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✅ DOs When Hiring a CTO... 1️⃣ Assess Leadership & Vision – Ensure the candidate has a clear vision for technology strategy and can align it with business goals. 2️⃣ Evaluate Communication Skills – Test these based on YOUR companies challenges, also involve multiple stakeholders (direct reports too if possible / appropriate). 3️⃣ Check Scalability Experience (key for NearTech Search clients) – A CTO should have experience scaling teams, technology, and infrastructure, especially if your company is in a growth phase. 4️⃣ Test Problem-Solving Abilities – Present real-world technical and business challenges to understand their approach to innovation, risk management, and decision-making. 5️⃣ Look for Cultural Fit – Ensure the CTO aligns with your company’s values, leadership style, and long-term vision. They will shape your engineering culture, so fit matters as much as skills. ❌ DON’Ts When Hiring a CTO... 1️⃣ Over focus on Technical Skills – While technical expertise is important, a CTO must also be a strong leader, strategist, and fairly tech agnostic. 2️⃣ Overlook Soft Skills – A CTO needs to inspire, mentor, and lead teams. If they lack empathy, communication, or collaboration skills, they may struggle in the role. 3️⃣ Ignore Past Track Record – Verify their impact in previous roles, not just their job titles. Look for proven success in leading teams and delivering technology solutions. 4️⃣ Hire Based on Prestige Alone – A 'big-name company' doesn’t necessarily mean a better candidate. Ensure their experience aligns with your company’s needs (other industries can have similar challenges). 5️⃣ Overlook Cultural Alignment – A really skilled CTO / VP who clashes with your company culture or leadership just won't work in the long-run (for you or the CTO). #CTOSearch #CTOHiring

WHAT IS A VIRTUAL CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER?  DISCOVER HOW A VIRTUAL CTO CAN DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD Looking for tech leadership without a full-time hire? That’s where a Virtual Chief Technology Officer (Virtual CTO) steps in. A Virtual CTO offers strategic, expert guidance - helping businesses scale, secure, and make the most of their IT budgets. Here’s how a Virtual CTO can make an impact: 1️⃣ Streamline IT Spending A Virtual CTO aligns your tech budget with business goals, helping you cut waste and focus on investments that genuinely add value. 2️⃣ Enhance Cybersecurity on a Budget Security is critical, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. A Virtual CTO designs cost-effective security strategies that keep your data safe. 3️⃣ Boost Efficiency with the Right Tools From automating processes to upgrading systems, a Virtual CTO identifies tools that enhance daily operations, so your team stays productive. 4️⃣ Build a Scalable Tech Infrastructure Planning for growth? A Virtual CTO ensures your tech is ready to scale as your business expands, without runaway costs. 5️⃣ Develop a Roadmap for Innovation A Virtual CTO maps out a tech strategy that not only supports today’s needs but positions your business for future success. Think of a Virtual CTO as your part-time tech partner -there when you need them, working to make your business more agile, secure, and ready for what’s next. Curious how a Virtual CTO could fit into your business strategy? Let’s chat about what’s possible. #virtualcto #techstrategy #itbudget #businessgrowth #cybersecurity

I recently connected with the CEO of a 258-employee firm that made a bad CTO hire. The impact was eye-watering: - 18-month delay in a key satellite project - $2.5M over budget on AI-driven predictive maintenance - 40% turnover in the engineering team in just 8 months - Lost a $50M government contract due to missed deadlines And that’s just scratching the surface. The scars ran deeper: - Eroded team morale and productivity - Tech strategy completely misaligned with business goals - Damaged reputation with key stakeholders The total impact - $75M in lost revenue and opportunities. The reality: When hiring a CTO, recruitment fees may seem steep. But when compared to the astronomical cost of a bad hire, the truth is clear: You can’t afford to get it wrong. Your CTO is more than just a tech hire. They’re a strategic partner who translates your vision into reality. In our industry, the right CTO is the difference between market leadership and playing catch-up.

Looking to expand the Arcadian Technologies! We're on the hunt for one or two exceptional companies to partner with.                   As a Fractional CTO firm, we provide technology leadership as a service. If you know of a company that could use strategic direction or is going through an IT project or digital transformation, let's connect. #fractionalCTO #techleadership #growth #hiring #smallbusiness

Is it time to elevate your company's tech strategy? Hiring a CTO could be the game-changer you need. Discover when and why bringing in a Chief Technology Officer is crucial for your business's success in our latest blog post. Dive into the key signs and strategies that signal it's time to make this critical hire. Read now and position your company for technological excellence: https://lnkd.in/d-897FyD #CTO #TechLeadership #BusinessGrowth #HunterHunter

What do you 👀 when looking into the mind of the CTO? What I mostly see can be best described as a person with a skillset and characteristics like a Chameleon. Together with Human Collective, we are going to investigate the personality profile of the CTO based upon the big five personality traits. Are you a CTO and want to participate in this research  - and by preference a woman - let me know in the comment or send me a direct message. Do you want to be informed on the outcomes of this research, leave a comment below. In my experience, the Chief Technology Officer is the most misunderstood (personality) profile in the Management Team. And it makes sense because of two reasons: - In general, a good CTO is like a chameleon - being able to switch communication styles, disciplines and interests almost instantly - A good CTO is not just a good tech person, not just a people’s person, not only capable from setting the vision to dealing with risks and details, not only being able to predict and manage the finances from product development investments and not only able to communicate with every personality and level - instead a good CTO must be able to do all of these things. I hear you think: HOW DOES THAT WORK IN ONE PERSON??? 🤯 Placing Tech leaders and Chief Technology Officers for over ten years, I came to appreciate the CTO craft immensely. During CTO-decision-meetings, feedback I get back from the majority of people interviewing CTO’s, resonates towards: - What is her (hopefully more female CTO’s will rise) or his personality? It looks like the candidate can be “blue, green, red or yellow” simultaneously... So what is it? - If the candidate is too much of a match with us (the management team), can he or she connect with the tech team who speaks a completely different language than we do? - The candidate mentioned so many technical details I don’t understand, that I doubt the visionary skills of this person. - We trust the skills of this person completely but we find it difficult to assess whether the candidate is a fit with our culture and our team. - How enthusiastic is the candidate about us and our company? So it’s time to get this sorted out in a more scientifically backed manner. To do so, I’m teaming up with Michiel Castelijns from Humancollective to investigate the personality of the Chief Technology Officer. We aim to find 20 up to 40 CTO’s, ideally 50% of them being women (If your C-level minus one, you can also be  part of this group), who like to do a FACET 5 personality questionnaire with us - based upon the big five personality traits. The costs for questionnaire + debrief which normally is EUR 185, will be covered by Human Collective. It takes about 20 minutes to do the questionnaire and a 1-1,5h debrief about the outcomes. PS, no chameleons were harmed while writing this article.

Technology leadership at the board level isn’t about having a tuned server room, it’s about leading from the boardroom. Gone are the days when tech was considered a back-office function. Today, technology leaders are strategic partners, shaping the future of businesses and influencing key decisions. They’re not just managing systems; they’re driving transformation, innovation, and competitive advantage. Being a technology leader on the board means wearing many hats: strategist, translator, mediator, and innovator. We align technology investments with the Target Operating Model to deliver measurable impact and enable transformation and growth. We turn complex tech jargon into clear, actionable insights that resonate with stakeholders. We balance short-term demands with long-term vision while managing risks like cybersecurity and scalability. We spot opportunities in emerging technologies that others might miss. The role also requires a deep understanding of business dynamics. We understand the bottom line and business levers to deliver value to the customer, internally and externally. It's not about keeping the light on, it's about what makes the light shine.

A fractional CTO (Chief Technology Officer) is a part-time or contract-based technology executive who provides strategic guidance and oversight to a company without the full-time commitment or cost of a permanent CTO. This arrangement can be highly beneficial for businesses, especially startups, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), or companies in transitional phases. Here’s why: 1️⃣ Cost-Effective Expertise Hiring a full-time CTO can be expensive, especially for startups or smaller companies. A fractional CTO provides high-level expertise at a fraction of the cost. 2️⃣ Access to Specialized Knowledge Fractional CTOs often have experience across multiple industries and technologies. This diverse background allows them to offer innovative solutions tailored to your company’s specific challenges. 3️⃣ Strategic Technology Leadership They help align your business goals with the right technology strategies, ensuring that your tech investments drive growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage. 4️⃣ Flexibility You can scale their involvement up or down based on your company’s evolving needs, whether for a specific project, during a growth phase, or to address a temporary leadership gap. 5️⃣ Focus on Key Priorities A fractional CTO focuses on high-impact activities like product development strategies, team building, and technology roadmaps, leaving day-to-day technical operations to the existing team. 6️⃣ Building and Mentoring the Tech Team They can hire and mentor in-house technical staff, ensuring a strong foundation for the company’s technology department. 7️⃣ Faster Problem-Solving Their broad experience means they can quickly identify and address technical and strategic issues, avoiding costly delays or missteps. 8️⃣ Network Access Fractional CTOs often bring a valuable network of contacts, including developers, vendors, and investors, which can help the company grow and innovate more effectively. 9️⃣ Reduced Risk Their guidance can help the company avoid common technology pitfalls, improve cybersecurity, and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. 🔟 Fresh Perspective An external fractional CTO provides an objective viewpoint, free from internal politics, which can lead to better decision-making. This model is particularly advantageous for companies that need technical leadership without the overhead or complexity of a full-time executive role. Would you like help tailoring this explanation for a specific audience, such as founders or executives? Contact us if You considering fractional CTO💯 #cortip #hiring #recruiting

Many SMBs need senior tech leadership, but hiring a full-time CTO isn't always feasible. Our Fractional CTO services offer a flexible, cost-effective solution: 1️⃣ Gain high-level expertise without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. 2️⃣ Whether you're looking to scale, optimize operations, or enhance data security, our CTO brings over 15 years of experience to tackle your key tech challenges. 3️⃣ Flexible and scalable: As your business grows, our Fractional CTO adapts to your evolving needs. Optimize your tech strategy and drive growth while managing costs. Let’s connect when you're ready to take the next step. #FractionalCTO #TechLeadership #SMBGrowth #TechSolutions