By Rutherford Cross, an ICAS Partner

Preparing for a New Career: CV Guidance & Interview Techniques

Whenever you are considering a potential career move, the first step is to write or update your CV. This can initially seem like a daunting task, so Recruitment Consultant Ben Jones has pulled together some best-practice guidance for writing your CV, as well as some interview techniques to guide you through the full career move process.

When Should I Start Thinking About a Career Move?

For most people a career move begins long before the first interview. In fact, it usually starts with a familiar thought that pops into your head during a busy working week. “I wonder what’s out there?” Perhaps you’ve outgrown your current role, perhaps progression has stalled, or perhaps you’ve simply reached the point where you’re curious about the market. Whatever the reason, the next step is usually to dust off the CV.

Unfortunately, updating a CV sits firmly in the category of jobs that everyone knows they should do, but few people genuinely enjoy. Much like cleaning out the garage or finally dealing with that drawer full of old phone chargers, it’s remarkably easy to put off until it suddenly becomes urgent.

The good news is that writing a strong CV doesn’t need to be complicated. As recruiters, we spend every day reviewing CVs across the accounting and finance market and, despite what many people think, the best CVs are rarely the most creative or elaborate. In most cases, they are simply the clearest. A good CV gives a prospective employer enough information to understand who you are, what you’ve achieved and why they should invest their time meeting you.

It’s important to remember that a CV is a tool, not an autobiography. Its purpose isn’t to document every responsibility you’ve had since leaving school. Its purpose is to open the door to an interview. That’s it. If your CV generates a conversation, it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do.

How Long Should My CV Be?

One of the questions I am asked most frequently is how long a CV should be. Fortunately, the answer is usually shorter than people expect. For the majority of professionals, two to three pages is sufficient. Early-career candidates, graduates and individuals looking to make their first move after qualifying often worry that they don’t have enough experience to fill multiple pages. In reality, that’s perfectly fine. Recruiters aren’t awarding marks based on page count they are looking for relevant experience presented clearly and concisely.

The fundamentals are often underestimated but remain incredibly important. Your contact information should be easy to locate, your location should be clear and, if you’re planning to relocate, make sure that information is obvious rather than hidden halfway through the document. Employers naturally want to understand whether a candidate can realistically commute to the office or whether a relocation is already part of the plan. Including your LinkedIn profile is also sensible. Hiring managers will often review it alongside your CV anyway, so you might as well make their job easier.

What Should My CV Look Like?

When it comes to formatting, simplicity almost always wins. Every recruiter has encountered a beautifully designed CV that somehow makes it impossible to identify where someone currently works. Whilst creative templates might look impressive at first glance, they can often distract from the information that really matters. For most professionals, a straightforward Word document or PDF using a standard font is more than enough. The content should do the heavy lifting.

After your contact details, a short personal profile is a useful way to introduce yourself. This section doesn’t need to be lengthy. A few sentences outlining your experience, qualifications and key strengths will generally suffice. Think of it as the executive summary of your career to date. In the same way a good introduction encourages you to continue reading a book, a strong personal profile encourages the reader to keep exploring the rest of your CV.

Your employment history should then be presented in reverse chronological order, starting with your current role and working backwards. This is where many candidates unintentionally undersell themselves. It’s easy to list responsibilities because most of us know them off by heart. However, responsibilities only tell part of the story. Employers are often far more interested in achievements and impact.

Almost every Financial Accountant prepares accounts. Almost every Tax Manager provides advice. Almost every Finance Business Partner works with stakeholders. What differentiates candidates is the contribution they have made beyond the standard expectations of the role. Did you improve a process? Reduce risk? Lead a project? Take on additional responsibility? Pass professional exams while working full time? These are the details that help employers understand your value.

The same principle applies earlier in your career. Graduates and newly qualified professionals often worry that they don’t have enough experience to stand out. However, achievements come in many forms. Academic success, internships, committee positions, volunteering work and balancing studies alongside part-time employment can all demonstrate qualities that employers are actively seeking. Don’t underestimate the importance of these experiences simply because they weren’t gained in a full-time role.

What Else Should It Include?

Towards the end of your CV, it can also be useful to include sections covering systems and technical skills. Accounting and finance professionals often develop significant expertise across software platforms, reporting tools and ERP systems, so highlighting these can be beneficial. Equally, including a brief section on hobbies and interests can provide a more rounded picture of who you are.

Some people dismiss this section as irrelevant, but recruitment remains a people business. I’ve seen interviews spend ten minutes discussing marathon training, golf, hillwalking and football before anyone has mentioned a balance sheet. Shared interests help build rapport and make conversations feel more natural. Nobody gets hired because they enjoy cycling at the weekends, but sometimes those small details can help establish a connection.

Should I Use Different CVs for Different Applications?

Perhaps the most important piece of CV advice is to tailor it. This becomes increasingly relevant as your career progresses and your experience broadens. A generic CV might be acceptable for several applications, but a tailored CV will almost always be stronger. Different roles place emphasis on different skills and experiences. If you’re applying for a position with a significant advisory element, make sure advisory examples are easy to identify. If leadership experience is particularly important, bring that to the forefront. Small changes can often have a surprisingly large impact.

Once you’ve finished writing your CV, resist the temptation to send it immediately. Save it, step away and revisit it later. Fresh eyes are incredibly valuable. You’ll almost always find wording that can be improved, awkward phrasing that can be strengthened or spelling mistakes that somehow survived multiple reviews.

How Should I Prepare for an Interview?

Assuming your CV has done its job, the next stage is securing an interview. While interviews can be nerve-racking, preparation goes a long way towards building confidence. The strongest candidates are rarely those with perfect answers prepared for every possible question. More often, they are the individuals who have taken the time to understand the business, research the role and reflect on their own experiences.

Before any interview, spend time reviewing the company’s website, recent announcements and service offerings. Understand what they do, who they work with and why the role exists. Employers want to hire people who are genuinely interested in their business rather than simply applying to dozens of positions and hoping for the best.

When discussing your experience, structured answers are incredibly helpful. The STAR method remains popular for a reason. By explaining the Situation, Task, Action and Result, you can provide clear examples that demonstrate both your experience and your contribution. It prevents answers becoming overly long and ensures interviewers understand not only what happened, but also the role you played in achieving the outcome.

What Questions Should I Ask?

Finally, remember that interviews are a two-way conversation. Most interviewers will ask if you have any questions at the end and this should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a formality. Ask about culture, development opportunities, team structure and what success looks like in the role. These discussions often provide some of the most valuable insights you’ll gain throughout the process.

A career move can feel daunting, particularly if you’ve been with the same employer for several years. However, most successful moves begin with the same foundations: a well-written CV, good preparation and a willingness to explore what’s possible. Whilst few people will ever describe CV writing as enjoyable, investing the time upfront can open doors that might otherwise remain firmly closed. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation to discover where your career could take you next.

 

Written by Ben Jones, Rutherford Cross