Top executives held about 2.5 million jobs in 2014. General and operations managers held about 2.1 million of these jobs while chief executives held about 343,400 jobs.
Top executives work in nearly every industry. They work for both large and small businesses, ranging from companies in which they are the sole employee to firms with thousands of employees.
Top executives of large organizations typically have large offices and numerous support staff. However, the work of top executives is often stressful because they are under intense pressure to succeed. Executives in charge of poorly performing organizations or departments may find their jobs in jeopardy.
Top executives frequently travel to attend meetings and conferences or to visit their company's local, regional, national, and international offices.
Work Schedules
Top executives often work many hours, including evenings and weekends. In 2014, about half worked more than 40 hours per week.