Human Capital


  • Becoming a CFO (non-accountant background)

    Proformative, **First, a bit of background:** A few years ago, I started my own company - we received investment funding, went through the #2 accelerator in the US, and generated a modest revenue. Ultimately, we opted to shutdown the company. **Current Scenario:** Fast forward to today and I've onb…

  • What tasks did you achieve this week (thus far)?

    Rather than asking what typical CFOs and Controllers do (at a high level) , I am wondering what the daily tasks are. Therefore, feel free to share this week's current accomplishments!

  • How Do You Define the Skills Gap From Staff to the C-Suite?

    I am looking for perspectives to define the “skills gap” in the area of finance and accounting, both hard and soft skills. I recently read an article from the WSJ blog regarding companies seeing a skills gap from recent college graduates, in both categories. I can understand their concerns. But wha…

  • What Skills Do you Value or See Important for the Future?

    I was reading an article on CFO.com regarding what the future of the CFO will look like. The article describes how as industry is becoming more global, regulated, competitive, and digital and what skills will the CFO will need to run their organizations more effectively and increase shareholder val…

  • What's the best path to become a CFO? What was your path?

    There are many paths to the CFO seat. But what seems to be the best path? What path did you take to get to the CFO seat? Even if you're not in that seat now, or have never sat in it, what path are you taking to get there?

  • PTO Gone - Now What?

    I work in sales and have been with the company almost 5 years and have earned 4 weeks of pto per year I just got an email stating effective immed. we will no longer be paid for our time off we can take the time yet will not be paid? I understand that pto does not have to be paid out if i would leav…

  • Gaps in Work History

    Hello, I have a gap in my work history that I believe is explainable: I was pursuing coursework that at the time I chose to pursue full-time rather than part-time. I'm wondering how explainable work history gaps such as these are usually presented in a resume. For example, in my case, would it be a…

  • What personal development books do you read or listen to?

    This question was sparked by another post :) What books do you read or listen to that make you become a better version of yourself? Why do you like or don't like it? One of the recent books I listened to was The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy. Although it's probably meant for entrepren…

  • How much salary can be expected by a CPA with no experience at all?

    I am on my path to become a CPA, And Im not sure if I could get a job easily with no experience, but if somehow I manage to get a job, then how much should I expect to get paid? P.S- I have a master's degree in Commerce, my grades are not that high though, just about average.

  • Is housing provided to temporary employees/interns taxable to the employee?

    Hello My company is considering subsidizing housing for interns. According to our tax accountant if the employment is temporary ( i.e. lasts less than a year) and the employee is away from his/her "tax home" it would not be reportable as income . The guidelines are sometimes confusing, I am curious…

  • Does anyone have a new hire approval process/procedure?

  • Anyone have a good corporate Alcohol Policy?

    All, I am updating our corporate travel policy and there is some questions around language regarding alcohol consumption during working hours as well as after hours (at a company event).  Can someone share their company's policy around this?   Thanks Mark

  • What, exactly, does "let's keep in touch" mean?

    I recently answered an ad for a treasury analyst position at a new company by sending the company president an email with a cover letter and resume attached to it. She responded by saying that she was going to focus on several other candidates who applied for the position but added that she would k…

  • Performance Review Phrases For Accounting, Finance and Technology

    What are your favorite performance review phrases?>  

  • How critical is it for a CFO to be an Excel expert and why?

  • In terms of PTO: What about January?

    We are thinking of changing to a PTO system.  But what about our staff who usually take their vacations early in the year, say February or March?  How do we keep from having lots of staff out in November and December (the busiest time of year here) simply because it took them that long to build up …

  • How to handle displays of religious beliefs in the workplace?

    I work in a small office (5 employees).  I don't wear my religion on my sleeve and don't feel the need to.  One employee is Catholic and attends church regularly (I know way too much about her personal life).  During the Christmas Season, she listens to Christmas music and puts a nativity scene at …

  • How Many People Still Use Forced Ranking?

    There seems to be growing momentum against Forced Ranking and its ilk... http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/10/magazines/fortune/rules.fortune/index.htm and http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/75628.html?goback=%2Egde_35866_member_135046255 among others. When managing people, is there anyone that has so…

  • Replacing Yourself: CFO's, Have you ever had to train your replacement?

    My company knows I'm planning on retiring in the near future, and they've indicated they want to go ahead and start looking for my replacement. They would like to find someone who would be willing to work directly under me (essentially shadowing me) for one to two years in a sort of CFO-in training…

  • What are the Warning Signs that I am about to get Fired?

    I am getting the sense that my company may be changing direction, and that I might not survive the transformation. I am not as involved in certain areas as I have been in the past, and I notice that I am not involved in meetings where I would have been invited in the past. I really enjoy my job and…

  • How do I deal with the "you're overqualified" for the job response from recruiters and hiring managers?

    I am at a point in my CFO career where I have been told I am overqualified for the role. It is often the case but I am willing to "work down" in order to grow a company and be a part of a vibrant environment. How can I overcome this and what is the best way to message to hiring managers that I am w…

  • Looking for a cure for overly analytical and micro managing bosses

    Looking for anonymous responses that could help someone pull away from a deep analytical management mindset and turn them into a dynamic people manager.  I would like to incorporate your great ideas into my blog, while validating my theory via your feedback.  I don't like to rely soley on my own op…