The Path to CFO: 4 Steps To Boost Your Finance Career
Vincent Benjamin

Depending on the long term goals for your financial career one possible track is the path of the Chief Financial Officer. To become a CFO you need to be proficient in a number of skills as well as demonstrate leadership qualities. What else can you do to position yourself on the right path toward becoming a CF0? Here are a few tips to keep in mind for your career.

  1. Cultivate your soft skills. Of course you must have the right financial background and technical skills to eventually become a successful CFO, but more importantly you need to master the soft skills. These are leadership skills, communications skills, organizational skills, and other intangible traits that may be inherent to your personality or need to be cultivated over time.
  2. Be a proactive problem solver, not a complainer. A true leader is someone who solves problems and doesn’t make excuses. If you want to position yourself on a CFO track you need to take the reins whenever a problem rears its ugly head. Don’t blame others regardless of who is at fault. Simply do everything in your power to make the situation right.
  3. Utilize continuing education. Someone interested in a C-level position must have a thirst for knowledge. They don’t simply get their degree and assume they know everything about the job they want. Continue to take certifications, learn new things, and take advantage of the latest technology. Don’t stop learning.
  4. Gain corporate experience. Finally, in order to be successful as a CFO it is important to have as much corporate experience as possible. While a background in public accounting or as a CPA can be a good start, you need to be familiar with corporate structure. Try to work your way up within the private sector and gain experience that way.

Are you looking for a job in the financial sector in line with your future goals? VincentBenjamin is hiring today!

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