Your CV must have a common thread. The recruiter has to be able to understand your career path.
We suggest having 7 sections:
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Contact information
Name, address, telephone number, e-mail address.
Do not include any personal information such as a picture of yourself, your age or your civil status.
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Objective
The objective describes, in one sentence, the type of job you're looking for.
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Objective |
To find a payroll supervisor position in a multinational company.
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- Profile
This part can also be called "Areas of expertise" or "Presentation."
Present yourself—your main skills and experiences—in one paragraph. You can include your education, language or software skills, as you see fit.
|
Profile |
- 5 years' payroll supervisory experience
- Managed a team of 10 clerks and assistants
- Excellent proficiency in payroll systems
- Independent, diplomatic and responsible
- Bilingual
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- Professional experience
The jobs should be listed chronologically, from the most recent to the oldest.
The first line should specify the dates, job title and company name.
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Professional experience |
2001–2006 Payroll supervisor Company XXX, ON |
A list of your duties and achievements follows. The most recent experience should be the most detailed.
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Duties:
- Supervised 10 payroll department clerks
- Controlled compliance with payroll practices and policies
- Monitored compliance with payroll-related laws and regulations
- Maintained data in PeopleSoft system
- Reconciled and finalized payroll
- Executed, analyzed and distributed payroll reports and slips
- Reconciled payroll registers to the general ledger
- Prepared and issued income tax forms and government reports
- Coordinated the implementation of new versions of the computerized payroll systems
- Made recommendations to improve the efficiency of the payroll department
- Supported internal clients and the human resources department
|
- Education
List your education, from the most recent to the oldest. Only mention relevant degrees.
As required, add a "Professional training" or "Refresher training" subsection to showcase the courses you have taken during your career.
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Education |
1998 College diploma in accounting
Accounting Institute of Toronto, ON |
- Language and computer skills
|
Language and computer skills |
- Bilingual (English and French)
- Payroll software: PeopleSoft, ADP, Ceridian
- Accounting software: Simply Accounting, Quick Books Pro2005, Fortune 1000 Acomba, Accpac, UFile
- Office Pack
|
If the job requires specific computer or language skills, list them in the "Profile" section.
- Other
List your hobbies and leisure activities.
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Other |
2003–2006
Treasurer of athletic club for the town of Gracefield, ON |
This part is not crucial, states Renée Belleville, Accountemps hiring manager and accounting recruiting specialist. She recommends including it only if you think that it truly reflects your personality or if it showcases your professional skills.
Special cases
The following are other types of CVs, based on your profile:
Traditional CV
Senior CV
Junior CV
Skills-based CV
Note:
- Always run a spell check.
- Have a family member or friend proofread your CV to make sure it has the desired impact.