Improve your odds and advance your career

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Build a Better Resume

• Improve your odds and advance your career!

Presented by
Rhonda Wirtz, CPADirector of RecruitingCertes
Financial Pros
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Build a Better Resume

• Your resume allows you to professionally show off!

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Build a Better Resume
Main Types
Profile Resume Chronological Resume Combination
Resume
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Profile Resume

• Primarily used to highlight skills
• Contract specific, one page summary of areas of
  expertise
• Skill set focus can overshadow employment gaps

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Build a Better Resume
Chronological Resume

• Primarily used for Perm searches
• Focuses on work experience and progression
• Reverse presentation of roles, duties, and
  accomplishments

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Build a Better Resume
Combination Resume

• Dual purpose, great for combining perm roles and
  contract work
• Demonstrates functional competencies followed by
  career history (an addendum can be attached
  delineating project work)
• Helps minimize redundancy
• My personal favorite!

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Format Tips

• 2-3 pages is a good length
• Use bullet points, not paragraph form
• Fonts Use two max. (Arial and Times New Roman
  are the most common)
• Avoid underlining and italics

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Format Tips

• Minimize boldface
• Consistency in spacing, margins, etc.
• List company name in the left margin, dates to
  the far right
• Tailor your opening career summary statement to
  the specific job where possible

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Content Tips

• Open with 6-8 key areas of expertise
  (combination format)
• Lead bullet points with action verbs and phrases
  keeping the tense consistent
• Quantify accomplishments versus listing skills,
  show whats in it for them

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Content Tips

• Note credentials after your name with full
  information and achievements at the tail end of
  the resume
• Provide a sentence after the company name
  indicating size, industry relevant to your role
• Avoid personal pronouns, articles, and include
  personal interests when relevant

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Content Tips

• Accurately identify CPA status as active,
  inactive, or certificate holder
• Sprinkle finance buzzwords to help HR systems
  flag your resume
• If more than a couple of transitions are due to
  a layoff, indicate in parenthesis

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Content Tips

• Use caution with industry and/or company
  acronyms that arent universal
• No need to note that references are available
• Dont abbreviate
• Be concise

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Build a Better Resume
Resume Content Tips

• Proofread, proofread, proofread and then have a
  fresh eye take a test drive

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Build a Better Resume
Related Topics
Cover Letters Electronic Applications References
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Build a Better Resume
Cover Letters

• Use discretion - keep in mind what key
  information you want to quickly relay whether it
  be from your cover letter or resume
• Useful to communicate the most relevant key
  skills or to address a career hiatus or shift
• Be factual and succinct

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Build a Better Resume
Electronic Applications

• A lot of larger companies have on-line
  application tools to load your information.
• Employ terms that overlap position description
  information as much as possible
• If salary information is required try to
  indicate a range or midpoint add a note
  regarding motivations if being flexible

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Build a Better Resume
References

• Companies typically ask to check recent
  references from 2 former managers and a direct
  report other connections can be relevant
  depending on the situation
• Share reference information when youre
  comfortable, not before
• Have permission from your reference

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Questions
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Thank You!
For more information, contact
Rhonda Wirtz, CPADirector of RecruitingCertes
Financial Prosrwirtz_at_certespros.com 952.345.4157