What Does it Take to Be a Chief Executive?
Job Description: Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.
Daily Life Of a Chief Executive
- Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.
- Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
- Coordinate the development or implementation of budgetary control systems, recordkeeping systems, or other administrative control processes.
- Administer programs for selection of sites, construction of buildings, or provision of equipment or supplies.
- Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
- Direct or coordinate activities of businesses involved with buying or selling investment products or financial services.
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Things a Chief Executive Should Know How to Do
Chief Executives state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Types of Chief Executive Jobs
- Music Publisher
- Program Administrator
- Railroad Commissioner
- Treasurer
- Program Manager
Is There Going to be Demand for Chief Executives?
In the United States, there were 308,900 jobs for Chief Executive in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Chief Executive. The BLS estimates 20,000 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Chief Executive are Washington, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Ohio, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Chief Executives Salary
The salary for Chief Executives ranges between about $68,360 and $208,000 a year.

Chief Executives who work in California, District of Columbia, or Georgia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Chief Executives in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $204,590 |
Alaska | $179,630 |
Arizona | $194,360 |
Arkansas | $126,960 |
California | $228,270 |
Colorado | $198,130 |
Connecticut | $210,650 |
District of Columbia | $247,500 |
Florida | $187,870 |
Georgia | $218,590 |
Hawaii | $201,680 |
Idaho | $94,470 |
Illinois | $230,070 |
Indiana | $148,730 |
Iowa | $211,560 |
Kansas | $172,100 |
Kentucky | $152,670 |
Louisiana | $208,110 |
Maine | $152,780 |
Maryland | $198,260 |
Massachusetts | $221,810 |
Michigan | $206,660 |
Minnesota | $195,320 |
Mississippi | $112,310 |
Missouri | $167,980 |
Montana | $132,400 |
Nebraska | $220,950 |
Nevada | $215,590 |
New Hampshire | $180,250 |
New Jersey | $233,050 |
New York | $220,040 |
North Carolina | $210,050 |
North Dakota | $172,900 |
Ohio | $201,100 |
Oklahoma | $157,540 |
Oregon | $212,290 |
Pennsylvania | $231,120 |
Rhode Island | $242,350 |
South Carolina | $182,760 |
South Dakota | $251,950 |
Tennessee | $152,730 |
Texas | $239,680 |
Utah | $165,020 |
Vermont | $136,410 |
Virginia | $228,540 |
Washington | $220,730 |
West Virginia | $153,880 |
Wisconsin | $154,820 |
Wyoming | $131,020 |
What Tools & Technology do Chief Executives Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Chief Executives may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Publisher
- Extensible markup language XML
- Intuit QuickBooks
- PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
How do I Become a Chief Executive?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Chief Executive?

What work experience do I need to become a Chief Executive?

Chief Executives Sector

Chief Executives work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Chief Executive might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Chief Executive sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Mike Moore via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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