To apply your experience to the fullest and reach your highest potential, you want to occupy a C-level position. It is about time. Do you have what it takes, though? Getting to the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) ranks is a long process that requires skills like responsibility and an ability to hustle despite the world being against you. Which skills should one acquire and how to develop them? Check the answer from Skillhub experts in the article below.
#1: Responsibility
It is common for engineers to be reclusive and care only about exciting tasks. So when their area of responsibility involves people (their teammates and subordinates), they tend to shy away and leave everyone alone. Unfortunately, not all job resume examples for engineers include this trait in the Skills section. Get a consultation from an attorney resume writing service about how to do it better. You can find more info at monster resume writing service. However, this is the CTO’s trait, although they are top engineers.
Responsibility is about taking care of certain aspects of the company’s activity so that other employees no longer have to worry about it. It does come with a downside, although it is a great honor without a doubt: mistakes of a CTO’s team are their own. So, knowing how to take responsibility for your errors is a must.
#2: Industriousness
Are you a hustler? Are you a grinder? You’re good then; just skip a paragraph if you are.
Otherwise, find a hidden reserve of strength within that would drive you onward, pushing you to achieve more, get better results, outrun the rivals, change the world, and make yourself and your company known.
Managers who burn out have failed to tap into this reserve. So what is the secret here? Do the job you really love. A clear sign that you do the right job is that it gives you even more energy to move on, meaning you have to stop instead of forcing yourself to continue.
#3: Leadership
Did you know it is possible to be a one-person band while being a CTO too? One co-founder flew over the sea to Singapore and took the responsibilities of a freelance developer because they were building a blockchain application 24/7 โ it is an actual true story that is certainly not that uncommon.
Let’s assume you aim to combine the positions of CTO, Lead Developer, and the development team. Soon, if the startup is worth any good, it will scale. It will grow a team, or at least it will grow a community. And then you’ll invariably have to exert authority and demonstrate the ability to lead. Isn’t it the reason why a CTO is a Chief Technical Officer?
#4: Openness
It might appear that authority and leadership do not go well with liberty and openness. Yet, think about why so many businesses closed during the COVID lockdowns. Failed to adapt. Undoubtedly, a top manager must be strong-willed, stubborn even. But embracing charge when the right moment comes takes openness and courage.
Openness also manifests itself in accepting criticism โ after reasonable assessment. What if your application gets rejected (for the hundredth time)? Do you demonstrate persistence or consider all feedback and increase your expertise?
These are the soft skills that a C-level job necessarily requires. Before moving on to the description of hard skills and following the essential guide on how to get a CTO job, here is a bonus piece of advice: define which type of entrepreneur you are: a visionary or an organizer.
#5: Strong Vision or Organization (Yes, You Can Choose)
It is essential to know one’s strengths and the related weaknesses and define the comfort zones and growth areas. And, yes, entrepreneurial skills directly relate to top management positions, even though technical skills are sometimes enough.
A visionary type knows what must be done and why it must be done. They see a niche that no one has tapped into so far and only need resources to turn into a profitable venture.
Organizers know how to do it. They are not as good at ideating because immediate management concerns consume them.
These types need and complement each other. Here is an example to make it clear: Steve Jobs, the visionary type, had Steve Wozniak, the organizer, by his side, which laid the foundation of Apple, an iconic brand as we know it nowadays.
How to Get a CTO Job
It is hard to imagine a CTO without technical experience, and aiming for this job without a product to demonstrate is a sure way to fail. Even if you and your classmate built a mod for CS in high school, it is already something. In other words, build a small product yourself or with a local team to prove your ability. Alternatively, boast about your achievements in the previous places of employment.
It is easier said than done, and the most outstanding engineers often donโt easily make it to C-level positions. Apparently, the lack of the soft skills listed above holds them back.
Here are a couple of practices to try and improve one’s visibility and chances to succeed as a CTO.
Get a Side Job
As a Middle or Senior engineer, spend evenings after work on your โpet project.โ This way, you might naturally become a CTO when your project matures enough for the release or to be presented as a portfolio case. It doesn’t have to take all your waking life, though. Thursdays, for example, could be designated as pet project days. Just stay focused and consistent.
Doing it alone might take decades, so a bit of help from colleagues would come in handy…
Networking
As mentioned above, engineers are naturally somewhat introverted, and a lush social life is not their thing. But it is a no-brainer that a complex project will take less time to finish if it involves a few professional engineers rather than one. Even better if everyone involved is comfortable with their role: marketing, backend, design, QA, and so on.
Remember, a perfect startup team takes at least two devoted professionals.
Final Thoughts
We assume you meant a position in one of the larger companies, like Google, looking for hints on how to get a CTO job, didn’t you? Well, founding your own unicorn company is not a bit less exciting. Whatever path you take, remember to have fun while carrying your boldest ideas to the summit. Donโt forget that you can always use resume builder service. We hope the article was helpful to you. Good luck!