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The Digital CFO

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Today's CFO
Today’s CFO

Back in April I wrote an article for Linkedin Pulse about the CFO of today and the marketability of technology CFOs.

HP Blogs posted an article about a month ago entitled “Is the CFO of 2020 Ready to Embrace Digital Transformation.” The year 2020 might seem far away, but it is zooming right at us. From a business perspective, CFOs need to be ready.

Kuddos to you if you are armed and executing the latest and greatest technology in your finance department, but what about your technology expertise from a career perspective? Your career perspective? Is your corporate technology savvy also showing up in your personal career messaging? Or is that message among your potential target audience mixed, muddied, and/or diluted?

As the competition for the Chief Financial Officer seat only becomes more and more fierce among problem-solving, value-oriented, impact-delivering Finance Leaders, your technology acumen will also matter. And social media IS a part of that acumen. Many, and in a few short years, most of your finance team will be from the most-socially-connected generation that has ever lived. Will they want to work for a throwback from the last Century?

So get your social media savvy on by …

– Getting rid of your AOL and Hotmail email address. Yahoo isn’t that much better, and all three are hacked on a regular basis. An account hack could totally derail your search efforts and is definitely not a risk worth taking.

– Moving from “Wall Flower” to “Active Participant” within Linkedin groups. Share your thought leadership by posting, comment, and interacting with others. Anybody can be a wall flower, and the majority are. It takes courage and intentionality to step out and step in to differentiating yourself through participation.

– Completing your Linkedin profile. I run a CFO-only careers group on Linkedin, requiring me to actually review profiles before approving new members. The majority of the profiles I see fall so below any kind of acceptable standard that doing this one thing – having a complete and compelling profile – will set you apart from most of your competition.

Technology … it’s for CFOs in their corporate roles AND for their career positioning.

Career Lessons Learned from Jack

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In addition to being a crazed Gator fan (is it football season yet?), I’m also a Hallmark movie mush. Yes, I admit it.  And yesterday I caught up on a few of my DVR’d flicks, including “Jack’s Family Adventure.” 

Jack is an ad executive who has worked 80 hours a week for 5 years to make partner. He walks in on an office celebration to find out the “new guy” was given the title over him. Devastated and disappointed, he asks for, and gets, a month’s vacation and takes his family on an adventure. Of course, while he’s away he experiences a major paradigm shift.

I thought there were a few great career lessons for finance executives in that movie.

Priorities … His family paid a huge price for his commitment to work and he was repaid by not getting the thing he worked so had to secure. His family was no longer a “family.” It was four people who passed each other inside the house on their way to and fro. It took a blow to his ego for Jack to get his priorities straight.

Courage … It didn’t take courage for him to request a long vacation, something he hadn’t taken in 3 years. He made that request and took that action out of anger. It took courage for him to say “no” to coming back on his boss’s terms. He could only do that, though, when he – and his boss – recognized his …

Value … Jack’s value (and marketability) increased dramatically when he left and the new account that led to someone else being named partner began falling apart. Suddenly Jack held all the power in the boss – employee relationship as Jack’s contributions to the company and the account became obvious. Understanding your value, but not communicating it to anyone else, is akin to not being valuable as well as not being recognized or rewarded for your contributions.

Ideas … Investors … and Job Seekers

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What do they have in common? 

This morning’s post in the FP Executive blog by Jesse Shantz, was following up on a Fast Company article entitled “Made to Stick, Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.” Shantz took the “ideas” argument and applied it to investors. In making that translation, he said a few things that should also resonate with job seekers …

–They really give perspective on the idea of finding the right message to get your point across to your audience.

Finding the right message means the message is not about you. It’s about the prospective company and how you can solve its pain, problem, situation, or challenge.

–They show how using numbers [responsibilities] that don't resonate with readers, fall on deaf ears.

As Senior Finance Executives … working with numbers is what you do. Every day. Yet, often when translated to your career marketing documents, those measurable impacts are missing. No one is hiring you for your years of experience or even your breadth of responsibilities. The right company WILL hire you for your record of contributions and ability to positively impact in a new position [value].

—Make it something that is tangible.

Ideas that you had (initiatives), you executed, and which delivered measurable bottom line and long-term impacts … that’s tangible. That’s value. And many times, your ability to clearly articulate your marketable value proposition will make you stand out from everyone else.

Welcome CFOs!

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Corporate Finance Executives

You have achieved a high level of career success in a world where integrity, confidentiality, clear value, and great service are expected, even demanded. You have succeeded because you understand the rules of the game and you are the best at what you do.

In the competitive world of top-talent and in-demand positioning, however, it’s a different game … the average tenure of a CFO is 3 years and the rules can seem vague and confusing.

  • Do you recognize that your market value is at its greatest when you are still employed?
  • Does your resume adhere to the Blackberry principle?
  • Is your value proposition branded, clear, and compelling?
  • Do you know your Google Quotient?

You’ve worked hard to get to where you are in your job. Does it make sense to leave your next career move to chance?

At your level of achievement, you need more than generic answers and a quick-fix. You need a partner who takes your success as seriously as you do and will treat you and your objectives with the integrity, confidentiality, and great service that is a part of your daily world. You need a partner who understands how this game is played and can work with you to:

  • Define and leverage your unique brand as a key differentiator in the market
  • Align your career with your values, strengths, interests, and career goals
  • Gain visibility in the marketplace to win your next big opportunity
  • Move powerfully toward your next step up the ladder
  • Build an effective plan and strategy for long-term career management

Gain a competitive edge with a strategic partner you can trust … and become a champion of your career success!

As America’s leading Career and Personal Brand Strategist for the Corporate Finance Executives, Cindy Kraft understands your world. She brings more than 14 years of experience effectively positioning clients to understand their marketability, articulate their value, and position themselves as the clear and compelling choice.

Cindy has drawn on this insider knowledge to design a comprehensive portfolio of branding and career management services that empower high-achieving corporate finance executives, like you, to position themselves to win the opportunities they want.

Find out how with a customized, high-impact branding or career management package for CFOs

What’s New

Networking & Niche Marketing Expert for the Career Thought Leaders Consortium, a think-tank organization focused on best practices, benchmarks and trends for the careers industry

Cindy will be speaking at the Career Thought Leaders Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, March 22-24, 2009 on …
Niching & Networking Your Way to Success, and
Online Identity Management: Business-Building Tools and Strategies

Where You Can Find Me

Facebook Business Page for more insider’s career information specifically for senior finance executives

Linked In … connect with me

Twitter … follow me

Preferred Provider for FEI and Netshare

Recently quoted in …

CFO.com … Apply Yourself! In the market for a new job? Make sure your resume isn’t old school
 
eFinancial Careers … Finessing Your Age on a Resume

eFinancial Careers … Respect the Culture


Newsletter Articles …

Financial Executives International (FEI)
Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG)
The Glass Hammer

Request a copy of my latest article, “Four Things Job Seekers Can Learn from Recruiters“

Testimonials

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“[The referral I sent you] did land a job as Chairman and CEO [in three weeks]. You really helped him out.“
Bruce B.
Chief Executive Officer

“LANDED! Thanks again for all your help. Your resume assistance and interviewing techniques definitely helped in my process.“
Doug H.
CFO, Assisted Living Facility

“Your resume is excellent! Cindy knows exactly what the interviewer is looking for – results and the facts surrounding the result.“
Margaret Ralph, Recruiter
Margaret Ralph & Associates

“Thank you so much! Your coaching has made an enormous difference in my life.“
Linda M.
Structured Finance Executive

“Thank you again for your your precious help with my resume: the results speak for themselves, as I am switching companies and am taking a VP position in a nice mid-cap in a couple of weeks…“
Phillip L.
CFO

Linked In Recommendations

“After 30 years in business and 15 years in executive management I realized I had never managed my career. I hired Cindy as a coach and brand strategist to help me repackage and reposition my career in line with current market trends. She taught me an incredible amount about the digital age and establishing my own digital footprint and personal brand. She is very knowledgeable, articulate, funny and refreshing. Her review process is exhaustive which helped tremendously in honing my value proposition. I highly recommend Cindy.” 
Mike Hart
Chief Financial Officer

“I engaged Cindy Kraft because I want to remain at the top of my game and be up-to-date with where the finance field is going. Even though I’m not on the market for a career change, Cindy taught me the benefits of career branding and how my strong brand would give my employer credibility in the marketplace. She put me through the most thorough skills assessment I had ever seen and I learned so much about myself through the process. Cindy truly is an expert in professional branding and the time I spent working with her is one of the most meaningful things I have ever done for my career.”
Ben Paramore
Chief Financial Officer


“Cindy is an extremely knowledgeable career coach and counselor. She does a good job of helping individuals lay out a plan not only to connect with others when they are in a job search, but to maintain those networking activities for the future. Cindy is very responsive and is always prepared to answer questions when needed. I would highly recommend her services.“

Patrick Min
Chief Financial Officer

“Cindy is an experienced career resource who genuinely cares about her clients’ success. She always under-promised and over-delivered. I came to rely on Cindy’s counsel heavily and would recommend her to any senior finance executive.“

Steve Boyd
Chief Financial Officer

“Cindy’s expertise is helping clients identify their own professional strengths and learn the skill sets necessary for efficient job searching, interviewing, and contract negotiation. She uses a real world, no-nonsense, data-driven approach and moves forward at the client’s pace. Well worth the investment!“

Susan Cross 
Senior Marketing Executive

“I highly recommend Cindy’s Resume and Coaching services. She’s the ultimate professional where every “i “is dotted and every “t “is crossed. Cindy has been very instrumental in assisting me in crafting an effective re- write of my resume loaded with distinct value prepositions. I’ve received many inquiries from recruiters and companies. As a matter of fact, a number of recruiters have commented that the “bio and resume are excellent”. Also, her insightful coaching has enabled me to put together a good cohesive job search campaign as well.“

Stan Wyngowski 
Controller

Other Success Stories

“Cindy provided me with exactly the help I needed, not simply re-writing my resume (which she did extremely well), but also taking the time to understand my career goals, and helping me design a marketing strategy that aligned with my goals. She has a terrific sense of personal branding, and how to create a “presence” that makes me more visable and desirable to recruiters and hiring companies. Throughout the process, I felt I had a friend and ally in my corner.“

Bob L.
Corporate M&A Executive

“Cindy helped me develop a top-notch resume that led to an interview and subsequent position as the Director of Finance with a leading worldwide manufacturer and marketer of PC components and networking equipment …. I’d highly recommend Cindy to other senior professionals who are looking for a top quality product.“

Steve P.
Director of Finance

Publications

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Recently quoted in …

CFO.com Magazine … Apply Yourself
eFinancial Careers …Finessing Your Age on a Resume
eFinancial Careers … Respect the Culture

Nationally Published

Cindy Kraft was one of only 9 resume writers in the country whose work
was selected for “Executive’s Pocket Guide to ROI Resumes
and Job Search,” by Louise Kursmark and Jan Melnick. She
was also one of 15 executive resume writers in the country to have
management resume samples featured in Wendy Enelow’s recent book,
“Best Resumes for People Without a Four-Year Degree.” She
has four cover letters published in the second edition of David
Noble’s “Gallery of Best Cover Letters” book.

Martin S. Yates’ revised Resumes That Knock ‘Em Dead and
Cover Letters That Knock ‘Em Dead and endorsed as a preferred
provider.

“Best Resumes for People Without a Four-Year Degree,” Wendy
S. Enelow.

“Expert Resume” series by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark and
published by JIST Works…
— Expert Resumes for Career Changers
— Expert Resumes for Managers and Executives
— Expert Resumes for Healthcare Careers
— Expert Resumes for Manufacturing Careers
— Expert Resumes for Computer and Web Jobs
“Best Resumes and CVs for International Jobs,” by
Ronald L. Krannich and Wendy S. Enelow

“Top 100 Strategies to Recession-Proof Your Career,” Wendy
Enelow

David Noble’s “Gallery of Best Cover Letters,” Second Edition

Gallery of Best Resumes, A Collection of Quality Resumes
by Professional Resume Writers,
    Second Edition, by David F. Noble

Cover Letter Magic, First and Second Editions, by Wendy S.
Enelow and Louise Kursmark

David F. Noble’s “Professional Resumes for Tax and Accounting
Occupations” and
“Gallery of Best Cover Letters“

“College Grad Resumes to Land $75,000+ Jobs,” by Wendy S.
Enelow
Executive Update Magazine, March 2003. “The Power of the Third
Mind.”

Memberships & Affiliations:

Career Thought Leaders Consortium
– Networking & Niche Marketing Expert

Career Masters Institute
– Credentialed Career Master (CCM)
– Charter Member
Christian Coaches Network (CCN)

American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)

The International Association of Certified Coaches (IACC)

Brandon Toastmasters
– Founding President and CTM
– Directing annual Leadership Programs for the USF Leadership House

Contact Info

cindy@cfo-coach.com
Toll-Free Number: 1-813-727-3037

Executive Branding

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High-Impact Personal Branding

What is the single most important weapon in your marketing arsenal – both for your individual long-term career success and the success of your organization?

Your personal brand! A clearly-defined, visible brand will position you far beyond the competition whether you are an executive representing yourself in a job search or representing your company in a competitive marketplace.

Executives, leverage your market differentiation and position yourself as an in-demand asset in the marketplace.

A brand is a value-packed positioning statement that leaves no doubt about who you are and how you uniquely deliver what you do. While marketing documents with a strong value proposition get you noticed and even win the interview, your brand – why what you do is successful – is what wins the position … because it is directly related to chemistry and fit.

When you team with America’s leading career and personal brand strategist for senior finance executives, you will:

  • Clearly understand your own value in the marketplace;
  • Have the power and practical tools to shape how people perceive you;
  • Design a cohesive communication strategy to reinforce your brand every day;
  • Learn how to leverage your brand to outperform the competition; and
  • Attract and gain visibility with the right audience – your target market.

ROI: Employers will have a compelling reason to seek you out as a value-add to their organization.

Gain clarity about how you are perceived in the marketplace.

Using a proven 360-degree assessment conducted by a neutral third party, data can be collected confidentially from a cross-section of people – internal peers, subordinates, and bosses and external colleagues, customers, and friends. As Cindy coaches you through analyzing and leveraging this critical information, you will:

  • Understand how you are perceived by others in your circle of influence
  • Learn to leverage your strengths to gain a competitive advantage
  • Develop a plan to minimize any potential weaknesses

Build A Visible Online Presence

Today it is not just about who you know, it is more about who knows you. As a passive job seeker – and it is a good strategy to always be in passive job seeking mode – you can constantly have opportunities coming your way with a strong, visible brand.

Think about it this way. Your record of contributions is unmatched within the company. However, no one outside the company knows what you’ve done. From a career positioning perspective then, does it really matter?

Current recruiting mentality says that the candidate who is most in demand, probably the most marketable, and certainly the most pursued … is the passive candidate. He does not need a job and is not actively looking … but is quite savvy and recognizes that good opportunities most often come through networking.

A visible online presence ensures that the people who need to know about you … can find you! And what they find validates you as a candidate worth pursuing.

Find out how you can create a lasting impression with your target market – the powerful impression you want to have!

Contact Info

cindy@cfo-coach.com
Toll-Free Number: 1-888-221-0441

Coaching

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Coaching for Career and Life Success

You can outperform the competition by understanding your marketability and clearly articulating your value to win positioning as the clear and compelling choice.

Winning the job you want and deserve is no accident. Any kind of career or job transition requires a creative, well-thought-out plan that leverages your strengths, gets you noticed, and is flawlessly executed.

Coaching with Career and Personal Brand Strategist Cindy Kraft will prepare you to outperform the competition.

Positioning for Passive Candidates

A passive candidate is defined as top-notch talent who is currently employed but always open to hearing about opportunities. These candidates are the ones who offer the greatest marketable value proposition (MVP) and are highly sought by recruiters today.

The perpetual motion strategy recognizes that a solid 3 to 5-year plan gives you control over your career with proactive rather than reactive positioning.

  • Develop and leverage a clear brand and ROI value proposition
  • Create a visible online presence to ensure the people who need to know about you … know about you
  • Secure the best job opportunities aligned with your passion, values, and strengths
  • Gain understanding around the value of networking before you need networking

“She uses a real world, no-nonsense, data-driven approach and moves forward at the client’s pace. Well worth the investment!” – Susan

Job Search Strategizing

  • Leverage multiple cutting-edge strategies to fast-track your job search and stand out from the competition
  • Learn how to avoid the Top 10 Job Finding Mistakes
  • Discover sure techniques to position yourself among the 20% of candidates who get an interview rather than in the 80% screened out at the paper level

“She does a good job of helping individuals lay out a plan not only to connect with others when they are in a job search, but to maintain those networking activities for the future. Cindy is very responsive and is always prepared to answer questions when needed.” – Patrick

Interviewing

  • Learn how to answer any interview question with confidence
  • Employ techniques to turn an interrogation into a conversation
  • Manage the interview close and follow-up to position yourself as the candidate of distinction

“Your resume assistance and interviewing techniques definitely helped in my process [landing a CFO position]” – Doug

Salary Negotiations

  • Position yourself as a must-have asset in the minds of employers
  • Create a win-win value proposition for the company
  • Negotiate the salary and compensation you are worth

“I just got an offer that will at least double my income.” – Jim

Branding

It’s not about what you did, it’s about why you were successful and how you delivered!

How you do (measurable impact) often gets you the interview. Why you do it (brand), is the chemistry piece that aligns with a company’s culture. The “why” is important because it speaks directly to the essence of you are while validating your marketable value proposition. Branding delivers clarity around passion, purpose, personality, and value, making powerful mental connections between your successes and why they were successful.

Because personal branding is trending upwards, savvy employers (also on the rise) expect candidates to articulate branded value propositions which show how you do what you do.

Great hiring decisions are made on two fronts – first and foremost, the ability to do the job (what); and from among the candidates who can do the job, the one who will best fit into the corporate culture (how).

“Thank you so much! You havemade an enormous difference in my life.” – Linda

Christian

  • Discover your life and spiritual gifts, values, passion, and unique personality
  • Identify your God-given purpose and create a plan to use it to make a difference
  • Find meaning, happiness, and fulfillment in your work
  • Explore how you have been called to serve where you are in life

If you are ready to move to the next level, find out how partnering with Coach Cindy can help you achieve success!

Contact Info

cindy@cfo-coach.com
Toll-Free Number: 1-888-221-0441

CFO Offerings

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Every career is as unique as the person in it. We offer a variety of high-impact services to fit exactly what you need to outperform the competition.

Choose from the three programs below to design a customized portfolio of services that will meet your individual needs and give you a powerful competitive advantage in your marketing and positioning.

Essential Repackaging & Repositioning

Nothing gives you the competitive edge like a powerfully-crafted marketing documents that convey a strong value proposition. This package is an intensive 6 to 8-week partnership that includes six coaching / strategizing sessions and culminates with the following deliverables…

  • Executive Resume with a clear ROI;
  • Two (2) Letters of Introduction;
  • Executive Profile for business networking sites; and
  • Leadership Brief highlighting case studies around critical leadership initiatives (if appropriate)

(For customized package pricing based on your specific needs, call Cindy at 888-221-0441)

Branding delivers clarity around passion, purpose, personality, and value, making powerful mental connections between your successes and why they were successful. The “why” is important because it speaks directly to the essence of you are while validating your marketable value proposition.

Because personal branding is trending upwards, savvy employers (also on the rise) expect candidates to articulate branded value propositions which show how you do what you do.

Great hiring decisions are made on two fronts – first and foremost, the ability to do the job. This is reflected through a verifiable record of bottom line and strategic contributions.

From among the candidates who are qualified, the one who will best fit into the corporate culture will win the position. A strong personal brand conveys chemistry and fit.

Choose the branding package that best meets your needs …

Executive Branding

An intensive 4 to 5-month program that includes nine coaching / strategizing sessions and…

  • 360-Degree assessment
  • DISC Executive assessment;
  • Branded Executive Resume, Brand Statement, and Branded Bio;
  • Two (2) customizable marketing Letters of Introduction;
  • Leadership Brief highlighting case studies;
  • Goals Workbook;
  • Career Distinction book;
  • Reach Branding Club Workbook and Web-based Learning Modules; and
  • One Year Membership in the Reach Branding Club so you can have ongoing support in strengthening your brand.

(For customized package pricing based on your specific needs, call Cindy at 888-221-0441)

CFO Branding

Designed specifically for the senior-level Chief Financial Officer who wants to leverage his personal brand to win market differentiation. This package includes all of the deliverables of the Executive Branding package and…

  • Discover Your Strengths book and assessment;
  • 3-month membership in a network management system; and
  • Unlimited coaching over a 9-month period.

(For customized package pricing based on your specific needs, call Cindy at 888-221-0441)

Partnering with Cindy will position you to outperform the competition and fast-track your job search to win the job you want!

Contact Info

cindy@cfo-coach.com
Toll-Free Number: 1-888-221-0441