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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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Starting a new job can be daunting, and taking up your first position at the helm of a team, department or company can present its own set of challenges. Whether you are the new person coming into an established group of employees or have been promoted within your existing organisation, what can you do to ensure that your step up into management is a success?

Making the move into management can be a tricky one; by this stage in your career, your ability to perform at a technical level has been proven but a leadership role is as much about motivating and inspiring others which means drawing more upon your communication skills, ability to build relationships and understanding emotional intelligence.

The performance of those you are responsible for will have a huge influence upon how you are viewed by your peers, senior managers and others within your team. Understanding how to get the best out of each individual, whilst meeting the objectives of the business and maintaining a motivated and happy workforce can be a tricky balance to achieve.

You may have to adapt your own style to suit those around you; what works for one may not have the same affect on another. And getting the required response and performance out of your team can be particularly challenging if you are stepping up and managing colleagues you previously worked with at the same level.

Here are our top suggestions to ensuring that your first few weeks in your new management role get off to a great start.

Get to know your team:

If you are joining a new company, it’s important that you get up to speed on who’s who as soon as possible. Learn as much as you can about each individual – their name, how long they have been with the company, what role they undertake, what they enjoy, what motivates them. Aim to spend some one-on-one time with each person early on so you can build up a great rapport from the outset. Invite people to share their views on what changes they would be keen to see but don’t introduce something just to win popularity points.

Find out about the company:

Arrange to spend some time with other managers at your level and key personnel in any departments you will be working closely alongside. Take on board any comments they make about the performance of your team or individuals within in, but be sure to form your own opinions before suggesting any changes. Similarly be careful in sharing your opinions about the direction you think the business should be heading; as a manager you will be expected to offer your view but being too opinionated without fully understanding the culture, vision and values of the business could see you making a poor first impression.

Be clear about what is expected:

Ensure that you understand what your boss expects from you in your new role and communicate to your team what you need from them to achieve success. Avoid any temptation to criticise your predecessor but instead explain why you would like to make any changes you plan to introduce and bring everyone on board. Make sure you establish clear lines of communication – especially in the early days – so you can be kept up to speed on how projects are progressing and can engage alternative strategies to address any issues which may arise along the way.

Work on your communication skills:

Everyone is different so be sure to take time to establish clear channels of communication with each person in your team – and remember, not everyone will respond in the same way so you will need to adjust your approach to get the best out of every individual. Also look to develop a good relationship with your own boss or company board and find out how they would like you to report into them. Are there regular management meetings? What will you need to produce by way of reports? What level of detail they wish to know? Establish how much they wish to know about what is happening on a day-to-day level and if they prefer to be kept up to speed by email, a phone call or a face-to-face meeting.

Take an empathic approach:

Being a good manager is also about recognising when your team members need support. If someone is underperforming, it is important to look to understand what issues may be having an effect and what solutions can be put in place to address the situation. Learning how to also recognise how your emotions affect your work will also play a significant part in addressing potential tricky situations and improve your communication and conflict resolution skills.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals. 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.