COO Resume Example

A chief operating officer (COO) is a member of the executive team who oversees and implements a company’s daily administrative and business operations.

The COO is typically second-in-command to the CEO and is sometimes given a different title, like “executive vice president of operations” or “operations director.”

Regardless of which title is used, a COO has many responsibilities. So COO applicants must have standout resumes designed to showcase how their skills will help the CEO lead the company.

Here are three expert writing tips for creating a COO resume that will land you interviews.

1. Highlight your job-specific skills on your COO resume

COOs are high-level leaders, but that doesn’t change the fact that hiring managers are looking for applicants with resumes that include industry-specific skills.

Therefore, you should emphasize your job-relevant hard skills.

Give examples of hard skills like these on your resume to show hiring managers you have what it takes to lead:

In your COO resume, make sure to highlight your ability to drive operational excellence and lead transformative initiatives. Focus on tangible outcomes such as cost savings, process improvements, and team development. Emphasize your expertise in financial management, contract negotiation, and organizational transformation to showcase your well-rounded skill set. Remember, recruiters are looking for a strategic and results-oriented COO who can drive efficiency and maximize performance across all operational aspects of the company. — Matt Erhard, Managing Partner of Summit Search Group

As a member of the C-suite, you’ll also need great people skills for managing and interacting with your employees. Use examples of these soft skills in your chief operating officer resume’s work experience section to show the decision-makers you can help steer the company:

• Leadership skills
• Strategic thinking
• Emotional intelligence
• Decision-making
• Delegation
• Mentorship
• Communication skills

2. Quantify your achievements with hard numbers

When you’re applying for a COO position, it’s important to make the accomplishments on your resume stand out so employers know you’re capable of achieving top results. You can enhance your COO achievements by using data in your work experience section.

Here’s an example of a COO’s work experience bullet that uses hard numbers effectively:

This example works well because it lets hiring managers easily understand what the applicant is capable of achieving.

In addition to highlighting your professional accomplishments, consider adding additional sections to your resume to provide insights into your board work, community involvement, and personal interests. Demonstrating your active engagement in shaping the industry and your commitment to making a difference can make a lasting impression on potential employers.

Furthermore, sharing your personal interests and hobbies helps paint a picture of your personality outside of work. It showcases your well-roundedness and adds depth to your profile. Whether it’s mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, volunteering for a charitable cause, or pursuing a passion for photography, these details offer a glimpse into the multifaceted individual behind the resume.

3. Include COO-related keywords in your resume

Companies commonly use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter out resumes that don’t meet pre-determined requirements.

This means that if you aren’t strategic when writing your resume, it might never even reach human eyes.

By using industry-specific keywords on your resume, you have a better chance of making it past ATS.

Plus, when hiring managers see keywords from the job description sprinkled throughout your resume, you’ll seem like the perfect person for the job.

Prioritize keywords from the job description, and add the COO-specific keywords below to your resume (if they’re relevant to your situation):