don’t Forget About Your LinkedIn Profile

Not having a LinkedIn profile is yet another deadly sin in the job search. If you have a friend who works in recruiting, ask them what they do once they see a job application that looks like a great fit. They’ll tell you that they will research the candidate further. The first place they go is their LinkedIn profile.

You may think about the social media culture whatever you want, but having LinkedIn isn’t optional anymore. So don’t let your desire to keep your online presence minimal stay in the way of your career growth. And double-check your profile before applying for a job. The information should not be too different from what’s on your resume.

#8 If in Doubt, Hire a Professional

Finally, remember that it’s always okay to ask for help. You’re a finance professional, not a writer. So it’s perfectly understandable for you not to be great with words or struggle with resume writing. You can always count on resume writing services if you start working on your job applications and feel it’s too much to handle.

An Afterword

Even a model employee with a successful career may find resume writing a challenge. But enough time, research, and practice will do the job. Focus on being specific, use keywords, and don’t skip any of the sections (even “Other”!). And no matter how big of a DIY fan you are, don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially if the deadline for your job application is soon. A professional resume writer is a fantastic way to invest in your career. It pays off.