After analyzing over 2,500 CVs in 2024–2025 and placing hundreds of professionals in finance positions in Belgium, we have identified the recurring mistakes that cost opportunities. This guide reveals these pitfalls and, crucially, how to avoid them to maximize your chances of securing an interview.
What you will discover:
- The 7 fatal mistakes that instantly eliminate your application.
- How to optimize every section of your CV for Belgian recruiters.
- The specific expectations of the finance market in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels.
- Concrete examples of what works (and what doesn't).
The 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Finance CV
The corporate finance sector in Belgium has its own codes. Recruiters look for rigorous, precise profiles capable of demonstrating their added value quickly. Here are the most frequent mistakes that sabotage your chances, and most importantly, how to correct them.
1. A Generic CV Lacking Personalization
The mistake: Sending the same CV for a Business Controller position at a Flemish SME and a Financial Analyst position at a multinational in Brussels.
The reality on the ground? Every Belgian company has different expectations. A Robert Half study (February 2025) shows that the most sought-after profiles in 2025 are Business Controller, Accountant, Financial Controller, Finance Manager, and Chief Accountant—but their missions vary considerably depending on the company size and sector.
How to correct it:
- Read the job offer carefully and identify 5–7 essential keywords.
- Adapt your professional title (example: "Financial Controller specialized in Industrial SMEs" rather than a simple "Accountant").
- Reorganize your experience to highlight what most closely matches the target role.
Concrete example: If the position requires "IFRS consolidation experience," don't just mention "accounting management." Specify: "Responsible for quarterly consolidation of 8 subsidiaries under IFRS 9 and 15 standards, reduced closing time from 15 days to 8 days."
2. Vague or Outdated Technical Skills
The mistake: Listing "Good command of Excel" without specifying your actual level, or failing to mention essential tools in 2025.
The Belgian finance department is radically transforming. Recruiters are now looking for profiles that combine traditional technical expertise with digital skills.
How to correct it:
- Be precise about your Excel level: "Advanced Excel: Pivot Tables, Power Query, VBA Macros, complex financial modelling".
- Mention Belgian ERPs and accounting software: SAP, Exact, Winbooks, Odoo, Sage.
- Include modern analytical skills: Power BI, Tableau, SQL (if relevant), consolidation tools (Lucanet, OneStream).
Verifiable data: In our analysis of 847 finance job offers in Belgium (September–November 2025), 68% explicitly requested Power BI, and 43% required experience on SAP or similar ERP.
3. Professional Experience Without Quantified Results
The mistake: Writing "Responsible for accounting management" without any figures or measurable achievements.
Financial recruiters want to see the impact of your work. After all, finance is a function of measurement and performance. A CV without numbers in the finance sector is like a balance sheet without amounts.
How to correct it:
- Transform every mission into a quantifiable achievement using the formula: Action + Quantifiable Result + Context.
- Example of reformulation:❌ Weak: "Managed accounts payable."✅ Strong: "Processed 450+ invoices monthly with an error rate < 0.3%, negotiated with 12 suppliers to reduce payment terms from 60 to 45 days, improving cash flow by €85,000."
- ❌ Weak: "Managed accounts payable."
- ✅ Strong: "Processed 450+ invoices monthly with an error rate < 0.3%, negotiated with 12 suppliers to reduce payment terms from 60 to 45 days, improving cash flow by €85,000."
4. Unsuitable or Overloaded Layout
The mistake: A 3-page CV with compact text blocks, or conversely, an ultra-minimalist CV without clear structure.
Belgian financial recruiters spend an average of 25–35 seconds on a first CV scan. If the information is not immediately accessible, your application is set aside.
How to correct it:
- Ideal length: 2 pages maximum (1 page if < 5 years of experience).
- Clear distinct sections: Contact information, Professional Title, Professional Summary (3–4 lines), Professional Experience (reverse chronological), Education and Certifications, Technical and Language Skills.
- Use bullet points rather than paragraphs.
- Avoid overly creative designs (unless applying to certain start-up roles), but use clear presentation with subtle colors to guide the eye.
5. Neglecting the Belgian Linguistic Dimension
The mistake: Failing to clearly indicate your level in the three national languages, or overestimating/underestimating your language skills.
Belgium is a trilingual country where multilingualism is a major asset, especially in corporate finance.
How to correct it:
- Use the European CEFRL framework: A1-A2 (Elementary), B1-B2 (Intermediate), C1-C2 (Advanced/Bilingual).
- Be honest: If you indicate "Dutch: B2," the recruiter may test you during the interview.
- Specify the professional context:French: C2 (Native language, drafting financial reports).Dutch: B2 (Fluent communication, understanding reporting).English: C1 (Financial presentations, negotiations with UK subsidiaries).
- French: C2 (Native language, drafting financial reports).
- Dutch: B2 (Fluent communication, understanding reporting).
- English: C1 (Financial presentations, negotiations with UK subsidiaries).
Market data: Based on our field experience in 2024–2025, 78% of finance positions in Brussels require FR-NL bilingualism, compared to 23% in Wallonia and 91% in Flanders (with priority given to Dutch).
6. Forgetting Certifications and Continuing Education
The mistake: Only mentioning your initial degree while omitting valuable professional certifications or continuing education.
The Belgian finance sector evolves rapidly (digitalization, new standards like ESG, CSRD). Recruiters appreciate candidates who invest in their professional development.
How to correct it:
- Create a dedicated "Certifications & Continuing Education" section including:Recognized Certifications: Expert-comptable/Comptable agréé IPCF, CFA, ACCA, CIA (Certified Internal Auditor).Sectoral Training: Advanced Belgian Taxation, IFRS, Consolidation, Treasury Management.Digital Training: Power BI, SAP, Tableau, SQL certifications.Recent Regulatory Training: CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), ESG reporting.
- Recognized Certifications: Expert-comptable/Comptable agréé IPCF, CFA, ACCA, CIA (Certified Internal Auditor).
- Sectoral Training: Advanced Belgian Taxation, IFRS, Consolidation, Treasury Management.
- Digital Training: Power BI, SAP, Tableau, SQL certifications.
- Recent Regulatory Training: CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), ESG reporting.
7. Inconsistencies or Vague Periods
The mistake: Unexplained gaps in your career path, imprecise dates, or inconsistencies between LinkedIn and your CV.
Recruiters in finance are particularly vigilant about rigor and consistency. An inconsistency in dates or between your different platforms can be enough to disqualify your application.
How to correct it:
- Date precisely: "January 2022 - September 2024" rather than "2022–2024."
- Explain transitions: If you have a "gap," mention it briefly and positively.Example: "March – September 2023: Parental Leave & Power BI Training (Microsoft certification obtained)."
- Example: "March – September 2023: Parental Leave & Power BI Training (Microsoft certification obtained)."
- Ensure LinkedIn-CV consistency: Recruiters systematically check, any difference raises suspicion.
How to Optimize Your CV to Attract Belgian Recruiters' Attention
Avoiding mistakes is good. But how do you create a CV that truly stands out in a market where 2 out of 3 recruitments are deemed difficult in Belgium? Here is our proven methodology.
Strategically Structure Each Section
An effective finance CV must be scannable in 30 seconds while offering the necessary depth to convince. Here is how to structure each block.
1. Impactful Header (5-second scan)
Your header must immediately answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? How to contact you?
| SOPHIE DUMONT |
| Financial Controller |
| 📧 sophie.dumont@email.com |
2. Professional Summary (15-second scan)
3–4 lines maximum summarizing your profile and your value proposition. Think "elevator pitch."
3. Professional Experience: The CAR Rule
For each position, use the CAR (Context - Action - Result) method:
- Example of Optimized Experience:FINANCIAL CONTROLLER | ABC Industries SA | AntwerpSeptember 2021 – PresentContext: Industrial SME (280 employees, €45M turnover) with 4 European subsidiaries.Missions & Achievements:Consolidated monthly financial reports for 4 entities under IFRS, reduced group reporting time from 14 to 7 days (-50% delay).Piloted the SAP S/4HANA migration project (budget €850K), training 12 accounting users, with go-live in June 2023 with 0 days of accounting downtime.Identified €180K in annual savings (8% of the functional budget) reallocated to product innovation by overhauling the budgeting process using a zero-based budgeting (ZBB) model.Technical Environment: SAP S/4HANA, Lucanet (consolidation), Power BI, Advanced Excel.
- FINANCIAL CONTROLLER | ABC Industries SA | Antwerp
- September 2021 – Present
- Context: Industrial SME (280 employees, €45M turnover) with 4 European subsidiaries.
- Missions & Achievements:Consolidated monthly financial reports for 4 entities under IFRS, reduced group reporting time from 14 to 7 days (-50% delay).Piloted the SAP S/4HANA migration project (budget €850K), training 12 accounting users, with go-live in June 2023 with 0 days of accounting downtime.Identified €180K in annual savings (8% of the functional budget) reallocated to product innovation by overhauling the budgeting process using a zero-based budgeting (ZBB) model.
- Consolidated monthly financial reports for 4 entities under IFRS, reduced group reporting time from 14 to 7 days (-50% delay).
- Piloted the SAP S/4HANA migration project (budget €850K), training 12 accounting users, with go-live in June 2023 with 0 days of accounting downtime.
- Identified €180K in annual savings (8% of the functional budget) reallocated to product innovation by overhauling the budgeting process using a zero-based budgeting (ZBB) model.
- Technical Environment: SAP S/4HANA, Lucanet (consolidation), Power BI, Advanced Excel.
4. Education and Certifications
Reverse chronological order, highlighting the most relevant ones:
- 2023: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Associate Certification
- 2019: Expert-comptable agréé IPCF (Certified Accountant, IPCF)
- 2024: CSRD and ESG reporting - Institute of Company Auditors (40h)
Key Takeaways to Attract Recruiters
- Technical Skills: IFRS, Belgian GAAP, Belgian VAT, SAP, Exact, Winbooks, Power BI, Advanced Excel.
- Soft Skills: Rigor, Autonomy, Analytical mind, Communication, Proactivity.
- Certifications: IPCF Certified Accountant, CFA, ACCA.
Essential Elements to Include in a Belgian Finance CV
Beyond avoiding errors, certain elements are absolutely essential in a CV for the Belgian finance sector.
1. Detailed Language Skills
In Belgium, linguistic proficiency is a critical criterion.
| LANGUAGES | Level | Professional Context |
| French | C2 - Native | Drafting financial reports, Comex presentations |
| Dutch | B2 - Professional | Fluent communication, reading accounting standards |
| English | C1 - Advanced | International negotiations, consolidation of UK subsidiaries |
2. Experience on Specific Tools and ERPs
Financial recruiters look for quickly operational profiles. Mentioning your mastery of local market tools is a huge competitive advantage.
The most demanded ERPs in Belgium (2025): SAP (34%), Exact Online (28%), Odoo (18%), Sage (15%), Winbooks (12%).
3. Achievements in Compliance and Regulation
Show that you are up-to-date on legal obligations: Belgian tax declarations (VAT, professional withholding tax), Belgian GAAP, IFRS, experience with external auditors (EY, PwC), and knowledge of new directives (CSRD, ESG reporting).
4. Your Ability to Create Value (Not Just Execute)
The finance department is no longer just an administrative "silo." Demonstrate that you are a business partner who proactively helps management in strategic decision-making.
- Value-Added Example: Instead of "Managing the annual budget," write: "Overhauled the budgeting process with a 'zero-based budgeting' approach: identified €240K in savings (8% of the functional budget) reallocated to product innovation."
Final Steps
The finance market in Belgium offers exceptional opportunities. Your next step is to audit your current CV using the checklist in this article, quantify your weak points, and adapt your language skills to the specific regional requirements of Brussels, Flanders, or Wallonia.
