If, like many others right now, your thoughts are on the future of your career, what can you start doing right now to be proactive in your financial career?
The fact is that we won’t know the full effect that the COVID-19 outbreak has on the U.K. and the global economy for many months.
The U.K. government is predicting a recession, which sadly means jobs will be lost in some sectors. However, as with every recession, where jobs are lost in one area, they are needed in another. The great news for employees in the financial sector is that with increased financial activity, be that balancing books or chasing debt, throughout recessions, there is always plenty of opportunities.
If the COVID-19 outbreak has got you thinking about the future of your financial career, either out of choice or necessity, now is the perfect time to overhaul your CV and start applying for the newest opportunities.
Let me explain what financial candidates should display on their CV to get ahead in the job market.
Explain Your Situation (Briefly)
We are about to enter a period of fluctuating recruitment, with an increased need for talent in many areas. Hiring managers will likely be overwhelmed with candidates, job applications, and C.V.s.
If you are applying for a financial role which you think there will be a lot of competition for, you must differentiate yourself from the other candidates. A great way to do this is by including a concise, cohesive and memorable paragraph about your current situation and exactly why you are applying for this role.
The inclusion of this on your CV will do two things – it will let the hiring manager know that you are passionate about particularly this role (and that you are not blanket applying for many). It should help the hiring manager envisage you in this role and will highlight you as an open and engaging candidate.
Show Your Value
Many financial candidates fill up their C.V.s with examples of their previous duties and responsibilities.
But excellent financial C.V.s are the ones where a hiring manager can instantly see how this candidate is full of value – because the applicant has spelt it out for them.
In a time of high application rates, financial hiring managers want to see instantly, from a CV, how this candidate will add real value to their organisation.
For example, a Finance Manager, instead of stating “I was responsible for expenses and overheads”, should emphasise “I was dedicated to the personal responsibility that fell with me to hold everybody in the business accountable to expenses and overheads. After a full audit, I managed to reduce spending in the company by 12%”.
Mirror the Job Advert Language
When applying to a new financial role, tailoring your CV to each job is a must. Yet many financial candidates fail to – in doing so, you will stand out from the crowd.
My expert advice here is to mirror the language that the organisation has used in their job advert. Better still, research the company and see if there is anything from their website or social media you can draw upon also.
During the recruitment process, remember that organisations are trying to screen you out, rather than screening you in. Using familial language to the business will help the hiring manager sense a connection to you at the first crucial stage.
Check Your Spelling and Grammar
As a recruiter, I see plenty of financial C.V.s, and unfortunately, in many of them, the spelling and grammar are not up to scratch. Many candidates run their CV through a spell check, but this is not a catch-all method. Sometimes correctly spelt words are used in the wrong context (think manager and manger, than and then etc.).
My best advice is to get someone you know who had impeccable grammar to read through your CV. This can be a friend, family member, or better still – a financial recruiter.
Your ‘Online CV’
The CV and application you submit are no longer the only tool hiring managers have to screen you – your online professional and social profiles now act as an ‘online CV’.
So remember also to update your online profiles, such as LinkedIn, to correspond with your current situation. LinkedIn is a great place to network, especially right now, as shifts in the market are happening and opportunities are opening up.
A staggering 91% of hiring managers now use social media to screen candidates before reaching out to them, so make sure your ‘online CV’ is interview-ready.
Finally
It’s an uncertain time right now, but there are still many opportunities available for talented finance candidates. If you are looking for a new finance role either now or in the near future, call us on 01282 930930 or get in contact here.
Thanks,
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, which historically range from a wide variety of organisations including SME’s to large PLCs.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we get to the heart of employer and employee needs; and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly. To find out more, get in contact with one of our team today, or you can call us on 01282 930930.
