When you are running a company, you are expected to meet significant education requirements. Although a bachelor’s degree would be the minimum needed, you will have limited chances for advancement if you do not receive further education. You should pursue the highest level of education possible. Earning an MBA, for example, might be a good choice. Of course, the degree you choose will depend on the industry in which you hope to work as a CEO. For example, if you are interested in working as an education administrator, you should pursue advanced degrees in education. For healthcare CEO jobs or hospital CEO jobs, you might want either a business administration degree or a health administration degree. Both are available from a wide range of universities across the country. Upper degrees in public administration and economics would also be desirable for a wide range of industries.
In addition to formal education, you should also consider additional training courses. One of the best ideas is to take courses that will teach you to be a stronger leader. This can be a huge challenge for most people but having this experience will give you a competitive advantage. If you do not have strong speaking skills already, take some courses on this topic. You might even want to join organizations such as Toastmaster’s International which will help prepare you giving presentations at work. Remember it is the presentations that will help win you the job you want. There are also training programs you can complete which are intended to more effectively prepare you for a corporate or executive level position. If you complete one of these programs and receive certification as such, you will also have an advantage over the competition.
Having experience in the company or the industry is going to provide you with an advantage. For example, if you are interested in bank CEO jobs you should have spent most of your working life in the banking industry. Some CEOs begin as bank managers and end up working their way to the top of the corporate ladder.
Although having an advanced degree is not always a requirement for becoming an executive in some positions, those that do not require such a degree will be expecting a large amount of experience from applicants. Having a combination of both experience and education is the best preparation for an executive level position.
Finding Available Positions
If you are committed to finding your own CEO jobs, you should be aware that there are two approaches to consider. The first method is to work your way up the ladder through a single business. This is the most common way because you are able to accumulate experience in the specific industry and business which will make you more qualified for running the company.
With this option, you will need to get into the company at a much lower level. If you’ve completed a college degree, you may be able to enter the corporate ladder just below the managerial level. If you have hands-on experience, you might even be able to begin as a manager. As you work, you will need to network with others in higher levels and find ways to stand out from the rest of the staff. Remember that most companies’ management structure resembles a pyramid with the number of people narrowing until only the CEO is at the apex. To move up the pyramid, you must stand out from the crowd.
An alternative way to find a CEO job is to look for openings and to apply just as you might for any other lower level position. This is becoming increasingly popular as companies and boards of directors want to find the best talent possible to steer their companies in desirable directions. That means in some cases you may be approached by companies and asked to fill their position. This is particularly more likely if you are already a CEO but for a smaller firm.
The other way to get one of these positions is to apply. You won’t find these positions advertised in the standard want ads in your local paper. Instead, consider using the Internet to keep an eye out for jobs that are going to work well for you. There are job search sites which focus on executive level positions so you can use one of these to find the positions available. You may be able to submit job search criteria through the site so you will be notified when positions that match your specifications become available. This will make it easier for you to stay on top of what is available so you can apply in a timely fashion.
