USING YOUR JUDGEMENT

How to Write a Winning CV as a Part-Qualified Accountant

Whether you’re halfway through your ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification, being a part-qualified accountant is a valuable position that opens doors to numerous opportunities...However, capitalising on those opportunities starts with one critical tool: a well-crafted CV. Your CV isn't just a list of previous roles — it’s a strategic marketing document. It's your chance to demonstrate to employers that although you're not yet fully qualified, you already deliver tangible value and have the potential to grow into a fully-fledged finance professional. Based on experience within the demanding and fast-growing part-qualified market, here are five essential elements your CV must include to stand out.1. Lead with a Powerful Personal StatementThis is the first impression — and one of the most important parts of your CV. A strong personal statement should make hiring managers want to read more. Your personal statement should cover: Your current qualification status (e.g., “ACCA part-qualified with 7 out of 13 exams completed”). Your professional ambitions and what drives you. Key strengths developed so far (e.g., process improvement, analytical thinking, stakeholder collaboration). Areas you’re eager to grow in. Tailor this section for each role you apply to. Show your enthusiasm for the specific opportunity and highlight relevant experience. Crucially, mention where you've added value — perhaps by streamlining a process, supporting a new project, or exceeding performance targets.2. Showcase Your Professional Experience with ImpactThe experience section is your chance to back up your personal statement with evidence. Avoid vague job descriptions. Instead, go into detail: Describe key processes you’ve worked on (include figures or financial details where possible). Highlight your role in cross-functional teams or collaboration with senior stakeholders. Focus on contributions you've made — especially in process improvements, efficiencies, or data-driven decisions. Rather than just listing duties, emphasise achievements. What did you deliver? What changed as a result? Who benefited from your input? Remember: employers in the part-qualified market want to see your potential and how you've already added value. 3. Highlight Transferable Skills and Tailor for Each JobIt’s easy to fall into the trap of sending the same CV to every job. Don’t. Tailoring your CV to each opportunity shows initiative and relevance. Start by thoroughly reading the job description. Identify what the employer is really looking for — and match that to your skills and experience. For example, if the role emphasizes SOX compliance, IFRS, or UK/US GAAP reporting standards, and you’ve had exposure to these, make it clear. If a job involves partnering with non-finance departments, highlight any experience communicating with cross-functional teams or presenting financial insights. Mention transferable skills such as: Problem-solving Analytical thinking Use of ERP systems Forecasting and budgeting support This shows you’ve not just read the job description — you understand what the company needs and the transferable skills and experience you have.4. Don’t Just List Technical Skills — Demonstrate ThemHiring managers don’t just want to see a list of accounting systems and tools you’ve used — they want to understand how you’ve used them. For each system (e.g., SAP, Sage, Excel, Power BI), include: What you used it for (e.g., “automated monthly reporting using Excel macros”). Any efficiencies or improvements achieved through its use. If you implemented or helped roll out a system or process, explain your role and the outcome. Example: "Developed a reporting dashboard in Power BI that reduced manual month-end reporting time by 30%, allowing the team to focus on variance analysis and forecasting." This showcases your technical ability and your contribution to the wider team.5. Include Key Achievements or Case Studies Using STAR In a competitive job market, including 2–3 concise achievements or mini case studies can elevate your CV. Use the STAR Method to structure them: Situation – What challenge or context were you working in? Task – What was your role or responsibility? Action – What steps did you take? Result – What was the outcome? Quantify it if possible. For Example: Situation: Month-end reporting was consistently delayed due to data inconsistencies. Task: Identify the bottlenecks and improve the workflow. Action: Collaborated with the data team to build an automated reconciliation process. Result: Reduced reporting time by 2 days and improved data accuracy, enabling earlier board review. Including achievements like this gives your CV personality and provides excellent talking points during interviews. Final ThoughtsBeing a part-qualified accountant isn’t a limitation — it’s a launchpad. The right CV will not only reflect your current abilities but also show employers your drive, value, and potential. To recap: Craft a compelling personal statement tailored to each role. Highlight achievements and value-adds, not just responsibilities. Tailor your CV to every application — make your skills match the role. Showcase your technical experience with real examples. Include 2–3 achievements using the STAR method to give your CV depth. With these elements, your CV won’t just get you through the door — it will set the tone for your progression toward full qualification and a thriving finance career. Visit Our Candidate Advice Pages HereLooking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAYand let's chart your career path together.

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We are taught from a very early age that it is wrong to judge people – and, it goes, without saying, rightly so. It is universally agreed that it is unacceptable to draw conclusions – or make a judgement – about a person based on factors such as, amongst other things, their age, their gender, their religion.

However there is a very fine line between being judgemental and using your judgement and – in my humble opinion - as a recruitment specialist, when it comes to assessing a candidate’s suitability for a particular role, using one’s judgement is absolutely fundamental to getting it right.

During the recruitment process, the ability to weigh up an individual based upon their skills and experience is, without doubt, essential and a very necessary part of the process. But to exercise good judgement and see beyond what is written there in black and white – to understand the difference between intelligence and common sense – is far more complex, and it’s not always as easy to get right as you might think.

Why is that? It’s probably fair to say that people often have an unrealistic view of their own capabilities; whether that is a tendency to over inflate their ability or, through a lack of self confidence and belief, they are unable to accurately assess their worth and are unable to see themselves in the same way that someone else sees them.

Their judgement is impaired. And if they are unable to ‘judge’ themselves – or rather they judge themselves incorrectly – then it’s up to the skill of the recruiter – and their ability to exercise good judgement - to determine the right conclusions from the information that they present about themselves.

In recruitment, making the right judgement about a person is critical. The impact upon a business – the amount of time spent and money invested in the on boarding process to bring a new person into an organisation – can be quite frightening, making it imperative that you get it right.

I’m asked many questions when speaking with clients or potential clients about their recruitment needs. ‘How many candidates do you have registered?’, ‘Can you find good candidates?’, ‘Do you know how to headhunt the best candidates?’. These are all very relevant questions; and ones that I would expect every recruitment consultant worth his or her salt to be able to answer and demonstrate without too much trouble at all. However, these are only valid lines of enquiry if the recruiter in the spotlight has the capability to judge what is or isn’t good and the one question that I am never asked – and the one which I think would tell far more - is ‘When it comes to people, have you got good judgement?’.

Let’s expand upon that thought. When asked if I can find good candidates, the short answer is yes. And not just good candidates, but very good candidates. But just because they are a ‘good’ candidate – that is to say they tick all the right boxes and can fulfil the requirements outlined in the job description – does that mean that they are a good candidate for this particular role? That is where judgement – my judgement – comes into play.

Say for example a candidate’s CV indicates that they have a degree from a well respected university – tick, they trained at a leading accountancy practice – tick, they qualified with flying colours – tick, and to date, have changed jobs on a number of occasions with each move seemingly resulting in a step up the career ladder. This could indicate someone who is bright, ambitious, and talented; someone who is sought after by employers. A good candidate you might say and someone who is very likely to make the interview shortlist on more occasions than not.

But, upon closer investigation, you identify that they have in fact held a number of jobs in a relatively short period of time. And they have only secured a promotion when they have changed employers. So rather than being someone that is really going places career wise, this could indicate that this is someone that their current employer is not prepared to invest in any further. Could it be that they don’t live up to expectations, that they don’t fulfil the promises that their CV or their performance in an interview might suggest? Or it could be an indication that they themselves have poor judgement if, after a relatively short time, the role isn’t what they thought it would be? Or perhaps the culture of the organisation doesn’t suit. Or they have a poor relationship with their boss. And whilst on the surface these are very legitimate and valid reasons for seeking a new position, one could – and should – be asking questions to ascertain if they did indeed display bad judgement or was it a case of bad luck?

We are all familiar with that well known phrase – ‘never trust a book by its cover’ – and its sentiment certainly rings true when it comes to hiring people; if your recruitment specialist has that rare ability to exercise good judgement, to look beyond the surface of what is presented to them and can weigh up the reasoning behind particular decisions, then your chances of making a successful appointment will undoubtedly be increased.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for temporary, interim and permanent roles across the full spectrum of positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today and speak to a member of our team about your next career move.