Attaining the position of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is likely the final goal of many careers and determining which is the best degree for this position can be a vital decision. To become a CEO though, you will need to both business experience and the right degree because CEO direct companies, take multifaceted decisions which can warrant top salaries at a larger company.
Foundation degree to obtain
A good education is a foundation on which various ambitions are built and along with education, relevant and substantial work experience are the surest path to the top job. A CEO has various job demands being in one of the highest hierarchy of an organization and has to be prepared to perform hefty tasks. He/she is the one to make decisions related to labor, contractors, personnel ensuring that the corporate goals are reached, supervises the finances of his/her organization, hires top managers, supervises them and evaluates their performance. He is also the one that gives a direction to organization policy and strategy, thus clarifying the company’s corporate vision. That is why looking into degree program early is the best starting-point to attain that position. And the fun part is that you can have a degree with many of the accredited schools available.
A must
The first degree that will come to mind is the formal degree which is also the undergraduate degree. It is commonly known that to attain the position of a CEO, business degrees will offer the best option given that these degrees entail practical and theory in both marketing and management along with knowledge in statistics and mathematics. A good bachelor degree will give potential CEO the opportunity to have vast knowledge in business, helping them understand how business work. These degrees place great emphasis on the practical aspects of directing a company and can be the stepping stone towards attaining the position of a CEO in an organization and that is why it is a great idea to seek out a degree that will offer you more options tomorrow since no one can be a CEO the moment he is being employed.
MBA Degree
CEOs of large organizations always have decades of experience given the complexity of their work, and they also have a business or MBA degree from one of the top business schools in the world. An MBA is a common graduate degree held by CEOs, many MBA programs have specific courses that improve your communication and leadership skills and also keep you abreast of new trends and philosophies in the world of business and industry. There is various MBA concentration that can make you prepare you for the job of a CEO. Some of them are information technology, marketing, finance, public policy, health administrator environmental sustainability, strategic management, managerial economics and organization theories. All you need is to pick a concentration that is pertinent to the industry you intend to choose. Getting an MBA degree can be stressful as it involves a lot of written assignment which websites such as Paperleaf can provide necessary help for.
Challenge of becoming a CEO
To attain the position–– of a CEO, one of the best degrees you can also seek for is some certain personality traits which may not come in handy. As a potential CEO, you need to be an extrovert, a good communicator, a visionary, strategist, discipline, analytical skills and also inventiveness. They are all important skills one must have along with degrees to become a CEO.
In reference to an article in Forbes, an MBA in combination with an engineering degree from a top business school seems to be the most likely to lead you to the CEO’s position. An MBA with a focus in corporate strategy, HR, finances, and economics, corporate and labor law is also a good combination for someone who intends to become a CEO someday.
Becoming a CEO isn’t an easy job, a lot of effort will be needed. You have to earn a degree in your selected industry, albeit in a business related field, do an MBA, gain experience and opt for a voluntary certification to make you stand out. With these, show commitment to a company for many years and you won’t be disappointed.
Guest post courtesy of Jennifer Broflowski
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