CFO Resume Example

In the article, you'll find guidance on creating a CFO resume that showcases desirable qualities for senior management and director-level appointments. The article will equip you with tips for highlighting your long-term vision and demonstrating how your leadership has produced successful outcomes for organizations. There are also plenty of tips for presenting your resume in a way that makes a strong impact with decision makers. Continue reading to discover the tips Jobseeker's career experts recommend for an effective CFO resume.

Main sections of a Chief Financial Officer resume

A successful CFO resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.

While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:

Resume Header

In your CFO resume header, list your name, email address, phone number and address or location. You can also add your LinkedIn, if you have one, to help employers better understand your work history and skills. While in some countries, you might include additional personal information or a photo, these aren't necessary. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.

Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.

Resume Summary

Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in CFO roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for CFO roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for CFO roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. See below for some great examples of what to include in your CFO resume summary.

Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your CFO resume summary.

Work Experience

In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your CFO skills. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.

Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to CFO roles.

If you're writing a CFO resume resume, you can afford to make your work experience section a little longer and more detailed than a traditional resume. Roles at this level require plenty of experience and examples of your achievements, so an extended work experience may be necessary. There aren't any hard and fast rules over how long to make your CFO resume work experience section, how far back to go or how many roles to include. However, many people consider 10 to 15 years to be sufficient. For CFO jobs, you may wish to go back further, assuming you have the experience.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to CFO jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. See the examples below for some ideas of what a great resume work experience looks like.

In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.

Education

In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to CFO roles.

Opportunities as a CFO and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your M&A strategy or financial statement analysis.

For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.

Skills

In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to CFO positions. Consider adding risk management, strategic financial planning or any other necessary skills for the job. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key CFO skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.

Highlighting your hard skills

Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as a CFO. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in CFO roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a CFO resume below.

Listing soft skills on your CFO resume

In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a CFO job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume.

It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities. For your CFO resume, add soft skills that reinforce your reputation and standing in your industry, including leadership skills.

An effective CFO resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Licenses and Certifications

Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a CFO. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for CFO roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.

Below you can find several examples of certifications for a Chief Financial Officer resume:

Optional Resume Sections

In addition to the core sections of a Chief Financial Officer resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for CFO jobs.

Hobbies and Interests

Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Volunteering

Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for CFO roles beyond your main employment history. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.

References

References aren't a standard CFO resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best strong verbs for your a Chief Financial Officer resume

Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.

As an experienced CFO, you'll want your resume to do justice to your experience and standing in your industry. As such, it's acceptable to submit a longer than average resume of two pages or more. Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.

Example of a CFO resume

Now we've covered the main sections to include in your CFO resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:

Making an ATS-friendly resume

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. When writing your CFO resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.

Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:

• Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
• Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
• Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.

Takeaways for a winning CFO resume

An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.

Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Overcoming the Most Common Challenges in the Executive Job Search, MIT Career Development Office: https://cdo.mit.edu/blog/2024/10/15/overcoming-the-most-common-challenges-in-the-executive-job-search/

(2) How to Impress an Executive Recruiter and Break Into the C-Suite, Harvard Division of Continuing Education: https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-impress-an-executive-recruiter-and-break-into-the-c-suite/