I don't believe we've posted a job on the homepage since.... ever. So this is sort of a big deal for us.
Remember, yesterday when we showed the organization chart and mentioned we were growing? Well, SparkFun Electronics has gotten big enough that we’re looking for someone with financial experience to add to our roster of geeks. So, we’re seeking an experienced finance person to help guide the company as it grows from small to mid-size at a fast pace. We're looking for a director of finance. You know, one of those people to help us look into the murky crystal ball and attempt to tell the future.
We are told that it is normal to be looking for candidates with 10+ years experience in unfinished goods retail, technology assembly, with some years of that experience in eCommerce. An MBA or an advanced degree in Accounting or Finance is a plus. CPA designation is also preferred. We welcome the discussion as to why we should be asking for something different, and why you could fulfill this different set of criteria, should you wish to be considered as a candidate, but not possess the above characteristics. Detail, examples, and back-up documentation are highly encouraged.
Our ideal candidate would have pre-existing knowledge of SparkFun and our odd ways. They would have experience (even as a CFO) in larger companies ($50M+) so that they can help guide us through the potholes that we could be about to hit. They would understand the balance of work and play, but wake up each morning excited to see what the day's financial reports would contain. We know we're aiming high.
To read the full job description, please checkout our Craigslist post. Are you the right fit? Know someone who would be? We're casting the net pretty wide with a really small mesh in an attempt to find a stellar person to help us out.
Did I mention you get a free hoodie with this fancy logo on it after you've worked for six weeks? C'mon!
Note: All the nitty gritty details are in our Craigslist post and I'm happy to answer questions. I know most readers are going to know the answers to the questions within the Craigslist post. If you divulge answers to questions, I will change your comment to 'I love the TI-89!' (Hey - that's great! Me too!). Please understand we're trying to filter out applicants. If we're asking the wrong questions, what would you ask to try to find a CFO type that fits with SparkFun?
I love the TI-89!
my TRS-80 with thermal printer probably has more power :-D
http://wtfmoogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSCN5402.jpg
That's kinda hot. In a very geeky way of course.
I had an 82, an 86, and an 89, and I honestly didn't like the 89 as much as the 86. It just felt a little too fancy (though its ability to integrate/differentiate was priceless)
The 89 is pretty cool, but the screens on all TI calculators are pieces of crap, with NO BACKLIGHT.
And yeah, I saw that XKCD last week. Unfortunately, it's true.
You really just wrote that didn't you? My own joke used against me. Touch? Mr. Mega. Touch
HA! Love the TI-89 reference :)
and now for something NOT completely different (another geek reference):
http://www.xkcd.org/768/
Sparky should be the first community/open source business to open source their accounting. Publish the balance sheet & have the community balance it.
ACCOUNTING DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!
I dont' know why but I feel that this idea may back fire.
Interesting. One of the things that I love about SparkFun is that it is a small business with "odd ways." With that in mind, I think the applicant must endure 2 days of Questions and Answers in a public SparkFun Forum prior to an offer.
Might I suggest posting the opening on StartUpHire: http://www.startuphire.com. It's free to post, and it might help, and certainly can't hurt.
Wait...would that invalidate the "We are not a start-up" statement in the posting?
Wow - Finance and Accounting never seemed like it could be fun before... I'm still confident that I'm on the right side of the business, but it's nice to know that Sparkfun will save the soul of at least one bean counter out there.
I am a bean counter and my soul has been saved by SparkFun. Coming out of public accounting, the atmosphere at SFE is the complete opposite but it's that atmosphere that actually drives me to work harder than before.
Also, accounting is kind of fun from time to time. Usually when you find ways to make things more efficient or solve a crisis. :)
opened the zip text file too-nice password
too bad it's not an engineering offer... i'm still game for that, by the way ;-)
I love my Voyage 200 (TI-89 on steroids)
I actually interviewed at a company just across the street from SFE a month ago. I was incredibly excited to potentially be brining home new parts every day after work. But then my previous company offered to double my salary and let me work from home. So I'm stuck in the living room gazing wistfully toward the reservoir from Boulder. Ahh c'est la vie.
Dang. How I wish I was qualified. Do not suppose you guys will be looking for any one with advertising experience any time soon? ;)
It must be a buyer's market when it comes to employees these days; $70K would normally be a pretty low salary for a CFO of a company the size of SFE. Unless, of course, they get a free TI-89 for coming on board.
Anyway, I just hope that you let your loyal customers be first in line for SFE stock when your IPO comes out.
I'm not qualified to apply but I'm nosy - Thus I noticed that the zip file posted at the end of your craigslist ad is password protected...
Perhaps that was on purpose?
Qualified applicants will possess a fine attention to detail. ;-)
Whoop! Just figured out the password on the .zip file; thanks for the "Congratulations!" I wish you guys the best in finding a CFO (and my commiserations to HR for having to go through 200 apps)!
Hehe, I figured it out too :D
I made a robot which can count beans. He has yet to be the CFO of a major corporation, though.
If you can make him self-destruct after counting the beans, "eating" them, needing to count them again after they just roll out his backside, then it sounds like a prime entry for our Antimov competition this October!
I have a shiny black ball with a big '8' on it that gives me good sound financial advice if I shake it a little.
I'll let you guys borrow it for awhile.
That's what we've been using, but it started to leak :-(
Your not suppose to throw the 8 ball, just shake it :p
I once successfully balanced my checkbook, does that count?
Whats a widget?
It's intentionally ambiguous. I generally think of electronic widgets as what we sell here - various little boards that, assembled in various ways, will create a larger widget (device). But for anyone else, it could mean 'what's your favorite tool?', or favorite device, or favorite application. I'm happily unsure how someone may answer the question.
Oh - I see. I just saw "beer widget" and it piqued my interest.