COO Resume Examples & Template

COO resume template

How to write a COO resume

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. 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 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:

• Data presentation
• Resource management
• Database management
• Reporting
• Project management
• Direct financial activities
• Appoint department heads
• Analyze operations
• Prepare budgets for approval
• Direct/Plan/Implement company policies
• Establish departmental responsibilities
• Negotiate contracts
• Public-speaking
• Accounting
• Business analysis
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Accounting software
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software
• Financial analysis software
• Analytical thinking
• Operation systems evaluation

“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 communication 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
• People 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 section that uses hard numbers effectively:

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.

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 as well as appealing directly to the employer.

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

• Business strategy
• Management
• Strategic planning
• Marketing strategy
• Change management
• Business development
• Operations management
• Entrepreneurship
• Organizational vision
• Annual operations planning
• Assess internal operational processes
• Evaluate company performance

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Average chief executive salaries in the US

After you’ve written your resume, make sure you use it to apply for jobs within a fair salary range.

The following table includes information from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report for 2025. Here are the ten states with the highest salaries for chief executives, as well as the national average for your reference when applying for work.