Straight answers to real questions about CFO careers and executive finance recruitment
Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I run a trade association and we’ve recently had to go to the market to recruit a Director of Finance to look after all of our finance and administration functions of the association. I don’t have a finance background so I’m basically taking the advice of the outgoing incumbent (she’s [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’m a CPA CA with twenty years’ experience in food manufacturing. I’ve spent the last ten years as VP Finance and CFO of a frozen food processor in Mississauga. My company was acquired six months ago by a private equity firm and so I decided back then that I [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’ve just taken over as VP Finance of a Mississauga based, TSX listed, software developer. Generally speaking, I like the staff that I’ve inherited; they’re young, energetic, smart as can be and generally fun to work with. My issue is that at 5:30pm around here, you could shoot a [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’m the CEO of a family owned, $50mm electrical contractor in Scarborough. Our CFO decided to move on unexpectedly and we’ve been conducting a search to replace him over the past two months. I’ve tapped into my network and have seen a number of potential candidates, some of which [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’m the CFO of a $300mm retail chain. I’ve been interviewing someone to fill a Director, Financial Planning & Forecasting position we’ve got open and we’re just about at the offer stage. The person I’m considering hiring is currently earning $150,000 (plus bonus) which is right at the top of [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I have over twenty years’ experience as a finance professional and like to think that I’ve excelled at every position and every company that I’ve been a part of. I’ve spent most of my career in the food service industry and I’m looking for my next challenge. I’ve applied [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I was most recently CFO of a mid-sized food manufacturer in Mississauga. Due to a change in corporate ownership I’ve been on the street for the last six months or so. I haven’t actually kept track but I’d estimate that I’ve responded to more than two dozen CFO and [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’m a CFO in the food service business and I’ve just started to look around for a new position. I haven’t looked for a new job in quite a few years and I’ve been asking my pals for input on the best way to present myself to prospective employers. [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I just left my position as CFO of a $70mm owner-managed environmental reclamation company. We haven’t been doing very well lately and the owner has been asking me to take our accounting and financial reporting direction that I’m just not comfortable with. There may be fifty shades of grey [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I was having lunch with a couple of pals, both of whom are on the market for a new position and the subject of position tenure came up. One of my friends, Andrew, is the CFO of an industrial parts distribution company that’s just been acquired by an American [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: After ten years in my current company as CFO, I’ve decided I need a change of venue and pace. I’ve got my resume together and am ready to start my search. How many recruiters should I reach out to and what should I be expecting from them? Answer: As to how [...]
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Straight Answers to Real Questions Question: I’m an experienced financial executive, with over twenty years’ of industry experience since getting my CA designation. My last position was CFO of a $100mm logistics company which was sold a year ago to a strategic buyer in the U.S. I stayed on for a while to help with the [...]
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