CVs FOR APPLYING TO ACCOUNTANCY AND FINANCE EMPLOYERS

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CVs FOR APPLYING TO ACCOUNTANCY AND FINANCE
EMPLOYERS

• Jenny Keaveney
• Careers Advisory Service

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WHAT IS A CV?

• curriculum vitae an outline of a person's
  educational and professional history, usually
  prepared for job applications (L, lit. the
  course of one's life)
• Also known as resumé

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What is the purpose of a CV?

• To inform the employer about your
• education
• work experience
• skills
• interests

To persuade the employer, on the basis of this
information, that you are potentially suitable
for the job and are therefore worth interviewing
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When should a CV be used?

• When an employer asks for applications to be
  received in this format
• When an employer simply states "apply to ..."
  without specifying the format
• When making speculative applications (i.e. when
  writing to an employer who has not actually
  advertised a vacancy but who you hope may have
  one)

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WHAT SHOULD A CV INCLUDE?
Personal details Education and
qualifications Work experience Interests Practi
cal skills Referees
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PERSONAL DETAILS

• Your name! (use this as the heading)
• Your contact details
• Postal address(es)
• Phone number(s)
• Email address
• You may also include (but dont have to)
• Nationality
• Male/female (but only if this isnt clear from
  your name)

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VESPER LYND Home Address 10 London Road,
Middlemarch, MM2 6AZ Term Address 1a Wildwood
Court, Park Wood, University of Kent, Canterbury
CT2 7SZ Tel [phone] Email
vl299_at_kent.ac.uk Nationality British Sex
Female
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EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

• Combine both head each section in this category
  with the name of the university/school/college,
  then the subjects studied and exams taken there,
  with dates
• Accountancy firms like detail list all your
  modules/subjects and grades

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EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS 2009 to date The
University of Kent BA Accounting and Finance
- expect to graduate June 2012 First year
Financial Accounting I (Distinction)
Quantitative Methods (Merit) Business Law
(Merit) Economics (Distinction) Computing
(Merit) Second year Financial Accounting
II Strategic Management Management
Accounting I Principles of Finance
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2002 - 2009 Casubon High School,
Middlemarch 2009 A-levels English (A)
French (B) Business Studies (B) 2008 AS
levels Mathematics (B) History
(B) 2007 GCSEs English Language (A)
Mathematics (A) English Literature (A)
French (A) Spanish (B) History (A)
Geography (C) Biology (B) Music (A)
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WORK EXPERIENCE

• If you dont have much experience at this stage,
  list it all even if you dont feel its
  relevant and highlight the skills you have
  gained from it
• If you have a lot of experience, you may
• Separate it into relevant and other
• Summarise the less-relevant experience
• Experience doesnt just mean paid work
  include volunteering, work-shadowing etc if you
  like

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SKILLS

• Almost any kind of work experience will help you
  to demonstrate the transferable skills that
  employers look for
• For accountancy employers, these include
• Teamworking
• Client focus
• Commercial awareness
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving
• Time management

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• WORK EXPERIENCE
• Summer 2010 Bulstrode Insurance Ltd, Lowick
• Responsible for data inputting, liaison with
  clients and general office duties
• Developed skills in dealing with business
  customers, chiefly over the telephone, and in
  working accurately under pressure.
• Summer 2009 Tick Holler Accountants,
  Middlemarch
• Gained experience in the tax department,
  entering data into clients tax returns and
  contacting clients to obtain further information
  or documentation
• Assisted with stocktakes and audits, including
  sampling and checking

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2007 - 2009 Flora Motley Ltd, High Street,
Middlemarch Saturday Sales Assistant in
fashion store customer service, stock
control, cash handling. This involved me
in advising and assisting customers, coping
with problems and unexpected situations (such
as a fire alarm) and taking responsibility
for counting up and banking money.
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INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Anything a bit different or interesting in
  this section can help you to stand out from other
  candidates
• These can also demonstrate your skills and
  competencies
• Dont worry, though, if you have little to put in
  this section provided that other sections
  (especially work experience) can compensate
• Make your interests interesting!

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INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES Sport Badminton
(member of the University badminton club)
tennis (played for the school team) swimming
trampolining. Car Looking after my
twenty-year-old Mini and Maintenance meeting
other Mini owners at rallies Travel Summer
2010 - two-week international voluntary
workcamp in Spain One month Inter-Railing
through France and Italy in summer 2009
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SKILLS
This section should include just your practical,
relevant and work-related skills, such as
SKILLS Languages Good command of French and
Spanish Computing Familiarity with Windows
packages including MS Word, MS Access and
Internet Explorer Driving Full, clean driving
licence
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REFERENCES

• Give the name and contact details of two referees
  
• If you have run out of space on the CV you can
  just say references available on request
• Ideally, one academic and one work-related or
  character reference
• ALWAYS ask permission before giving someones
  name as a referee!

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COVERING LETTERS

• Introduce yourself
• what are you applying for?
• where did you hear about the firm?
• Sell yourself
• your motivation
• your past experience
• your skills
• your knowledge of accountancy/of this firm
• your ability to communicate effectively in
  writing!
• Provide essential information
• your availability
• refer the reader on to your CV/form

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FURTHER HELP AND INFORMATION

• Making Applications - Careers Service booklet
• Making Applications - AGCAS booklet
• AGCAS DVDs - Looking Good on Paper (CVs) and Your
  Jobs On-Line (application forms)
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm
• TARGET Jobs http//targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors
  /accountancy-and-financial-management advice from
  graduate recruiters in this sector

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GOOD LUCK!
Careers Advisory Service Opening hours 9am -
5pm Monday Friday






http//www.kent.ac.uk
/careers