No one to look up to

More than half of Canadian CFOs have never had a mentor

If you’ve ever wondered if the chief financial officer is lonely in her office, the answer might be yes, but chances are she is used to it. Fifty-one per cent of CFOs polled recently said they never had a mentor, either formally or informally.

The survey, by staffing service Accountemps, includes responses from more than 270 CFOs from Canadian companies with more than 20 employees.

“While talent and dedication are sometimes all that are required to advance professionally, having a mentor can help pave the way to career success,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps.

Fifty-two per cent of the respondents who had been lucky enough to have a mentor felt that the single greatest benefit of the relationship was having a confidant or advisor. The insight gained into a particular field or industry was most important to 23 per cent and receiving encouragement and a morale boost was most important to 19 per cent. Two per cent valued the introductions to key networking contacts, while two per cent didn’t know or couldn’t choose just one benefit to having a mentor.

“The benefits of having a mentor shouldn’t be underestimated, particularly for those who are just starting their careers. An experienced advisor can provide insight into office protocol and how to handle sensitive situations – areas that aren’t necessarily taught in school but are essential to career success,” Messmer added.

Encouraging mentoring relationships doesn’t have to mean a lot of work for the HR department.

“These relationships don’t have to be formal; new employees can learn from observing those they admire and periodically seeking their advice.”

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