Professional Accountancy & Finance CV Writing Services

No. You should not list references or add the phrase “references available upon request” on your finance CV. These practices are outdated, take up valuable space, and add little value to your application.

A more effective strategy is to create a “Recommendations” section at the end of your CV. This gives recruiters immediate social proof and strengthens your credibility.

Here’s how to do it well:

• Add a dedicated section titled “Recommendations.”

• Select two strong quotes from your LinkedIn recommendations or professional testimonials. Choose those that are relevant to finance roles, ideally highlighting skills such as regulatory compliance, financial analysis, risk management, or leadership.

• Focus on credibility and impact. Recommendations should come from senior colleagues, clients, or managers who can speak to your performance and achievements. Avoid generic statements such as “hard-working and reliable.”

• Format professionally. Present each recommendation as a short, clear quote, followed by the individual’s full name and job title.

This approach transforms testimonials into a valuable part of your CV and creates a stronger impression than a basic list of references.

The way you present your qualifications depends on your career stage and level of professional experience.

Where to Place Your Qualifications Section

• Early-Career Finance Professionals: If you have one year or less of work experience, your qualifications are a key selling point. Place them near the top of your CV, just after your personal profile.

• Experienced Finance Professionals: Once you have built up substantial work experience, your career history becomes the main focus. Move your qualifications section towards the end of your CV but still reference your most important credentials, such as ACA, ACCA, or CFA, in your profile summary.

How to Format Different Types of Qualifications

• University Education: List the degree title, classification (if strong), and the university name.
  Example: BSc (Hons) in Accounting and Finance (2:1), University of Manchester

• School Education (A-Levels, etc.): You don’t need to include your school’s name unless it is highly recognised. Simply list the qualification type, subjects, and grades.
  Example: 3 A-Levels: Maths (A), Economics (B), Business Studies (B)

• Professional Finance Qualifications: For sector-specific certifications, state the qualification clearly (no need to include the training provider).
  Example: ACA Chartered Accountant
  Example: CFA Level III Candidate

A Key Rule: Do Not Include Dates
To minimise the risk of age discrimination, avoid listing dates for your qualifications. This applies to university degrees, school-level education, and professional certifications.

To keep your finance CV clear and effective, you should provide detailed descriptions for only your most recent four roles. Recruiters have limited time, so this ensures they focus on your most relevant and up-to-date experience.

How to Present Earlier Roles
For positions held before your last four, create a section at the end of your work history titled “Earlier Career.” In this section, list older roles as simple one-liners including only:

• The dates of employment

• The company name

• Your job title

Avoid adding responsibilities or achievements for these roles.

Why This Approach Works
This method keeps your CV concise and within the standard two to three-page length expected in finance, while still giving employers a complete career history. It also highlights the positions that matter most, such as roles in accountancy, banking, investment, risk, or compliance, without overcrowding the document.

1. Never exaggerate or lie
   It may be tempting to overstate your financial experience or qualifications, but if you are hired and cannot deliver, you risk dismissal. A short, unsuccessful job stint on your CV can harm future applications. Always present your strengths honestly.

2. Avoid unnecessary personal interests
   Including hobbies such as combat sports might look harmless, but they can create the wrong impression. Unless your interests add genuine value or reflect something positive and unique, such as raising money for charity, it is better to leave them out.

3. Do not list generic hobbies
   Common hobbies like walking or watching films add no value. They take up space that is better used for relevant skills or achievements.

4. Eliminate errors
   Attention to detail is essential in finance roles, particularly in reporting, compliance, and auditing. Typos and grammatical mistakes can make you appear careless. Always proofread carefully, use tools like Grammarly, and ask someone else to review your CV.

1. Not tailoring your CV
   This is the number one mistake. Your CV must be tightly focused on the role you are applying for. Your profile paragraph should align with the job title, your value proposition should reflect the organisation’s goals, and your listed skills must match the requirements in the job advert. Support this with measurable achievements and relevant case studies. Yet many people still send generic CVs that leave recruiters unsure of their suitability.

2. Failing to show achievements
   Too many finance CVs list duties without showing evidence of performance. Employers want proof of impact. They want to see how you reduced costs, improved reporting accuracy, drove revenue, managed risk, or led projects. Without this, your CV is simply a work history rather than a compelling argument for why you should be hired.

3. Not putting in enough effort
   Some candidates rush their CV without thinking about the audience. They write for themselves rather than the recruiter. A strong finance CV should reflect market expectations, which usually means two to three pages for senior professionals. Despite the high stakes, many people spend less time on their CV than on a basic report. In a competitive sector, poor effort leads to poor results.

Bonus tip: Avoid errors
Around 80 percent of CVs contain typos. Proofread carefully, read your CV aloud, and ask someone else to review it. In finance, accuracy and attention to detail are critical, so mistakes will cost you.

In short, no. At least not on its own.

AI tools may look like a quick solution, but many hiring professionals now see them as a negative. A recent survey of 625 US hiring managers found that 53 percent were less likely to hire someone who used AI in their application. In fact, 80 percent said they dislike AI-generated CVs or cover letters, and 74 percent believe they can tell when AI has been used.

Some employers, including Big Four firms and FTSE 100 companies, are already filtering out AI-written applications for certain roles, particularly at graduate level. Detection software is also being introduced into recruitment processes.

The problem is that AI-written CVs often mimic job descriptions without adding substance. They may look tidy on the surface, but they usually recycle generic statements, lack achievements, and fail to show genuine value. Even if they match keywords, they rarely demonstrate real-world results.

Recruiters are already complaining about receiving hundreds of near-identical applications that clearly come from AI.

The best way to stand out is with a CV built on meaningful project examples, measurable outcomes, and sector-specific achievements. Our approach focuses on real experience, strategic targeting, and evidence-based results.

One finance professional we worked with had been struggling with an AI-generated CV. After switching to our method, he secured an interview on his very first application for a high-quality role.

A strong finance CV should follow a clear format that demonstrates your value, technical expertise, and career achievements. Here is a structure that works well:

1. Contact details
   Place your name at the top, followed by your email address and phone number.

2. Profile or summary
   Write a short paragraph of no more than 8 or 9 lines. This should state who you are, outline your value proposition, and highlight around three key strengths that match the role, such as financial reporting, risk management, or strategic planning.

3. Key skills
   Use two columns to list 6 to 8 relevant skills in each. These should reflect the job description and may include areas such as regulatory compliance, audit, financial modelling, or investment analysis.

4. Career highlights
   Include three major achievements on the front page using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Examples might be improving reporting accuracy, reducing costs, leading a successful audit, or implementing financial controls.

5. Career history or professional experience
   Start this section at the bottom of page one. Detail up to four recent roles with job title, employer, dates, responsibilities, and measurable achievements.

6. Earlier career
   Summarise roles older than 8 to 10 years in a section called Earlier Career. Only include job title, employer, and dates.

7. Education and professional qualifications
   List your qualifications and relevant training. This may include ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA, or other finance-related certifications.

8. Additional details
   This can include languages, IT systems knowledge (such as SAP or Oracle), or availability.

9. Recommendations
   Instead of writing references available on request, add a couple of short recommendations or testimonials from LinkedIn that highlight your finance expertise and achievements.

Optional sections
You may also include published articles, voluntary work, advisory positions, or public speaking engagements.

This structure ensures your finance CV presents a professional and compelling narrative that will resonate with recruiters and hiring managers.