The C-suite consists of the most prestigious positions in a company and industry. This is partly because C-suite executives are respected in the industry, and because they influence the course of business.
That’s why they are often referred to as captains of industry, and the C denotes chief.
But, along with the power and influence, C-suite executives carry the heaviest responsibilities in a company.
Who are C-suite executives? And What does it take to make it to C-level?
CEO – Chief Executive Officer
This is the senior-most c-suite executive in a company. The CEO reports directly to the board and in some cases sits on the board as a managing director. They are responsible for the overall face of the company and every other role reports to the CEO. Thus, a CEO must be a strong leader with a vision for the company and able to influence change.
Previously, most CEOs were people with strong financial background. But of late, successful CEOs are springing from other business backgrounds including marketing and technology. For instance, Greg Foran, who took mantle at Air NZ, has a rich background in the retail business. Also, CEOs today don’t have to pack many years of experience with a particular brand. What you need are broad experience, strong leadership qualities, and a good communicator.
If you are looking to bag a CEO role, work with a professional CV writer to help you bring these qualities to the fore.
CMO – Chief Marketing Officer
Unlike the CEO who is in charge of overall business performance, from the back end to the front, the Chief Marketing Officer takes charge of the front end. They are responsible for an organization’s brand and marketing activities. This spans from market research to communication, pricing and customer experiences. They take charge of brand visibility and its’ growth.
Modern marketing heads need to be more than branding geniuses. They must be tech experts. Digital media has taken marketing to a different level. Leaders in this area of business must also be experts in generating digital presence and measuring the impact.
As you work with a professional CV writer, ensure that you show how you can build a brand and your expertise on digital media.
CFO – Chief Financial Officer
Whereas the CMO takes care of the front end, the Chief Financial Officer takes charge of the company’s finances. This includes records keeping, financial planning, risk management, and financial reporting.
For most organizations, financial performance carries the day. This is certainly so especially for those in business. It’s also the main reason why one in three of Fortune 500 CEOs have a strong backgrounds in finance.
But the role of the CFO has also changed tremendously over the last few years. CFO’s are no longer number-crunching wizards. That job has been taken over by emerging smart technologies. Instead, modern CFOs must be digital and smart technology experts who can use sophisticated data analytics to lead change.
Do you have experience working with digital technologies?
A professional CV writer will help you to show how you used your experience to lead change.
CIO – Chief Information Officer
Since the onset of the digital revolution, most companies have developed and found it beneficial to include in the C-suite a Chief Information Officer. This is the person in charge of mainly IT and computer systems from procurement to maintenance and hiring.
But the CIO role is also changing from a “mundane” back end IT activities to a robust, front end function.
Many companies are looking up to the CIO for leadership in innovativeness that complements and supports other business functions.
Does your CV reflect a leader in innovation?
Work with a professional CV writer to showcase this quality in you.
To conclude, to make it to the C-suite, work with a professional CV writer to portray that you have strong leadership, excellent communication, a good grasp of emerging technologies and how to apply them and an agile mindset.
