CFO.com’s recent interview with Tom Kolder, president of executive search firm, Crist/Kolder Associates, resulted in the article, “No Place Like Home." In it, Kolder talks about what he sees happening within top finance positions.
The title of the article speaks volumes. Quite succinctly, risk-averse finance execs are hunkering down. I’ve blogged about this phenomenon numerous times (see Social Media and Career Management and CFOs are Worried).
There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying where you are … unless you are blindsided by a move that is forced on you. Here’s the piece of the story you can’t, and shouldn’t, ignore:
And there is still plenty of movement that is totally driven by the other end of the equation, where, rather than the CFO deciding to leave for a better opportunity, the company says, "We're not satisfied, we're making a change, this person's gone."
CFO searches are often confidential. If you believe there is corporate loyalty, the Board and CEO love you, and your job is safe, then perhaps you are not hunkering down … maybe you have your head stuck firmly in the sand. Believing it won't make it true.
You are the only one who is vested in your career. Your career is the thing that provides for your family and funds every other thing in your life. At the risk of repeating myself and boring you to death, you have the most power and are the most valuable while you are gainfully employed. So certainly, stay at home if it makes sense to do so, but be prepared to move! If you do the hard work of crystallizing your value proposition now while you’re still occupying that corner office, you won’t have to play catch-up from the curb.