The January Sprint: Why the Premier CFO Roles Won't Wait for Your Bonus

Katie Conga
Jan 2
2 min read

Updated: Jan 8

The Starting Gun Has Fired

Welcome to Q1 2026. While you were enjoying the holidays, Corporate Boards and Private Equity firms were finalizing their strategic headcount for the year. As of this week, those budgets are live, the mandates have been sent to Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, and the boutique firms, and the race is officially on.

In the executive market, January and February are not a marathon; they are a sprint.

Data shows that a disproportionate number of "Tier 1" CFO roles (high equity, clear path to IPO/Exit) are filled in Q1. Why? Because companies want their new financial leadership in place before the end of Q1 to impact the fiscal year.

The "Wait-and-See" Trap

Here is the mistake 90% of your competitors are making right now: They are waiting.

They are waiting for their W2s. They are waiting for the bonus to hit the bank account in March before they even start writing their résumé. They think they are being prudent. In reality, they are making themselves invisible during the most active recruitment window of the year.

By the time they enter the market in April, the "A-List" roles are gone, and they are fighting for the leftovers.

Speed is a Strategy

To land a seat at the best tables in 2026, you need Speed to Market. Executive recruiters are currently building their "long lists." They are scouring LinkedIn and their databases right now. If your profile is outdated, generic, or fails to position you as a modern, strategic CFO, you aren't just losing an interview—you are being filtered out before you even know the role exists.

The Cost of "Good Enough"

In a Q1 market, "good enough" is a career killer. When a search firm has 50 viable candidates for a $500k+ role, they look for reasons to say no.

Résumé focuses too much on tasks? No.
LinkedIn profile doesn't match the résumé? No.
Lack of clear, quantified commercial impact? No.

You cannot afford to test the market with a "V1" draft. You need to enter the market with a "Board-Ready" brand that forces the recruiter to put you on the shortlist immediately.