How to respond to an advertised board vacancy

Gaining a board appointment via an advertised vacancy is always going to be extremely competitive. It is not uncommon for advertised roles to receive a hundred or more applications. I once led an assignment that attracted over 1000 applications! And if it is a paid role, it is almost certainly guaranteed to attract hundreds of applications. Even in the not-for-profit sector, it is common to see even small organisations in regional areas attract 30 or more candidates, with the vast majority being well-qualified. However, don’t let these statistics deter you. My second board appointment was secured through an advertisement, and many of my members, because they follow my advice, have been successfully appointed this way. Here’s my advice.

First research

Ultimately, to be successful when writing a formal application, you need to be able to do two things:

1. Separate yourself from your competitors, and 
2. Dare them not to appoint you. 

To accomplish this, you first need to conduct some research. You can read about what research I recommend here. But, as a reminder, research is more than reading the website and annual reports. It means visiting the organisation, mystery shopping, speaking with past NEDs, and truly engaging with the organisation… and all that while learning about:

• The organisation –  its clients, and stakeholders (internally and externally);
• The board’s structure and context – both today and in the past;
• The broader operating environment – macro and micro challenges;
• The role itself – what value they want from their new appointment;
• And—critically—who is the person you intend to contact to find out more details?
  
  

Then call

Then, once you have done your research, you should speak to the advertiser. Most advertised board roles include the name of a contact person, someone open to an informal chat or who can offer further insight. But here’s the surprising part: fewer than half of applicants ever make contact. And among those who do, many leave a poor impression by reaching out too soon, too vaguely, or without real preparation. Don’t make that mistake. Again, do your research, then have an informed conversation.

These moments—brief, early, informal—often determine who stands out before a shortlist is even created. Once your research is complete, it’s time to make contact: via phone, email, or a LinkedIn InMail message. Remember, the person you’re reaching out to is often deeply involved in the selection process, even if their title doesn’t suggest it. Too many candidates engage too casually, only to realise later that they were speaking with one of the key decision-makers – perhaps the Board Chair, the Chair of the Nominations Committee, or someone with direct influence over who gets appointed.

Your objective here is twofold: to leave a strong, positive impression and to gather valuable insights that can sharpen your application. A vague request for more information won’t achieve this. Don’t say anything like ‘Can you tell me about the role?’ Instead, demonstrate the depth of your preparation. Mention something specific you’ve learned about the organisation, a conversation you have had with a past NED, reflect on a recent initiative, or speak to the challenges you understand the board is facing. Show that you are proactive, intelligent, engaged, passionate, connected and informed. 

Through this conversation, you should also gain information that your competitors likely won’t have, positioning you ahead before your application is even submitted. To do this, ask questions to clarify critical aspects of the role and the application process, including:

• Organisational priorities: “What’s top of mind for the board right now?” “What challenges are they facing?”
• Candidate qualities: “Beyond what’s listed, what kind of person would the Chair really like to appoint?” “Who is their perfect candidate?”
• Application expectations: “Are there specific materials or formats you’d prefer from me?”
• Process logistics: “When do applications close? What’s the decision-making timeline?”

Only once you’ve thoroughly researched the opportunity, spoken with the appropriate contact, and clarified these key points should you begin preparing your application. When done right, your name will already be familiar and respected before your Board CV ever lands in their inbox. 

Finally, write your application

Once you have…

1. done your research, 
2. spoken to the advertiser, and 
3. clarified the information above, 
   
   

…should you then, and only then, begin writing your board application. I’ll show you how to do this in my upcoming articles.

Summary

I said earlier that in order for you to gain a board role via an advert, you need to do two things: 1. Separate yourself from your competitors, and 2. Dare them not to appoint you. I trust you can see how research really does this. Not only in the learnings you gain from the research itself, but also in how you can leverage its powerfully through the conversation you can have with the advertiser. What I particularly love about this is that so few people go to this level of effort. They simply believe that submitting an application is sufficient. It isn’t, and when you go to greater lengths than your competitors, you are ‘daring them not to appoint you’.

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