10 tips for getting your first board position

Tips to use for getting on boards:

1. Honestly appraise your motivations and commitment level – your strengths, ambition, risk tolerance, time.

2. Personal brand – be clear about what value you can add to a board.

3. Proactively network – refine your ‘elevator speech’ and communicate it to:

?  chairs (who are the decision makers) and other active directors on boards

?   your colleagues and targeted contacts

?  executive search firms

4. Skill up – do AICD and other relevant courses, eg: those that refresh your financial knowledge.

5. Be a learning junkie – keep engaged in industry, board and hot-topic issues by attending conferences, seminars, breakfasts, etc – a great chance to build your network so have your cards ready.

6. Right fit – determine the type, size and sector in which you would like to serve on a board – un/listed, government, private equity, not-for-profit. Do your research and identify their needs and current director status.

7. Don’t get off until you are ready – keep an executive career going if you still have “one more in you” – you will bring operational experience to the board and the board experience will be valuable to your executive position.

8. Speak up – be a spokesperson on a topic that adds value to the conversations that boards need to be interested in – offer to speak at an association event, sit on panels.

9. Build experience – not-for-profit boards can be a good place to start. Select for your passion, but pick for the company of other directors. If there is no board position, offer to help on a committee. Gives you both the chance to assess fit.

10. Update your 2-4 page CV regularly – highlight key, differentiating skills, current & past boards and activities outside your day job.

And some don’ts

Don’t rely on others to ‘sell’ your story – devote the time you would to a job search.

Don’t assume that search firms are the answer – over half of boards rely on ‘warm referrals’ from their own networks and you need to be in that deal flow.

Don’t close your mind to opportunities. Listen to every possibility – you never know what might be the right fit.

Don’t expect that diversity alone is your ticket (if you are a woman) to a board seat – you MUST bring the right mix of experience and style to be considered.

This article was first published on LeadingCompany’s sister site, Women’s Agenda.