How to become a chief creative officer (CCO)?

The average salary of a chief creative officer in the US is $65.31 per hour, which amounts to as much as $135,852 per year. It is estimated that between 2018 and 2028, the demand for this position will grow by 6%, which means about 150,600 new jobs for CCOs across the United States. What else do you need to consider when you want to become a CCO? How to become a Chief Creative Officer? Read our article and find out.

How to become CCO – table of contents:

1. What is a CCO?
2. CCO’s skills
3. What is the work like?
4. CCO’s career path
5. CCO’s education

What is a CCO?

A CCO or a chief creative officer is a top creative executive position.A chief creative officer can briefly be described as a person who coordinates the work of the creative department in an advertising agency or other company where creative, advertising, graphic design activities are carried out.

CCO’s skills

Chief creative officers must be effective leaders, and must be able to manage projects and staff to achieve their goals. They have got an artistic sense that helps them develop attractive marketing and branding materials. Communication skills are also essential for CCOs as they work with various teams and they must approve their work.

The CCO’s work also includes the preparation of project budgets, so they need analytical skills. This ensures that the implemented projects do not exceed expected costs. Time management skills also come in handy, which is essential if CCOs want to meet many deadlines that apply not only to them, but also to the entire team. To sum up, a good CCO should have the following skills:

• management skills
• communication skills
• problem-solving skills
• time management skills
• analytical skills
• budget management skills
• organizational skills

What is the work like?

As a person with years of experience in marketing departments and media, a CCO usually has a range of responsibilities:

• creating content and distributing it across various channels,
• developing concepts for websites and using content management software,
• using graphic design to sell products or services and communicating complex information through infographics,
• developing and implementing social media and content marketing strategies,
• conducting market research and gathering information related to consumer needs and desires,
• advertising, product development and supply chain management.

CCO’s career path

If you are willing to become a CCO, having hand-on experience in marketing can be crucial. Those interested in a career as a chief creative officer may also want to take courses in visual arts and business. Certifications in areas such as graphic design, marketing, copywriting and social media are also desirable. Many chief creative officers previously worked as digital media specialists, brand managers or media production specialists. What is more, developing a portfolio and winning awards in marketing or the related fields is a great way to gain recognition and get promoted to this position.

CCO’s education

Many employers seeking candidates for a CCO expect at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as marketing or communications, as well as five or more years of experience in marketing or advertising. Let’s point out that 76.2%1 of chief creative officers in the US have a bachelor’s degree, while 10.4% of CCOs have earned a master’s degree.

If you want to become a CCO, it is not enough to demonstrate creative or artistic skills.Since such a person often manages a large group of people, budgets and has a direct impact on the shape of the entire organization, analytical or communication skills, as well as higher education and several years of work experience are often necessary.

Read also: What is a CCO? What does a CCO do?

If you like our content, join our busy bees community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest.