Most companies respect and rely on their Finance Departments for dozens of daily duties: controlling expenses, investing assets, managing payroll, etc. Industry leaders should focus on attracting finance professionals who possess skills not only in these operational duties, but in strategic leadership as well.
Employers who can demonstrate their commitment to candidates, who can serve as strategic partners, will land the most qualified prospects. To accomplish this, impress upon interviewees that their understanding of the financial implications of potential courses of action and the ability to communicate those scenarios will be respected and rewarded. Their aptitude – and willingness to learn – beyond the technical knowledge required to earn their undergraduate finance degree or pass the CPA exam, will serve them well, and most importantly, will be rewarded, within your organization. Focusing on their ability to discuss financial alternatives with executive management, boards of directors, and stockholders will make them more than employees, but trusted advisers and consultants.
Finance Employees’ Influence on Business and Corporate Strategy
At the onset of your candidate search, make sure your Finance Department, Human Resources, recruiting firm, and executive leadership all understand the strategic skills the company needs from its next hire. Include your CFO in the interview process as well as in drafting a job description and an inventory of current employees to discern which strategic skills are missing from the team.
During the selection process, explain the role the new hire will play and how it complements the expertise you already have on staff. Finance Departments that build teams of individuals with diverse leadership, strategic, and communications skills increase productivity and play crucial roles in achieving business initiatives.
Make sure candidates understand that senior management seeks to harness all the strategic planning, change management, capital budgeting, and other corporate-level abilities at its disposal, and are open to hearing suggestions. That means hiring and rewarding Finance Department managers whose skills include analyzing capital expenditures, forecasting, quality control, inventory management, demand projection, and other duties that require interpretation of financial data.
Stressing to candidates that you are looking to hire people that can grow into more advanced roles, with a clear career path in place, will result in attracting a substantially higher caliber of candidate.
Ann Zaslow- Rethaber is President of International Search Consultants, a leader in Executive Search since 1999. Please reach out to ISC for any recruitment needs in the following 5 areas of focus: Sales, Financial Services, Healthcare ( non-clinical), Human Resources, & Real Estate Acquisition & Development. You can reach Ann directly via e-mail at /" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> or by phone at 888*866*7276
Anna Souers is Director of ISC’s Financial Services Recruiting Team, and can be reached via e-mail at or direct dial at 800-450-3808.
