What is a commanding officer and how to become one

Key steps to become a commanding officer

1. Explore commanding officer education requirements

   Most common commanding officer degrees

   Bachelor's

   63.0 %

   Master's

   20.8 %

   Associate

   8.1 %

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2. Start to develop specific commanding officer skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Logistical Support	12.27%
   Emergency Situations	9.30%
   Combat	7.78%
   Law Enforcement Agencies	6.80%
   Direct Oversight	5.47%

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3. Complete relevant commanding officer training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commanding officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commanding officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commanding officer resumes.

4. Research commanding officer duties and responsibilities

   • Lead precinct to the largest percentage decrease in crime of all 76 NYC precincts.
   • Facilitate strategic planning efforts and public-private partnerships to maximize results in accomplishing DHS and USCG missions.
   • Coordinate and manage logistical combat support services, engineering support, and security escorts to bases/units locate within the region.
   • Orchestrate the day to day demands, managing deficiencies/opportunities and prioritization of unit operations throughout specific target areas within NYC.

5. Prepare your commanding officer resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commanding officer resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commanding officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

   Choose From 10+ Customizable Commanding Officer Resume templates

   Build a professional Commanding Officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Commanding Officer resume.
   

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6. Apply for commanding officer jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a commanding officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams