How to address the selection criteria for a board application

Only a relatively few board applications require formal applications. However, those that do almost inevitably require you to address their stated selection criteria. Most often, these criteria are what your application is graded upon. How you address them will make the difference between you being an A, B or C candidate. As such, if selection criteria are listed, addressing them is non-negotiable. Here’s how to do it.

What are the selection criteria, and where do you find them?

The selection criteria are usually listed within a job specification document or within the advertisement. There will be occasions when you will need to contact the recruiter or advertiser to obtain the list. 

They are basically the list of skills, experiences, and qualities that the recruiting organisation believes are required to be considered for their board appointment. The list of attributes could be brief and generic or extensive and detailed, and is often split between the Essential Criteria and Desirable Criteria. The first set, for want of a better word, is a list of ‘hard’ skills and experiences that are required. The second is a list of the ‘softer’ or less immediately important skills and experiences. Whilst both are important, it is the Essential Criteria that are the ones you are almost always entirely graded against. 

Your responses to the  Essential Criteria are used by recruiting organisations and selection committees to make yes or no decisions. Within your cover letter, together with the research you have conducted, is perhaps the element that carries the most weight in this regard. You must give these criteria the gravitas they demand. 

To be more specific, the way you address these criteria is used to grade your application and, in turn, determines who is and isn’t put on the interview shortlist. An “A” candidate is someone who meets all the criteria, whereas a “C” candidate meets few, if any, of the criteria. Obviously, it is the “A” candidates who are the first to be invited to interview. When there are multiple A candidates, the strength of your research and board cover letter comes further into play. 

However, to reiterate, strong research and a compelling board cover letter will not count for much unless you fully address each of the Essential Criteria. Skimping here will have a detrimental effect on the success of your application. 

Jump through the hoops – regardless

The process for writing responses to the selection criteria is relatively formulaic. Some may feel restricted by this approach as they feel unable to express themselves fully. Whilst others are tempted to provide too much content or write the document in a style that better suits them, they should consider the intended audience. Some find themselves frustrated by addressing seemingly obvious criteria that already appear in their board CV or are referenced in their board cover letter.  Whilst I empathise that having to rewrite the content seems insane, you must jump through their hoops.

More importantly, recruiting organisations have their own set of processes for sifting and assessing applications. Set procedures are implemented to standardise and relieve often inexperienced staff from having to wade through hundreds of CVs, which are written with varying degrees of clarity and in different formats and fonts, to obtain the relevant information. So to counter this, they list out criteria to be addressed. By tasking you with addressing these criteria, they get the information clearly presented, allowing them to make a yes or no decision.

So, this is not the time to get inventive. It is a simple task of jumping through the hoops set before you and only providing the information the organisations want from you. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes, and put it in a format that is easy for them to read and grade objectively. 

The framework and process for writing a Board Supporting Statement

To begin with, in some instances, you may be frustrated by having to address some criteria that seem frivolous or ask you for the same content as an earlier criteria. It is essential to remain patient and focused. Whether you think the criteria are the same or even irrelevant, the truth is that the organisation will have thought long and hard about these criteria. As such, there are likely nuances within each criteria that are important to the appointing organisation and should be recognised. If you can’t see the difference, you should speak with the recruiter or advertiser to understand the nuances more clearly. I can guarantee that there is one, and you will be judged accordingly if you don’t address it. 

Once you have reached this level of zen, there is a very simple framework and process I follow when addressing the selection criteria. 

1. Cut and paste the Essential Criteria into a Word document. Number accordingly.
   
   
2. Prepare 3 – 6 examples that demonstrate/quantify your success at either board level or as an executive – you can find them in your Board CV. 
   
   
3. Write a paragraph or two for each criteria, evidencing how your experience meets each of those criteria – you can also use bullet points to the same effect. In fact, some of the most powerful board supporting statements I have seen are just a list of bullet points evidencing their success. 
   
   
4. Use T. E. E to answer each criterion:
   
   • Technical:  Clearly state that you meet the criteria. Reframe the criteria from a question to a statement. If the question is about governance, state clearly that you have X years of governance experience. Make the statement powerfully and unambiguously. 
   • Example: Provide examples of the roles you have held that support the previous statement. Something like “Perhaps the best example I can provide demonstrating my governance expertise was as a Non-Executive Director of X, Y, and Z”. Then, finally,
   • Evidence: Provide examples of success in these roles. Perhaps say something like: “As a NED of Company X, I … demonstrate your individual success at the board level by thinking about your successes in 3 ways.
     
     • Why were you appointed to that board or role in the first place? And have you fulfilled the reason for that appointment?
     • What reasons would you give the Chair if you were asking for a pay rise?
     • Link your success to the success the organisation experienced whilst you were a non-executive director.
       
       
5. Rinse and repeat for each of the selection criteria. 
   
   
6. Cut and paste the final content back into your board cover letter.
   
   

Here’s what not to do:

Don’t: 

• Address the criteria by making reference to the content contained in your board CV.
• Provide too much context – often board supporting statements spend too much time articulating the context of your experience. Equally, too much emphasis is often placed on the mechanisms of the work that you did rather than on how successful that work was. It is the latter that will separate you from your competitors.
• Reference responses to similar criteria previously addressed.
• Write a letter – address each criterion individually under each heading.
• Miss any criteria. All need to be addressed. 
• Take shortcuts. Each criteria counts.
• Combine criteria – treat each criterion individually.
  
  

“Dare them not to appoint you”

An excellent way to get your mindset right is to always assume that hundreds of people are applying for the very same board role. The phrase I use when writing or reviewing cover letters for my members is to “dare them not to appoint you”. I find this provides focus and helps you to write a more compelling and succinct document. Ultimately, it should encourage you to only include information that will help them make you an “A” candidate. 

Few enjoy writing board cover letters or addressing selection criteria. For many, they are time-consuming and dull. I, on the other hand, love writing and reviewing applications, which is why unlimited application reviews are included as part of our Executive Memberships.

Regardless of whether you love or hate writing these documents, if you get it right initially with a bit of luck, you will get appointed and won’t have to write another one again anytime soon. Further, any future board supporting statements you do need to write will likely have similar content. 

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