Career Advice for the Finance Sector

Deciding on your next finance role can sometimes be a daunting task. Before beginning your job search, there are a number of factors to consider in order to ensure that you are on the right track to make the best career move for you.

Useful questions to ask yourself before beginning your job search include:

• What makes me happy or unhappy about my current role?
• What do I want from my next role?
• What is my preferred management style?
• What motivates me?
• Where do I want to be in a year’s time?
• What kind of working environment do I prefer?

By asking these questions, it will help you to assess what you want from you next finance role.

Securing your next role

When beginning your job search it is important to identify how you are going to stand out to employers. The finance jobs market is fiercely competitive, so it is increasingly important to go the extra mile and take the steps to ensure success in the application process.

1) Provide examples of the key qualities employers look for in finance candidates

It is common for employers to request the following qualities from finance candidates:

• Ability to relate to others
• Commitment
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving ability
• Teamwork
• Business awareness
• Time management
• Leadership or leadership potential

Ensure that you are able to provide relevant examples of each of these throughout the application process.

2) Ensure that your CV is tailored to the position that you are applying for

A CV is a selling tool and it needs to grab the attention of prospective employers. Tailoring your CV is key, highlight the areas that link to the requirements of the role - and really utilise these points in your covering letter.

Tips for writing a successful finance CV:

• Question the relevance of everything that you include - excluding any information that is not relevant to the job description
• Make sure that everything that you claim is true. Many recruiters and agencies have screening processes in place - it is likely that false claims will be picked up on in the interview stage
• Don’t leave any unexplained gaps when listing your experiences - show that you have travelled or been out of work for a period of time
• Make sure you highlight key achievements, skills and capabilities
• Make sure your CV is spaced out and easy to read, bullet points are useful for highlighting relevant skills and experiences
• Keep a master copy that lists all your skills and attributes but remember to tweak it according to the role you are applying for - list the most relevant elements of the role first
• Check your spelling, grammar and punctuation

3) Make a good impression in the interview room

Once you have secured an interview you need to prepare so to impress your prospective employer. It is not just what you say, but your body language will add to the overall impression that you give and indicate your suitability for a role.

• Leave plenty of time to arrive at the interview. Arriving a few minutes early will give you time to collect your thoughts and also indicates that you are good at time keeping
• Ensure you have all of the documents that you will need to hand, and look professional
• In the interview, listen carefully to the question that is being asked, and try to give concise answers supported with relevant examples
• Speak with clarity and confidence - try not to talk too fast. Practise example questions beforehand. See our Sample Interview Questions page
• Prepare questions that you would like to ask the employer. The interview is a two-way process, so it is important that you establish what the organisation can offer you as an employer, in addition to establishing what you can bring to the organisation as an employee