Page 30 - JoFA_2022

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Résumé and job interview tips for CPAs

Looking for a new job? Proper preparation makes a big
difference in how you present yourself to potential employers.

Tell your story in your résumé

Most careers don’t follow a straight line. Rather, they navigate twists, turns, and bumps along
the road to success. Your résumé is more interesting when you tell the story of your journey and
describe the effort you put into your career. Remember, your résumé is a marketing document,
there to cast you in the best possible light.
■ It is standard practice for recruiters and employers to use applicant tracking systems to
source candidates. It’s a good idea to use keywords — some of the words from the job
description — in your résumé to outline your experience, expertise, and professional interests.
■ Don’t simply list your skills. Back up each skill with proof and give concrete examples of
how your skills have led to success or how you used your skills to overcome challenges. (For
example: “Skill: Organized leadership — Successfully led an eight-person project team in the
installation of a highly integrated ERP system on a tight deadline.”)
■ In your timeline, be sure to account for gaps in your career, sabbaticals, relocations, and
general jobs, even those not on your career path.
■ If you have been in the workforce a long time, summarize your earliest entry-level positions
by choosing a point in time and then describing what you did. (For example: “I worked for a
CPA firm in the metro D.C. area preparing tax returns for high-wealth individuals and small
businesses.”)
■ Put humility aside and highlight the career and life accomplishments you are most proud
of. Under each description of your past jobs, have a separate subtitle that states “Accom-
plishments include” and list a few of your notable achievements. (For example: “Improved
operations/systems by doing X” or “Saved an employer Y amount of money by doing Z.”)

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