The Career Path to CTO: What It Takes to Become a Chief Technologist

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is an executive position responsible for every aspect of an organization's technological needs.  

As a C-suite executive, this person plays several roles in the company, offering guidance on strategy, short-term and long-term forecasting, customer relations and capital investments. 

“The CTO is a function, so it varies greatly from company to company,” shares Pavel Veller, Chief Technologist, EPAM. “What is likely to be true across the board, however, is that a CTO is a seasoned technologist who knows how to build and lead teams. 

With that type of impact on a company's direction, many consider the CTO position the pinnacle of success. The role also provides substantial benefits:  

• Top salary possibilities 
• Equity or shareholder offerings  
• Leadership opportunities 
• Reputation development and recognition 
• Enterprise-level goal achievement  

So, how do you earn such a coveted position?  

Let's examine what the Chief Technology Officer role entails and how you can best prepare your software engineering career path to become a CTO.       

What does a Chief Technology Officer do? 

The CTO oversees an organization's entire technology or engineering department. They focus on projects related to external business growth rather than internal processes (the CIO handles internal tasks).  

As a C-suite member with a focus on technology, your tasks would cover four primary business pillars:  

• Infrastructure: Overseeing all aspects of data, security, network and other engineering elements within an organization.  
• Strategy: Creating, outlining and administering a central technical vision that supports a company’s operations.   
• Customer relations: Acting as a primary liaison to customers and addressing the needs of target markets.  
• Technology leadership: Reporting directly to the CEO or members of the board on all matters relating to corporate strategy, IT markets and technology.   

“There was no specific point when I realized I wanted to become a CTO,” adds Veller. “It just happened. I was growing and maturing as a technologist and leader and, at some point, was offered an opportunity to become a CTO of our digital practice. CTO is a title, a function. Don’t overthink it.” 

Education requirements and career tracks  

Most CTOs have bachelor's and master’s degrees in computer science or a related field.  

“After over 20 years in software engineering, this still rings true for me: the more you know, the more you realize how much you don’t know,” mentions Veller. “Learning new things and solving new problems remains fun and challenging. I don’t think it will ever get old.” 

In addition, you will need to pursue extended professional development and additional certifications. Most CTOs spend a significant amount of time as a senior software engineer while they build their credentials. It is essential that you maintain your leadership and technical skills at peak performance levels. 

“If there’s a single trait that’s an absolute must for a CTO, it’s empathy. You need to be a skilled, experienced engineer, but because it is a leadership role, most of the solutions will be in the “people” domain or at least at the intersection of people and technology,” Veller says. “Apart from empathy, it’s about owning your mistakes, strategic thinking, enabling others and active listening.” 

CTO applicants are often expected to have 15+ years in the field, often in several different IT fields, such as web development or big data.  

To reach that pinnacle, pursue a managerial track. At least five to seven years of experience in a supervisory role is expected. The selection process for a CTO emphasizes the cultivation and demonstration of leadership skills.    

Typical skill sets and leadership traits of a CTO

While more weight is given to the skills associated with the managerial career tracks, a CTO must also be proficient in the technical aspects of software engineering.  

Technical skills: Since the CTO is responsible for every element of the company’s IT infrastructure, considerable expertise is required. You may have to manage specific applications or technologies used within the organization at an advanced level. Knowing the fundamentals of software development and programming is crucial.  

Managerial skills: A CTO must lead different teams across various departments. Superior decision-making and the ability to provide guidance on big-picture topics such as market trends, IT budgets and long-term strategy are necessary. Also critical are the soft skills needed for positive leadership, such as motivating people, communicating effectively and organizing multiple projects at once. 

“In any leadership role, you will be working with people and communicating (a lot),” shares Veller. “At least half of my day, if not more, is spent on communication. Much of this communication is technical engineering work, like enabling teams, brainstorming solutions, architecting or problem-solving. Most of what I do is ‘engineering,’ even when I don’t work with code. Within this ‘engineering,’ I prefer a healthy mix of people time and in-the-zone coding time.”  

Steps you can take toward becoming a CTO 

1. Advance your education: Think about completing a master's and, potentially, a PhD program in a computer science-related field.  
2. Invest in your professional skills: Complete professional development courses to help you take on a broader range of work responsibilities.  
3. Choose a career track in management: When the time is right, seek job opportunities that allow you to hone your leadership skills.  
4. Gain relevant work experience: Take time to learn new technical skills as an architect or senior engineer. 
5. Find a mentor: Identify coworkers or team leads with similar career goals or achievements and ask for guidance.  
6. Learn advanced business skills: A Chief Technology Officer has a high-level grasp of market conditions, trends and business administration. Any additional skills you can learn in these areas will set you apart. 

“If you want to fast-track your promotion to the CTO role, join a small company as their most senior technologist,” advises Veller. “This way, you will very likely be performing the work of a CTO.” This option will give you relevant and desirable professional skills to set you up for long-term success.  

With an emphasis on professional growth and technical education, EPAM is a great place to continue your career and gain valuable experience to help you reach your goals. Check out our open roles today and prepare to progress on your career path to CTO