What does a president do?
Presidents are usually the highest-level executives in an organization. They oversee the whole company. They identify clear goals and provide strategic direction as the company works towards the achievement of their overall vision. Presidents are the decision-makers in the company. They make crucial decisions to ensure that the company continues to grow and survives challenges that come their way. They are expected to consider all stakeholders, from the board of directors and employees to the customers in their decision-making process. Presidents also represent the company in external functions, especially during high-level events. As such, they are expected to be professional, well-mannered, and good communicators.
President responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real president resumes:
- Manage HVAC contracting business specializing in the installation and service of residential and commercial heating and cooling equipment.
- Achieve strategic, operational and programmatic goals meeting budget EBITDA expectations.
- Lead meetings; create and present PowerPoint presentations to members about upcoming events
- Activate previously undiscovered ERP modules to automate supply chain management and forecasting capabilities.
- Manage a 75 plus person fraternity as president and implement strict attendance and payment policies that increase chapter operation efficiency.
- Provide direct oversight and effective leadership through training and identification of strategic priorities to achieve program outcomes and organizational goals.
- Maintain collaborative relationships with university officials, fraternity's national executive office, and alumni chapter.
- Set agendas and run weekly meetings.
- Plan and host events and run volunteer meetings.
- Oversee competition and scholarship program to nurture careers of aspiring artisans.
- Conduct PTA activities and raise funds for children at the school.
- Cover events using photography, interviews, and live twitter updates.
- Hold events to raise money for scholarship funds and the less fortunate.
- Create an independent news site for the youth, which include a Podcast show and a YouTube channel.
- Establish partnership with vendors to offer high efficient HVAC products that would enable customers to reduce their carbon footprint.
President skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Presidents are proficient in Financial Statements, Product Development, and R. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Management skills.
We break down the percentage of Presidents that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Financial Statements, 14%
Executed 2,500 hour engagement for real estate developer to draft Private Placement Memorandum created combining financial statements and footnotes for auditors.
- Product Development, 6%
Managed product development and marketing/communications strategies for consumer telecommunications packages.
- R, 6%
Facilitated the successful integration of WebConverse clients and operations into the greater R Systems enterprise.
- Business Development, 5%
Introduced targeted marketing/business development initiatives.
- Real Estate, 5%
Provided business and legal consulting services to individuals and corporations regarding real estate, business, personal injury and medical malpractice.
- Human Resources, 5%
Full operational responsibility in a successful turnaround including sales/marketing, financing, human resources, administration, IT, and procurement.
"financial statements," "product development," and "r" are among the most common skills that presidents use at work. You can find even more president responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a president to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." Presidents often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "conducted research, communications with potential seller, due diligence and negotiation assistance. "
Leadership skills. Many president duties rely on leadership skills. "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources.," so a president will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways president responsibilities rely on leadership skills: "promoted professional development of students through encouragement, advancement and recognition of excellence in leadership, research, and community service. "
Problem-solving skills. For certain president responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a president rely on this skill, as "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what presidents do: "led due diligence and acquisition of amtel mdm solution in 2016. "
Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for a president to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what presidents relies on this skill, since "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." How this skill relates to president duties can be seen in an example from a president resume snippet: "perform inventory control, ordering and purchasing, and ensuring all deliveries are accurate and on time. "
The three companies that hire the most presidents are:
- CDM Smith285 presidents jobs
- AmeriHealth Caritas12 presidents jobs
- Grandbridge Real Estate Capital7 presidents jobs
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Compare different presidents
President vs. Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer is the overall head of the company's operations. Chief executive officers are responsible for making corporate decisions that would define the company's performance in the market. A chief executive officer must display exceptional leadership and decision-making skills to create business growth and development strategies. The chief executive officers also provide a regular business update to the board regarding the company's status. They should also be able to identify business opportunities and create long-lasting, professional relationships with business partners and other organizations.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between presidents and chief executive officer. For instance, president responsibilities require skills such as "alumni," "fraternity," "student organizations," and "leadership." Whereas a chief executive officer is skilled in "healthcare," "patients," "patient care," and "customer service." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that chief executive officers earn slightly differ from presidents. In particular, chief executive officers are 6.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a president. Additionally, they're 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.President vs. Chief operating officer
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that president responsibilities requires skills like "alumni," "fraternity," "student organizations," and "event planning." But a chief operating officer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "healthcare," "customer service," "oversight," and "business strategies."
In general, chief operating officers achieve higher levels of education than presidents. They're 8.8% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.President vs. Vice president, business development
A vice president of business development is an individual who leads in the execution of business plans and provides new business strategies for an organization. Vice presidents of business development closely work with a team of salespeople, management, and lower-level employees to secure contracts with new customers and manage ongoing agreements. They often travel to participate in business conferences and meetings with vendors and suppliers. Vice presidents of business development must also possess a bachelor's degree in business administration or marketing.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from president resumes include skills like "financial statements," "human resources," "payroll," and "alumni," whereas a vice president, business development is more likely to list skills in "healthcare," "business strategy," "financial services," and "crm. "
Most vice presidents, business development achieve a higher degree level compared to presidents. For example, they're 6.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.President vs. President & chief operating officer
A president/chief operating officer is responsible for monitoring the overall daily business operations and implementing corporate decisions for the company and its people's best interests. Presidents/chief operating officers regularly meet with the key executives and business partners to share corporate updates and strategize techniques to improve functions and increase the brand's image in the market. They review financial performance and reports, conduct data and statistical analysis, and lead initiatives that would increase the company's productivity and efficiency.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between presidents and president & chief operating officers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a president might have more use for skills like "financial statements," "payroll," "alumni," and "fraternity." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of president & chief operating officers require skills like "financial performance," "strategic partnerships," "oversight," and "healthcare. "
President & chief operating officers reach higher levels of education compared to presidents, in general. The difference is that they're 8.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of president
Updated January 8, 2025
