Building a standout CV - What Matters Most & What Doesn’t

Forget the notion of your CV as just a job history; it's your personal prospectus, an investor pitch demanding attention. It's about forging a compelling narrative of your impact, trajectory, and growth that quickly hooks the reader in, so they want to learn more. It’s your story and a chance to highlight your chosen direction of travel & ambition for the future. 

Leveraging over 80 years of combined senior finance recruitment experience and following thousands of CV reviews, the Zanda team reveals the secrets to crafting a CV that doesn't just open doors but kicks them down. 

Don’t Lead with Your Qualifications, Lead with Your Impact 

While your CIMA, ACA, ACCA, MBA, or CFA are foundational, they don't define the breadth of your career. Instead, your CV's opening is your prime opportunity to immediately demonstrate your unique value proposition and where you possess an unfair advantage in the market. Begin with a concise, impactful paragraph that highlights your tangible contributions and aligns with the role you're targeting. Remember to infuse relevant keywords for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Boolean searching. 

Focus on: 

Here is an Example: "Strategic finance leader with 15+ years scaling VC-backed tech businesses from Seed to Series D, with £150m+ of capital raised and two successful exits." 

In essence, by shifting the focus from academic credentials to quantifiable achievements and specific, tailored contributions, you compel readers to see beyond the paper and recognize the impactful finance leader you are. 

Write Like an Investor Deck, Not a Job Spec 

Your CV is not a mere list of responsibilities; it is a powerful track record of value creation, akin to an investor deck. Focus relentlessly on quantifiable outcomes and tangible impact, ensuring every achievement is backed by specific numbers and percentages. 

Highlight areas such as: 

Each role should feature a maximum of 3–5 highly relevant bullet points. Frame your achievements by implicitly addressing the problem, your solution, and the resulting impact. This will instantly help you to remember those STAR formatted answers to tough compentancy based questions.  

Always lead with the action and conclude with the precise, measurable results most pertinent to the role you're applying for. Start with you biggest achievement and work your way down in term of scale of positive impact. 

Bad Example: “Responsible for implementing forecasting processes.” 

Better Example: “Built dynamic forecasting model that reduced budget variance by 40% and supported a successful £10m Series B.” 

Ultimately, transforming your CV into an investor deck means shifting from a narrative of duties to a compelling story of value creation. This strategic focus ensures your CV doesn't just recount tasks but powerfully articulates the significant contributions you've made to a business's success. 

Context is Everything 

Many CFO CVs fall short by omitting crucial business context. Never assume your reader is intimately familiar with every company you’ve worked for. For each role, paint a clear picture of the environment in which your achievements unfolded, thereby amplifying their perceived value. 

Ensure you include: 

Here is an Example: "Early-stage B2B SaaS platform (£2m ARR, Series A, 30 FTE) operating across key European markets, backed by Notion and Seedcamp, successfully navigating rapid growth and preparing for Series B funding.” 

By providing this crucial business context, your CV transcends a simple resume; it becomes a comprehensive snapshot that allows recruiters to immediately grasp the environment in which your achievements unfolded, thereby amplifying the perceived value of your contributions. 

Less is More, Especially Above the Fold 

The top half of page one is invaluable real estate on your CV. Recruiters often spend mere seconds scanning a resume initially, making visual appeal and immediate impact paramount. Keep this section clean, concise, and high impact to ensure your most compelling attributes are instantly visible. 

Actively avoid: 

Prioritize clarity, quantifiable numbers, and content directly relevant to startup growth. The goal is to create an easily digestible, visually appealing summary that quickly communicates your core value before the reader even scrolls down. 

Include Deals, Raises, and Exits - But Be Specific 

For a CFO, your involvement in significant financial transactions / milestones, deals, raises, and exits, is paramount. This section is where you provide crystal-clear, granular detail, moving beyond mere mentions to showcase your direct contribution to a company\s most pivotal financial events. 

For each transaction, be explicit about:

Here is an Example: “Led financial due diligence and investor engagement in £12m Series A (Octopus Ventures, 2022), successfully closing the round amidst a challenging economic climate, securing critical capital for product scale-up.” 

By detailing your precise involvement and the concrete outcomes of these milestones, you unequivocally demonstrate your direct contribution to a company\s financial trajectory, solidifying your profile as a value-driving leader. 

Tailor for the Job, Not the Archive 

There is no such thing as a perfect, one-size-fits-all CV. A truly effective CFO CV is a dynamic document, meticulously adapted for each specific role you’re targeting. This isn't about fabricating experience but strategically highlighting and framing your existing expertise to resonate directly with the employer’s needs. 

To tailor effectively: 

Ultimately, by meticulously tailoring your CV, you transform it from a generic historical record into a dynamic, highly relevant pitch. This strategic approach ensures your application speaks directly to the needs and aspirations of your prospective employer, significantly increasing your chances of standing out. 

Include a Short ‘Career Summary’ Section if You’re Experienced