Today’s finance professionals are expected to excel in communication and cross-functional collaboration. Strong finance candidates deliver accurate financial insights and also translate complex data into actionable recommendations for non-finance stakeholders.

ATHENA Consulting helps organizations identify and attract finance professionals who can combine technical skill with interpersonal effectiveness. Here’s how to evaluate these critical skills during the hiring process.

Why Communication and Cross-Functional Skills Matter in Finance

Finance teams are no longer isolated departments the way they were in decades past. They now interact with sales, operations, marketing, and leadership to provide insights that drive business decisions. Poor communication or an inability to collaborate can lead to a medley of issues, such as misaligned priorities across departments or misinterpretation of financial data. Ultimately, that means decision-making processes are slower or disrupted and the organization’s effectiveness is lowered.

Evaluating finance candidates for these skills ensures they can bridge the gap between numbers and business strategy, improving organizational performance and keeping departments on the same page.

1. Look for Evidence in Past Experience

When reviewing resumes and conducting interviews, pay special attention to:

• Roles requiring cross-department collaboration
• Experience presenting financial results to non-finance audiences
• Participation in strategic projects beyond standard reporting

Candidates who have led initiatives or worked on multi-department projects often have strong cross-functional skills. Ask candidates to provide concrete examples of times they explained complex financial data to other teams or influenced decisions based on their analysis.

2. Assess Communication Skills During the Interview

Interview questions are an excellent way to evaluate communication ability. Some potential questions to ask would be:

• “Describe a time you had to present financial data to a team unfamiliar with finance. How did you ensure they understood?”
• “Have you ever had to negotiate a solution between finance and another department? How did you handle it?”

Observe the content of their answers and how clearly and confidently they convey ideas. Effective finance professionals should be able to simplify complex concepts without sacrificing accuracy.

3. Use Case Studies or Simulations

Another way to assess communication and cross-functional skills is through practical exercises.

• Case Study Presentations: Give candidates a financial scenario and ask them to present their findings to a hypothetical cross-functional audience.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Simulate a meeting with stakeholders from different departments and evaluate how the candidate navigates conflicting priorities.

These exercises reveal how candidates structure their thoughts and work with diverse perspectives.

4. Evaluate Soft Skills

Soft skills are critical indicators of a candidate’s ability to thrive in collaborative environments. Look for active listening to ensure they ask clarifying questions or acknowledge the perspective of other team members. Also take note of whether or not they can empathize with challenges faced by colleagues in other departments.

Behavioral interview questions and reference checks can help uncover these qualities.

5. Prioritize Continuous Learning and Adaptability

Finance is an evolving field, with new tools, regulations, and business models emerging constantly. Candidates who embrace learning and demonstrate flexibility are often better collaborators.

Ask candidates how they stay current with industry trends. Also request some examples of how they’ve adapted their approach in the past to working with other departments.

Strong candidates show curiosity, openness, and the ability to pivot when necessary.

Interview With the Long-Term Future in Mind

Ultimately, the most impactful professionals can communicate insights clearly, collaborate across functions, and influence decision-making at all levels of an organization.

ATEHNA Consulting helps organizations attract and evaluate top finance talent who can balance technical expertise with strong communication and collaboration skills.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you build a finance team that drives both accuracy and impact.