CTO Resume Examples & Writing Tips

What to highlight in a CTO resume

The job market for job titles like CTO is competitive, and when so many businesses recruit for this role internally it can feel like an uphill battle to land a job outside of your current company. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get your dream role, whether it’s with a giant like Microsoft or a small start-up, as long as you have the right resume. As the role of CTO is a senior position, you should highlight your people and project management skills, as well as your technical knowledge and track record. 

Remember that your ability to work well with a broad range of people is as important as your knowledge of various technology platforms. When you start writing your CTO resume it is a good idea to consider relevant resume samples. The right resume examples will help you to understand what certifications, achievements, and soft skills are most sought after in a role like this.

How to write a CTO resume

Header

Your resume header must contain your full name, phone number, and contact information. For the role of CTO, it is also a good idea to include any professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile. 

Resume summary or objective

Your resume should lead off with either a resume summary or a resume objective. A resume summary statement is best for those with many years of experience as it features your most notable achievements, skills, and qualifications. A resume objective statement, in contrast, is ideal for those who lack work experience as it is a statement of intentions and career goals. Since a CTO role is a senior position, a resume summary works best in this situation.

Work history

The work experience section of your resume will be important when applying for a senior role like CTO. This means you should probably stick to a reverse-chronological resume format. List up to 10 years of work experience, unless the job description asks for more, and include your job title as well as employment dates and key achievements for each role. 

Skills

Your resume skills section should include 8 to 12 bullet points listing your most relevant hard skills (technical knowledge and training) and soft skills (intangible traits). Some examples of skills commonly listed in a CTO resume include: 

• IT infrastructure assessment 
• Technology strategy planning
• Strategic planning and implementing system maintenance
• SaaS platforms
• JavaScript
• HTML/CSS
• SQL
• Agile
• Workflow management
• Software development
• Business planning and management
• Disaster recovery 

Education

Your resume education section should contain the most recent and advanced academic qualifications you have. If you have a computer science degree, for example, you should list this but don’t need to also list your high school diploma and GPA.

Do’s and don’ts for a CTO resume

If you want to add a bit of sparkle to your resume and stand out from the crowd, you should consider these simple do’s and don’ts: 

Do’s:

• Stick to a professional font such as Calibri or Arial.
• Be specific about your achievements. For example, describe how you improved productivity by 15% and state how you did it, not just “I improved productivity.”
• Tailor your resume for each job application. 

Don’ts:

• Underestimate the power of soft skills.
• List run-of-the-mill duties in your work experience section. Focus on notable achievements that led to quantifiable results. 
• Overcomplicate your resume with fancy design elements like infographics. A streamlined resume is easier to read for employers and the applicant tracking systems (ATS) they use to scan resumes.