How to Reintegrate Furloughed Employees

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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Furlough. Just over 12 months ago it was a term that very few people would have been aware of but for the past year it is has been a lifeline for businesses – and employees – as organisations navigate the impact of COVID-19.

People will have been placed under very different circumstances over the past year; there will be those who have been furloughed for the duration, some who may have working on a flexible-furlough basis and others who have remained in full employment for the duration.

As many businesses now look to how they transition from this temporary measure to a post-furlough operation, we take you through some of the key considerations when looking to reintegrate employees back into the workplace.

Start the communication around returning to work early to give your team time to prepare and make any necessary arrangements for childcare etc. Make the conversation a two-way process and invite employees to share any concerns they have about returning and what additional support may be required.
Look at what processes you have in place to manage other long-term absences such as parental level or sickness. Consider offering employees a phased return as they adjust to coming back to work – some may have been furloughed for over a year and will need to time to get back up to speed.
Consider how different employees will be feeling. It is likely that you will have a mix of furloughed, flexibly-furloughed and non-furloughed employees, all of whom will have very different experiences and feelings about the past 12 months. Furloughed employees may feel isolated, frustrated to have not been a work and even guilty that colleagues have had to essentially cover for them. Those that have been at work could be resentful that they have had to deal with increased workloads in extremely anxious circumstances. Look at ways you can help everyone understand what the other has been through to ease any potential tensions.
Working remotely, meetings via Zoom and accessing work-based systems in a different way will be second nature to many by now, but for those who are returning to work for the first time, it will be to a very different workplace than the one that they left. Take time to guide those returning through the processes and adjust to a new way of working. Try to think back to those early weeks and don’t assume they will get to grips with everything right way.
It can be easy to lose touch with people - especially if you are not yet returning to the office or workplace – so schedule regular catch-up meetings to check in with returning members of the team and quickly address any concerns or problems.
Define clear goals and expectations for returning employees and identify any skills gaps which need to be addressed. Understand what aspects of their role they may not be able to undertake straightaway and allow a reasonable time for them to adjust and get back up to speed. Consider what training will be needed as either a refresher or in relation to newly implemented systems that have been put in place during their time out of the workplace.
Take some time to run through any key business updates; have people left the business, who is responsible for which areas of the business, have any key clients key or come on board?
If an employee’s return to work coincides with a return to the workplace, are there any adjustments needed around start and finish times, are they reliant upon public transport, what additional safety measures will need to be put in place?
It is possible that there may have been some staffing changes over the past 12 months – how have the team dynamics potentially changed? Has there been any shift in responsibilities and reporting lines, is work being handled by a different person or team now, how will introductions to new team members be handled?
Consider how future lockdowns will be handled and clearly communicate what steps have been put in place to handle staff – or members of their families - needing to isolate.

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.

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