For candidates
CV writing tips for forex & prop trading
A CV that works for a general recruiter doesn't always work for this industry. Here's what we actually look for when we're matching candidates against live briefs, section by section.
The short version
- Name the sector, not just "financial services."
- Lead every role with scope and outcomes, not a list of duties.
- Put regulatory qualifications and platform experience front and center.
- Keep it to two pages. Specificity beats length.
Contact details
Keep it to the essentials: name, phone number, email, location (city is enough, you don't need a full address) and a LinkedIn profile if it's kept up to date.
If you're applying for a compliance, risk or client-facing role, right-to-work status in the relevant jurisdiction is worth a single line here. It's a question every hiring manager in a regulated industry will need answered eventually, so answering it early saves everyone a step.
Personal summary
Three to four lines, not a paragraph. Say what you do, how long you've done it, and the kind of environment you've done it in.
Name the sector specifically rather than writing something generic. "Compliance analyst with 4 years in CySEC-regulated brokerages" tells a hiring manager far more, and in far fewer words, than "experienced financial services professional."
Key skills
This is the section most candidates underwrite. In forex and prop trading, specific platform and regulatory experience is what separates a shortlisted CV from one that gets passed over, and it looks different depending on where you are in your career.
- Any exposure to trading platforms you've used personally or academically (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView), even non-professional use is worth a line.
- Numeracy and analytical tools: Excel/Sheets modelling, SQL, or any data work from a previous role or course.
- Relevant coursework or self-study towards CySEC, FCA or CFA-track qualifications, even if incomplete.
- Customer-facing or support experience: a huge share of entry-level prop and forex roles are support and operations, and transferable service skills count.
Work experience
List roles in reverse chronological order, with dates, job title and employer. For each one, lead with two or three lines on scope: what you were responsible for and the scale of it (team size, book size, transaction volume, whatever is relevant to the role).
Where you can, quantify outcomes rather than duties. "Reduced average KYC turnaround from 5 days to 2" says more than "responsible for KYC reviews." If you can't put a number on it honestly, a specific, concrete example works just as well.
Education & qualifications
Degree, institution and grade if it's relevant or recent. Beyond that, this is where industry-specific qualifications carry real weight: CySEC Basic or Advanced certification, FCA-approved person status, CFA levels, AML/KYC certifications, or any regulatory exams you've sat.
If you're partway through a qualification, list it as in progress with an expected date. It's still a genuine signal of direction.
Memberships & affiliations
Professional bodies relevant to the industry: CISI, ACAMS, or similar. These are optional, but they're an easy way to show ongoing engagement with your field beyond the day job.
References
"Available on request" is still the standard, and still correct. You don't need to list contact details on the CV itself. If a role reaches offer stage, we'll talk you through what's needed.
Ready to put it into practice?
Submit your CV and a specialist consultant will get in touch when a relevant role comes up, or browse what's live now.