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Applying for jobs on Seek, LinkedIn, and other job boards can be a time-consuming process, however, it is important that your resume writing, and online profile helps you to stand out from the crowd. You also want to apply for a position which gets you closer to your career goals.
When a recruiter or hiring manager is looking to fill an account officer position, they are searching through hundreds of candidate's resume and scanning for specific transferable skills. Less than 10 people will be interviewed for the job, yet, hundreds of people, just like you, will be applying, therefore The Perfect Resume team have created these Resume Writing Tips to help you stand out from the others.
What do recruiters look for in an account officer's resume or an online profile?
Tailoring your resume to an account officer position is mandatory today to ensure that your application will pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). In doing so, your resume will be read by the prospective employer. Then, fingers crossed you will be shortlisted as a potential candidate and be called for not one, but multiple job interviews! A standard job description template for an account officer will look something like this:
Accounts OfficerPrivate Organisation The organisation We are fast growing accounting practice, seeking an experienced, highly motivated, and hardworking Accounts Officer to join our team. Position Description We are looking for a detail-oriented account officer to assist in our financial department. The responsibilities of an account officer include keeping financial records up-to-date, checking for inaccuracies in invoices, and handling queries on general accounts. To be successful as an account officer, you should have knowledge of basic accounting procedures, be open to learning, and have strong communication skills. Ultimately, a quality account officer should be able to achieve excellent customer service and maintain accurate financial records. The successful applicant will assist in the following responsibilities:
To succeed for this role, you will be a self-motivated candidate who has the following qualities:
What you'll get in return In return for your commitment to the role, you will have the support of working in a fast-growing firm with close-knit team, who are supportive and passionate about what they do. There are lots of room for growth and opportunities to advance your career. The position is offering a generous salary and other rewards and incentives are also available to high achiever. What you need to do now If this sounds like you and you would like to apply, click 'apply now’ |
Step 1: Tailor your resume
Whether your resume is in reverse chronological order or a Chrono-Functional Hybrid, if you have been an account officer previously you have the added bonus of highlighting your skills in the following areas:
- Your personal profile
- Your skills list
- Your experiences (if you have not already tailored your resume to this position)
Therefore, your profile should include the hard and soft skills that the recruiter is looking for in a candidate. You should also mirror the personal attributes that they are asking you to demonstrate to ensure your potential employer will take your application seriously.
Additionally, by looking at what other companies are looking for in their account officers, you may be able to add other skills to your resume that rate your application higher than your competitors in the shortlisting process.
Furthermore, a recruiter will often not look further than the first page during the initial shortlisting process, therefore you want page one to include all the relevant information.
An example account officer's resume
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PROFILE A solutions-orientated, lateral, and analytical thinker who works productively both autonomously and within a team. Offering over 5 years of accounts payable and receivable experience in the corporate industry and capabilities in maintaining financial records and debt activity, including resolving accounting errors in the General Ledger. Demonstrating a proven ability to quickly manage and resolve urgent matters and time-critical issues while continuing to apply attention to detail and produce highly accurate work. Coupled with the skills in recommending viable business options, such as improving systems and procedures and initiating corrective actions with a commitment to adding value to your organisation. KEY STRENGTHS
TECHNOLOGY Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including proficiency in MS Excel and accounting software and databases such as MYOB, Xero, and QuickBooks.EXPERIENCE Account OfficerCompany A | 02/2015 - Present Handled the financial records of the organisation by overseeing accounts, managing invoices, and ensuring smooth transactions with clients by multi-tasking and applying knowledge of bookkeeping and accounting principles, practices, standards, relevant laws, and regulations.
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If you need some help tailoring your resume for a particular role and you’re not sure what to include and what not to include, feel free to reach out to The Perfect Resume team at the following email address: info@theperfectresume.com.au and we can do a resume review for you for FREE!
Step 2: Tailor your cover letter
The most prominent cover letter tip we can give you is to tailor your cover letter in a systematic, proven approach. The Perfect Resume team's method lets the organisation know the following:
- What you can offer
- Why it would be in their best interest to hire you
- How inviting you into their team would add value to their organisation.
We do so by correlating these aspects with the attributes of the role they need to fill, in doing so, it gives them a compelling reason to invite you for an interview.
Stop thinking a cover letter doesn't matter!
You would be surprised how many people think they can send off the CV on its own without a cover letter. Some recruiters don't read cover letters, some base their hiring decision on them. Why take the chance at all?
Stick to one page only!
Never lose sight of the fact that your cover letter is not intended to take the place of your CV; it is meant as an introduction, therefore as a general rule, your cover letter should not exceed one A4 page in length.
Unless there is an explicit instruction to the contrary, you should aim to keep your letters short and sweet. A handful of paragraphs are usually more than enough to entice them to read your CV.
Quit spamming everyone with a generic cover letter
While your CV should be tailored to each application, it is even more important to tailor your cover letter. A carefully targeted message can easily mean the difference between success and failure, yet almost everyone uses a generic cover letter and the same CV for every single application.
It stands to reason that every job and every organisation is unique, therefore every cover letter should also be subtly different. If you are someone who sends the same cover letter to everyone, you can quickly change a few minor details such as the organisation and hiring manager's name, as well as subtleties of the role's purpose to make a good impression.
Focus on what the employer wants from you, not what you have done in your career so far.
Snippets from your resume are OK, such as letting them know what you currently do for a job and how the skills obtained in the role transfer to the new position. It may also be essential to mention your education and other certifications. What you should avoid, is repeating slabs of text as it will reduce the recruiter/hiring manager's time spent reading your resume.
A cover letter is an opportunity to draw the reader's attention to some of your key selling points, such as skills, experiences, and achievements. You should do so in a way that makes it clear how these will be of interest and potential benefit to the reader.
Don't forget!
When you apply for a position, they already have a copy of your CV. Therefore, your cover letter should compliment it, not repeat it.
Your cover letter should introduce your CV, not replace it!
Nobody wants to read the same thing twice.
Nobody wants to read the same thing twice.
Avoid going off on different tangents. Instead, use a simple, structured format.
Like all the best stories, the best letters have a strong, and clearly defined beginning, middle and end. It is essential to make sure that your cover letter is structured logically. Capture their attention, make an impact, maintain their interest and finish with a persuasive closing paragraph.
You only have one page of content to get a clear message across to the reader. If you don't structure your cover letter carefully, you will end up rambling, and the impact of your cover letter will be diluted.
I this, I that, I the other, me, me, me!
The word "I" is often overused in cover letters. Unlike a CV, a cover letter should, of course, be written in the first person, however, if you start every sentence with "I", then it can make for pretty tedious reading. You also risk conveying an impression of arrogance and egocentrism.
It might not be easy to cut down the use of "I" however, you should make an effort to do so. Look at each sentence that begins with "I" and see whether you can rephrase it so that it starts with a different word.
You may be able to turn around a sentence so that it starts with "You" or "Your" which is ideal. In doing so, you shift the focus on the reader and not yourself.
Adopt a marketing trick by having a clear "call to action" at the end of your cover letter!
The key to ending your cover letter is to ensure you can do so in a positive, upbeat manner. You can't exactly demand a response from the reader, however, you need to do everything in your power to encourage one. This is where a marketing tip, known as a "call to action" comes in handy.
A call to action is a term to describe a message to the reader of an advert or other promotional material that is specifically designed to motivate them to take some specific action, perhaps to pick up the phone and place an order - for example, "Call now while stocks last."
A right call to action message is to ask for an interview by calling you on the correct phone number or email address. After all, that is why you are writing a cover letter in the first place.
Proofread your cover letter for linguistic errors.
Your cover letter is most likely the recruiter's first impression of you, therefore it should be a positive one! From the resumes and cover letters we have reviewed, 90% of them contained spelling or grammatical errors. Unfortunately, word processing grammar and spelling checks do not pick up everything, especially in headers or if the words are in capitals. To make sure your cover letter is error-free, we recommend that you get someone else to read it, or set it down for 24 hours and then come back to the document with fresh eyes. It is also essential to check and double-check your contact details!
In conclusion, a cover letter is a companion document that doesn't rewrite your CV or replace it.
Research by Glassdoor indicates that you could improve your chances of landing an interview by 40%, by tailoring a cover letter, therefore if you are going to the trouble of sending off your CV, it is always worth taking a little bit longer to construct a brilliant cover letter to go with it.
Be careful, some positions may also call for a key selection to be addressed. This is a separate document that compliments your tailored cover letter and require statements that are backed up by real-life examples, rather than just speaking hypothetically. The STAR technique illustrates your points with specific, relevant examples which are drawn from your own experience to dramatically increase your impact on the reader.
If you would like assistance to create a tailored cover letter, selection criteria, or take advantage of the free resume review, email us at info@theperfectresume.com.au, and we can help!