Becoming a C-level executive requires identifying the desired position, gaining business acumen and communication skills, and finding a mentor. There are various paths to becoming a CEO, COO, CFO, or CIO, and it is important to consider the company’s structure and industry. A mentor can help keep the career on track and advocate for upper management.
There are several different paths to becoming a C-level executive, as there are many executive-level positions. The path to becoming a CIO (Chief Information Officer) is typically different from the path you would take to becoming a CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and so on. If you want to become a c-level executive, you must identify the position you want and then work specifically for it. All of these positions require a lot of business acumen and strong communication skills; therefore, you will typically want to work on these skills as you advance in your career. In most cases, you will want to work for a company in the field that interests you, get a job in the department that is relevant to your desired c-suite position, and then move forward.
The c-suite is a group of executive positions found in many corporate structures. Not all companies have each of these c-level executives, so you should take this into account when starting your career. Another factor to consider is that you may need to move between companies as you climb the corporate ladder, and that in many cases the skills and knowledge needed to become a c-level executive can translate very well from one company to another. In other cases, you’ll be better off staying with a company throughout your career, especially if you can impress top management early on.
At one point, there were very clear paths that could be followed to become a c-level executive. Each position had a well-defined set of requirements that most boards were looking for; therefore, potential candidates had their careers defined from the start. These paths are still viable under many circumstances, but depending on the type of c-level executive you want to become, your options may be more varied. Many chief executive officers (CEOs) first hold the position of chief operating officer (COO), but others reach the role as chairman or even general manager. If you want to become a CEO, some of your goals should be to gain experience with board meetings and participate in quarterly analyst calls.
To become a c-level executive in another capacity, your options may be even wider. Many VPs of Operations become COOs, but there are many other paths as well. Some COOs appear through sales or business development, depending on the industry. Likewise, many CIOs and CIOs appear in software engineering, where historically the career path required you to hold the CIO position. Regardless of which path you take or the type of c-level executive you want to become, you’ll want to find a mentor within your corporate structure to help keep your career on track and act as an advocate for upper management.
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