Writing a CV or resume for a Financial Auditor position can be a challenge, especially when you’re trying to stand out from the competition. A well-crafted CV can also be your ticket to landing a Financial Auditor interview. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a strong and effective CV that highlights your skills, experience, and accomplishments in the field of financial auditing. We’ll also provide examples to give you a clear idea of what a successful Financial Auditor CV looks like. Let’s get started!
Contents
Read The Job Description / Advert
The first step is, of course, to read the job description. We need to know what the firm is looking for so that we can properly highlight these characteristics in our CV. So read back over the job description and try to pinpoint the important points. A lot of times a firm will call things “required”; if you see this, you need to make sure you include that in your CV. Similarly, if certain things are repeated throughout the advert, this indicates they are of high importance, so we will want to make sure our CV shows that as well.
When performing this analysis, take care to copy the ‘exact’ words and phrases that are being used by the hiring manager. We will want to pepper these into our CV later.
Financial Auditor Job Description Example
We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Financial Auditor to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will be responsible for conducting comprehensive financial audits, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards, and providing valuable insights to improve our clients’ financial processes and controls.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct financial audits from planning to execution, ensuring compliance with GAAP and relevant regulations.
- Analyze financial data and internal controls to identify areas of risk and recommend improvements.
- Prepare clear and concise audit reports, highlighting findings and recommendations.
- Collaborate with other team members and departments to ensure a comprehensive audit process.
- Stay updated on industry trends, regulations, and best practices.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, providing excellent customer service and building trust.
- Mentor and guide junior auditors, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge.
- Participate in continuous learning and development opportunities to enhance professional growth.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of audit methodologies and procedures.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
- CPA or equivalent certification is required.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in financial auditing.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and report-writing skills.
- Proficiency in audit software and Microsoft Office.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a team.
- Attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality work.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
The ideal candidate will have a keen eye for detail, strong analytical skills, and a commitment to delivering high-quality work. You will be a self-starter with the ability to work independently and as part of a team. If you are passionate about financial auditing and looking to take your career to the next level, we would love to hear from you. Join us and be part of a team that values professionalism, integrity, and excellence.
Research The Company
Time to put on your detective hat and do some research on your target company. Look at their website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms. You are looking for any piece of intel that will give you the leg up.
- Find out about recent work/projects they have undertaken or will be embarking on (highlight your experience in these areas on your CV)
- Find out what software/processes they use and make sure you include your proficiency in them in your CV
- Learn what interview questions you might expect should you make it that far
See if you know anyone who works there and/or connect (LinkedIn) with people ahead of the interview. A little nepotism could never hurt, and you might be able to glean more information about the role/hiring process in the meantime.
Find A Good CV Template
When selecting a CV template, it’s essential to opt for a simple design and structure. Not only are straightforward layouts more compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), but they also make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to quickly identify and understand key details. A clutter-free and organized CV ensures that your most important information stands out, facilitating a smoother review process for potential employers.
This is the CV template that we recommend (click here)
Write 2 Or 3 Bullet Points As A ‘Professional Summary’
A handy approach is to craft three sentences: the first highlighting your qualifications and experience, the second showcasing your biggest professional achievement, and the third detailing your most recent experience.
Financial Auditor Professional Summary Example
- Over 15 years of experience in financial auditing, holding a CPA and a Master’s degree in Finance, with a focus on risk assessment, compliance, and financial reporting. Proficient in utilizing audit software such as ACL Analytics and IDEA Data Analysis Software for in-depth data mining and analysis.
- Led a forensic audit at Stellar Authority, employing data analytics tools like Tableau and SQL queries to uncover a significant financial discrepancy, resulting in the recovery of $2M in lost revenue and a 20% improvement in financial reporting accuracy.
- Recently managed a comprehensive audit for Stellar Authority, meticulously applying the COSO framework and COBIT standards to evaluate the effectiveness of internal controls, risk management, and governance processes, ensuring 100% compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards, while identifying areas for a 15% cost reduction in compliance management.
Detail Your Employment History
Begin by listing your employment history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent role. This allows potential employers to see your recent experience upfront, which holds greater value. Keep in mind that brevity is key.
As you go further back in time, reduce the level of detail to ensure your CV doesn’t exceed two pages. Employers are less likely to read lengthy CVs.
When writing about your responsibilities, don’t just list what you did. Instead, use them as a backdrop to highlight your accomplishments. So, instead of saying “Conducted financial audits,” you could say “Led comprehensive financial audits that identified key risk areas, resulting in the implementation of new controls and a 30% improvement in financial compliance.” This way, you’re not just telling employers what your job was, but you’re showing them what you achieved and the impact you had.
Detail Your Education History
Keep your CV concise, aiming for a two-page limit. The education section can often be streamlined.
Highlight the most relevant qualifications. For instance, if you have a degree, your A-levels become less significant. Similarly, if you’re in the U.S., having an MBA overshadows your high school GPA.
Unless an older educational milestone is crucial for the job or highly pertinent, focus on showcasing your Bachelor’s degree, post-graduate studies, or professional certifications. If you lack these, mention your latest qualifications. Remember, having a Master’s suggests you’ve finished school, so no need to state the obvious. Only include your educational background if it’s pertinent to the job.
CV Structure
Tactically structure your CV to the ‘most wanted’ attributes of the job description. For example, if the job description values “qualified”, then place your qualifications first; if they want someone with RECENT experience, put your last job up top. If they want multiple years of experience, highlight your tenure.
We always recommend that you have a Professional Summary up top (after your name/contact info), as it will be the first thing that anyone reads. As discussed earlier, this should be tailored towards the job advert and showcase your experience and skills in what the employer is looking for.
A fairly typical structure would go:
- Name and contact info
- Professional Summary
- Current (or most recent employment)
- Education & Professional Qualifications
- Employment History
WHAT NOT TO DO
Now that we’ve discussed what you should be including in your CV, let’s look at some things that you should avoid doing.
- Do not include personal history or likes. Employers are not going to care about your hobbies, so unless you have some inside information that the hiring manager only hires people who play a particular sport, for example, then leave your extracurricular activities off your CV. This does not extend to things like volunteer or charity work. Definitely include that if you have the space.
- Do not list your skillset and the tools/applications you have experience with. It takes up valuable space and is often obvious (Skilled in Excel…?). Instead, include these in your achievements section (Example: “Used Asana to manage and coordinate tasks for a remote team of 25 members”).
- Do not include references or “references available on request”. If employers want a reference, they will ask you for them; otherwise, this is just wasted space on your CV.
- Do not include a photo of yourself unless specifically asked. In many countries, including the UK and US, you should not include a photo of yourself on your CV/resume. Companies don’t want you to do it, as it opens them up to liability, and there is absolutely nothing for you to gain by doing so – plus, you are making it easier for firms to discriminate against you, either implicitly or explicitly.
- Do not use any fancy graphic or artistic CV format. Most CVs come in a standard format, allowing Application Tracking Software, recruiters and hiring managers to easily pick out the key pieces of information they need quickly based on their experience. If you throw them a CV in an artistic format, they are more likely to get annoyed and throw your application away. This is not a situation where standing out is good. You want your skills/experience to be noted, not your CV format.
- Do not include your previous salaries. This will severely impact your negotiation abilities down the line.
Financial Auditor CV Tips – Recap
Let’s recap what we’ve discussed so far:
1. Highlight Relevant Qualifications Make sure to prominently feature your relevant qualifications, such as your CPA or any other certifications. This will immediately catch the eye of potential employers. 🎓
2. Showcase Your Experience Detail your experience in financial auditing, including the types of audits you’ve conducted and the industries you’ve worked in. This will give employers a clear picture of your background. 📊
3. Use Action Words Use strong action words to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Words like “led,” “implemented,” and “improved” show that you were active and made a significant impact in your roles. 💪
4. Quantify Your Achievements Whenever possible, quantify your achievements. For example, instead of saying “Identified financial discrepancies,” you could say “Identified financial discrepancies that saved the company $2 million.” This gives a clear measure of your success. 💰
5. Tailor Your CV for Each Application Customize your CV for each job application, highlighting the most relevant experience and achievements for the specific role you’re applying for. 🎯
6. Keep It Concise Be concise and to the point. Employers often have to sift through many CVs, so make yours easy to read and focused on your most important accomplishments. ✂️
Financial Auditor CV Sample
Below is an example CV from someone with a number of years experience in the field. For an editable .DOCX version, click here.