When computers were first becoming an integral part of the business, forward-thinking companies knew they needed a computer expert on staff to keep them functioning as a fussy processor. As a growing computer infrastructure, IT departments have sprung up all over. You can hire a resume writer to write a CIO resume.
Currently, technology is an important component of doing business that a new management position, CIO (Chief Information Officer), now standard in many companies. But many people are still confused as to what the actual CIO is. This article will explain what the CIO is usually not, highlight what you should expect from your corporate CIO, and offer a guide to when you should outsource this key role to the CIO for hire.
Because the CIO position is still relatively new, many companies have difficulty accurately defining what the job entails. In his book Unwrapping the CIO: Demystifying the CIO position, Wayne L. Anderson describes some of the roles of the CIO, including:
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Executive Team Members. As with other executives, CIOs contribute to the company's overall strategy, often by participating in board meetings and other long-term development seminars. They are often expected to develop a positive working relationship with other executives.
Strategic Technology Direction. Eighty percent of CIOs say the most important part of their job is to help steer the company toward technology readiness. Anderson writes that the CIO "will create your company's vision for the future use of information technology as a competitive weapon." For example, a power CIO:
- Research development of new systems, hardware, and applications.
- Offer thought leadership on the future of technology and how companies can take the best advantage of it.
- Keep on top of developments in technology and report to the entire enterprise market intelligence and trends.