Employers

The profession of chief customer officer is is less than 20 years old. It is an evolving position that may not exist in every industry. It is not present in all companies, mostly only at large corporations. Looking at a company's organizational chart will show some companies have only a CEO, vice-presidents, and directors, while others include chief financial officers, chief marketing officers, and so on. These latter companies are more likely to have chief customer officers or to add this position in the future.

Starting Out

This is not an entry level position. Individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in this field typically have worked in the corporate culture of a company for a number of years, ideally in customer service–related positions. This is a top level corporate position and as such requires a great deal of corporate experience.

Advancement opportunities vary from company to company. Some like to promote from within. Others like to hire talent from the outside. Advancement prospects may increase when individuals participate in company training programs or executive development programs.

There are a few options for advancement for chief customer officers, which is a top-level, executive position. Some may find similar jobs at larger or more prestigious companies resulting in increased earnings and responsibilities. Others may move up to positions such as chief executive officer or chief operating officer.

Trade associations such as the American Management Association (http://www.amanet.org) and the National Management Association (https://nma1.org) offer seminars, classes, and conferences, which provide valuable learning opportunities as well as the chance to make useful business contacts.

Search for jobs online at some of the traditional job sites such as Monster.com, Simplyhired.com, Indeed.com, and LinkedIn.com. Enter the search terms "chief customer officer" and your desired location and check out the opportunities.

If your company has an executive leadership or training program, get involved. It will give you an edge over your competition.