Hiring managers in the financial sector go through hundreds of resumes before filling a position. That’s a lot of competition. Even worse, they generally spend less than 5 seconds reviewing each of them. The truth is that the vast majority of applicants get passed over in the blink of an eye. So what can you do to make sure that doesn’t happen to you? Below, we tell you how to boost your resume in 2021 and supercharge your results.

1. Make a Great First Impression

As we noted above, most hiring managers won’t look at your resume for more than a few seconds. The best way to grab their attention is by having a fantastic headline and summary. If you can distill your value into a concise piece of text, you’ll be head and shoulders above the rest.

2. Put Relevant Information at the Top

Keeping with that same theme, you’ll want to put your best foot forward near the top of your resume. Putting your most impressive achievements near the beginning will go a long way in hooking the reader.

3. Tailor It to Your Industry

You don’t want to submit a generic resume that works for any industry. Not only will it not resonate with the manager who reads it, but that person might think you didn’t put much effort into your proposal. That’s a bad look, and it’s one you should avoid.

4. Make It Readable

Nobody wants to go through thick text that doesn’t read well. Try to make your writing as clear and as easy to digest as possible.

5. Highlight Your Top Achievements

Not everything on your resume is going to move the needle. Your best bet at making an impression is highlighting your top achievements. That way, the reader will understand precisely what makes you so valuable.

6. Add Some Specific Numbers

While face to face conversation isn’t going away, financial companies are continually embracing technology and increasing their online presence. One way in which they are doing so is creating mobile apps for their services. Another is using productively applications within the company. Becoming proficient with technology will be crucial going forward.

7. Keep It Concise

Plain and simple, you don’t want your resume to be more than one page. You also shouldn’t include massive blocks of text. When it comes to getting hired at a finance company, less is more.

8. Use a Clean Format

Don’t get too fancy with your formatting. Try to stick out from the crowd by highlighting your achievements rather than using uncommon fonts. Some basic guidelines include:

• Use a conventional font like Cambria, Calibri, Georgia, and Helvetica.
• Make the font size 10-12 pts for your body text.
• Use a slightly larger size for titles and headers.

9. Adhere to Company Requests

Some financial companies are going to want references, while others will not. The same goes for cover letters, formatting, and much more. Following these guidelines will show that you pay attention to details and care enough about that company to put in the extra effort.

10. Make Your Contact Information Easy to Find

Once the hiring manager finishes reading your resume, it will be time to call or email you for an interview. Having easy to find contact information will make that process go smoothly.

Now, let’s be clear. Getting hired in the financial sector is never easy. That being said, you can vastly improve your chances by having a fantastic resume. We hope that this article brings you one step closer to getting the job of your dreams.

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About The New York Institute of Finance

The New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) is a global leader in professional training for financial services and related industries. NYIF courses cover everything from investment banking, asset pricing, insurance and market structure to financial modeling, treasury operations, and accounting. The New York Institute of Finance has a faculty of industry leaders and offers a range of program delivery options, including self-study, online courses, and in-person classes. Founded by the New York Stock Exchange in 1922, NYIF has trained over 250,000 professionals online and in-class, in over 120 countries.

See all of NYIF’s training and qualifications here.