Chief of Staff Roles are in Demand in 2024 - Here’s How to Determine if You’re a Good Fit
Chief of Staff roles continue to grow in popularity
The role of the Chief of Staff has evolved dramatically from its origins in government and military contexts, becoming a key position within the private sector. As the demands on CEOs have become more complex than ever—driven by advancements in AI, geopolitical instability, and the ongoing shifts in workforce dynamics post-pandemic—the need for strategic leadership and support has only increased. Amid these challenges, the Chief of Staff has emerged as a crucial partner to CEOs, playing a pivotal role in advancing key organizational initiatives. And if the large number of current open Chief of Staff positions in the United States (1,500) is any indication, there’s no sign of this trend slowing. Companies of all sizes, from enterprise corporations to fast-growing startups, are increasingly recognizing the value this role brings in navigating an unpredictable business landscape.
Why are Chiefs of Staff so in-demand?
There are multiple factors that are contributing to the demand of this role.
The COVID pandemic catalyzed an upswing in hiring Chiefs of Staff, as company downturns motivated more people than ever to found their own companies. In 2020, there was a 25.7% growth in new business applications versus 0% growth from 2018 to 2019. These first-time founders quickly realized they needed support to run all of the business’s operations solo and setting up their internal infrastructure.
Most were without the resources to hire a full-time COO, but found that Chiefs of Staff had the operational knowledge and experience to step in and help. Plus, a CoS could help extract and document the leader’s vision, set tangible milestones for achieving that vision, and lead critical projects like backend systems and hiring.
The spike in CoS roles during COVID wasn’t solely driven by startups; large corporations, too, found themselves in need of support as they encountered the unique challenges of the pandemic, with many being forced to transform their operations to a digital format basically overnight. Unlike startups, they didn’t need help with building out initial infrastructure. Rather, they needed help with initiatives that needed to be implemented—but didn’t fall under any leader’s specific purview. This started with COVID-centric projects like virtual meeting cadences and employee engagement planning, but CEOs also found that their Chief of Staff could shoulder other tasks with no clear owner, such as strategic projects and build outs.
With the rest of their executive team (including COOs and CMOs) occupied in other areas of the business, relying on the skills of a Chief of Staff—someone accustomed to high-priority, complex work, who could be trusted with confidential information—was the ideal choice for filling in their businesses’ expanding gaps.
What types of work experiences does a typical Chief of Staff have?
At Vannin Chief of Staff, we’ve been hiring for the role of Chief of Staff for 5 years and have worked with over 200 CEOs. We see hundreds of Chief of Staff resumes every month so we’ve had the chance to observe which types of profiles are most often sought after—and successful—in these roles.
Successful Chiefs of Staff come from a variety of backgrounds. However, the most common profiles for the role are typically mid-to senior level professionals with experience in one of 3 areas: management consulting, startup operations, or leadership of a function within a bigger company. In all three of these scenarios, they bring a level of expertise to the CoS role from their previous experiences. In return, the Chief of Staff role gives them broad exposure to the business and can prepare them for a role as a more senior leader in the future.
As the Chief of Staff role becomes more prominent, we’re starting to see a growing interest from candidates who break the typical CoS mold . Along with the typical mid to senior level professionals from one of the paths above, we’re seeing a surge in former founders and CEOs applying to Chief of Staff roles. Often these candidates are interested in becoming a Chief of Staff because they still want to have a seat at the table and make a big impact, but they no longer want to shoulder the financial burden of a business or the stress of being a CEO. We’re also seeing a growing number of career Chiefs of Staff, who see the role as more than a 2-year stepping stone to something else, but instead appreciate the dynamism of the role and want to make a career out of performing CoS duties for different leaders across different industries.
In sum: the career path to becoming a Chief of Staff looks unique for every single person. We’ve seen Chiefs of Staff find success with all kinds of different work experiences under their belt, and we’re sure to see many more as demand for the job rises. But becoming a Chief of Staff isn’t just about the titles you’ve held. A good fit for a Chief of Staff position requires a specific skill set learned from their previous roles.
Am I a good fit for a Chief of Staff role?
Many people like to refer to the Chief of Staff role as one of a generalist. However, at Vannin Chief of Staff, our experience in screening and placing hundreds of Chiefs of Staff has revealed that there are actually 3 key skills every chief of staff must possess to find success:
Project and change management experience: In addition to formal experience coordinating a transformation or project, we also see that great Chiefs of Staff are authoritative figures whom their teams trust to solve problems, as they can effectively break down ambiguous obstacles with tried and true frameworks to keep a project or effort on track.
Goal-setting process exposure: In addition to driving big changes, effective CoSes have experience setting the operating cadence for a team or department. They’re able to set mission-critical goals effectively, manage a cadence of follow-up meetings, and create accountability in pursuit of those goals.
Communication skills: Finally, great Chiefs of Staff tend to have excellent communication skills and high EQ. You could have all the technical acumen in the world, but if you can’t build relationships and drive projects forward leveraging your influence, strong communication, and indirect authority, you won’t get very far as a CoS.
While these 3 skills are critical to the function of the job, they aren’t the only things that make or break a potential Chief of Staff. Great CoS’s tend to share a few personality traits that make them invaluable to their CEO or other chief executive as well. For one thing, they typically have low ego. Chiefs of Staff, if they’re doing their job right, are not in the spotlight. They’re behind the scenes, making sure everything is working seamlessly for their CEO—and they often don’t get the credit when their efforts succeed. CoSes who can keep their ego out of their work will fare much better than those who can’t.
Lastly, at Vannin we’ve observed that CoS roles are increasingly structured as in-person roles vs being fully remote, as senior leaders see the value of having their #2 in the office by their side. In these cases, given that that market is flooded with hundreds of candidates seeking Chief of Staff positions, CoSes may need to remain open to the possibility of relocation to be present with the CEO in person to even be considered.
How do I set myself up to get the job?
Landing a Chief of Staff role can be challenging, particularly in this competitive environment, but it’s not impossible. Based on what we’ve seen at Vannin Chief of Staff, these are our top 3 tips:
1. Obtain experience in project management and goal setting frameworks in your current role.
Ask yourself: What can I learn in my job today that would be relevant in a Chief of Staff job? If you run a team, try testing out goal-setting frameworks and managing a business health dashboard. Find ways to own specific initiatives or operational cadences within your organization, and get hands-on experience driving large cross-functional projects. Your ability to apply the purview of a Chief of Staff to your current role will set you up as a strong candidate for future CoS opportunities.
2. Network extensively to learn about the role.
Not all Chief of Staff roles are the same, and the right fit for you might look very different from what you initially expect. Consider elements like company stage, industry, and executive type of leader you might want to work for (CEO, CTO, CFO, etc.).
3. Prepare a clear, punchy narrative…and deliver it that way, too.
Your resume is your first point of entry. Once you get to the initial conversation, be ready to share a clear and concise overview of your career history. The nature of the Chief of Staff role is to support their CEO in creating efficiencies for their office. You can demonstrate your ability to do that in your introduction by effectively sharing your background in the specific context of the role being discussed. We see some candidates stumble by providing a full autobiographical account of their career. Instead, take the time to pull out the job experiences that are most relevant to this position. Think of it this way - this is your first opportunity to demonstrate that you have the ability to synthesize and summarize the key points for your CEO, without the unnecessary details.
In addition, be sure to very clearly articulate your “why.” We talk to hundreds of Chief of Staff candidates a month, and it stands out when candidates can communicate why they want the role, why this company, and why at this time.
Final thoughts
In today's talent environment, the role of the Chief of Staff has never been more relevant or impactful. As CEOs face unprecedented complexities, having a trusted, strategic partner to help steer the organization forward is essential. The growing demand for Chief of Staff positions reflects this shift, underscoring the value these leaders bring in executing key initiatives and driving organizational success. As businesses continue to adapt, the Chief of Staff will remain a cornerstone of effective leadership, helping to ensure agility, resilience, and growth in the face of the unknown. For those with project management expertise, demonstrated experience driving the operating cadence of the business, and excellent communication skills, leveraging those skills as Chief of Staff can be incredibly rewarding.