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How to Write a Standout CV for Transactional Accountancy and Finance Roles

A well formatted, standout CV is essential for landing interviews in transactional accountancy and finance. Employers are always looking for candidates who demonstrate attention to detail, numerical proficiency, and a strong understanding of financial processes. So, your CV need to shine a spotlight on your qualifications, skillset, and experience to make sure you stand apart from other candidates. To help you on this quest, Liam Connolly has drawn from his extensive experience in transactional finance recruitment to share some top CV tips. Follow these, and your CV will be the one that grabs the attention of prospective employers. 1. Understanding the Role and Key Requirements / Responsibilities involved:Transactional finance roles typically involve managing financial transactions, reconciling accounts, and ensuring compliance with regulations. Depending on the specific position, responsibilities may include accounts payable and receivable, bookkeeping, financial reporting, or credit control, this is important to make sure these elements are clearly sign posted in your CV. Key Skills to Highlight: Attention to detail and accuracy in financial transactions. Strong numerical and analytical skills. Knowledge of accounting software (e.g., SAP, QuickBooks, Xero). Understanding of financial regulations and compliance. Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. 2. Structuring Your CV:Your CV should follow a professional structure with clear sections that make the document easy to read and have a natural flow. If you over complicate your CV or format it in such a way that makes it difficult to read and without a natural flow it will absolutely hinder your application and will likely result in the key and important information within the CV being missed or overlooked. Below is an ideal format to follow to avoid this happening: Section A. Contact Information:Ensure your contact details are up to date, including: Full Name Phone Number Professional Email Address City of residency Notice period LinkedIn Profile (if applicable) Section B. Professional Profile / Summary:Begin with a concise, attention-grabbing summary of your expertise and career goals. Tailor this section of your CV to highlight key skills and experience relevant to the specific transactional finance jobs you are applying for. Example: "Detail-oriented finance professional with five years of experience in accounts payable and receivable. Proficient in financial reconciliation and reporting, with a strong understanding of accounting regulations. Adept at using SAP and Excel for transaction management. Seeking a role where I can fully utilise my skills to add value to a growing transactional finance team." Section C. Relevant Skills & Competencies:This is your opportunity to list your most relevant skills, these should be formatted as bullet points making it easy to read ensuring that the most relevant skills to the role you are applying to are front and centre at the top of the list. Example: Purchase & Sales ledger management Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, Macros) Accounts reconciliation and financial reporting Bank statement reconciliation VAT processing and regulatory compliance Section D. Work Experience:Your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order (starting with the most recent role first), emphasising achievements and contributions along with all the relevant responsibilities you undertook as part of the role. Example Format: Company Name | Job Title | Dates of Employment High volume invoice processing of both Purchase and Sales ledger invoices (c800 - 1000 per month) Managed Accounts Payable transactions totalling £3 million monthly Reduced invoice processing errors by 30% through process improvements Implemented a new reconciliation system, enhancing accuracy and efficiency Top tip: be specific ‘Managed Accounts Payable transactions totalling £3 million monthly’ instead of ‘Accounts Payable Transactions’. This level of detail not only helps employers and us understand the scope of your responsibilities and the extent of your capabilities but also demonstrates the care and attention you have put in your CV. Section E. Education & Qualifications:Include your school / college results, degrees, certifications, and relevant training. Example: AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) Level 4 BA (Hons) in Accounting & Finance, University of ABC | Graduated: 2020 (1st Class) A level – Further Maths, English, Economics – Grade A,B,A 11 GCSE (Including Maths English, Science – Grade 8) Top tip: Not including your results can raise concerns and you'll likely be asked for them later, so it's best to include them from the start. Section F. Additional Sections (Optional)Languages: If multilingual, mention fluency level (spoken & written communication levels). IT Skills: Intermediate / Advanced Excel knowledge (VLOOKUP / Pivot Tables), Proficiency in accounting software – Sage 50, SAP. 3. Tailoring Your CV to Specific Roles: While transactional finance roles share common responsibilities, tailoring your CV for different positions (e.g., accounts payable vs. credit control) will dramatically improve your chances of selection and make it clear to potential employers that you understand the position you are applying to and can evidence through your experience why you are suitable. Make sure you customise your summary, skills, and experience accordingly to reflect this.For example:Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable:Attention to detailAccuracy in your workUse of specific invoicing accounting softwareSpeed in manual processing Highlighting specifics in volume of invoices processed (p/w or p/m)Credit Controller:Softer skills are very important in Credit controlAbility to account manager – treat each client individually Being a good negotiator is vitalHighlight successes in results again targets (reduced aged debt by 85% in 12 months)Showing empathy and understanding to create strong working relationshipsKnowing when to change tact and take a firmer approach as needed.Accounts Assistant:Demonstrate full understanding of all elements of transactional financeAny professional qualifications you are / have undertaken (AAT) are important to highlightUse of various / specific accounting software (Sage, SAP, Xero) is appealing to clientsPayroll:Highlight the volume of employees payrolled Break down into weekly / salaries quantities Mention the use of specific payroll operating systems (Sage Payroll etc)Speak about the payroll region you cover, is purely UK payroll or do cover Irish Payroll, EMEA, APAC? Is it the full end to end payroll process including query handing / amendments through to sending the payroll to the bank?4. General CV Design and Formatting:Keep it concise: Limited to two pages if possible. Use professional fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman). Ensure the same font and font size are consistent throughout (not too small or too big, 10 - 12 size works fine depending on the font selected). Use Clear headings which separate the different sections. Maintain consistent spacing and margins throughout. Use bold to highlight key skills so they stand out. Use bullet points to list the responsibilities (not just one long paragraph) 5. Common Mistakes to Avoid:Spelling and grammar errors: Proofread thoroughly. Irregular fonts / font sizing and spacing. Generic duties: Customise for each role. Overloading with unnecessary details: Focus on what is relevant to the role in question. Too much information can make CV’s difficult to read and the reader loose focus. Lack of quantifiable achievements: Use specific amounts / results to demonstrate your impact. Final Thoughts?Your CV is your first and best chance to make a positive impression on a prospective employer. They want to see that you are capable of undertaking the advertised role and have a clear, demonstrable track record of handling similar responsibilities. With this in mind, it's essential to clearly showcase your experience, ensuring the right information is highlighted. Additionally, outline why you are interested in the specific role you are applying for. Consider your career goals, why you would be a good fit for the role, and where you see your potential for longer-term development (be realistic). A standout CV for transactional accountancy and finance roles should emphasise relevant experience, technical expertise, and professional achievements. By structuring and tailoring your CV effectively, you will significantly improve your chances of securing interviews and advancing your 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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The importance of a strong organisational culture should never be underestimated; with benefits such as enhanced trust and co-operation and better decision making, having the right set of cultural values running through the organisation will be the glue that brings employees together and will ensure that they, and the business, will grow and develop over time.

As one of Yorkshire’s largest independent firms of chartered accountants, auditors and advisors with a heritage that goes back 125 years, Garbutt + Elliott’s success and continued growth is attributable to the quality of the people that make up its team of over 200 staff based in the firm’s Leeds and York offices.

Having placed several key senior appointments with Garbutt + Elliott in recent years, Executive Director Lee Sweeney caught up with Managing Partner Russell Turner to discuss how the importance of ensuring the right cultural fit for the organisation is a significant factor in the decision-making process when it comes to recruitment.

Lee Sweeney:The word ‘culture’ is something which we hear and discuss a lot, but what does it mean to you as an organisation?

Russell Turner: It’s everything to us. We’ve worked extremely hard on identifying and developing our culture and values whilst ensuring they are not just words but very much brought to life. They are integral to everything we believe in and it was important to define our values so they are real and meaningful to us - we want them to represent everything we stand for. For those reasons, our values are straightforward – treat people how you would like to be treated.

Essentially, our culture is about genuinely caring, empowering and encouraging people to be the best they can be – whether this is through our relationships with our clients, our colleagues, business development or our stakeholders. Our values enable us to build consistency and have been hugely influential in the way that we approach our recruitment strategy. It’s so important that we get the right people on board who want to grow, develop, reach their full potential and help our business to prosper.

LS: The interview is such a critical part of the process and almost entirely about weighing up if the candidate is right for you and vice versa?

RT: Absolutely, and in many ways the interview process is primarily about finding the candidate that is the right fit for our business. By the time you have shortlisted a handful of suitable applicants to interview, you’ve invariably ticked most of the boxes relating to their technical expertise and knowledge necessary for the role. Information such as what qualifications do they have, where have they gained experience, what type of clients have they worked with can all be gleaned from the CV and application process – so when you sit down in front of someone, it should be a given that they have the ability and experience to deliver the requirements of the role. What the interview gives you is the opportunity to gain an insight into the type of person they are, if we share the same values and behaviours and do they show they genuinely care?

LS:What are you essentially looking for?

RT: It’s important that not only do we identify those people that share our values, but we create an environment where decisions are made both from the top-down and bottom-up; we want our employees to be confident to express independent thoughts and feel empowered to make decisions with a freedom and flexibility in the way they approach their work. We encourage people to bring our values to life and actively participate in shaping them for the future - our values should continually evolve as our business moves forward. To do this our people must be engaged and believe they can make a difference.

LS: When it comes to recruitment, have you seen a shift in what the role requirements are for working in accountancy and finance?

RT: In a highly competitive market it is essential that our people enjoy where they work and the work they do. Our clients expect the services we offer to be of the highest quality, and rightly so – we pride ourselves on the quality of our work, from a technical perspective, but equally it’s the quality of our people, their attitude and behaviours, that really differentiates us in a crowded market. It has to be about our people; we want our clients to see that we are vibrant, energetic, forward-thinking - passionate professionals who are engaging and can clearly demonstrate that they care about what they do.

LS:You mentioned that others in the organisation need to feel empowered, why this is so important?

RT: As a business grows, it’s so important that there’s a real understanding of the values and that people champion those values, it has to be joined up. At senior level, it is essential that we bring on board key individuals who share our core values and can very quickly get a strong grasp of their role; but we also want people to bring new ideas and alternative approaches as these will enhance our values and benefit our business in the long run. As I mentioned earlier, our values are embedded in the very fabric of everything we do and we continue to work hard to strike the right balance between consistency and empowering our leadership team to implement their own style.

LS: What would you do if faced with a candidate who is a strong match for the requirements of the role but you are not certain that they would be a good fit for the organisation?

RT: There’s a certain amount of bravery involved; a lot of people talk about the importance of finding the right fit in terms of culture and values but this often takes second place if a candidate can demonstrate right technical skill set. Fundamentally, if we have a feeling, that someone doesn’t share our values, we know that they will not be right for us, and vice versa, regardless of their technical skillset.

Staying true to our values has enabled us to celebrate and focus on people’s strengths and what they enjoy doing – in reality, very few people are exceptional at everything and that’s acknowledged at Garbutt + Elliott. For example, someone that performs strongly at business development may not necessarily be the best at process and similarly someone whose strengths can be clearly seen in their understanding of process might not be suited to line management. This provides us with the opportunity to develop and recognise individuals for what they bring our business, tailor their development and progression route accordingly and ensure their contribution is recognised and they achieve their own career goals.

LS:How important is it for candidates to consider the culture of an organisation when looking for a new role?

RT: Employers must work hard to stand out from the crowd if they want to recruit the top talent, and even harder to retain their staff. And much of that comes down to how you make your employees feel every day. The salary, benefits package and career progression must be attractive and competitive, but how you treat people on a day-to-day basis, how you make them feel valued, how you make them part of the decision-making process and how you create an environment in which they feel that they can grow is just as important.

The last 18 months has shown us how working practices can be successfully adapted; the benefits of remote working have been embraced by both employers and employees. With employers being more flexible this opens up a wealth of opportunities for the top talent to seek new career opportunities much further afield, putting greater competitive pressure on employers.

LS: What would be the one piece of advice you would give to a company when they are looking at how they approach shaping and developing their organisational culture?

RT: It never stops! Developing the right culture for a business is more about how you plan the journey rather than focusing on the destination. A strong organisational culture flexes and develops as your business grows, it needs to be energised, supported and continually invested in. In reality, an organisations culture is the culmination of everyone’s individual behaviours – hence why it is so important to get the right people onboard.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment and executive search of finance and accountancy professionals within national and regional accountancy practices, owner managed businesses, national and global plcs and leading venture capital and private equity firms. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to find out more.