IT Director Jobs in the United States

IT Director Jobs Overview

Are you looking to step up your career in IT and seeking IT director jobs? If you’ve worked in the sector long enough and are not afraid of responsibility and managing the technological advancement of a company, this role is for you. The need for these professionals is expected to grow at a strong 16% over the next decade, with around 48,500 openings available each year. Making this a stable career.

IT Director Jobs and Chief Technology Officer Jobs: Are They the Same?

In small to medium size companies IT director jobs and chief technology officer jobs are used as synonyms. In bigger corporations, these are usually two separate positions. A CTO is more involved in the strategy and planning side, while an IT director has a more hands-down involvement in the IT infrastructures of the company.

Typical responsibilities as an IT director include:

• lead the IT department staff
• establish goals and strategies to fulfill business needs, while respecting budgets
• oversee IT operations
• collaborate across different departments
• prepare and present reports to top-level management
• supervise the company help desk
• hire new IT team members
• search for new technology solutions to increase department efficiency
• establish and keep track of metrics to evaluate IT department work
• check for and fix security vulnerabilities

IT director jobs are full-time careers. While a 40-hour per week schedule is the norm, there might be times you have to work extra hours to close important projects.

Salaries for IT Director Jobs

The salary for IT directors sits at $119,558 per year on average, ranging from $74,931 to $153,568. When they also fill the responsibilities of CTO jobs, their wage can then go up to $66,994 per year. On top of that, you must also consider that how much you can earn depends on the industry, your level of experience, and your location.

For instance, here are the top-paying industries for IT director jobs:

• local messengers and local delivery: $230,560 per year
• media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers: $209,750 per year
• clothing and clothing accessories retailers: $208,110 per year
• computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing: $207,980 per year
• securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities: $207,310 per year

Location-wise, CTO jobs bring home most in:

• New York: $217,630
• California: $215,130
• New Jersey: $203,160
• Delaware: $195,140
• Washington: $192,070

Are you curious to discover how these earnings compare to your area? Check out Monster’s Salary Calculator. This free tool gathers all the salaries for every industry, so you can compare similar ones. Plus, it offers you helpful insights on the best skills to develop to grow in your field.

How to Find the Best IT Director Jobs for You

Giving you a definition of the best IT director job out there would be impossible. But we can show you how to recognize what would be best for you.

Set Your Priorities

There are many factors of your job that can influence your wider professional (and personal) life. Decide what is important to you when it comes to:

• the industry you want to work in
• company size
• location
• travel requirements
• work-life balance

Screen Companies

Once you have a clear idea about your needs and aspirations, start filtering companies. Further narrow down your criteria to:

• ideal company culture
• growth opportunities
• employee compensation package and other perks
• availability to work remotely

How to Apply to IT Director Jobs

Once you’ve found suitable job openings it’s time to work on your applications. Make sure they’re perfect before you send them off to ensure the best chance of a lasting impression.

Update Your Resume for Director of IT Jobs or Chief Technology Officer Jobs

Looking for resume writing tips to help you secure an interview for an IT director job or a chief technology officer job? We’ve got your back.

An IT director resume must communicate that you have both deep technical knowledge of your sector and leadership and organizational skills. So, start with a clear and simple resume structure, like in our CTO resume sample. Then, add your skills and experiences. Great skills to have in your IT director resume include:

• leadership
• decision-making
• teamwork
• problem-solving and an analytical attitude
• presentation skills
• interpersonal communication
• time and project management
• negotiation
• delegation
• conflict management

Then, focus on quantifying results from your previous IT director jobs with metrics and examples of past projects you led. This is the most effective way to show the impact you had. Good examples of KPIs to quote in your resume are:

• employee turnover rate
• bug fixes over the course of a project
• time to market
• average response time
• customer satisfaction and retention rates

Complete your resume with a profile summary at the top of your document. Introduce your specific areas of expertise and most important accomplishments. For more help, check out Monster’s Resume Writing Services. One of our expert resume writers will help you showcase your unique value and identify the best keywords for your target job.

Tips for Your IT Director Writer Cover Letter

Conclude your application with a compelling cover letter. A good IT cover letter for a director position should elaborate details beyond those in your resume. Explain in more depth why you are the right candidate and what you can help the company achieve under your leadership. Here is a simple yet effective structure to use:

• Strong opening. The first two or three sentences of your letter must hook the reader and convince them to keep reading. Tell them why you are applying for the role and what kind of background you have that makes you a great fit.
• Past Achievements. Here you’ll enter into more details. Feel free to add as many metrics as you consider valuable from your past IT director jobs to support your claims.
• Relevant Skills. Stress how your skills meet the job description and offer examples of how you used them with real-life examples.
• Call to Action to Close. Recap your strengths and invite the recruiter to contact you to answer any questions they might have.

Are your resume and cover letter good to go? Upload them to a free candidate account on Monster to apply in seconds to your dream job. As a Monster member, you'll also get customized job alerts. So, you’ll be among the first to know when new positions matching your criteria are available.

How to Follow Up with an Employer

Sending a follow-up after applying for an IT director role is a great way to increase your chances of selection. It shows the recruiter you’re eager enough to chase them. Do it the right way by:

• Waiting a reasonable amount of time. At least a week is typical. An IT director is one of the key players in a company’s management, so it makes sense recruiters might want to take their time to evaluate resumes.
• Addressing the right person. Find the contact details of the hiring manager. Address your follow-up to a person and not a vague "To Whom It May Concern". If you can’t trace them, give the company a call and ask.
• Craft a polite and short message. First check your SPAM folder one last time. Still nothing? Then proceed to write a brief email in which you reintroduce yourself and enquire about the status of your application.

Interviewing Tips for IT Director Jobs

If you’re aspiring to become an IT director, preparing for your interview is a step you can’t skip. Below are our tips to turn any CTO interview into a success:

Research The Company

Learning as much as possible about a company you’re interviewing with is always a must, especially when applying for managerial roles like IT director jobs. That is because a company’s culture, mission and vision will influence every decision you make on the job.

Study the company’s website and official social media pages, and read reviews from employees. Networking can be another great tool to get first-hand experiences and opinions.

Prepare for Interview Questions for CTO Jobs

Be sure to go back to basics and review how to answer the most common IT interview questions. On top of that, learn how to tackle behavioral questions, leveraging the STAR method. Prepare to talk about experiences you had during your career to help recruiters understand what they can expect from you. And remember that you’re trying to understand if the employer is the right fit for you as well.

Dress the Part

Even if you’re meeting with the most casual start-up out there, what you wear to an interview can still change how people perceive you. It’s safest to go for traditional formal business attire.

Non-verbal communication is also part of a great first impression. Work on your posture, handshake, and eye contact.

Follow-up After the Interview

Within 24 hours of the interview reach out to the recruiter with a thank-you email. It doesn’t have to be long, but it must:

• Thank the recruiter for the opportunity to get to know them and the company.
• Cite something meaningful said during the meeting so they remember you.
• Reiterate what qualifications and experiences make you a good fit.

Then, if after a week, you don’t get an update, get in touch with a follow-up email to ask about your application status.

What to Do When You Get an Offer

Got an offer for a CTO position? First things first, take a moment to congratulate yourself. Your hard work paid off. Next, it’s a good idea to:

• Say thank you for the offer. Express gratitude to the recruiter and the company for their recruitment effort.
• Politely ask for time to evaluate the offer. This is especially important if you’re waiting for answers from other IT director jobs. Consider anywhere up to a week as reasonable, but always confirm it with the company first.
• Review the offer. Make sure all the terms are clearly stated and meet your expectations, including job title, responsibilities, compensation package, PTO, and other perks.
• Assess company fit. Consider if the company you’re about to sign with truly meets your ideal work environment and career aspirations.
• Negotiate, if needed. If the terms of the offer don’t align with your experience or the market standards, don’t be afraid to initiate a negotiation.

IT Director Job Career Paths

Wondering if being an IT director is going to be the pinnacle of your career? There are several career paths you can still pursue after being an IT director depending on your interests and your goals. Here are a few of them:

• Vice president of IT: In this role you manage the IT department operations of a company. You provide strategic guidance, manage budgets, and ensure the delivery of IT services. To achieve this position, you must have a solid knowledge of technology and its impact on business processes.
• Chief information officer (CIO): As a CIO you lead the technology strategy and operations of an organization. You collaborate with executive teams, establish business goals and drive transformations in your company.
• IT Consultant: Do you like to work on a variety of projects and don’t want to be limited to one company? Sounds like you would enjoy IT consulting. In this role you provide expert advice, assess technological needs, and develop strategies to improve efficiency and results for different organizations.
• Chief executive officer (CEO): Do you have great leadership skills but are willing to keep learning? If you have ambitions beyond the IT field, you could make a great CEO.

Similar Occupations

Are you thinking about exploring other computer jobs? You can find them all on Monster. Here are a few similar options you might be interested in:

• IT jobs
• technology jobs
• information systems manager jobs