Creating a powerful resume
Make sure your resume demonstrates how your previous experience, skills, specific accomplishments, training and/or course certifications relate to banking and financial services. Even if you worked in another industry, your skills and experience could be transferable.

Summarize Your Key Qualifications
Within the top half of the first page, summarize your key strengths and qualifications. Give a sense of who you are, as well as your areas of expertise  make your summary clear, concise and compelling. Also highlight your specific skills and include your licenses or special accreditations.

Emphasize Your Accomplishments
Now describe your professional experience in detail. In one or two paragraphs, describe the responsibilities you held in each position. You may include a list of accomplishments, preferably quantifiable ones  for example Increased sales over 24-month period by 33%; Offered technical support to network of 200 programmers across five different business lines.

Summarize Your Education and Training
Summarize your educational background as it relates to your objective, OR present it in reverse chronological order. List your highest levels of education in university and college, as well as any additional courses or training you have undertaken.

Show and Tell
Finally, tell us about any memberships in professional and community organizations, volunteer work or awards that demonstrate additional leadership skills. We're always looking for smart, enthusiastic players.

Giving a great interview

Here are ways to show us your best:

• Arrive a few minutes early. Demonstrate your positive attitude, enthusiasm and energy right away.
• Establish an instant common connection or understanding. If your interviewer engages in small talk, seize the opportunity to make a positive first impression by being open and enthusiastic.
• Your interviewer will probably run through an agenda to highlight what will be covered, how long it will take, when to ask questions, etc. Respect your interviewer's time by sticking with the agenda.
• If you're not given a summary of the position at the start of your interview, request one - and listen carefully. This general description will highlight what the successful candidate will need in the way of skills and abilities. Tell the interviewer how your qualities match those of the job description.
• Be prepared to share past experiences. You may be asked to describe a situation in which you applied your knowledge to work through obstacles or problems, or a situation in which you unexpectedly had to take on a leadership role and deal with a challenging situation. Describe the situation, the actions you took and the outcome of your actions.
• Prepare to ask, as well as to answer questions - those you may have prepared in advance and those that arise during your interview. You may refer to a list and record point-form answers.
• Leave a lasting impression. Maintain your enthusiasm to the end. Smile, shake hands firmly and thank your interviewer for his or her time.