Most people think a good CFO is someone good with numbers, but there’s a lot more to the role than simple math. As the highest-ranking financial professional in a company, you help to guide stakeholders through fiscally responsible decisions that line up with the vision of the company, including advising on potential mergers and acquisitions and planning for an initial public offering.
Since you oversee not only the financial department but liaison with all the departments, it's difficult to cram all of your achievements into a single letter. At Enhancv, we’re passionate about teaching people how to share their stories, showcase their achievements, and create a great first impression through their cover letters. We can help you craft a CFO cover letter that catches the attention of a potential employer.
In this article, we will provide you with:
- A thorough look at how to format your CFO cover letter to catch the attention of a hiring manager.
- How to create an impactful introduction that goes above a simple retelling of your resume.
- Ways to highlight your distinct achievements, including your duties both within the finance department and your role as an advisor to the CEO, shareholders, and the board of directors.
- How to harness the psychology behind great stories to build a connection with your reader.
Before you go on, there are other cover letter examples with guides that can be relevant for you:
CFO cover letter example
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- Quantifying Achievements: The cover letter includes specific metrics such as "130% cost reduction" and a "$1.3 billion cost reduction for the company's most valuable clients," which helps to demonstrate the candidate's ability to deliver measurable results.
- Relevance to Role: The candidate effectively tailors the cover letter to the particular role, emphasizing their experience in "risk compliance and financial strategy," which are crucial for a Finance Director position in a wealth management firm.
- Professional Certifications: Mentioning credentials such as "CFE" (Certified Fraud Examiner) and "MBA" (Master of Business Administration) adds credibility and shows that the candidate possesses specialized knowledge and skills relevant to the financial industry.
- Call to Action: The cover letter ends with an invitation to schedule an interview, which is a proactive approach, encouraging the hiring manager to move forward with the hiring process.
How to format a CFO cover letter
In your role as a CFO, you’ve achieved success for your company by refining complex financial processes. During the refinement process, no doubt you’ve taken time to simplify some things to make it easier for people to understand. When you’re sharing complex financial data, it’s always easier to use visuals and components that connect with the reader.
In that same way, it’s important to make sure that your finance director cover letter can connect with a hiring manager. Your cover letter is an opportunity for you to showcase a bit more about who you are, what you’ve achieved, and the unique skills and abilities you bring to an organization.
Below, you will find simple-to-follow instructions on how to format your cover letter:
- Cover letter header: it’s important to include your contact information in your cover letter (address, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile). Also, make sure that your cover letter header information matches your resume. You can also include a picture of yourself.
- Font and Spacing: Always use a professional, HR-approved font, with a legible size (10 point or 12 point font). You may also want to include a 1-inch margin around the outside and don’t be afraid to use white space to make your resume more attractive and easier to read.
If you’re interested in understanding what font to use for your cover letter, choose a modern and easy-to-read font, like Rubik and Roboto. Also you may wish to check that both your resume and cover letter fonts match.
The top sections on a CFO cover letter:
- Header: Contains full name, contact details, and date to ensure quick reference for follow-ups.
- Greeting: Addresses the hiring manager by name, showcasing thoroughness and respect.
- Intro: Your first sentence should grab the attention of the reader. It’s also a great spot to include some of your major quantifiable achievements. Briefly states the CFO experience, setting the tone for relevant expertise.
- Body: A great cover letter goes beyond just the simple information covered in your resume. Instead, it shows how you are the best for the position by listing your skills and expertise. Details key financial accomplishments, strategies implemented, and leadership roles, building a case for expertise.
- Closing: Reaffirms genuine interest in the CFO position and offers an invitation for further discussions.The best closing statements are professional and to the point, Like ‘Thank you’, ‘Sincerely’, ‘Best’, and ‘Respectfully’.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter:
- Strategic Financial Planning: The ability to design long-term financial roadmaps ensures company sustainability and growth.
- Risk Management Expertise: Skilled in identifying potential financial risks, vital for safeguarding company assets.
- Mergers and Acquisitions Experience: Demonstrates the capability to facilitate growth and expand company influence.
- Cross-functional Leadership: Showcases the talent to collaborate with various departments, ensuring financial decisions support overall company objectives.
- Advanced Analytical Skills: Essential for assessing complex financial data and making informed decisions.
- Stakeholder Communication: Proficiency in communicating financial insights to non-financial stakeholders fosters transparency and trust.
How to write your CFO cover letter salutation
A cover letter salutation is an important part of your cover letter, as it allows you to address the letter to a specific person. Letters are a form of communication between two people, and a cover letter is no different. To create a successful cover letter, you need to address it to a specific hiring manager, department head, or recruiter.
One of the most common mistakes when people write their cover letter is to include a generic salutation (“To whom it may concern”) or not customizing it to a specific person (e.g. using Dear Sir or Madam). Not only did they sound bland, but they also show that you haven’t done the proper research to figure out the person you’re applying to.
You may wonder how you can find the name of a recruiter or hiring manager. Here are some steps to locate them:
- Job Application: A tip is to look at the job application and find the contact person who will most likely be the hiring manager or a recruiter. Since the CFO position is such a high-up management position, you may also address your cover letter directly to the CEO.
- Search Google: You can also search Google or the company website to find the specific hiring manager.
- Search the company website: You can also search the company’s website to find the head of the department that you’re applying for.
Once you’ve found the name of that person, address the letter to them. For example, if you discover that the name of the recruiter hiring for the position is Mr. Gibson, then you can address it to “Dear Mr. Gibson”.
How to write your CFO cover letter intro
The introduction paragraph in a cover letter is important because you can either catch the attention of a recruiter or lose it. Think of it as an elevator pitch for yourself, a short, focused time on why you think you’re the best candidate for the position.
It can also be a great place to share why you’re interested in working for the company that you’re applying for. You might mention how the mission and vision of the organization attracted you or maybe it’s their policies to train employees. Look through the job description and the company website to learn more about what makes the company unique and highlight that in your writing.
Whether you choose to talk about yourself or the company you’re applying for, exude confidence and passion for the role of a Chief Financial officer. Try to avoid a simple rehashing of your resume, listing your qualifications without context. Nor should you start your cover letter with a ‘word salad’, a collection of stilted and verbose language that doesn’t achieve your goal. Instead, get right to the point.
What should be included in a compelling cover letter introduction:
- Clearly state the position
- Either briefly introduce yourself or share what you admire about the company
- Express enthusiasm with finance and leadership
- Unique selling proposition: Share what makes you unique and sets you apart from other candidates.
- Use a confident and inviting tone
- Invite further reading: Draw the reader in so that they want to learn more about you.
Pro Tip
In your intro, you may wish to include a story. You can share a personal story about the company or use a story about your work experience to provide a glimpse into your inner motivations.
What’s the issue with this introduction section?
The major issue with this introduction section is that it’s bland, and doesn’t give enough insight into the author of the CFO cover letter nor the reason they’d be applying for the position. In addition, there are no quantifiable examples to pull from to prove that the author is a competent, successful financial expert.
What does this introduction section do right?
It tells a story about the admiration that the author has with the company. No doubt their efforts to create an environmentally sustainable workplace is something that the CEO and the board of directors take a lot of pride in. Maybe the applicant found the article organically by reading the magazine, or maybe they learned about the article through the company’s website. Either way, they connected with their potential employer.
It also shows that many of the key things that XCV Industries cares about are the same things that the author cares about. Building rapport and showing your passion for the vision of the company you’re applying for are both great ways to be remembered and get that coveted interview.
How to write your CFO cover letter body
The cover letter body is the main section of your director of finance cover letter, and it builds on the impact laid out in the introduction.It’s an opportunity to share why you are the most qualified person for the position
It’s also a great place to share how the skills and abilities you’ve gained in your career give you an edge in your role. As you delve into your qualifications and quantify the claims, use data, metrics, dollar figures, and percentages to show how you’ve solved problems, added value, and paved the way to success.
Three tips for quantifying your achievements:
- Create a list of your achievements: When you create a list of major milestones, you can better understand how you’ve made a difference. Scan through your achievements and ask yourself, “In what way did I succeed?” For example, maybe you spearheaded strategic initiatives, but ask yourself what the outcome was. Maybe your efforts led to a 20% increase in annual revenue through market expansion and product diversification.
- Use ranges: Your future employer does not need to know down to the decimal point how much money you saved your company. Instead, round it up. The same goes for percentages. Just list the approximate percentage point, and stay away from clunky decimals (e.g. 25% looks better than 24.675%). You know better than most as a CFO that people have an easier time consuming data which is rounded to a nice, neat whole number.
- Proofread: Check over your answers and make sure there aren’t any spelling mistakes or other issues.
What to avoid in your cover letter body
Avoid the use of excessive jargon, especially industry specific jargon. Also, try not to include any irrelevant details that don’t fit with the role you’re applying for. They don’t need to know that you minored in art in college.
Last, try not to just dump all of your skills into the body with no rhyme or reason. If you’re ever stuck on how to add context to your skills and achievements, consider the STAR method:
STAR stands for:
- Situation: A challenge you’ve faced throughout your career
- Task: Your responsibilities in that given situation
- Action: The steps you took to get to the best result
- Result: The result you achieved with your actions
Using the STAR method when assessing your achievements can add more depth to the writing you create, allowing you to give context to the results. Although you may not have enough space to include all the details, you can certainly use this to help craft the first draft of your CFO cover letter.
Why does this cover letter body fall flat?
It doesn’t have a substantial impact on the reader because it’s vague and generic, never seeming to truly prove the competency of the author. It could be improved through the use of quantifiable data, or elements of a story to weave this together.
What does this body section do well?
There’s an overarching current running through this section, which is that the author helped their previous company to succeed and contributed to their ‘bottom line’. They did this through cost-reduction initiatives. What makes this better than the other example is that each claim is substantiated by a reason for making them a better employee. They’re not only able to manage finances, “but also to identify and capitalize on growth opportunities.”
How to implement psychology and writing tools in your cover letter
According to the American Psychological Society, “We don’t just tell stories, stories tell us. They shape our thoughts and memories, and even change how we live our lives.” We communicate directly through the use of stories and, by including some story elements into your cover letter, you can create a greater impact and cause the reader to empathize with you. Empathy involves a step towards another person, imagining what it’s like in their own unique situation. When a reader connects with your writing, they’ll feel like they already know you even before they met you.
It’s best to combine story elements with data-driven metrics to appeal to both the emotions and logic of the reader. Share your heartfelt desire to create a more efficient organization, and then dig into how you’ve already affected change through major achievements. Having both elements will allow you to establish a stronger connection.
Two ways to build empathy with a reader:
- Start with why: People are always curious about the motivations behind an action. Why did you enter the financial field? What motivates you to do better? These are brilliant questions you can ask and can help you connect with a reader.
- Telling a story: A quick way to connect is by telling a story about something that applies to the job that you’re applying for. Maybe you really respected the company while you were in college or in your MBA program because they were making revolutionary changes in their industry. Maybe you’ve always been an early adopter of their products. Share what makes them unique and why you enjoy them. Try to include personal details that fit the context and are appropriate for the situation.
How to write the closing paragraph
Your closing paragraph should do three things: summarize your main points, thank the reader, and give your reader a call to action (CTA). A CTA is an opportunity to stick your foot in the door and ask for your chance to connect, interview for the position, or meet up to discuss the opportunity further. Don’t squander your opportunity by including a generic “I look forward to hearing from you.”
How to format a CTA in a cover letter:
- Request: Unless you want to come away empty-handed, you need to ask for something. Most likely it’s going to be an interview, but it could also involve scheduling a call.
- Reason: A reason is how you add value to the organization, and this could involve a summary of your main achievements or qualifications
- Thank you: Take the time to thank the reader for reading your CFO cover letter.
Thank you for considering my application for the CFO position at XYZ Robotics. I am eager to discuss in detail how my 15% reduction in operating expenses, 20% increase in annual revenue, and successful debt restructuring can contribute to the financial success of your organization. I am confident that my skills align well with the key qualifications sought for the role. I appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to the opportunity to interview.
Thank you for considering my CFO application. I bring a proven track record, including a 10% reduction in operating expenses, a 15% increase in annual revenue, and a 12% cut in long-term debt through strategic initiatives. These achievements demonstrate my commitment to financial excellence. Confident that my skills align with the key qualifications, I am eager to discuss how I can contribute to XYZ Robotics]'s success in an interview. Your time and consideration are greatly appreciated.
Key takeaways
Aside from meeting for an interview, your cover letter will be the first introduction you have to a hiring manager. That’s why it’s important to tailor your cover letter specifically to the role that you’re applying for. Look at these major takeaways from the article above:
- Format your cover letter header with the same information that you have on your resume.
- Make sure that you quantify all the achievements and skills that you share.
- Include either your motivation or a story about yourself to draw in your reader.
- End your cover letter with a call to action.
