Free CFO skills assessment · 2 minutes
CFO Skills Assessment: would you make it on a CFO’s team?
Nine questions on the practical finance skills I look for when I hire and promote. You get a score out of 100, my honest read, and the three skills I would build first.
Scored by Mohamed Chaudry FCCA · Group CFO · hired and promoted finance teams across 8 countries
What the assessment checks
The six skills I look for when I hire and promote
Qualifications get you the interview. These are what get you trusted with more.
01
Financial modelling
Whether you could build a three-statement model from a blank sheet.
Course: Financial Modelling & Projections02
Business planning
Whether you have written a plan or budget that senior people used to decide.
Course: Business Planning & Commercial Strategy03
Defending the numbers
Whether you can defend the assumptions behind a forecast when challenged.
Course: Pitch Decks & Financial Storytelling04
Investor documents
Whether you have built a pitch deck or teaser that went to investors or a board.
Course: Investment Teasers & Financial Communication05
Investor thinking
Whether you know what an investor is testing when they challenge projections.
Course: Investors & Capital Raising06
Commercial finance
Whether your work today supports real decisions, or stops at reporting.
Course: Funding & Investment ReadinessHow your score works
Four bands, scored on what you have done
Ready for investor thinking and senior commercial judgement.
Reliable practical work, with a few specific gaps to close.
A base to build on, and clear hands-on skills to add.
The right time to build the practical skills qualifications skip.
The score reflects what you have actually done, not what you would like to do, so it is an honest starting point.
What members say
From people working through The CFO Academy
Why I built this
I have hired, trained and promoted finance people for 25 years
The people who move up fastest are not the ones with the most qualifications. They are the ones who can build a model, explain the numbers and defend the assumptions when someone pushes back. This scorecard asks the questions I would ask if you were joining my team.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the CFO Skills Assessment?
The CFO Skills Assessment is a free 9-question scorecard built by Mohamed Chaudry FCCA. It scores the six practical skills he looks for when hiring and promoting finance people, out of 100, and names the three he would build first.
How long does it take and is it free?
About two minutes, and it is completely free. You answer 9 multiple-choice questions, enter your first name and email, and see your score straight away.
Who is it for?
Finance and accounting students, graduates, analysts, financial planning and analysis teams, management accountants, finance managers and controllers who want to move into more commercial, senior or CFO-track roles.
What skills does it check?
Financial modelling, business planning, defending the numbers, investor documents, investor thinking and commercial finance. Each one maps to a course in The CFO Academy.
What do the scores mean?
80 to 100 is Advanced, 60 to 79 Strong, 40 to 59 Building and 0 to 39 Developing. The score reflects what you have done, not what you would like to do, so it is an honest starting point.
What happens after I take it?
You see your score, Mohamed’s read on it and the three skills to build first, each with the course that teaches it. The full Academy is six courses.
Find out where you stand
Two minutes, free, and you see your score straight away.
Take the assessment