Why Work Experience Makes You a Good Candidate

Why Work Experience Makes You a Good CandidateWhy Work Experience Makes You a Good CandidateKathleen Downs, a vice president at Robert Half Finance Accounting, gets a lot of questions from job candidates, and one of them has to do with work experience. Heres a QA to answer that and other questions.Q Im looking for a new job in finance and accounting after years of working in the industry. Should I worry about appearing overqualified? A An employer may be reluctant to hire you if youre so obviously overqualified that you may not stay long, or you wont be happy, or you may demand more money than the position pays. You may have to address those concerns to convince the interviewer that youre genuinely interested in the position and would make a good fit.But dont forget that with your work experience, you may have the expertise to provide mentoring relationships that can strengthen your company. You can serve as a sounding board and voice of reason for other employees in the organizatio n who may be struggling to find their footing in the finance world. You can share your insight and knowledge with colleagues who are less experienced and help them anticipate issues in the future - and that is something employers would appreciate.Q What else can I do to stand out to employers?A As a finance professional with experience, you have a track record that can help pave the way to your next position, especially if your work history is strong. If youve been at an organization for many years, you may be known for your sense of loyalty, which is a trait employers value.But even with your work experience, as a job seeker youll need to jump through a few hoops by taking some essential stepsFollow updated resume-writing tips, using keywords to minimize the chances of your resume getting filtered out and also data to support the results you achieved in past positions.Create a social media profile, and join the conversation. You can use the various channels, from LinkedIn to Twitt er, to connect professionally and personally, gain perspectives from other finance leaders, and even become a more strategic leader.When youre asked to answer common interview questions, highlight specific examples of your past successes, and use them to showcase your strengths.But dont stay there. Move ahead to market yourself for the position in which youre applying. Practice your personal branding statement, which will help you stand out from the crowd.Q What other advice do you have for experienced job seekers?A Its likely you have valuable industry experience as well as in-demand hard and soft skills. That means once youve learned the organizations software and procedures, your employer can rely on you to get the job done - and get it done right. It also doesnt hurt to showcase that you are on top of trends impacting your industry and can relate to the rest of the staff.Throughout your job search, though, its important to make sure you dont let your extensive knowledge unravel your chances of landing a position. Employers prize employees who are flexible and willing to adapt to an organizations ways of tackling finance procedures and operations. They will also be more open to candidates who support their initiatives.If you can demonstrate that you are open-minded, pleasant to work with and adaptable - and that youre a fit with the requirements of the finance job description - you can increase your chances of landing the job youre after, one that may have the potential to become an even-higher-level position.SEARCH FOR JOBS Kathleen Downs Kathleen Downs, a vice president with Robert Half Finance Accounting, started with the company in 2000. Before that, she was CEO of a recreation/retail/education organization in Bonn, Germany. Kathleen is acti vely involved with a number of professional organizations within the finance and accounting field and sits on several not-for-profit boards.