How long does it take to become an Executive?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become an executive. That is the time it takes to learn specific executive skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 7 to 9 years years to become an executive.

What is an executive and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Laura Sansoni

An executive is a person who holds a high-level management position in a company or organization. They make strategic decisions, manage sources and lead teams. Executives work closely with other senior leaders and stakeholders to develop and implement plans, policies and procedures. Successful executives possess strong leadership skills, excellent communication abilities, and the ability to think critically and creatively. The role of an executive is demanding, but can be rewarding for a variety of reasons.

What general advice would you give to an Executive?

Laura Sansoni

Director, Career Development, CBA Career Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Whenever I work with a new graduate, I see them experiencing many emotions ranging from excitement from completing their education to anxiety about starting their careers.

For the graduates that have a job, I highly encourage them to take advantage of any opportunity presented to them. Participate in workplace events, take advantage of professional development opportunities like attending conferences or trainings, and volunteer to work on projects when asked to. Taking advantage of these opportunities in your workplace will increase your skills and experiences while deepening your connections to your colleagues and growing your personal network.

For graduates that are still looking for jobs, I remind them that the worst things that can happen in the job search are an employer saying "no", "we went with another candidate", or not responding to your application at all. While that can be scary and defeating at times, think about the positives of the situation. You didn't get the interview or the job, but you didn't lose anything either. Instead, you gained more experience in the job search process that you can improve upon for the next time. I also remind new grads to let the employers decide if they are the right fit for the job instead of counting yourself out too early. If you meet 75 percent of the qualifications in the job description, apply for the job and let the recruiter decide whether to set up an interview. Don't be so afraid of the next "no" that it prevents you from finding the next possible "yes".

ScoreExecutiveUS Average

Salary

7.8

Avg. Salary $108,285

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 7.60%

Black or African American 3.73%

Hispanic or Latino 7.71%

Unknown 3.89%

White 76.43%

Gender

female 44.02%

male 55.98%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.0

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Executive?

Pros

High salary and compensation
Prestigious job title and status
Opportunities for career advancement
Influence and decision-making power
Challenging and stimulating work

Cons

Long and unpredictable work hours
High stress and pressure to perform
Heavy workload and responsibilities
Difficult decisions that may have negative consequences
Need to constantly prioritize work over personal life

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Key steps to become an executive

Explore executive education requirements

Most common executive degrees

Bachelor's

60.6 %

Master's

13.8 %

Associate

11.0 %

Start to develop specific executive skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	19.90%
Digital Transformation	15.06%
Healthcare	10.00%
Customer Satisfaction	7.76%
Financial Statements	4.70%

Research executive duties and responsibilities

Manage capital investments and operating costs to generate ROI, IRR and cash flow.
Facilitate KPI dashboard for actual performance to forecast/targets and drive action plans to achieve them.
Manage reputation for search engine optimization, and reputation of website and business as a whole through SEO.
Manage several multi-phase DoD programs and projects simultaneously.

Get executive experience

Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become an executive. The most common roles before becoming an executive include internship, manager team lead and account executive.

Prepare your executive resume

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