Don’t apply for everything that comes along when you really are not interested. This will take you attention away from the companies and tasks that you need to focus on. This focus will assist you as you begin your search. You might need to expand your search, but without some initial targets and goals, your search will be much more intimidating and difficult.
Once you have narrowed the field to places you like that also hire accountants, you need a really great resume. This is the only representation of you that potential employers will see at first. It is your ticket to being called for an interview. You ultimate goal is a new job, but the most important step along the way is getting an interview. Your resume should be the tool that assists you in this endeavor. The wrong resume can hinder you, and the right resume can make your search shorter and easier.
In times of recession job searches take longer because there are fewer jobs. More people are applying for each job, so you want to do anything you can to make your own search shorter. This means spending time and effort to develop your ideal resume. Your resume has to represent you and your skills as effectively as possible. There are a number of clues and features you can include to set yourself apart from the crowd.
You might already have an updated resume you maintain. That is a great starting point, but don’t be locked into using exactly what you have. Compose a list of things that you have accomplished in your current job or that you accomplished in your last job. Write down everything you can think of, even things that might seem small or insignificant to you.
Be honest, not modest. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize our own accomplishments, but this is the time to brag about yourself a little bit. You can do it in a manner that lets your potential employer know you will be able to do great things for them as well. Particularly in times of recession, a company wants to know what you can do for them. Your list of accomplishments can show what you will be able to do by demonstrating what you have already done.
Of major importance is how you communicate what you have already accomplished. Word your achievements in a way that makes your contribution clear. If you implemented new policies that improved productivity, say so. Quantify your accomplishment as well by saying something like, “Implemented new workflow policies, resulting in a 10% time savings in the processing of invoices.”
Go back and look at your list of accomplishments. Spend time carefully wording each point so an employer can easily see what benefits you have brought to your previous employers. It will take some time, and in some cases research, to make the value of your results clear.
Use more general terms in your descriptions so the person reading your resume does not have to guess about what an acronym or committee name means. This extra effort is worth it because your resume will present clear facts that make you very attractive. If you make choosing you less of a risk to the company because you have demonstrated you can achieve good results, you are much more likely to get an interview.
How else can you show your future employer that you are the person they want to hire in a time of recession? Demonstrate to them that you are well trained. Training is expensive and takes up time. A new employee is less productive than someone experienced. This is a well-known fact.
Go through your training and experience and outline why this will allow you to get up to speed faster. This will make you an attractive candidate. You can work this information into your resume via an example from a previous job, and you can also reiterate the point in your cover letter. Employers want someone who can come in, dig in, and get to work. Show your future employer you have previous knowledge, skills, and training that will quickly make you highly productive.
What else makes you attractive? In accounting it is precision, knowing the rules, and figuring things out. Scan the job listings posted on AccountingCrossing. Pay attention to what traits people are asking for. Describe those skills and personality traits that you possess that make you a great accountant.
Maybe you are thorough in your work, detail oriented, and excellent at researching and budgeting. Say so. You cannot assume that the employer will assume you are good at these things. They might hope you possess these qualities, but since they are initially only reading your resume and have not met you, they are not sure and definitely cannot make any assumptions. Give the person reading your resume enough detail and information so he or she does not have to make assumptions about your skills and accomplishments.
Maybe you have a lot of achievements and skills. Pick out the ones that best illustrate all you have accomplished. Do not list everything because the old rule still applies: do not have a long resume. Keep it to one page if possible, with two pages being the maximum. The person reading your resume will likely have hundreds to sift through. Choose your points carefully so you can get your message across quickly.
Look at sample resumes on About.com’s job-search page if you think yours is too long or too short. Resume-Resource.com brings together a variety of online resources you can use. The Resume Handbook by Arthur Rosenberg and David Hizer also has lots of great examples to assist you with the final look of your resume.
So you have picked out the best of your accomplishments and skills. You have shown on your resume that you possess a rich background that has set you up for success. You have included your educational information. This all seems like it would be enough, right? Wrong.
Lots of people can write good resumes. Other people applying for the same jobs you are also have worked hard to build up their knowledge and skills. Many of them have also spent time and effort on their resumes. So how can you further set yourself apart? With a dynamic cover letter.
Most people will say they thought they only had to worry about their resumes. You will do yourself a disservice if you do not consider your cover letter a very important component of your application. People sometimes ignore this vital piece of their resume package. The cover letter allows you to stand there in front of a potential employer and make your case without actually being there. It gives you a voice, a representation of yourself that is more conversational. It can present thoughts and feelings that convey your sincerity.
Think about your resume. It is all about the facts. Where can you tell the company why you want the job and why you are choosing to apply for their job versus someone else’s? Where can you tell them you will work hard for them if given the opportunity? In the cover letter.
There are people who send out resumes for every job opening that appears. They just want a new job, and it really does not matter where. You, however, have picked out some places you want to work for. You have your reasons. Share them with the company. Was it their great reputation or maybe their excellence within their field? Let them know this is not an effort on your part to just work somewhere different than where you work now. You need to indicate that you have chosen them and want to be a great new employee for them specifically.
Work as hard on your cover letter as you did on your resume. Don’t use a form letter. Make it relate to the company to which you are applying. Mention the company’s name and the specific job you want. Look at the job description. Pick out a couple of points and tell them how you can meet their needs. Your resume can only include so much information. Choose an accomplishment you did not list there and show in your cover letter how it applies to qualifications listed in the job description. Let them know again via your cover letter how you can bring value to their company.
Once you have a great resume and excellent cover letter, you are ready to go — almost. Reread everything once, twice, even three times. Errors will greatly reduce your chances of getting an interview. Proofread, check spelling, and examine your grammar. If possible, have someone else read everything over. Ask him or her if there are places where he or she does not understand what you are trying to say. It is especially helpful to have a couple of people proofread, one who is an accountant and one who is not. This will allow you to make sure your documents are clear enough to be understood by a wide audience.
It cannot be emphasized enough: errors instantly give a poor first impression. Your resume and cover letter are the equivalent of you standing there asking for an interview. Would you stand there with spinach stuck in your teeth or with your shirttail hanging out? Absolutely not. You would make sure your appearance was impeccable.
The same attention should be paid to anything that you send to a potential employer. They will feel that if you cannot take the time and make the effort to proofread your own personal work for errors, where you have a definite vested interest, it is not likely you will spend the necessary time and effort on their work. The time and effort you spend are key to your job search.
There is no perfect formula for writing the ideal resume and cover letter. Each company is different. The people within a company reading your information will be different from each other. You will, however, give yourself the best chance at success if you follow the advice outlined above.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who is trying to hire for an open position. It is unnerving on his or her side. He or she has been tasked with finding a good employee. How will he or she know if the person who sent the resume will be a good employee? It is your job to help the individual responsible for hiring answer this question with your cover letter and resume.
Make your package of skills, knowledge, and experience attractive and clearly stated. Don’t make employers guess if you will be great; show them. This will be your ticket to an interview and a wonderful new job!
