What CFOs Actually Look For in a Finance CV

Let’s be honest — most finance CVs look like they were written with the same template or just copied and pasted. “Strong analytical skills.” “Results-driven.” “Team player.” Sound familiar? The problem is, those phrases don’t actually tell a CFO anything, and they definitely don’t get you hired.

CFOs aren’t scanning your CV for clichés. They’re looking for proof — real examples that show you’ve made a difference to the numbers, the business, and the people around you. They want to see the impact you’ve had, not just the responsibilities you were given.

Frame your experience the right way and suddenly your CV isn’t just another document in the stack — it’s the one that gets the call. Here’s what CFOs really want to see (and how to show the impact they actually care about).

Efficiency Gains That Free Up Time and Money

Every CFO is under pressure to do more with less. If you can show that you’ve made processes faster, smoother, or more accurate — and prove the impact — you instantly set yourself apart.

Think about where you’ve made a difference: cutting down manual data entry, speeding up month-end close, or automating a clunky report that used to take hours. Those are the achievements CFOs notice, because they translate directly into saved costs, better cashflow visibility, and a finance team that can focus on adding value instead of chasing spreadsheets.

Maybe you cut the month-end close from eight days down to four, showing you know how to spot bottlenecks and remove them. Or you improved reporting accuracy by 80%, giving leadership the confidence to make faster, better-informed decisions. These aren’t just nice-to-have wins. They show you understand that efficiency means freeing up time, reducing costs, and building trust in the numbers.

Pro tip: Don’t just write “streamlined processes.” Spell it out. What was broken before? What did you change? And how much time, money, or risk did you save? The clearer the before vs after, the more compelling your CV becomes.

Tangible Cost Savings (With Proof)

Anyone can say they’ve “saved the business money.” What makes a CFO sit up is when you can attach a pound sign and a percentage to it. Savings without numbers are just claims. Savings with hard data are proof.

Maybe you saved £250k by automating a process — showing you understand ROI and the value of using technology to free up resources. Or perhaps you identified £1.2m in supplier cost leakage — that’s not just spotting a problem, it’s delivering a measurable win that directly boosts profitability.

Pro tip: Even small savings count. Showing measurable and sustainable saving proves you’re not just managing numbers — you’re improving the bottom line.

Commercial & Strategic Influence

Senior finance roles aren’t just about crunching numbers — they’re about shaping where the business goes next. CFOs want people who can connect financial insight to commercial outcomes and steer strategy, not just report on it.

Maybe you built a three-year forecast model that the board actually adopted, proving you consider strategic vision and can translate data into actionable plans for the future. Or perhaps you led the finance integration after an acquisition — showing you can handle complexity, navigate change, and operate under serious pressure.

Pro tip: Highlight where your work directly influenced board-level decisions or long-term strategy. That’s the kind of impact that makes a CFO take notice.

Cash Flow & Working Capital Wins

Cash will always be important to a CFO — and for good reason. Cash flow is at the core of any business, and small improvements here can have a huge impact on growth, stability, and credibility. If you’ve made a difference here, shout about it!

Maybe you cut debtor days by 35%, which means cash in the bank sooner, and therefore more flexibility to invest in growth. Or perhaps you reduced error rates in payroll processing — it might sound tactical, but fewer errors mean happier employees, lower compliance risks, and greater trust in the finance team.

Pro tip: Don’t just describe the operational fix. Always link cash flow improvements to the business outcome — whether that’s stronger liquidity, smoother operations, or greater capacity to grow.

Data, Tech & Cross-Functional Impact

Modern CFOs know finance isn’t just about debits and credits anymore — it’s about turning data into decisions and helping every part of the business run smarter. They want people who can bridge the gap between finance, operations, sales, and beyond.

Maybe you built dashboards that other teams use — not just pretty charts for the finance department, but tools that helped sales, marketing, or operations see the numbers that matter to them. Or maybe you eliminated hours of manual FP&A reporting by introducing automation, freeing your team to spend their time on analysis and forward thinking instead of copy-pasting into spreadsheets.

Pro tip: If you improved decision-making outside of finance, make that clear — it proves your influence reaches far beyond your department.

Final Thought: Turn Your CV Into a Commercial Document That Delivers

At senior level, you’re not just applying for a job — you’re making a business case for why hiring you will deliver ROI. The more your achievements speak to growth, efficiency, and commercial value, the more likely you are to get noticed by the CFO, the CEO, and everyone else who matters.

Here’s how to make sure your achievements land with the hiring manager:

Quantify the impact. Percentages, pound signs, and days saved turn claims into proof.
Show the before and after. Explain the challenge, then highlight how you solved it and the change you delivered as a result.
Link it to the bigger picture. Make it clear how your work drove growth, reduced risk, or enabled smarter decisions.
Prioritise relevance. Tailor your examples to the role — a sharp, targeted CV beats a list of everything you’ve ever done.