5 Killer Techniques to Turbo Charge Your CV

Presenter: Matt Craven, MD and Founder of The CV & Interview Advisors

Who are we?

• Matt: Expert in Personal Branding, International Speaker, Career Professional

• The CV & Interview Advisors: Experts in Personal Branding and Career

Development

• Clients include Big 4 firms, leading Business Schools & many Chartered

Institutes

Technique 1

• Technique The ‘Cheap Red Shoes’ Theory

• Make it clear what you are!

• Don’t ‘hedge your bets’ and be ambiguous

• You may need multiple CVs

• Match the job description and be obvious

Example

CIMA qualified FP&A Manager, expert in partnering with cross-departmental leadership to

understand business targets and formulate finance strategies that maximise ROI and growth. Key

strengths include: conducting financial analysis and developing models to identify commercial

opportunities and illuminate financial risk; building, training and overseeing highly skilled Finance

teams, embedding a more business partnering and strategically-focussed culture to facilitate

superior business benefits; developing business intelligence capability and automated real-time

management reports to support strategic and tactical decision making; and providing financial /

commercial support to senior stakeholders, advising on the financial viability and performance of

£multi-million project and BAU activities.

Technique 2

• Apply a ‘Features and Benefits’ approach

• How do you add value?

• Spoon feed your value

Example

CIMA qualified FP&A Manager, expert in partnering with cross-departmental leadership to

understand business targets and formulate finance strategies that maximise ROI and growth.

Key strengths include: conducting financial analysis and developing models to identify

commercial opportunities and illuminate financial risk; building, training and overseeing highly

skilled Finance teams, embedding a more business partnering and strategically-focussed

culture to facilitate superior business benefits; developing business intelligence capability and

automated real-time management reports to support strategic and tactical decision making; and

providing financial / commercial support to senior stakeholders, advising on the financial viability

and performance of £multi-million project and BAU activities.

Technique 3

• Beware of The Terminator and optimise your CV for ‘The Machines’

• Key-word searches

• Expert in…

• Key skills

• Obvious headings

• Signposting

• Postcode

Technique 4

• Use case studies

• What have Aesop’s Fables got to do with CVs?

• Present your biggest achievements

• Be a STAR

Examples

• ABC Inc acquired a financially distressed cleaning services business. As Head of Finance, led major and critical

transformation of the business. Performed detailed business audit; rapidly re-engineered credit management to

reduce debtor days and improve working capital; analysed and re-priced services; ensured across-the-board client

profitability; restructured and recruited new management team; introduced new processes and systems; and

professionalised financial management capability. Succeeded in turning a £200k p/a loss into £54k profit within just 12

months and £250k profit in year 2.

• 1234 Ltd made a strategic design to expand across UK and Europe. As Head of Finance, played a key role in

setting up 2 new business units in Manchester and Berlin. Performed extensive financial analysis; created business

plan with financial forecasts / justification; developed financial management infrastructure (people, processes &

systems); embedded financial control across management team; and oversaw all legal / contract requirements.

Succeeded in creating robust financial management capability that protected cashflow and underpinned profitability

within 24 months across both business units.

Technique 5

• Get on board with ‘Social Proofing’

• Trust Pilot / TripAdvisor

• Recommendations

Example

“Matt is very much a ‘get the job done and get it done right’ person. This

pragmatic approach combined with his positive, cheerful personality

differentiates him immediately from many "run of the mill" Finance Managers

that you encounter in business. Matt is no nonsense, hard-working, and totally

trustworthy. He would be a valuable asset to any business.” Bob Barnes, CEO,

Magpie Ltd

The Interactive bit...

• Live CV critique

• Our offer – www.cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk/aicpaeventcv

• Q&A

• Prize draw