COO Resume Example

After reading this article, you'll be ready to create a COO resume that reflects your expertise, experience and leadership in your chosen profession. The guide will show real examples of how to highlight the skills and achievements decision makers are looking for, such as leadership for success, long-term vision, and strategic mindset. Continue reading to discover valuable insights from Jobseeker's career experts, to help you create a winning COO resume.

Core sections to include in a Chief Operating Officer resume

The key sections to include in a COO resume are similar to those for any role or profession.

While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:

Header and Personal Information

Your COO resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.

Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Additionally, make sure your resume summary reflects the job description and focuses on qualities that are relevant to working as a COO.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why COO roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for COO roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for COO jobs below.

Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Work History

In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a COO. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.

In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.

If you're writing a COO resume resume, you can afford to make your work experience section a little longer and more detailed than a traditional resume. Roles at this level require plenty of experience and examples of your achievements, so an extended work experience may be necessary. There aren't any hard and fast rules over how long to make your COO resume work experience section, how far back to go or how many roles to include. However, many people consider 10 to 15 years to be sufficient. For COO jobs, you may wish to go back further, assuming you have the experience.

A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a Chief Operating Officer resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.

See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.

Educational Achievements

Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to COO roles.

To work as a COO, employers tend to require candidates to have a specialist degree, such as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). If you have this degree, focus on it in your education section, while also mentioning any educational achievements that show your supply chain optimization or cross-functional leadership.

Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.

If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.

Hard and Soft Skills

The skills section of a Chief Operating Officer resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include project management PMO, effective communication skills or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the COO job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.

Listing hard skills on your COO resume

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for COO jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in COO roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.

If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a Chief Operating Officer resume, see below.

Listing soft skills on your COO resume

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume.

It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities. For your COO resume, add soft skills that reinforce your reputation and standing in your industry, including leadership skills.

A good soft skills section would include skills that match the job description, and also reflect your key strengths and qualities. See the graphic below for an indication of what to include in a strong soft skills section for a COO resume.

Licenses and Certifications

Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.

See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a COO resume:

Optional Resume Sections

To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a Chief Operating Officer resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Hobbies and Interests

Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world COO experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.

Volunteering

This section can be valuable for a Chief Operating Officer resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

References aren't a standard COO resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best words to use in a Chief Operating Officer resume

Using strong action words to make your resume resonate with the employer. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.

As an experienced COO, you'll want your resume to do justice to your experience and standing in your industry. As such, it's acceptable to submit a longer than average resume of two pages or more. Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.

Example of a COO resume

Now we've covered the main sections to include in your COO resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:

Making an ATS-friendly resume

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. When writing your COO resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.

Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
• Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
• Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
• Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.

Key takeaways for your COO resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.

Sources:

(1) Overcoming the Most Common Challenges in the Executive Job Search, MIT Career Development Office: https://cdo.mit.edu/blog/2024/10/15/overcoming-the-most-common-challenges-in-the-executive-job-search/

(2) How to Impress an Executive Recruiter and Break Into the C-Suite, Harvard Division of Continuing Education: https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-impress-an-executive-recruiter-and-break-into-the-c-suite/