Finance Controller Resume Examples

Navigating the job market as a finance controller comes with its own set of challenges. Writing a resume that highlights your financial expertise while standing out can feel like juggling numbers without a calculator. You might find it tricky to showcase technical skills and leadership experience in a way that grabs recruiters' attention. Plus, fitting years of experience into a concise, impactful document isn't always straightforward. This guide is designed to help you overcome these hurdles, so you can confidently present yourself as the ideal candidate. Ready to demystify the resume writing process and secure that dream job?

Choosing the right resume template is crucial for a finance controller. A well-structured template can help you clearly display your qualifications, and it ensures that readability isn't sacrificed for style. Use a professional template to keep your resume looking polished and organized, which is especially important when dealing with meticulous hiring managers.

To help you succeed, we offer over 700 resume examples that you can use as inspiration. Get started on your own standout resume today!

What to focus on when writing your finance controller resume

Your finance controller resume should convey your expertise in financial management, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance. It should reflect your ability to improve financial processes and increase efficiency. Highlight your strong leadership and communication skills, demonstrating your ability to manage a team.

To Boost Your Accountant Resume:

• Show significant achievements like cost savings or revenue growth.
• Include software proficiency (e.g., QuickBooks, SAP).
• Specify your experience in audit preparation and financial analysis.
• Mention certifications such as CPA or CMA.

Must have information on your finance controller resume

When creating a resume for a finance controller position, there are key sections you must include to catch the hiring manager's eye and ensure your resume is ATS-friendly.

• Professional Summary
• Key Skills
• Professional Experience
• Education
• Certifications
• Technical Skills

Including these core sections will showcase your experience and qualifications effectively. Additionally, you may want to add sections like Professional Affiliations or Volunteer Experience if they are relevant to the job. This will provide a more comprehensive view of your expertise and commitment to the field.

Which resume format to choose

For a finance controller resume, a reverse-chronological format is often best because it highlights your most recent and relevant experience first, catching the employer's eye quickly. Opting for modern fonts like Rubik and Montserrat can give your resume a fresh and contemporary look, setting you apart from the sea of Arial and Times New Roman. Always save and send your resume as a PDF to maintain its formatting across different devices and operating systems. Maintain standard margins of one inch on all sides to ensure your content is easily readable and avoids crowding the page.

Use clear section headings like "Professional Experience" and "Education" to help applicant tracking systems (ATS) easily parse through your resume. The right headings improve your chances of your resume getting noticed by human eyes. Your finance controller resume should include essential sections tailored to your role's responsibilities:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Skills
• Professional Experience
• Education
• Certifications
• Technical Skills
• Awards and Achievements

For an easy and professional resume, Resume Mentor's free resume builder handles all these details for you.

How to write a quantifiable resume experience section

When writing your resume experience section for a finance controller role, it’s important to be clear and concise while highlighting your achievements. Start with your most recent job and work backwards. Generally, include experience from the last 10-15 years. Only include job titles relevant to finance and control functions. Customize your resume for each job application. Use action words like "led", "managed", "improved", and "reduced" to stand out.

It's essential to focus on accomplishments instead of just listing responsibilities. Numbers are very effective in showing your impact. For example, mentioning how you "saved the company $1 million" is more impressive than just saying you "managed budgets". Below are examples illustrating the differences between a poorly written and a well-crafted resume experience section.

Here's a poorly written example:

This example is not effective for several reasons. It merely lists responsibilities without showing specific results or achievements. Terms such as "Prepared financial reports" and "Handled budgets" are vague and do not highlight what was accomplished. The lack of quantifiable data makes it difficult to gauge the impact of your work.

Now let’s look at an outstanding example:

This well-crafted example showcases specific achievements using numbers and strong action verbs. Phrases like "Managed a $50 million budget" and "Implemented new accounting software" immediately show the scale of your work and your direct impact. This format allows potential employers to see not just what you did, but how well you did it.

The key is to make your achievements stand out with clear, measurable results. This helps potential employers envision the value you would bring to their organization.

Finance controller resume experience examples

Looking for some resume tips that'll "add value" to your finance controller career? Well, you've crunched the numbers and landed in the right place. Below are 15 different resume experience sections that will help you highlight various aspects of your expertise.

Achievement-focused

Highlighting achievements on your resume can make a strong impression. Quantify your successes to show exactly how you've created value in previous roles.

Skills-focused

Focus on your key skills that directly relate to the finance controller role. Mention softwares and methodologies you excel at.

Responsibility-focused

Outline the core duties of your roles to showcase your competence. This helps the employer understand what you were accountable for.

Project-focused

Emphasize your involvement in significant projects. Mention your role, the project’s goals, and its outcomes.

Result-focused

Highlight the tangible results you’ve gained from your efforts. Focus on measurable outcomes and clear improvements.

Industry-Specific Focus

Specialize your experience to match the nuances of the industry you’re targeting. Highlight relevant industry expertise.

Problem-Solving focused

Showcase how your problem-solving skills have benefited past employers. Provide examples of issues you’ve identified and resolved.

Innovation-focused

Highlight your ability to introduce new ideas and improve systems. Focus on innovations that had a significant impact.

Leadership-focused

Emphasize your leadership capabilities and how they've impacted your teams. Mention your approach to guiding and mentoring others.

Customer-focused

Showcase your experiences in improving customer relations and satisfaction. This can include internal customers like other departments as well.

Growth-focused

Mention specific examples where your actions led to company growth. Highlight metrics like revenue boosts or market expansion.

Efficiency-focused

Showcase how you’ve improved efficiency in past roles. Focus on processes you’ve streamlined and time or resources saved.

Technology-focused

Highlight your expertise in using technology to handle financial tasks. Mention specific software or systems you're proficient in.

Collaboration-focused

Showcase your ability to work well with others. Focus on teamwork, cross-departmental projects, and collaborative successes.

Training and Development focused

Highlight your efforts in training and mentoring others. Mention the programs you've developed and the impact they've had.

Write your finance controller resume summary section

Writing a strong resume summary is essential for a finance controller. This brief section is your chance to make a powerful first impression. Your summary should highlight your key skills, achievements, and what makes you unique. It should be brief, yet impactful, focusing on your top qualities and experiences that align with the job you are applying for.

When describing yourself, use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon and keep your sentences simple. Mention specific skills and experiences that demonstrate your ability and dedication. Make sure to tailor it to the job posting, reflecting the skills and requirements listed.

A summary differs from other sections like a resume objective, resume profile, or a summary of qualifications. A resume objective states what you hope to achieve, while a resume profile gives a general overview. A summary of qualifications is a concise list of your top skills and achievements.

This example is poorly written because it lacks specifics and does not showcase the applicant’s achievements effectively. It is vague and does not highlight unique skills or experiences that make the applicant stand out.

This example is excellently written because it is specific and highlights key achievements. It demonstrates a clear understanding of the role and presents the applicant as a valuable asset. This summary is also tailored to the job, making it more appealing to recruiters.

Listing your finance controller skills on your resume

Your skills section is a vital part of your finance controller resume. Skills can be listed as a standalone section or incorporated into other sections like the experience and summary sections. Using strengths and soft skills shows your capability beyond technical expertise and includes how you interact with others.

Hard skills refer to specific, teachable abilities or knowledge sets, such as financial reporting and data analysis. These are the tangible skills that show your technical competence. Skills and strengths listed in your resume function as keywords that can help you get noticed by applicant tracking systems (ATS) and recruiters.

To set your skills apart, you should clearly categorize and list those most relevant to the finance controller role. Highlighting both hard and soft skills under relevant sections improves readability and showcases a broad range of your abilities.

A strong skills section focuses on key competencies relevant to the role and demonstrates your proficiency in essential areas. Listing skills like Financial Reporting and Data Analysis directly aligns with the responsibilities of a finance controller. Including skills such as Compliance and Risk Management shows your ability to ensure that the company meets legal standards and mitigates financial risks. Lastly, proficiency in Financial Software highlights your tech-savviness and adaptability to modern tools, making your profile more attractive to recruiters.

Best hard skills to feature on your finance controller resume

Hard skills for a finance controller should convey your prowess in managing the financial health of a company. They should demonstrate your ability to analyze data, ensure compliance, manage budgets, and enforce financial controls.

Best soft skills to feature on your finance controller resume

Soft skills for a finance controller reflect your interpersonal and management abilities. They display how you handle teams, communicate with stakeholders, and solve problems.

How to include your education on your resume

The education section is a crucial part of your finance controller resume. It shows your qualifications and relevant background. Tailoring this section to the specific job you are applying for is critical. Exclude any education that doesn’t relate directly to the position. If you earned a good GPA or graduated with honors, you should highlight this as it demonstrates your academic excellence.

When listing your degree, include the institution, location, and date range. Mention your GPA if it is impressive, and include Latin honors like cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude after your degree title. Now, let's look at examples.

Here is a poorly written education section:

This example is bad because it lists a degree irrelevant to the finance controller role and omits critical details like GPA and honors.

Here is a well-written education section:

This example is good because it provides a relevant degree, includes impressive GPA, cum laude honors, and specifies the institution and location. This detailed and tailored education section will help you stand out as a strong candidate for a finance controller position.

How to include finance controller certificates on your resume

A certificates section is an important part of a finance controller resume, showcasing your professional credentials. List the name of each certificate clearly. Include the date when you earned the certificate. Add the issuing organization for authenticity. Certificates can also be included in the header to quickly catch the hiring manager's eye.

Here's an example of including it in the header:

John Doe, CPA, CIMA Certified

In the standalone certificates section, ensure relevance to the finance controller role. Order certificates chronologically with the most recent first. Use a bullet-point list for clarity. Highlight certificates like CPA or CIMA, which are key for this role.

This example is good as it features highly relevant certificates for a finance controller. It lists credible issuers like AICPA and CIMA. The clear and concise format ensures easy readability.

Extra sections to include in your finance controller resume

Creating a compelling finance controller resume involves more than just listing your job experience and skills. Adding unique resume sections like your language abilities, hobbies and interests, volunteer work, and books you've read can help you stand out and show a fuller picture of who you are.

• Language section — Include a language section to show your ability to communicate in multiple languages—this can make you more versatile and valuable to employers with international operations.
• Hobbies and interests section — Share your hobbies and interests to give employers insight into your personality and work-life balance—these can highlight soft skills like teamwork and dedication.
• Volunteer work section — List your volunteer work to demonstrate your commitment to giving back and your ability to manage other responsibilities—this can showcase leadership and community involvement qualities.
• Books section — Mention books you’ve read that are relevant to finance or personal growth—this shows your dedication to continuous learning and staying updated in your field.

By integrating these sections into your resume, you not only flesh out your career story but also portray a well-rounded, engaging candidacy for a finance controller position. Focus on relevance and authenticity to make each section meaningful and impressive to potential employers.

Pair your finance controller resume with a cover letter

A cover letter is a one-page document that accompanies your resume when you apply for a job. It introduces you to potential employers and gives you the chance to highlight your most relevant skills and experience. A well-crafted cover letter can set you apart from other applicants by showing your personality, enthusiasm, and suitability for the role.

For a finance controller, a cover letter should focus on your experience in managing financial reports, budgeting, and compliance. Mention your proficiency with financial software and your ability to analyze data to make strategic decisions. Demonstrating past successes in reducing costs or improving financial processes can also be very compelling.

Ready to make your own cover letter? Use Resume Mentor's cover letter builder for an easy, stress-free experience. With PDF exporting, you can ensure your content and formatting remain intact when viewed by employers!