INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Financial Professional positions are at a 6% growth rate, which is as fast as average. With that said, there are currently 492,100 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 31,300 to 523,400 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Financial Professional jobs was $83,660 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $48,760, and the highest 10% more than $159,560.
Our conclusion? The Financial Professional job market is wide open for candidates.
Top financial professional sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a memorable experience section: Financial professional resume edition
Checklist: Ways to make your experience section stand out
- Find balance: use 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for;
- Use action verbs when describing your responsibilities and results;
- Highlight your achievements by adding numbers to them (e.g. instead of saying “achieved a steady increase in…”, say “achieved an X% increase in…”);
- Prove that you’re willing to work hard, both individually and in a team.
We’ve gathered the most impressive Financial Professional experience sections from real Enhancv resumes. Check them out for some additional inspiration!
- Acquired a Massachusetts LAH producers license, Series 7 license, and LTC certifications
- Built relationships with clients and prospects to help identify suitable financial needs, including personalize investments, risk management and financial planning strategies
- Managed over $1M in client assets and provided maintenance when necessary to stay on client’s objectives
- Constructed and implemented business plan, marketing strategies, and best practices while managing my own book of business on a daily basis
- Followed markets closely in order to properly manage client assets
- Developed the marketing strategy plans to recruit at least 100 deaf, HoH or CODA insurance agents by mid 2021.
- Developed the sales strategies plan with CFA partner, Fasakin.
- Hosted at least 20 workshops on Financial Education in ASL
- Obtained a tax preparer certification - P- 02253279
- Obtained a license in Life, Health, Accident and HMO in Texas #2476219.
- Obtained an online certification as Quickbook ProAdvisor https://proadvisor.intuit.com/app/accountant/search?searchId=pinky-collie34
- In process of developing client intake and application submission automation.
- Managed a book of over 100 high net worth clients, resulting in a 25% increase in assets under management over 5 years.
- Developed and executed financial plans for clients, resulting in an average increase of 15% in net worth within 2 years.
- Regularly exceeded sales targets by 20%, resulting in recognition as a top performer within the company.
- Collaborated with other advisors and teams to provide comprehensive financial advice, resulting in improved client retention and satisfaction.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of financial products, regulations, and market trends, resulting in improved recommendations and client satisfaction.
- Managed a portfolio of over £100 million in assets, resulting in a 10% increase in returns over 3 years.
- Developed customized investment strategies for clients, resulting in an average annual return of 12%.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements, resulting in zero compliance violations over 3 years.
- Developed and maintained relationships with clients, resulting in increased client satisfaction and retention.
- Provided guidance and training to junior team members, resulting in improved team performance and morale.
- Developed and implemented financial plans for clients, resulting in an average increase of 20% in net worth within 3 years.
- Generated new business through referrals and networking, resulting in a 30% increase in client base over 3 years.
- Managed a team of junior advisors, providing guidance and training, resulting in improved team performance and morale.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of financial products, regulations, and market trends, resulting in improved recommendations and client satisfaction.
- Regularly exceeded sales targets by 15%, resulting in recognition as a top performer within the company.
- Managed month-end close process and reviewed reconciliations for multiple entities, reducing time by 20%
- Implemented new accounting procedures, resulting in more accurate financial reporting and compliance with IFRS
- Prepared and presented financial reports to senior management and board of directors, highlighting areas of concern and recommending corrective actions
- Developed and maintained relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including auditors and regulatory bodies
- Coached and mentored junior staff, resulting in improved team performance and job satisfaction
- Streamlined financial reporting process and reduced close time by 30%
- Collaborated with internal and external auditors to ensure timely completion of audits and resolution of issues
- Developed and implemented new accounting policies and procedures in accordance with IFRS and local GAAP
- Provided financial analysis and insights to senior management to support decision making and drive performance
- Managed a team of 5 accountants and provided coaching and training to support professional development
- Developed and maintained complex financial models to support forecasting and budgeting activities
- Prepared monthly management reports and provided analysis of variances to budget and forecast
- Supported senior management in developing strategic plans and identifying growth opportunities
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to improve financial processes and reporting accuracy
- Managed relationships with external service providers, including auditors and consultants
PRO TIP
Don't make the same mistake everyone else does. What we mean is, don't list your Financial Professional job responsibilities instead of your achievements. Recruiters know what you do. They want to know what kind of difference you can bring to their company. Focus on what you've accomplished.
Action verbs for your financial professional resume
Recommended reads:
Financial professional resume: Crafting a strong skills section
Do this if you want to make your skills section stand out.
- Check the job advert for keywords and add them to your skills section to pass ATS;
- List only skills that are relevant to the position to keep the hiring manager focused;
- Balance between hard, soft, and technical skills;
- Elaborate on some of your strongest skills in other sections of your Financial Professional resume, e.g. the experience section or your resume’s summary.
Top skills for your financial professional resume
Microsoft Office
SAP
Excel
Salesforce
Data Entry
Quickbooks
Project Management
Customer Service
CRM
Communication
Negotiation
Critical thinking
Problem solving
Collaboration
Flexibitly
Resilience
Dedication
Empathy
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
Financial professional resume header: Tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your financial professional resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Financial Professional resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
How to write an inspiring financial professional resume summary
Checklist: writing a resume summary that makes you stand out
- Keep it short and use well-structured sentences;
- Mention your total years of experience in the field and your #1 achievement;
- Highlight your strengths and relevant skills;
- Add keywords from the company’s website or the job description.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Read the job description carefully and understand what the hiring company is exactly looking for. After that, write your summary accordingly while highlighting your potential and ability to be the best at that job.
Recommended reads:
Making the education section of your financial professional resume stand out
Education section checklist for your financial professional resume:
- List your highest education degree: including your major, year of graduation, and the institution you attended;
- Highlight the extracurricular activities that have helped you gain additional expertise;
- Share more about the certifications you’ve got, especially if they are relevant to the job position;
- Entry-level applicants: Mention relevant courses and projects.
Top Certifications for Your Financial Professional Resume
Financial Analysis, from Scratch to Professional!
Acquire the theory and practice necessary to ace a job interview, to advance your career and to increase your salary
Chief Financial Officer Leadership Program
An ever expanding program of courses helping financial professionals aspire to the top levels of financial leadership
Company Valuation & Financial Modeling
Learn comprehensive financial modeling, forecasting and business valuation techniques for Finance professionals
Financial Statements Modeling 2020 Learn With A Professional
Learn financial statements modeling with a professional analyst
Financial Analysis: Financial Ratios For Analysts
Learn How To Analyze Financial Ratios of Stocks Like A Professional Analyst/Investor or CFA
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Financial Professional. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
Financial professional resume: Formatting tips & tricks
Which came first: the hen or the egg? This question reminds us of the thing our resume experts hear most often in their job – which comes first: the content or the format? Well, we advise you to pick the format first and then go on with drafting your resume’s content.
And how do you choose a resume format? Well, based on your applicant profile. In general, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Let’s look at each one of them in more detail:
The reverse-chronological resume format is quite straightforward. Here, you describe all your previous jobs in a reverse-chronological form, meaning your latest job comes first. This resume format is great for people with lots of experience and skills who don’t have any career gaps.
If you are a recent graduate or don’t really have much experience in the industry you’re applying for, go for the functional skills-based resume format. This format focuses on skills and character traits, rather than experience. It makes the hiring manager realize you’re the perfect fit for the role without putting too much emphasis on your work history.
And if you’re looking for something a bit more intriguing and exciting, check out the hybrid resume format. It’s a combination of the reverse-chronological and functional skills-based formats, which makes it great for all types of job-seekers. The hybrid resume allows you to showcase both your professional experience and your skills, education, and additional qualifications. If you’re feeling creative, add a separate section about your typical day or life philosophy.
Our top style and layout resume format tips:
- Go for a standard 12p resume font;
- Choose 1-inch resume margins for a professional and easy-to-read feel;
- ry your best to fit your resume in a one-page template. If you’re a professional with over 10 years of relevant experience, having a two-page resume is also fine;
- Make sure to save your resume as PDF – this will help you avoid unwanted editing and formatting issues.
Read this: How to make your resume stand out
Recommended reads.
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections that’ll look good on your Financial Professional resume
Do you want to move beyond the traditional skills, education, and experience section? Easy-peasy!
Just choose one or two additional sections to help recruiters get a fuller picture of who you are, both as a person and as a professional:
Adding a splash of creativity to your financial professional resume
Boring resumes are no longer an option if you’re looking to impress recruiters.
And no matter whether you’re looking to give your old resume a new life or want to start building a new one from scratch, being at least moderately creative is always a good idea. Do this by adding a ‘favorite books’ section or even a pie chart of what your typical day looks like.
What Makes a Great Financial Professional Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
