Applicant Tracking System Uncovered SmartRecruiters

Applicant Tracking System Uncovered SmartRecruitersPosted on October 13, 2014March 29, 2019 by Trista Winnie An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is a software application used by recruiters and hiring managers to store, sort, and search through resumes.There are numerous applicant tracking systems on the market, and they all function a bit differently. This post offersan in-depth look at one specificATS SmartRecruiters.SmartRecruiters, headquartered in San Francisco, welches founded by Jerome Ternynck in 2010. Its used by more than 70,000 companies, including General Mills, Booking.com, OfficeMax, 1-800-FLOWERS, PRG, Goodwill, and even The Onion.I used10 sample resumes to run through the recruiting process for one joband discovered several things that job seekers should do, positiv a few things to avoid. To start Avoid using periods in place of dashes when formatting numerical information. The system didnt recognize phone numbers written as 555.555.5555, or employment dates written as 9.27.2014.For more details and advice, read onParsed informationSmartRecruiterssupports numerous file types, including some that canleid be read by other applicant tracking systems DOC, RTF, PPT, ODT, TXT, PDF, PDF with image inside, and TIFF.AnATS scans a resume in the format in which it was submitted, then takes the relevant information and plugs it into the right categories in its database (that is, it puts the applicants contact information in the systems spot for contact information, the applicants education details in the systems slot for education, and so on). At least, thats the idea. In practice, this doesnt happen perfectly.This is how the header of a candidate profile appears in SmartRecruiters (identifying information removed).There seemed to be two main things that threw off SmartRecruiters ability to recognize relevant information and assign it to the right space in the system. One was the terms used for section headers, and one was the reservierung of information within each section.Section headers include things such as Work Experience and Education. But many of the resumes submitted usednon-standard section headers, includingFurther TrainingSkills ExpertiseTechnology SummaryTechnology SnapshotIT ExperiencePresentationsProjectsUnique Skills and InterestsWhile these section headers might be intuitive to a human reader, they are unlikely to be recognized by an ATS. As a result, SmartRecruiters lumped the information in these sections into the Work Experience and Education sections, seemingly at random. Some of the candidates who used the above section headers wound up having crucial information from their resumes completely omitted from their profiles in the ATS.Using a quirky section header can throw off an ATS and result in a muddled or incomplete candidate profile.One candidate included a brief company description after the anthroponym of the company he worked at, with his job title and details of his role following the company descriptio n. The ATS showed the company name in the right place, but instead of prominently displaying the job title next to the company nameas the system is supposed to dothe job title was lumped in with the company description and details of the role. Company descriptions can be quite useful, both as an opportunity to use relevant resume keywords and to give recruiters a sense of the settings a candidate has worked in (for example, an employer might want candidates with previous start-up or non-profit experience). Just remember to include them after listing the company name, your job title, and your employment dates. Use Jobscan for an analysis of how well your resume uses targeted keywords.The second role here is missing the job title header because the candidate listed it after a company description.SmartRecruiters was not able to recognize any phone numbers written with periods in place of parentheses or dashesthat is, the ATS could identify (555) 555-5555 and 555-555-5555 as phone numbe rs, but not 555.555.5555. Similarly, it did not recognize dates when written as 1.1.2014. Writing out numerical information using periods is common in Europe, and others do so for aesthetic purposes. But because contact information and employment dates are are two of the most important pieces of information on a resume, its crucial to format them in a way the ATS will recognize.Search function and filtersThe search tool is as simple as any other search tool online, though the results are not always predictable. The search tool is what allows the employer to look for candidates whose resumes contain particular keywords. Bachelors and BS returned different batches of candidates. BBA returned no results, even though one candidate abbreviated his degree in that format on his resume. Project manager and project management returned different batches of candidates. Customer and client returned different batches of candidates. Product and products returned different batches of candidates.On the other hand, develop, developer and development all returned the same candidates.The results of a search for project management (identifying information removed).Punctuation didnt seem to matter masters and masters returned the same results. (Keep in mind thatits not safe to assume that recruiters will type in the correct form of every term.)In plus-rechnen to entering search terms, the system also has several filters. Applicants can be sorted by location, by rating, by status, and by tags. The rating is a simple one-star to five-star scale, with ratings for each candidate manually entered by a SmartRecruiters user. There are no concrete guidelines for choosing a rating, though presumably each recruiter comes up with their own rubric for rating candidates. Once a candidate is rated, others involved in hiring for that job can weigh in by agreeing or disagreeing with the rating. With each rating, there is space for a note of explanation. Status simply refers to how far along in th e hiring pipeline a given candidate is. SmartRecruiters divides it into eight categories lead, new, in-review, bewerbungsgesprch, offered, hired, rejected, and withdrawn. Tags are optional recruiters can create any tags they want, and apply them to the candidate of their choice. These tags can be used as custom filters, allowing recruiters to group candidates together by skill, status, or other criteria.Recruiters can choose between friendly and formal templates when sending rejection emails.If a candidate applies to more than one fleck within a company, SmartRecruiters only considers them for one job at a time. They are added to the candidate pool for the first job they apply to, and the system alerts the recruiter when they apply to other positions at the company. The recruiter must manually re-assign the candidate to another job. So if you are considering more than one role at a company, the safest bet is to apply first to the role that interests you most.For recruitersFrom Smart Recruiters, recruiters can choose which job motherboards to post to there is list of dozens. Most will post jobs for 30, 45, or 60 days. The cost ranges from free (for the first time a recruiters posts on a particular site) up to $495. Some also offer the option to create a featured or sponsored job.The job boards listed range from the big ones everyone knows (Craigslist,LinkedIn, Monster, and CareerBuilder) to niche boards (VeteranCareer.org, FlexJobs, and iCrunchData, among others).The various job boards are ranked according to the number of candidates received per posting, and by ratings from other recruiters. One job board that charges among the highest fees per job postingDice, at $495 for one 30-day posthas a one-star rating (on a scale of one to five stars, one being low and five being high). In contrast, Indeed is one of the most highly-rated job boards (Expect a lot of volume. Good reach, according to one review), while only charging $150 for a sponsored job listing.Takeawa ysAfter trying SmartRecruiters, these are the main takeaways I discovered for job seekersUse straightforward formatting.Arrange information based on function, not stylistic choices or emphasis. In order for an ATS to correctly parse the information in your resume, it needs to be able to find key informationsuch as job titles and contact informationin the expected places.Choose standard or traditional section headers. If you dont, your profile within the ATS is likely to be full of blanks, or to have crucial information lumped in with other things. That could lead to the system or the recruiter passing over your resume.Use synonyms throughout your resume. Uniformity is a virtue in many instances, especially when it comes to resumes, but not when dealing withapplicant tracking systems. Including similar or synonymous terms such asRegistered Nurse and RN will increase your chances of getting noticed.Plan carefully when applying to more than one position within a company. SmartRecruiter s only allows applicants to be considered for one job at a time, and automatically enters applicants into the candidate pool for the first job they apply for. To be considered for another position, the employer must manually move you to the candidate pool for another job.Finally, you can boostyour chances of landing an interview by testing your resume with Jobscan before you apply. Jobscan will analyze your resume and the job description side by side and rate how well your resume is tailored for the job, andsuggest improvements you can make.See also8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking SystemsFacebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

The Dirty Truth About Msu Writing Lab Resume

The Dirty Truth About Msu Writing Lab Resume Msu Writing Lab Resume the Ultimate Convenience Employers now anticipate a letter that is centered on your interest in the organization and the way you fit the job. Sessions with experienced writing consultants are made to give help on every element of the writing process, with the aim of enabling writers to attain long-term improvement, confidence, and independence. By joining our research group, youre going to be working with researchers committed to psychological investigations related to real-world issues. Choosing Good Msu Writing Lab Resume The functional resume is organized by every skill and typically limited to two or three general areas in buchen to not overwhelm the possible employer. Teaching-focused community college CVs may additionally have a research section, but will consist of limited detail. Be certain to include a succinct description of the essence of your research experiences and what youve learned from them. For instance, skills like customer support, writing, communication, or organization are widely used in functional resume. In truth, it requires loads of writing skills, understanding of format and distinctive guidelines of admissions resume writing. Mandatory worldwide student orientation is going to be held the very first week before the start of classes. In order to provide all students the chance to use our writing tutors, students are limited to one Writing Center appointment daily. Students in high school sometimes takes a look at every section of a resume to assist plan for their career. Writing tutors are offered by email. Conventions of Scientific Writing In each area, there are particular parts that need to be written in a given way. The scores go straight to MSU, and that means you truly dont require a department code anymore. The Chronicles of Msu Writing Lab Resume When you first begin using either the MLA or APA documentation style, you might feel overwhelm ed by the intricacy of the style and by the many rules that pertain only to certain sources. Citing your work can be complicated, so to give you a hand, here are a couple of resources you may use while writing your next paper. You are then going to be given authorization to file your assignment. Therefore, using resume writing templates that provide sequential writing format will help you to get noticed. Students may submit the exact same paper up to three times if its revised significantly between submissions. Instead, the feedback will make it possible for you to reflect and use the thorough comments to revise and polish your paper. You may submit any paper for virtually any class or subject, if youd like to obtain feedback on the way that it is written. Generally, your undergraduate paper is going to be reviewed and went back to you within a day.

Definitions of Resuem

Definitions of Resuem Who Else Wants to Learn About Resuem? Have another person do the exact same. You could also Sample resumes. Your probability of getting the job can become very slim when it happens. Dont make the error of answering each job posting with the exact generic resume. For starters, the resumes owner employs full sentences instead of sentence fragments. In a couple of sentences youll be able to tell us a lot The speed by which youre ready to comprehend sentences remains measured and theres still uncertainty in your selection of words. Once youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to learn how to vary the usage of action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. Every trade position has a certain set of skills which are needed at work and its vital that you highlight your technical training in your resume. Luckily, there are tons of different tactics to demonstrate youve got the abilities a nd qualities essential to thrive in an advertising position. Various kinds of work in the food tafelgeschirr industry require resumes with a number of the exact same skills. There are many benefits of listing your work experience by skill category as opposed to by employer. If thats the case, make certain your descriptions reflect that information. The sample reference page provided here can readily be adapted to satisfy your requirements. Consider what sections and data youd love to include before you begin. Be sure your contact information is accurate. There are a lot of resume strategies to master which will help you land the job that you desire. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in contrast to traditional hiring methods. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. There are lots of standard kinds of resumes used to make an application for job openings. Volunteer experience is also a great add-on to hea lthcare resumes since it shows the hiring manager which you have compassion off the work too. Your jobs might be varied, your experience and abilities vast, and it can be hard getting it all on paper. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a special type of work for some period of time. Transportation jobs involve plenty of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can deal with that. Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that will allow you to get your fantasy job. You should compose your statement in a means which makes the recruiter see the way the skill will profit the business. A recruiter would like to observe the results that youve achieved in previous positions, as it speaks to the potential you need to do well in the role for which theyre attempting to fill. In truth, its not that hard as it might appear to be. If you dont want to use a resume objective, you can merely use a heading below your name that indicates the sort of job that you want to apply for. There are a few things that dont belong on a resume for work. Understanding how to start can be the largest challenge and looking at examples can be quite useful. The area of information technology gets more important daily. Below, you will locate a list of resume examples that may assist you with your work search. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously provide you an advantage. Everything about your resume is selling one product you and if you are wanting to work in retail, you will need to prove that you understand just what is necessary to sell yourself. Its high-quality PSD file is totally customizable. Writing a strong application is a challenging procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Its content-packed layout is fantastic for engaging employers with several facts, from experience to education. Notice how the example resumes are extremely specific when it has to do with technical skills.

Affording to Take an Unpaid Internship

Affording to Take an Unpaid InternshipAffording to Take an Unpaid InternshipYouve just found the perfect internship that you know will provide just the right experience that you need to get a job in your chosen field after graduation. You have a place to stay and the internship offers a chance to get hands-on experience working with some very knowledgeable and well-respected professionals in the field. It all sounds perfect except for one thing, the internship listing you found says that the internship is unpaid. Since you know there is no way that you could even consider applying for an internship that is unpaid since it is essential that you make money over the summer to help defray some of the costs of college while making a little spending money to use over the summer and once you return to college. The frustration of finding the perfect internship is a dilemma that many college students face. To make matters worse, the dilemma of the unpaid internship as well as those organizati ons that say the internship must be done for credit are unforebinnenseen obstacles that many students werent aware of prior to looking for an internship. Students who do an internship for credit over the summer often have to pay college tuition in order to receive college credit. Consequently, taking an unpaid internship, especially if its an internship for credit, can become quite costly for students. Its important for you to research your options to see if taking an unpaid internship is the best course of action. Doing an internship for credit over the summer can be costly as well so you might want to see if the organization will waive the requirement or if your college offers 1 or 2 credit for an internship which can provide substantial savings. Internships during fall or spring semester usually are rolled in with the semester and dont require any additional costs. If a lack of financial resources is holding you back from applying for what you see as the perfect internship, take a look at some of the strategies listed below to see if you are able to come up with a solution. The key is elend to give up prior to exploring all options. Paid Vs. Unpaid Internships The majority of paid internships are usually found in the business world. Students interested in finance (investment and commercial banking, venture capital, accounting), information technology, marketing and sales, and entertainment will often get the best paid internships. Keep in mind that many sales positions consist mainly of cold calling of which salary is based on percentage of results, a multi-level marketing or sales internship may not hold the financial rewards that are listed in the internship description. Recently more organizations are offering at least a modest stipend in order to get the most talented students to apply. Unpaid internships can be valuable for those students who can afford to do them. Gaining the relevant skills required for getting hired in the field along with maki ng connections with professionals in the field can be invaluable. It is important to base your decision on not doing an unpaid internship more on financial need than on the principle that you refuse to work for nothing. Does your College have a funded internship program? Many colleges and universities have started programs in order to help students who want to pursue an unpaid internship. Several years ago the small liberal arts college where I work began to offer a number of funded internships. Each student receives $2500 to help defray costs and expenses over the summer. The goal of these internships was to provide access to all students to be able to get experience in their field of interest especially if they didnt have the financial resources to complete an unpaid internship. The Program has grown exponentially over the past three years and we are looking to expand it even further in the future. It has become a major endeavor of the College since providing a quality educat ion for all students with equal access to resources is an important part of the Colleges Mission. Check with the Career Services Office at your College to see if they have a similar program and, if not, you may recommend that they looking into ways that they could fund several internships just to get started. Many internships are funded by alumni, parents, and friends of the College. Research Individual Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships on the Web There are many organizations and foundations who provide grants for students seeking to gain relevant work experience by completing an internship in their field of study while they are in college.Scholarshipsare awarded to many individualsbytypebased on personal experience and professional pursuits. Often scholarships are awarded for some unique attribute or interest of the student and there are thousands of unique opportunities that exist. For example,Green Scholarshipsare awarded to students interested in protecting the environme nt, who want to gain experience in the field, or who actually plan on working on an environmental project during college or immediately upon graduation. Whatever you or your familys situation or uniqueness, there may be available grant money offered through the federal or state government, organizations, and/or foundations. Is There a Chance That a Family Member or Friend Would Contribute Money in Order for You to Do an Unpaid Internship? You may be able to receive a donation or a loan from family or close friends if they believe that the internship you are planning to do will help you to get started in your career without incurring any additional debt. They may see it as providing a resource that could provide a big pay-off in the end. Especially when we are in the throes of a challenging job market, the value of doing an internship can be the deciding factor between getting hired or not immediately after graduation. Competition is fierce for new graduates in a down job market and not having therelevant experiencethat employers are looking for can be a definite detriment to getting hired anytime soon. Financial Aid Options You may apply for additional financial aid if you have reason to believe that you will need to do an unpaid internship in order to gain the experience you will need to get hired. This is not the ideal situation and should be explored if you feel there are no other options. Of course discussing your finances with a professional should be considered when taking on any additional debt. Apply for a Part-time Job Many students will combine a part-time job with an unpaid internship. Since many internships can be done part-time, coupling that with a part-time job may not be such a bad idea. Combining a job with an internship may give you the best of both worlds relevant experience in your chosen field along with some money to help pay for some of your college costs and other incidentals. Being Proactive and Checking Out Options Is Well Worth the Effort Gaining relevant experience and developingprofessional connectionswith professionals in your field are two of the most important aspects of completing an internship. Once you complete your internship, the experience you gained can be used to help you build a strong and effective resume. Checking out some or all of the various options that may permit you to do the perfect unpaid internship is well worth the effort. Remember we are talking about a very short time-frame that can make a huge difference in your career. By taking a proactive stance you will be capitalizing on your education while seeking ways that you can compliment it by creating a bridge between the academic and real world by doing an internship.

Tips for Compassionate Employee Layoffs

Tips for Compassionate Employee LayoffsTips for Compassionate Employee LayoffsLaying off your employees is sometimes an unavoidable cost of doing business. There are some ways to take the sting out of the message, though. Follow these tips to help smooth the transition and prevent ill-will. Be Professional With a Personal Touch Never tell your employees that they are being let go for any reason in an open or staff meeting, email, or in a memo. Treat your employees with dignity and respect a supervisor or someone from upper management or human resources should sit down personally with each employee individually and explain to them why they are being let go. Being laid off hurts being treated like cattle hurts even mora, and it will hurt the reputation of your company. Offer Parting Contacts, Information, and Resources When you let employees go, do not let them go empty-handed. Give them printouts for resources for employment counseling, unemployment, job training, and local sm all business development organizations. If you offer health insurance benefits, 401K Plans, etc. be sure to provide information about COBRA and any requirements or restrictions on transferring retirement accounts or other savings. Because losing a job can cause emotional turmoil, you might also consider including contact information for a suicide or depression hotline. Providing information and contacts for other employment prospects shows that you care what happens to someone after they leave your employment. Dont Terminate Employees on Fridays or Mondays Think about the person you are letting go and your industry will it be hard for them to find new work? That is likely the first thing terminated employees think about after being let go. If you let people go without any prior notice on a Friday or the day before a holiday the former employee cannot even make calls to begin networking for a new job. Employees who have been let go on a Friday tend to stew over their situation ( especially if they are used to working in a corporate Monday-Friday work environment). When laid-off workers cannot begin making calls about other jobs they are more likely to become depressed, commit suicide, or angry enough to act out in vengeance against an employer when laid off later in the week or just before a holiday. Statistics show that people adjust better to changes in employment when told as early as possible in the work week when depression and suicide are considered. Suicide statistics rate Wednesday (24%) as the day someone is most likely to take their life with Saturday and Monday tied for second place (and more people end the lives in springtime more than any other season). Perhaps this is why Best Buy lays off most workers on Tuesdays so frequently, in fact, that employees now refer to all Tuesdays as Termination Tuesdays. When to lay someone off is a decision that needs to be made on a case-by-case basis. However, the consensus among human resource experts is to avoid Friday layoffs and to terminate people mid-week to allow them a couple of days to regroup before the weekend hits. Always Give Your Employees Notice or Severance Pay Never let someone go without at least two weeks notice (one month is even better) or without giving them severance pay. As an employer, you have some responsibility to consider the financial hardship that might be created for any employee you let go (except those who are fired for company violations or poor job performance). It is difficult enough for someone who loses their job, but when they lose income without warning and cannot find other work, they may lose health care benefits, a car, or even their home. If your company can afford to offer severance pay, do so. If you cannot afford to offer a severance package, always try to give advance notice to employees that their job is being eliminated. The rule of thumb is that it takes an average of one month for every $10,000 a worker earns to find a new job. In a difficult economy, it could take 2-3 times longer. Most companies will also pay out any unused sick or vacation time in addition to severance pay. Be Prepared to Listen and to React You cannot predict how someone will take the news that they are being let go. Some employees are stoic, while others may cry, become angry, or even make threats. When you sit down with someone to let them know that they are losing their job, make sure someone else in management knows you are meeting with that person. If you have any hesitations about letting someone go, have another management employee sit in the room with you for support (for you, and the employee). Give the employee an exit interview either face-to-face or on through an Internet resource. Exit interviews are usually questionnaires that may be used to gain information about how a company can improve its work environment and retain more employees, but exit interviews also give unhappy employees a chance to vent, and in some cases, even find closure after a job loss. Employees who have devoted their work life to help you meet your business objective should be treated with compassion and a show of appreciate if you need to let them go.

Nurse Consultant Job Description

Nurse Consultant Job DescriptionNurse Consultant Job DescriptionNurse Consultant Job DescriptionThis nurse consultant sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements.Nurse Consultant Job ResponsibilitiesProvides healthcare consultations and technical advice by investigating malpractice claims identifying meritorious cases avoiding non-rewarding litigation locating reliable, authoritative experts preparing conclusive cases.Nurse Consultant Job DutiesSupports healthcare providers, organizations, and patients by completing investigations for attorneys, physicians, insurance and accreditation organizations, health professionals, private investigators, injured and third parties providing risk-prevention methodologies.Develops medical malpractice claims information by investigating hospital, nursing home, physici an and nursing negligence claims providing unbiased opinions determining merits of legal or accreditation actions.Provides medical records information by completing initial review and liability assessment identifying health care providers preparing releases and letters to obtain complete medical records, x-rays, and billings organizing, chronologically summarizing, analyzing, and indexing medical records and billings preparing a timeline of events transcribing handwritten chart/record notes preparing tables, charts, and graphs of data recommending and preparing documents for review by the expert advisory panel.Identifies potential medical personnel/witnesses by deciphering names from medical documents locating important witnesses interviewing witnesses suggesting list of deponents scheduling and summarizing depositions reviewing and assisting attorney in preparation of preliminary and final witness lists.Identifies medical experts by recommending areas of expertise to be consulted o btaining and providing a list of potential experts locating specifically named experts (defense and/or plaintiff) researching backgrounds of experts obtaining curriculum vitaes interacting with experts preparing documents for review by experts maintaining reference notebook on experts.Completes medical research by utilizing personal knowledge, experience, reference library, and internet defining and interpreting medical language defining and interpreting medical procedures defining and interpreting medical-hospital/office policies.Supports case presentation by drafting interrogatories and admissions preparing slides, spreadsheets, charts, and graphs based on investigative findings.Maintains legal and accreditation compliance by adhering to policy positions concerning federal, state, and local regulations, and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards anticipating emerging issues.Improves quality results by studying, evaluating, and re-designing processes implementing changes.Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities reading professional publications maintaining personal networks participating in professional organizations.Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.Nurse Consultant Skills and QualificationsNursing Skills, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Hospital Environment, Procedural Skills, Informing Others, Verbal Communication, Documentation Skills, Functional and Technical Skills, Perspective, Use of Medical Technologies, Medical TeamworkEmployers Post a job in minutes to reach candidates everywhere. Job Seekers Search Nurse Consultant Jobs and apply on now. Learn more about recruitingVideo Todays Recruiting LandscapeHow to Hire Lifelong LearnersOptimize the Job Title in your Job Description

Why Finance Leaders Should Master and Promote Collaboration

Why Finance Leaders Should Master and Promote CollaborationWhy Finance Leaders Should Master and Promote CollaborationEffective workforce collaboration is a priority for any geschftliches miteinander that wants to build more cohesive and productive teams and drive innovation. But two areas where collaboration really matters, but at times languishes, are at the senior management level and in the finance function.Obviously, CFOs and other finance executives have an opportunity to improve collaboration in both areas. Mastering collaboration with your peers in the business, as well as encouraging your team to share ideas and skills and work in a more unified way with each other, is good for your organization as well as your career. Heres whyFinance leaders help drive business and digital strategy successIn the not so distant past, CFOs and their teams werent typically asked to provide input on helping the business set goals and shape strategy - at least, not directly. Thats changing fas t, as companies embark on transformative programs like digitalization and automation that require a lot of cross-departmental collaboration, cooperation and coordination.Successful financial executives maintain a big-picture outlook and excellent relationship-building skills, says Tim Hird, executive director of Management Resources. In particular, CFOs are playing a larger role in business transformation and technology investments and driving change management.As an example, collaboration between the CFO and chief information officer (CIO), especially in the early phases of IT project planning, can lead to better alignment between finance and IT agendas and understanding of risks. Technology initiatives, from cloud migrations to business systems upgrades, can impact every business unit within companies today. CIO and CFO collaboration can pave the way for smoother integration of new systems and processes and help ensure the business realizes value from those investments and achieve s transformation goals.CFO and CIO collaboration appears to be blossoming in many firms, too In a recent survey by our company, 41 percent of CFOs said they collaborate very well with the CIO. However, nearly half (46 percent) of CFOs say they collaborate even better with another C-suite colleague the CEO.Finance executives collaborate well with chief executivesThe fact that CFOs and CEOs are working together well in most organizations is positive, of course. As Hird explains, A dysfunctional relationship with the CEO, in particular, nearly dooms a company from the start.It can also undermine a CFOs chance to take the reins of leadership at the firm when the opportunity arises. In more businesses today, finance executives are tapped to become the CEO. Its a job many aspire to mora than 60 percent of CFOs in a Management Resources survey said they are motivated to reach this level at some point in their career.Getting there will depend, in part, on their relationship with other senio r executives - and not just the CEO. A CEO needs to be well-versed in all aspects of an organization, including production, sales and marketing, IT, research and development, and human resources. By collaborating with other executives, motivated CFOs can better broaden their business acumen and develop a big-picture mentality. And it wouldnt hurt to have the support of your peers as you aspire to the top.The CFOs relationship with the chairman of the board can also be a factor in whether he or she ascends to the CEO chair. However, according to Robert Halfs research, only 29 percent of financial executives report that they collaborate very well with the board chair.Its not altogether uncommon for CFOs to struggle to collaborate with board chairs. Says Melissa Shipman, vice president, Managed Business Services, for Management Resources, The board is more removed from business operations but still has high expectations for the C-suite to execute. The CFO is often on point to explain the organizations results, which may not meet the boards expectations.Tips for improvementEstablishing and maintaining an ongoing and meaningful dialogue with the board, particularly with the board chair, certainly cant hurt and should be a priority for CFOs. But finance leaders also must prioritize building bonds with other executives.Shipman says, CFOs will find their C-suite peers are tuned-in with the day-to-day realities of the business and can collaborate effectively with them.To enhance collaboration with those peers, CFOs shouldAsk for input. Bring C-suite peers early into key initiatives that are on your plate and ask for their ideas, advice and expertise.Be a resource. Let colleagues know youre available to provide a financial perspective on key initiatives and discuss your departments projects and how they affect others.Prioritize information-sharing. Meet with nonfinance executives regularly to give updates on your priorities and challenges. Your peers may have ideas you can implement.Also, be proactive about networking internally. Make the point to bestattungs lunch or coffee with your peers to build rapport and gain a better sense of how you can work together effectively. Use these meetings to share best practices for building cohesiveness in your respective teams, and for identifying opportunities to cross-collaborate.See our infographic to find out which other executives CFOs say they collaborate with most effectively - and which pairings could use more development.