CTO: Chief Technology Officer

CTO stands for Chief Technology Officer, he is in charge of Technological requirements and Research and Development of the Company. He is also known as a Chief Technical Officer. 

CTO is responsible for planning the long terms and short-term needs of the company in such a way that the capital is utilized for reaching the main objectives of the company.

CTO works under the Chief Information Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He is the person who is authorized to directly contact the CEO of the company in case of any trouble or dispute.

Role of CTO:

A Chief Technology Officer is regarded as a person with the highest executive position in the company taking care of all the technical and engineering needs. 

  • CTO along with other team members makes procedures and policies so that the technology is used in an appropriate way leading to top-quality products.
  • One of the main objectives of a CTO is to develop strategies that can cause an increase in the revenue of sales and profit for the company. 
  • He is allotted the responsibility to make the Return of Investment a profitable outcome.
  • CTO is of great importance for a company as he takes care of the growth of the business by implementing all the policies and structures correctly and thoroughly.

How to become a CTO:

A candidate aspiring to become a CTO must have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Programming/ Software Development/ Management and Information Systems. He can also have a degree in Applied Mathematics and Cyber security subjects.

It would be an added advantage if the candidate has a Master’s degree from the same field mentioned above. 

As the process gets started and a candidate is selected, eventually he will do his MBA degree to keep up with the experience and educational qualification in records with the post. The job gets intense and requires strategies, goals, and planning to keep up with the competition. Hence specific degrees and qualifications are necessary. 

A CTO requires a minimum of 15 years of experience in the field of Information and Technology. With such an experience the aspirant will be given the position of Chief Technology Officer for that particular company. 

Anyone less than 15 years of experience will not be considered for this post, he will need to apply after the required period is completed with a good outcome. 

Types of CTO:

Due to the increase in the importance of CTO due to the rising of IT sector many businesses have been proven to be profitable for the same. The responsibilities of the CTO will depend on the company and industry. However, there are four types of CTO as discussed below:

  1. Strategic Planner: This type of CTO will work towards implementing new technologies in the company for making a profit. He uses the revised techniques and makes sure the technical strategies are set right.
  2. Infrastructure Planner: this type of CTO will look into the data of the company, maintenance, security, and network besides working on the technical strategy. He is responsible for working on the technological planning of the company.
  3. Consumer Liaison: as the name suggests this type of CTO works towards maintaining customer relations, reaching the targets, and helping the IT projects. He is the main connection between the company and the customer. 
  4. Thinker: This type of CTO will work towards analyzing the technological infrastructure, targets of the company, strategies, and creating business models. This CTO will have a close relationship with the CEO of the company and other senior members. 

Skills required for a CTO:

For becoming a successful Chief Technological Officer, one must possess some special additional skills as discussed below:

  • Interpersonal Skills: A Chief Technological Officer must-have skills that help in motivating and inspiring the employees of the company. He must be capable of assigning tasks to his colleagues. He is the one who maintains a healthy relationship between the company and stakeholders. The CTO is an executive officer who is skilled in active listening making sure all the employees are well heard. He conveys the message and command in such a way that the employees know their responsibility very well.
  • Patience: this is a much-required skill for a CTO; an experienced CTO is humble and down to earth in his nature. With patience comes a lot of positivity and liking by fellow mates. Patience will help you win the hearts of people; this will indirectly get your work done on time. The company will get higher ROF and can reach long-term goals if a CTO is patient with his duty and colleagues. The main advantage of having patience is your work relationships will improve drastically helping in the growth of the company.
  • Time Management: CTO has the responsibility to handle many projects and tasks, having good time management skills can help in prioritizing the work effectively which will ensure that the target is met on time. To get the best of this you can keep a note of tasks and their end date. Another tool used for the management of time is the calendar. For more precise usage, you can search for time management skills on the internet. 
  • Critical Thinking: To make a profit for the company, CTO must have a good thinking capacity that will focus on long-term businesses. With critical thinking, one can make unique strategies and policies which will help in reaching the targets more efficiently. With this skill, a CTO will be able to share thoughts on different aspects with the stakeholders and his team in a positive manner without hampering the relations. 

For getting a job as CTO, if you consider having a few additional certifications then it will increase your chance of getting selected. Few certifications are mentioned below:

  • Certification in Governance of Enterprise IT
  • Certification in Information Security Manager
  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional