A Day in the Life of a Chief Financial Officer: What to Expect From a Top Job

For those who work in the financial industry, becoming a Chief Financial Officer can seem like the natural end point of their career. Of course, that means that CFO jobs are also some of the hardest roles to attain.

If you want to know how to become a CFO, then there simply isn’t an easy answer – every career path is slightly different and those who reach the top do so by finding ways to set themselves apart from the crowd.

That being said, there’s still a lot you can do to improve your chances and some solid strategies you can put into action. That’s why today, we’ll not only be talking about the daily life of a CFO but also discussing some of the top chief financial officer tips to help you climb that career ladder.

Managing Responsibilities

The first thing to know about the difference between a CFO and just about any other financial role is the gap in responsibilities. Working in finance always comes with a level of responsibility attached – after all, you’re handling people’s money and your decisions have serious consequences.  Those responsibilities increase tenfold, however, when you become a CFO.

A CFO’s decisions mark the final line on any financial decision the company takes. When things go wrong, the CFO is the one whose job it is to course correct and steer the ship into safer waters.

One aspect of CFO jobs that doesn’t often get talked about is the amount of time they spend solving problems before they can get further down the line. In the grand scheme of things, a company has all kinds of complex obstacles to navigate that could easily get in the way of day-to-day operations. A CFO spends a lot of their time and attention ensuring that those problems are dealt with discreetly and in a way that doesn’t impact others.

In part this is about maintaining morale – it’s hard to work at your best when you know just how many forces could threaten your company’s financial stability. That said, discretion is often a fundamental part of a CFO’s responsibilities in the first place. After all, it’s their job to walk the fine tightrope between pleasing investors and shareholders, and ensuring that the company remains profitable.

Being A Liaison

If all that sounds like a lot of diplomacy, then you’re not wrong. A CFO – much like any high level role – is essentially that of a diplomat, helping to pull various forces together and keep them on the same page. If you want to know how to become a CFO, then this is the skill to have.

Naturally, anyone working in finance needs an excellent understanding of economics and the financial industry, but once you reach a certain stage that’s just not enough. A CFO’s job isn’t just about predicting and managing a company’s finances, but about being a real and tangible force in the market. At a certain point, your knowledge of economics can only take you so far and your people skills have to take over.

Growing Your Company

CFO jobs are a lot of work and that should come as no surprise. After all, it’s the top financial role at any given company. But is that work really worth it? Is the extra money really worth taking on all that extra responsibility, not to mention working so hard to broaden your existing skill set?

What’s important to understand is that being a Chief Financial Officer is about more than just money – strange as that may sound. CFOs work hard to expand their companies, ensuring that the vision and values of the company are met. Yes, that means all the stress of managing countless people’s livelihoods but it also means getting to see your work have tangible and world changing effects. What could be more fulfilling than that?

Still not sure how to make the jump to CFO? Well don’t worry, because here at Career Navig8r, we’ve got you covered. At Career Navig8r, we cultivate mentors from just about every role and industry there is. By working with a CFO mentor, you could get direct advice on how to improve your CV, optimise your portfolio, and put your best foot forward.

Instead of following general advice, you could get tailored feedback about your situation, focusing on the steps you specifically can take. You can proactively build your career plan, getting guidance at every step along the way to ensure that you stay on course.

If you’re ready to take on that top role, then sign up to Career Navig8r today and find your CFO mentor!