Buddy, can you spare a job? That was the prevailing theme of CFO’s careers coverage in 2010, as millions of unemployed Americans sought work, while many companies downsized or froze their payrolls. Indeed, in one of our most widely read stories of this or any other year (“The Incredible Shrinking Finance Department”), we reported that some already-lean finance departments plan to stay that way or slim down further, even when business and the economy finally pick up.
Finance chiefs themselves weren’t immune from the layoffs and freezes. Available positions were few and far between, and a glittering résumé could be a handicap in winning a job. One unemployed CFO, Gary Starr, wrote about his own quest for work and offered advice and support to fellow job-seekers in a four-part series for CFO, “Notes from a Job Search.”
Employed CFOs, however, found their expertise in high demand by their companies. And not just their finance-specific skills, mind you, but their strategic acumen as well. Increasingly, CFOs are expected not simply to collect and report on financial data, but also to advise how to capitalize on the data, as we reported in “Strategic Inquisitions.”
Cold, Cruel World
Suddenly, CFOs who are pounding the pavement find that fewer doors are opening. Here’s how to get that foot back in.
The Incredible Shrinking Finance Department
CFOs are restructuring finance departments in various ways, an effort that seems likely to continue even as the recession fades.
Waiting, Wondering, Worrying
What if 10% unemployment is the new normal?
Job Hunting: Should You Tell Your Boss?
Some finance executives take a brave and potentially risky approach to the job search.
CFO Hiring Slow, but Hope Glimmers
A new report documents the slowdown in executive hiring, but anecdotal evidence suggests the job market may be improving.
Overqualified…and Out of Work
Here is why and how some finance execs take the delicate step of applying for smaller roles than they previously held.
Notes from a Job Search: Starting Up
A CFO on the job hunt offers first-hand advice from his own experience.
Strategic Inquisitions
We ask CFOs what it takes to become a true partner in setting company strategy.
How to Get on a Board
CFOs may seem like strong director candidates, but few actually make the final cut. How can they improve their chances?
Lords of the Brass Ring
The time may be right for financial chiefs to ascend to the CEO post.
King Arthur’s Quest
When King Arthur Flour went looking for a CFO, it didn’t take a cookie-cutter approach.
