Chief Operations Officer
How to Become a Chief Operations Officer
Job Duties of a Chief Operations Officer
Skills and Qualities Needed to Become a Chief Operations Officer
Salaries of Chief Operations Officers
Influential Professionals In This Field
Leading Organizations for Chief Operations Officers
Top Cities for Chief Operations Officer Jobs
Other Careers of Interest
How to become a Chief Operations Officer
The path to Chief Operating Officer isn't always straightforward. Chief Operating Officers are chief executives, but as they help the CEO and/or president oversee the general operations (day-to-day business) of the company, they are considered general leaders, and their corporate and educational backgrounds vary. On the whole, many Chief Operating Officer hold bachelors and masters degrees in a field of business, but not all.
The more important part of a Chief Operating Officer resume is the experience vs. the education, it seems, although attending a top rated school may open up the choicest opportunities for businesspeople starting out. A strong track record in business, public office and sometimes academia with an emphasis on bringing about solid results, making sound decisions, and keeping a company out of trouble would probably best describe the backgrounds of most successful Chief Operating Officer.
In the business world, there is only one Chief Operating Officer per company, so the path to Chief Operating Officer is a highly competitive one, as well.
The more important part of a Chief Operating Officer resume is the experience vs. the education, it seems, although attending a top rated school may open up the choicest opportunities for businesspeople starting out. A strong track record in business, public office and sometimes academia with an emphasis on bringing about solid results, making sound decisions, and keeping a company out of trouble would probably best describe the backgrounds of most successful Chief Operating Officer.
In the business world, there is only one Chief Operating Officer per company, so the path to Chief Operating Officer is a highly competitive one, as well.
What does a Chief Operations Officer do?
Chief Operating Officers are chief executives, but as they help the CEO and/or president oversee the general operations of the company, various department heads and general managers, regional directors and the like. Not every company as a formal Chief Operating Officer position, and may spread these responsibilities over the titles of CEO or President.
Chief Operating Officer are the leaders of a company's or organization's operations and oversee the various department heads, general managers, regional directors, etc. of a company, which in turn is oversight of the actual business of the company. Whether the company produces widgets or provides widget industry consulting or leases widget technology or supplies customers with widget communications services, the Chief Operating Officer is responsible for making sure that the short and long term standards, goals and overall success of the company's business is on the up and up. The Chief Operating Officer is not autonomous, however, and does report directly to the CEO and also to the board of directors, if there is one.
Chief Operating Officer are the leaders of a company's or organization's operations and oversee the various department heads, general managers, regional directors, etc. of a company, which in turn is oversight of the actual business of the company. Whether the company produces widgets or provides widget industry consulting or leases widget technology or supplies customers with widget communications services, the Chief Operating Officer is responsible for making sure that the short and long term standards, goals and overall success of the company's business is on the up and up. The Chief Operating Officer is not autonomous, however, and does report directly to the CEO and also to the board of directors, if there is one.
What skills or qualities do I need to become a Chief Operations Officer?
Chief Operating Officers need to have strong intuition about what needs to happen in the operations of a company and how to execute that next step for success, risk management. Chief Operating Officers need an exceptional ability to process large amounts of sometimes disparate data to understand what is actually happening in the market place, in their various departments, in their industry, with competitors and within his/her own company.
Good judgment, sound decision making, strategic thinking and above average insight are also important. To become a Chief Operating Officer, you must be truly good at what you do and passionate about it. Beyond the above, the book stores are full of varying ideas of what it really takes to become not only an exceptional but an above average leader.
Good judgment, sound decision making, strategic thinking and above average insight are also important. To become a Chief Operating Officer, you must be truly good at what you do and passionate about it. Beyond the above, the book stores are full of varying ideas of what it really takes to become not only an exceptional but an above average leader.
How much does a Chief Operations Officer make?
This is a tricky area to provide statistics on. For one reason, compensation for top executives is also not limited to a salary, but applies to bonuses, various types of stock options, and other forms of non-salary compensation. At large companies, it's not unheard of for Chief Operating Officer to make well over six figures. At small companies, the salary is obviously much lower. It does not always follow that the larger the company, the larger the salary, but it seems to be a trend. It is a consistent trend though that the larger profile the job, the higher the pay tends to be.
Who are some influential professionals in this field?
Simply look at the Chief Operating Officer of the largest, most prestigious and/or up-and-coming companies of today, and you will find today's leaders in financial leadership.
What are some leading organizations in this field?
The American Management Association and the Institute for Certified Professional Managers are both national organizations that can help Chief Operating Officers gain professional development.
What are the top cities for Chief Operations Officer jobs?
Because many companies in every city have a Chief Operating Officer, there is no one place to go to find the best opportunities. However, the cities with the most firms and companies, such as New York City, are the best bet.
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