If you are the type who enjoys to be in charge at a company, then you may wish to become a chief information officer. As a chief information officer, you have the ability to make important decisions for a company on a daily basis. You make decisions that impact that types of software that a company chooses to purchase for the use of employees. You may also be in charge of managing a budget for a company. You will need to make sure that the technology division of a company does not overspend for a given time period. You will also need to know how to make decisions in regards to technology that ultimately work to increase the profitability of a company. Maybe you have wondered, “How do I become a chief information officer?” If you have always wanted to land this type of position, then you should make a conscious effort to obtain leadership positions within a company.
What’s it like to be a Chief Information Officer?
As a chief information officer, you have the ability to oversee a team of individuals. You will probably have to work long hours during holiday seasons. If you work for a company, then you will be required to oversee the technological operations of a company. You may also need to make sure that all of the shipping information that customers have provided is correct. It requires hard work to serve as a chief information officer for a company. You may need to motivate employees to find innovative ways to store information. You may also be given the task of developing a new website that is more accessible for customers. You may need to find new shopping cart software programs that can be implemented online.
Education Requirements
If you want to become a chief information officer, then you should pursue a bachelor’s degree. It is important for you to obtain a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. You should excel in computer engineering and in understanding computer systems. It is essential for you to be able to make use of computer coding languages in order to thrive as a chief information officer. Corporations will want you to have a bachelor’s degree so that you can also be promoted to positions of higher authority later in your career. If you only plan on working on a part-time basis, then you may want to think about simply obtaining an associate’s degree. If you want to work on a full-time basis and eventually receive a promotion, then you should obtain a bachelor’s degree. There are plenty of scholarship opportunities that are available for women and minorities who want to pursue a career in the technology field. You should research these opportunities to decrease the cost of your education.
Salary & How to Get a Job
The starting salary for an individual who works as a chief information officer is about $115,000. Because of the great number of responsibilities that a person will have in this position, he or she is able to receive a nice salary. To obtain a position in this career field, individuals should focus on networking with others. It is important to network with other individuals who work in this career field. As you get to know people in the technology industry, then you may be recommended for a position as a chief information officer with a corporation. Otherwise, you should simply search for open positions at companies and apply to them.
References:
1. http://www.ehow.com/how_7455803_become-chief-information-officer.html
2. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Management/Computer-and-information-systems-managers.htm