5 Chief Information Officer (CIO) Resume Examples & Guide for 2023

As a CIO, you have your fingers on the pulse of technological innovation, doing everything you can to allow your company to thrive with cutting-edge advances in computer technology. But even when you’re leading with digital transformation initiatives, you’re still motivating and managing your team of technicians and IT professionals and providing them with a big-picture mindset of what winning looks like.

You do your best to keep pace with innovation in the IT field, but your current resume doesn’t showcase your commitment to learning and developing new skills. At Ehancv, we love showing people how to brag about their skills and experience through their resume. In this article, we have CIO resume examples, and topics to help you create an eye-catching resume, including:

• How to mold your resume experience section to highlight your strengths.
• Strategies to make your resume shine by highlighting your skills and expertise.
• Tips on how to quantify the impact on your resume.

Chief Information Officer (CIO) resume example

Here’s what makes Peter’s resume outstanding for a Chief Information Officer position::

• Track Record of Success: Highlights past achievements that display the ability to generate significant revenue growth for businesses. Examples from Peter's resume include negotiating over $500 Million of partnership and product deals, turning around a failing startup to profitability within 12 months, and leading a startup to a $50 Million exit to Google.
• Technical Expertise and Leadership: Emphasizes experience scaling technology infrastructures, especially in the specific industry of interest. Peter's work in developing and supporting complex infrastructures for fast-growing startups in the Talent Acquisition industry is a crucial point, as is his leadership in roles like CIO and Head of Engineering.
• Broad Technical Skill Set: Mentions specific technical skills that align with the demands of a CIO role. Here, Peter's skills in DevOps, Data Migration, Infrastructure, Cloud, and Product Development are particularly relevant for a technology leadership position.
• Board and Advisory Roles: Showcases roles and responsibilities that indicate a higher level of strategic influence and trust in the industry. Peter's positions on the Board of Directors and as an Advisor or Board Observer for various technology companies illustrate his influence and expertise in the tech sector.

How to format a Chief Information Officer (CIO) resume

Whether it’s interacting with shareholders who possess little technical understanding or equipping your team with the data they need to thrive, information can most easily be shared in an easy-to-read format. This is especially true for your resume, as the best resumes convey complex information using a format that is both easy to scan and understand.

Just like adjusting the code you write, making small incremental changes can make your resume more reader-friendly. By using columns, you can separate important information and aid in readability. This can be a great way to point the reader’s eyes towards your important achievements and skills.  

Below, you’ll find a list of helpful tips for formatting your resume:

• Reverse chronological resume format: The reverse chronological format involves listing your most recent experience first. Most employers are looking for your career trajectory, showing both where you started out and how you’ve worked to achieve your career goals. By listing your most recent experience first, you can show how far you’ve come in your career.
• Header, contact info, photo: Your header is a great place to include all of your important contact information (phone number, email address, personal website, LinkedIn profile, etc.). You may wish to include a photograph of yourself, but it’s not required.
• How many pages: To reach the pinnacle of success in the IT field as a CIO, you’ve likely held several jobs in the field with a myriad of unique experiences and achievements. It's hard to contain all of this information in a one-page resume. It can be downright impossible to cut out some of your most important roles. For those in senior management, you may wish to extend your resume past one page. However, one page is just fine as well.
• PDF or Word Format: PDF is now the reigning file type to use for your resume, as it is easier to send in an email, and photos won’t shift around. Once you create a PDF file know that it will work out.

How to write your Chief Information Officer (CIO) resume experience

If you’re interested in writing a CIO resume, then you’re going to have to start with your experience section. Considered to be the most important section on a resume, your experience section allows you to showcase your most important achievements and unique experiences throughout your career.

When writing a chief information officer resume experience section, it’s important to provide real-world data points, percentages, and dollar figures to showcase to back up all the claims about your previous experience.

As a chief information officer, you no doubt have a lot of experience under your belt. The most important thing for your experience section is to make sure that it is tailored to the job that you’re applying for. Also, only include relevant experience for the job that you’re applying for. For example, if you were the manager of a fast food place in high school, that is going to have little bearing on a CIO’s role. Instead, just leave that off your resume.

CIO resume experience samples

How does this resume experience section fall flat?

The major issue with this experience section is that it is very vague. It doesn’t delve into the strategies that the person took to implement change in their previous company, nor does it give real-world, quantifiable data to back it up. In addition, it doesn’t use robust verbs and words to build the case that they had a major impact in a previous role. For example, this example uses the word “helped”, which implies that they took a backseat and allowed the DevOps team to do most of the work. Instead, the author should’ve used more active action verbs to showcase that they’ve had a major impact.

What works in this section?

Scattered throughout this resume experience section is real data on which a hiring manager can see and understand the role that the applicant has had. We see the exact number of people that they led during their tenure, and we also learn that this one-year roadmap led to an increase of 20% in operational efficiency. These real percentages lend credence to the author’s competency.

In fact, during an interview, you may be asked to give more information on facts and figures that you mentioned in your resume. Laying down this foundation of competency can give you a significant edge against other candidates.

How to quantify the impact on your resume

When the CEO comes to you and asks for actual information on the project you’re working on, you’ll likely have a presentation ready that highlights time frames, dollar figures, and expected revenue. All of this quantifiable data directly shows how the project you’re working on will work towards the goals of the company to its success. The same goes for the claims that you make on your resume about your experience.

Having quantifiable data on your resume can help to bolster all the claims that you make. It’s allowing a potential hiring manager to do their research and check up on your success.

It is important to include the context behind the claims that you make. Don’t just include data figures and percentages with nothing explaining them. Instead, provide the background details on how you achieved success. This not only quantifies your achievements but also helps potential employers understand the impact of your contributions to the organization. Ensure that the percentages align with the priorities and expectations of the specific CIO role you are applying for.

Percentages

Whether it’s an increase in efficiency or how you streamlined the workload of your team, including percentage points on your resume can help to lend credibility. Some percentages you may wish to highlight on your resume include:

• Operational Efficiency
• Cost Savings
• Cybersecurity Improvement
• Revenue Growth or Cost Avoidance
• Employee Satisfaction
• Project Success
• System Uptime or Downtime Reduction:
• Technology Adoption

Dollar figures

A dollar figure amount is a substantial data point to include on your resume because it shows how much revenue was generated through the work that you did. If you had a fairly successful product launch that generated significant revenue for your previous employer, include the precise dollar amounts created by sales. Some dollar amounts you should highlight include:

• Cost Savings
• Revenue Generation
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Budget Management
• Contract Negotiations
• Project Budget Adherence
• Employee Productivity
• Risk Mitigation

Other Data Figures

Besides percentages and dollar amounts, a CIO resume can benefit from including various data figures that highlight your achievements and showcase your impact on the organization. Consider incorporating the following data:

• Project Metrics
• Technology Metrics
• Security Metrics
• Operational Metrics
• Strategic Planning Metrics
• Team Metrics
• User Engagement Metrics
• Customer Metrics
• Regulatory Compliance Metrics
• Technology Adoption Metrics

Example of a good quality impact section

• Include IT project budget figures: Revealing the scale of budgets managed illustrates financial acumen and trustworthiness with significant funds.
• Detail cost savings from IT initiatives: This shows the ability to drive efficiency and highlights a focus on cost optimization.
• Highlight percentage uptime or system availability: Showcasing high percentages shows a commitment to business continuity and minimal operational disruptions.
• Quantify the scale of IT infrastructure managed: Providing numbers on servers, databases, or user endpoints managed offers insight into the complexity and scale of operations overseen.
• Specify the number of direct and indirect reports: Displaying team size gives a sense of leadership scale and people management capabilities.
• Mention the percentage reduction in security incidents: Demonstrating improvements in security showcases a proactive stance on risk management and data protection.
• List the number of successful IT projects delivered on time and on budget: This evidences project management skills and the ability to meet business objectives.
• Quantify improvements in system performance or user satisfaction scores: Presenting growth or prominent figures in these areas underlines a commitment to end-user satisfaction and system effectiveness.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

There are two types of skills to list in your resume skills section. The first one is hard skills, which are also commonly referred to as technical skills. These are skills gained in a particular workplace or educational environment that have a narrow focus on the role that you have within a particular field or workplace. As you’ve worked your way up to CIO, you’ve likely gained a lot of hard skills with experience in a wide range of fields like cloud computing, cybersecurity, and software development.

Throughout your resume experience section, you’re likely going to be pulling in hard skills that you have developed, quantifying the information you provide with real percentages and data figures. These hard skills may form the backbone of your resume, lending credence to your ability to manage teams of highly skilled technical employees. Also, on the skills section of your resume, you’ll likely highlight the hard skills at the top of the list.

 As a CIO, you bring a lot of hard skills to the table, but you also have soft skills, commonly referred to as “people skills”, and these skills allow you to interact effectively with people. These can involve leadership and communication skills which allow you to work with a wide variety of people.

Your professional summary and cover letter can be great places to highlight your leadership and communication skills.and of sections. In those sections, you can really delve into how you helped raise up the teams you’ve led and lead them towards success.

4-step process for listing skills on your resume

1. List all the skills that you possess: Include both the hard and soft skills that you’ve cultivated in your previous experience.
2. Separate between hard skills and soft skills.
3. Review the job description: Look at the job description and you’ll see specific skills that are required to fulfill the role. These are the skills that your future employers are looking for on your resume.
4. Edit the list for the skills that are most applicable to the job: Tailor the list so that it fits with the job that you’re applying for. You may need to get rid of some skills that don’t fit. For example, if the company you’re applying for primarily deals with cybersecurity services for their clients, then you may choose to leave off of your resume your cloud computing skills.

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

Your education and the certificationsyou list on your resume can actually help to make a difference in getting that much coveted interview. This is especially true in an upper management role like a CIO, where an employer is going to be looking for applicants who have a good pedigree from a distinguished university. In addition, you may actually build rapport with your hiring manager if they’ve gone to the same university you have. It can be a great way to break the ice if you know you share the same alma mater as your interviewer.

But don’t fret if you’re the type of person who worked their way up from the bottom, as you’ve likely gained experience through distinct certifications along the way. Every certification you have can set you apart from other candidates, especially if they involve specializations in unique skills. No matter how you achieve your success, a potential employer really wants to see all the effort you put into becoming the best employee you can be.

How to write your Chief Information Officer (CIO) resume summary or objective

The most significant things you can do when applying for a job is to show who you are, what you want to achieve, and the goals you have for your career. Your resume summary or objective section is the first place you can really give a hiring manager a better idea of who you are and what makes you unique. In the chief IT technician resume objective, you can list achievements that you have as well as goals and aspirations you have for your career.

There is a significant difference between a resume summary and objective. A resume objective is a short summary of the work experience you have under your belt. These can be used by people who have less than 3 years of experience in a field or those applying to a new position in a different field. It mainly focuses on the value a job seeker adds to a company and is short and concise

A resume summary (also called a career summary) is tailored to a specific role at a company, and why you’re the best candidate to fill the position. In order to bolster your claim that you’re cream of the crop, include a combination of hard skills, soft skills, and quantifiable experience. This will show that you are a well-rounded candidate to handle all the expectations of the CIO role.

This summary section has the makings of a good summary section but doesn’t deliver. When you read the summary section, you want to know more about the digital transformation initiatives that they implemented, specifically how much revenue they’ve generated for the company. In addition, we don’t get to see how much time they’ve spent in their career, and just get a generic “several years of experience”. One of the good things about this is that they mention they are passionate about creating a culture of innovation. This shows the employer that they are open-minded and will work with anyone. However, it doesn’t dig down deeper to bring to light some ways and means they’ve created a culture of innovation.

Your eye is instantly drawn to viable data that is spread throughout the summary section, and that’s why it works. They have real, tangible numbers like $2 million in revenue, a 15% reduction in IT expenses, reduced exposure to threats by 30% in cyber security, and achieved a 20% increase in efficiency.In addition, they mention that they have worked for Fortune 500 companies. This allows an employer to move right to the experience qsection to see what companies they worked for. This summary makes you want to read on and learn more about the candidate.

Additional sections for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) resume

One of the best sections you can include on your CIO resume is a strategic initiative section. This section can delve into more details about the projects that you’ve implemented to help your company achieve success. This would highlight key strategic initiatives you've led that go beyond traditional IT projects, such as organizational restructuring or process improvements. For example, if you’ve led a company-wide digital transformation initiative, which affected not just the IT department but every department in the company, highlight this on your resume in its own section.

Key takeaways

As a CIO, you straddle the roles of a manager and a technical advisor, a team leader and an innovator. As a result, it’s not always easy to put into exact words all that you’ve done to build up the companies that you’ve worked for. Follow the advice in the article to achieve success with your resume.

• Always include context behind the quantifiable claims you make throughout your resume.
• Make sure that your resume header on your experience section is free from errors and matches your cover letter
• Do your research and figure out the roles of the role you're applying for, and then use those expectations to craft your skills section.
• Tailor your resume experience section to the job you’re applying for and avoid vague or generic statements.