To make a finance executive resume, focus on a professional summary highlighting leadership and financial expertise, use bullet points to detail accomplishments with quantifiable results, and list relevant skills, certifications, and software proficiency. Ensure the formatting is clean and consistent, and keep the resume concise, ideally one to two pages, to stay within the standard length.
1. Start with a strong professional summary
Focus on leadership: Instead of generic statements, create a summary that highlights your leadership abilities, strategic vision, and ability to drive financial performance.
Incorporate keywords: Use keywords from the job description to tailor your summary for each application.
2. Detail your work experience with accomplishments
Use a consistent format: For each role, include the job title, company, location, and dates of employment.
Write 3-5 bullet points per position: These bullet points should focus on achievements, not just duties.
Quantify your impact: Use specific numbers and data to showcase your accomplishments, such as "Reduced monthly close time by 30% by leading a team of 15 financial analysts" or "Directed the implementation of a new budgeting system for a division with $250𝑀 in annual revenue".
Highlight strategic contributions: Detail instances where you developed and implemented financial strategies that led to cost savings, capital allocation, or business growth.
3. Showcase relevant skills
Include both hard and soft skills: List essential skills such as financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, P&L analysis, and team management.
Show technical proficiency: List specific software and tools you are proficient in, such as SAP, Oracle, Tableau, and advanced Excel skills.
Mention relevant certifications: Include any professional certifications like CPA, CFA, or CMA.
Note industry-specific knowledge: Mention your familiarity with standards like GAAP or IFRS.
4. Keep the format professional and readable
Use a simple and clean template: Choose a structured and easy-to-read template with a clean layout.
Use a professional font: Opt for easy-to-read fonts like Arial or Calibri.
Maintain consistency: Ensure consistent formatting for headers, fonts, and spacing throughout the document.
Limit to one or two pages: Condense your information to stay within the recommended length for experienced professionals.
Tailor to the Job Description: Mirror keywords and phrases from the job posting to optimize your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and hiring managers.
Emphasize Strategy and Leadership: As an experienced executive, highlight instances where your strategic thinking and leadership led to significant business outcomes, rather than just routine tasks.
Keep it Concise: Aim for a resume length of one to two pages. Use white space, professional fonts (like Arial or Calibri), and clear headings for readability.
Proofread Carefully: Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Consider asking a mentor or colleague to review your resume.
Include a Cover Letter: Always include a tailored cover letter to elaborate on your value proposition and specific interest in the role and company.