[Chantel]

So it’s time for me to move to the Dallas area and find a new job (that will hopefully be a very long-term one).

This is my resume. I’ve never had experience with such an important job search, the two accounting jobs I had I knew someone who worked there so it was much easier. I’d just like some advice on how I should revise it and etc. I have not passed any parts of the CPA exam yet, but do have a little over a year of experience.

At my current job I do absolutely everything. It’s a firm owed by one guy and I am the only other person that works here full-time. I’m his staff accountant, receptionist, assistant, errand runner, all of the above, so I tried to think of the most important things to put on there.

please and thank you! Please be harsh, I can handle it =]

F - F ('12), 90 (Dec '15)
A - F ('12), 73 (Feb '16), ? (July '16)
R - 87 (May '16)
B -

[Chantel]

and the attachment didn't work… let me try that again!

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bwu9kN9FkLD8U0p6ZElXMHA1TXc

F - F ('12), 90 (Dec '15)
A - F ('12), 73 (Feb '16), ? (July '16)
R - 87 (May '16)
B -

[Texas27]

Overall, your resume is decent… there are a few things I would change

1) Your education section should be below your objective. I would also move the part about completing 150 hours for the CPA below your degree and you don't need to list the dates on it because all the matters is that you have the 150 hours. You should also consider putting your GPA on there if it is over a 3.0 or your major GPA if it is over 3.0. If they aren't over a 3.0 then I would not include it.

2) I would separate your work experience into two categories: “Accounting Experience” (list your accounting related jobs) and “Other Work Experience” or “Other Business Experience” (put everything else). This helps highlight your accounting experience when someone looks at your resume. Also, I would put your title at your job (ie. “Staff Accountant”) before the company name and bold the title rather than the company. This highlights the position rather than the company. Also, put your dates on the first line of each job rather than the second.

3) Use better/more diverse action verbs on your bullet points (try not to repeat them). Also, elaborate more on your bullet points, they should be well developed and it may take some time to get ones that sound perfect.

Here is a link for a bunch of action verbs

https://www.okstate.edu/education/career_services/documents/actionverb.pdf

4) Under your professional development section you should take out the “very detail-oriented….” part. The purpose of a resume is to highlight your credentials with supporting activities that can back that up. I'm not saying that you are not detail-oriented, but opinions about yourself don't really belong on a resume but they do belong in a cover letter. So you can describe that in a cover letter and have a resume that backs up what you are saying about yourself.

5) You can also take out the part about being proficient in Microsoft programs. I'm assuming you mean microsoft office, which you are expected to be proficient in by graduating from a business school. Your professional development section is more of a “Technical Skills” section. You could consider changing the title of it and moving the part about you sitting for the CPA exam under education.

6) The spacing between your Objective and Work Experience section is not the same as the rest of the resume. (I notice little things like this because I correct resumes as a part-time job in career services at the school I am attending)

Hopefully this helps… If I think of anything else I will let you know!

BEC - Feb 2012: 80
AUD - Feb 2012: 84
FAR - Apr 2012: 78
REG - May 2012: 90

Thanks Becker!

[Chantel]

Thank you so much, it is very much appreciated!! I agree with everything you said and I knew my action verbs needed some help, so thanks for that website.

F - F ('12), 90 (Dec '15)
A - F ('12), 73 (Feb '16), ? (July '16)
R - 87 (May '16)
B -

[Chantel]

@CPATerminator thanks for your advice, I wasn't sure where to exactly post this to get a lot of advice so that helps!

F - F ('12), 90 (Dec '15)
A - F ('12), 73 (Feb '16), ? (July '16)
R - 87 (May '16)
B -

[Anonymous]

i would center and bold the headings of each section, stay consistent with verbiage, i.e. if it were a past position it should be “performed” “drafted” “prepared”, or if it were a current position it should be “perform” “draft” “prepare”

i would include the month and year of your experience not just the year

you could probably fit a lot more on there if you wanted, good luck!

[Author]

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