Five common mistakes interviewers should avoid

​It was recently my turn to pick up the pen and contribute to City AM’s ‘The Note Book’.

I chose to write about the issue of economic inactivity and to focus on ways to encourage younger people into the workforce and ways to incentivise older workers to work for longer.

My thinking is that this will encourage the highly paid and highly skilled to work up until retirement age rather than choosing, as many do, to retire early.

And my estimation is that this would result in more, not less, tax being collected and collected sooner because these individuals are frequently higher rate taxpayers who will typically find ways to avoid inheritance tax in the extra spare time they have after they’ve taken early retirement.

Instead, these highly capable higher rate tax payers will be incentivised to continue to contribute to the growth of their organisations and the wider economy and consequently to the exchequer as well.

One for the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) to grapple with perhaps… but I’ve no idea how you’d model such an idea. Sometimes it’s just better to give things a go!

And if you do get a chance to see the play ‘A View from The Bridge’, you should go. It’s a precious thing - a brilliant play, brilliantly acted!

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​​Whether you are a sales executive, supplier relationship manager or field sales consultant, use our free template to build your perfect sales CV today.

[Full Name]
[Home address]
[Contact Number] • [Email Address]

Personal Statement

Use this section of your CV to highlight the skills that would be transferable in a sales environment e.g. questioning and listening, tenacity, resilience and the ability to think on your feet. It’s also a good idea to include a link to your LinkedIn profile.

Sales professionals are target driven and financially motivated, so don't forget to highlight and "sell" yourself.

Try to avoid statements such as "I work well as part of a team and on my own initiative" or "I can communicate at all levels" - the majority of CVs contain these statements. CVs that show creativity stand out in sales.

Education

A relevant degree, for example Business Studies will give you a great start, but many degrees have a sales element, e.g. Psychology - understanding people, Engineering - problem solving, Law - negotiation skills etc.

It is important to present your education in a way that identifies you as a sales person.

In some sales positions experience trumps education, so if you don’t have a glittering academic record, make sure you elaborate on your experience.

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

A-levels:

• [Subject] – [Grade]

• [Subject] – [Grade]

• [Subject] – [Grade]

GCSEs:

• [Number] GCSEs, grades [range], including Maths and English

Work Experience

This should be brief and, as a general rule of thumb, focus on the last five years of your career, or last three roles, in chronological order with the most recent at the top. Highlight your key achievements, and aim to use bullet points rather than lengthy descriptions.

[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location]
[Date M/Y- Date M/Y]

Achievements and responsibilities:

• Brief role overview

• Worked alongside [team] to produce [project]

• Implemented [change] which resulted in [benefit]

• Received an [award name] for [reason]

Hobbies and Interests

This section is not essential, but can be a good opportunity to reinforce your application, and show a future employer what motivates you outside of work.

Don’t just say that you ‘like to socialise’ be specific, and don’t be afraid to share your successes. If you can put a sales slant on this part of your CV too, even better.

I’ve completed a marathon for [charity]

I negotiated my away across [country] on a budget, working as I went

References

References are available upon request.

Download our full sales CV template.

​Are you an accountant looking to build the perfect curriculum vitae? Use our template today for a free example CV

[Full Name]
[Home address]
[Contact Number] • [Email Address]

Personal statement

This section is your chance to summarise the rest of the CV, and convince the recruiter to get in touch. It is important to keep it brief, between 50-200 words, and outline who you are, the technical skills you have to offer and your career aim. Achievements are better listed under each job, rather than in your profile.

I have developed strong technical experience within the accounting profession over recent years, specifically covering [analysis/month-end reporting/reconciliations]. I have worked with and am highly skilled in the use of [technologies/systems].

I am able to clearly articulate my thoughts, and have proven the ability to interact with both finance and non-finance staff in order to facilitate efficient reporting procedures. I now seek an opportunity within an [business type/industry] organisation, where I can bring significant value, and continue to develop my skills further whilst I finalise my studies.

Education

Given the importance of education – both accounting specific and general – in advancing through the early stages of your professional career, it is important to highlight your academic strengths early in your CV. Recruiters and employers looking for a PQ will want to see evidence without having to hunt for it. Be clear with your grading, and emphasis any specific topics studied.

[Examining body – ACA, ACCA, CIMA, AAT, ICM, IPP]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

• [list examinations passed]

[University Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

• [Degree subject] – [Grade]

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

• [A Level Subject] – [Grade]

• [A Level Subject] – [Grade]

• [A Level Subject] – [Grade]

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

• [Number] GCSEs, grades [range], including Maths and English

Work Experience

This should be a detailed outline of the work you have conducted throughout your career, listing your technical responsibilities gained through practical experience. Employers will not assume your knowledge – you must illustrate this clearly.

Do not be fooled by the suggestion that CVs should be limited to two pages – this is wholly irrelevant to professions which require evidence of responsibilities undertaken.

[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location]
[Date M/Y- Date M/Y]

Responsibilities:

• Preparation of month-end management accounts to strict deadlines inclusive of P&L statement, fully reconciled balance sheet and debtor/creditor analysis

• Production of variance analysis commentaries focusing upon [gross profit/sales/cost of sales/actuals vs budget]

• Reconciliation of [number of] bank accounts in [GBP/EUR/USD/CADZAR/AUD] currencies

• Preparation and submission of [VAT/CIS/PAYE/Intrastat/EC Sales] returns

• Preparation and posting of [accrual/prepayment/payroll/depreciation/adjustment] journals

• Maintenance of fixed asset register to include additions, disposals and depreciation

Achievements:

• Implemented [change] which resulted in [benefit] – list as many as is suitable to benefit your application

• Received an [award name] for [reason]

Hobbies and Interests

This section is not essential to include, but you may wish to depending on the role you are applying for. It can be a useful chance to show a little more of your personality. However, be warned this can be very subjective, so ensure anything listed here reinforces your application, and the idea that you’ll be the right fit for the role. If you don’t have any real relatable hobbies, it is best to omit this section.
I organise a weekly [sport] game, managing bookings, transport and help to coach the team
Undertook a [course] in order to improve my [skill]

References

References are available upon request.

Download our full accountancy CV template.