Saturday, November 29, 2008

How to Write a Resume for a Finance Job

By Ada Denis

Finance jobs are plentiful no matter how the economy is faring. After all, someone has to analyze the state of the organization, whether that state is bad or good. Nonetheless, recruiters don't hire just anyone. You still need to present your past experience and skills convincingly when applying for finance jobs. Assess your employment history and construct an impressive resume for that finance job you're pursuing using the following steps.

a. Include your contact information at the top of your resume. Items such as your name, postal address, telephone number and email address are standard.

b.State your objective. Assert what kind of finance job you want and what your goals are in one or two concise sentences.

c. List a summary of qualifications. Highlight three or four main responsibilities or accomplishments relevant to the finance job for which you are applying; you will further elaborate these points in the main body of your resume.

d. Document your past finance positions in chronological order, starting with your most recent one. In this section, recruiters in the financial industry look for keywords such as process improvement, cost cutting, data analysis, business development, initiative, leadership and information systems. Even if you don't have extensive financial experience, keywords like these indicate the presence of some transferable skills.

e. Mention all the schools you've attended along with any continuing education courses you took or any certifications you have. For example, a candidate might list his or her bachelor's degree in economics from a few years ago along with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation he or she just earned.

f. Point out any software skills you have, such as Microsoft Excel or PeopleSoft proficiency. Recruiters in every industry, including finance, now look for candidates with some expertise with computers.

g. Revise your resume after finishing the first draft. Perhaps ask a friend or recruiter to proofread it as well. Even the most minor mistakes can be very costly in the job hunting game. - 16928

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