The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is an on-demand qualification. This person takes care of all the technical aspects of a business. Therefore, it’s a senior-level position requiring years of experience.
Maybe you want to learn how to become a competent CTO since you're an aspirational software engineer. Or perhaps you need advice now that you are the startup's CTO and have been promoted.
You might wonder how long does it take to become a CTO? What qualifications do you need, and where should you start? After all, what are the leadership traits to gain to speed up the process of getting a CTO job?
As a C-suite member focusing on tech processes, you’ll cover the four business pillars: infrastructure, strategy, customer relations, and technology leadership. Moreover, CTO is also one of the best paying jobs in the Energy domain.
Let’s take it one step at a time and reveal five core steps to help you get a CTO job!
Follow Educational Requirements
CTOs should be highly educated people. It’s not just about the bullet in your resume; it’s about the theoretical and practical steps you’ve taken to get closer to your dream job.
First, you must pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Make sure you spend enough time as a software engineer while building your credentials. Maintain both your leadership skills and technical abilities at peak performance levels.
A common expectation for job applicants is at least 15 years of work experience. To receive more credit for your accomplishments, you might as well sign up for a Master’s degree in a related field and look for additional certifications in computer science.
If you have a relevant educational background but don’t know how to present yourself on a resume, go to https://skillhub.com/resume-writing-services-austin. It is a great platform to find professional resume writers who will tailor your qualifications to the desired position.
Constantly Work on Your Hard Skills
Besides the managerial career tracks, a CTO must be proficient in the technical aspects of software engineering.
Some of the everyday CTO responsibilities are highlighted below:
- Engineering tasks: as a mature developer, CTO must be able to code and test, do software health checks, and perform the release;
- People management tasks: CTO is the primary face responsible for allocating tasks, mentoring employees, and employing fresh tech talent:
- Product management tasks: CTO runs the product development from an initiation phase, takes part in user acquisition, and monitors product management metrics;
- System architecture tasks: every CTO has to decide on testing options, IDEs, database solutions, etc. Besides, this professional implements the coding standards and provides the development protocols to adhere to;
- Business development tasks: CTO is supposed to advocate for the company’s tech successes, observe the market for related technology solutions, and predict the technology’s business application.
Gain a Lot of Job Experience
A CTO must be an all-in-one employee and possess years of work experience. Obviously, this job is not for you (yet) if you’ve never worked in a tech field or just started in a junior position.
But the sky’s the limit, so if becoming CTO is your primary ambition, make sure to increase your tech knowledge. Take courses, network, develop yourself as a software engineer, and find a good mentor to help you propel into the tech field.
The future CTOs usually work in the following IT areas:
- Network architecture;
- Big data engineering;
- Information security management;
- Security engineering;
- Web software development.
The experience you get is critical to overseeing an entire organization’s technology strategy.
Learn About the Types of Technology Officers
However, the CTO is a common position and has its variables. The type of technology officer depends on their work and the company they work for.
Here’s the list of tech professionals you might want to consider:
- Strategic Planner: overlooks the process of technological planning. This person also sets the business strategies and implements new technologies.
- Thinker: this type of CTOs plays a significant role in creating corporate strategies to fuel the tech infrastructure. They are closely connected with the company’s CEO and work for the business's further welfare.
- Infrastructure Overseer: these professionals take care of the security, data, maintenance, and network. They also incorporate the necessary set for further development.
- Consumer Liason: ensure that customers won’t face any problems when interacting with IT products.
Stay Up-To-Date With the Latest Tech Trends
When you’re a doctor, patients hope you’ll know the newest treatment strategies; when you’re a CTO, everything is the same. Developers would expect you to have the extensive technical knowledge and forecast the business position in the next few years.
By monitoring the changing world of technology, the CTO can make the startup competitive, efficient, and scalable.
Summary of the Main Points
CTO manages various essential tasks, including technology infrastructure, system, network management, and technology deployment. Successful team leads or tech-skilled product managers often grow to become CTOs. On a smaller scale, a CTO can be the only person capable of being one.
How do you get a career track to advance to a top technology position? First of all, take care of your educational background. Start with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but don’t stop on that. Pursue additional certifications and online courses, and find colleagues you can network with.
Enough for a good start! To become a CTO, you must master your hard skills: become a professional in programming languages, do software health checks, and assess the timeframes for the development team.
Besides the technical background, you shouldn’t forget that the primary role of the CTO is a leader. You’ll guide an engineering team and drive a company forward with a great vision. By all means, we wish you good luck in striving towards a C-level in the IT field!
