How to Write a Profitable CFO Resume

You’re a top producer –  which means you need a resume that produces results too. If you are sending out your resume and not getting the desired responses, there is likely some work to be done.

CFO resumes must illustrate unique value, presenting these astute business executives as being well-informed of current financial and corporate challenges.Apply these 3 strategies to raise the value of your CFO resume:

1. GET CURRENT

If you haven’t conducted a job search in some time you are likely behind in modern job search trends. Today’s resumes involve strong strategies and polished presentations to stand out. Some significant tactics include:

•  Keep it short. A densely packed resume can do you more harm than good. Nobody wants to read a ‘career obituary’ (everything ever done and every role ever held). Think marketing tool and make every word count.

• Keep it focused and relevant. Eliminate lengthy job descriptions and generalized overviews; these are a given. Pinpoint pertinent career content that demonstrates a solid understanding of the role requirements. Qualify content carefully and only share details and specifics that directly address the readers’ needs.

• Keep it loaded with results. Pack in power statements with exact metrics for massive impact.  Top achievers need examples that provide the proof and front-load statements for greater punch:

• Raised $34M in venture and corporate funding in 3 years.
• Negotiated $21M acquisition with additional $6M equity investment.
• Generated $40M in additional cash by identifying and eliminating under-performing assets.
• Saved $50K in annual software maintenance and licensing fees by implementing updated software program.
• Negotiated 75% approval of debt restructuring proposal with trade creditors.

 2. KNOW YOUR VALUE

CFO’s typically progress along a similar career track and share many skills and values, but no two are exactly alike. Why should YOU be chosen to lead financial decisions in this ‘second from the top’ corporate role?Spend time contemplating, and calculating, your ‘10% difference’.  As you are an expert with numbers this should be a breeze. 🙂

Drill down to identify what makes you an authority in your industry and flesh out examples of where you’ve risen to the challenge. You need to convince high-level recruiters, boards, committees, and executive management that you can make a positive financial impact to business.Provide specific profit and revenue gains, cost-savings, or streamlined efficiencies to support your statements and skills.  You can’t just claim to be good at something, you must prove it.

Develop a strong value proposition to summarize high-level experiences and work to support this statement throughout the document. Targeted branding or value proposition statements include:

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

STREAMLINES FINANCIAL PROCESSES FOR FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES | $300M in COST-SAVINGS | BUDGETS up to $2B

or….

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Expert in Venture & Corporate Funding | Revenue & Business Expansion | M&A Administration

Drives operational and financial efficiency as a trusted advisor and partner, creating over $40M in annual cost-savings. Connects entrepreneurial companies with venture capital to heighten business performance.

3. SHARPEN THE PRESENTATION

Top executives need distinct resumes that scream polished professional. Employ savvy layouts and design components (charts, graphs, or color) to ensure the resume impresses at first glance.

• Chart it. Visually represent revenue increases, profit or productivity advances, or cost-savings. Graphs or charts often speak louder than words:

• Bullet it. Deliver ‘bite size’ and easily digestible points instead of heavy blocks of text. The difference can be dramatic. Here’s a comparison:

Before:Sought out areas for revenue improvement and increases. Located and handled negotiation for an acquisition, valued at $6M, which ultimately produced a strong return on investment (approximately eight times the return over a five year time span). After:

• Helmed $6M acquisition negotiation which produced 8 times the return on investment within 5 years, strengthening revenue potential.

Bulleted content above is sharper, key details jump out, and wordiness is drastically reduced.

•  Finally, Color it. Subtle splashes of color throughout the resume can make key content pop and dramatically set a document apart in a pile of competitors. See these executive resume samples to learn more. 

As a leading results-generator you likely lack the time to tackle a proper resume renovation, so don’t risk being passed over for a position at the top; turn your project over to a trusted professional. A top performer like yourself understands the return on a good investment and the cost of a bad one.  Your career is too valuable to gamble with using a resume that may never work. Partner with a pro to ensure ROI: www.CareerImpressions.ca