
Former HR Manager and Writing Professional
Are you looking to become the Chief Operating Officer in your company of choice? Do you want to create a compelling COO resume that will earn you the job? This article is for you.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is an executive position responsible for handling, managing, and controlling all operations in a company, including marketing, production, and distribution. In most Fortune 500 companies, the COO comes directly after the CEO – an indication that hiring the wrong person could crash the business. During recruitment, Chief Operating Officer resumes and candidates go through rigorous vetting processes because companies maintain strict standards when recruiting a Chief Operating Officer.
The ultimate goal of every job seeker when applying for a distinct position like this is to get the job. However, that is impossible if you cannot create a lasting impression on the hiring manager via your COO resume. Whether it’s your first attempt at applying for such a position or not, we will help you find the missing ingredient in your COO resume.
What is a COO Resume
A Chief Operating Officer resume or Chief Operations Officer resume is an expertly curated document for landing a job as the Chief Operating Officer in any firm of choice. Due to the perks of the position, companies have little or no tolerance for poorly written Chief Operating Officer resumes.
Consider your COO resume as your best shot at self-promotion. In other words, you only have an A4-paper-sized opportunity to prove your relevance. Don’t misuse it, as you may not have another chance to resubmit a compelling COO resume to the same organization.
Chief Operations Officer Resume Sample
A poorly written Chief Operations Officer resume can limit your chances of getting hired. Having the skills, experience, certifications, and other qualifications for landing a COO job is not enough if you cannot organize your Chief Operations Officer resume.
We understand the importance of making your first impression count. Thus, below is a typical Chief Operating Officer resume example. This is a free COO resume sample template. All you have to do is customize your skill-set, work experience, and overall resume outlook to fit the description of the hiring company.
Adams Brown Chief Operations Officer +1 (205) 768-9483 Adamsbrown@gmail.com Veteran Chief Operations Officer with over 6years of working experience. Possess outstanding leadership and communication skills, positioned to gear up annual revenue and overall company growth. Tech-savvy and highly proficient in operations management and project execution for Fortune 500 companies. Ability to work independently and with a team of dedicated staff.
CORE COMPETENCIES
This COO sample resume above serves as an insight into what COO resumes look like. While this serves as a guide for writing your own COO resume, it is highly recommended that you use a template with a neat, professional design.
During your job-search journey, you may send your resume to different organizations. So, it is okay to have more than one Chief Operating Officer Resume sample. Having a list to choose from helps you select the best by comparing and contrasting.
How to Write a COO Resume

There is no harm in doing things yourself. Here are tips to guide you through writing your COO resume from scratch instead of using available COO resume samples:
Start with an Introduction
The introductory part of chief operating officer resumes contains your basic contact info, such as a name, job position, email address, phone number, and country/state of residence. Anything other that is not necessary for that section of your resume.
Sell Yourself via the “Executive Summary”
The whole essence of the executive summary is to show your level of expertise. This section is the “spice” of your resume. Briefly explain your personality, relating to the position in the executive summary section. Use strong words to describe who you are and why you are the most appropriate candidate for the role. An ideal executive summary shouldn’t exceed four to five sentences. So, remember to make it concise.
Outline your Skill-set
A resume is incomplete without a skills section. Show the hiring manager that you have the skills required of a COO. You can include your key competencies, but it is best to tailor your skill-set according to the company’s requirements. Resist the urge to add skills that do not correlate with the job description. Moreover, remember to combine hard and soft skills to make the perfect list.
Show your Work Experience
The Chief Operating Officer position is not an entry-level post: you must have experience in operation management. Here’s how to add relevant work experience:
- Start with your current or most recent position. This is called reverse-chronological format, which keeps the hiring manager abreast of your career status.
- Write down the job title, organization name, location, and your start and finish dates.
- Add achievements, awards, volunteer programs, etc.
- Begin each paragraph with power words or verbs like implemented, introduced, managed, increased, etc.
- State facts and figures, but do not exaggerate.
Add your Educational Background
Being a college graduate is a privilege. So if you have a degree, flaunt it! You should list your highest degree first and work your way down from there, but remember, you are applying for a COO position. Of course you have a high school diploma/GED. So there’s no need to list it. Just focus on your postsecondary achievements.
Here’s how to show your educational background in a resume:
- List your school name, the degree you earned, and the duration of the study.
- If you have a university achievement or two, add them.
Pro Tip: You can also include hobbies (if any) and preferred language(s).
Edit, Proofread, and Format
Your resume can end up in a trash bin if there are numerous grammatical errors. Chief Operating Officer resumes should be error-free documents. After creating different COO resume samples, run them by trustworthy persons or editors. You can also utilize online writing tools to check for errors in spelling or general grammar.
Afterward, format your resume according to these standards.
- 1″ Margins
- 1.0-1.15 Line spacing
- Professional font choice (Times New Roman or Cambria)
- Keep it at 1-2 pages
Conclusion
An acceptable Chief Operating Officer resume must include an executive summary, skills and experience relevant to the job descriptions. COO resume examples only serve as guidelines. customization is key! Just remember to make sure your Chief Operating Officer resume simple to read and easy to understand. Finally, authenticate your interest with a cover letter. Your resume/CV and cover letter should contain corresponding information about you and your expertise.

Generally, Chief Operating Officer job positions aren’t publicly advertised. Often you have to network your way into a position of that status. However, we have access to jobs from across the web (whether they are public or not). So knock yourself out. Here are some open job positions from across the country for an aspiring COO. Good luck!