How Much Does a Board CV Really Count when Looking for a Board Position?
‘If only a great Board CV meant securing a board role’. This was a comment I recently received from a member. She of course had a point – you should never just rely upon your CV to do the talking for you – your networks and other tactics are incredibly valuable. However, not having a […]
Preparing yourself for a Non Executive Career
I am often asked what advice I would give to anyone wanting a board position. My immediate answer is to start looking for roles well before you need one as the process of being appointed can be lengthy. Beyond this, there are five factors you need to consider when preparing yourself for a non executive career. […]
How do I find a paid board role?
Gaining a paid board opportunity is a highly competitive process with both aspiring and existing board directors vying for the same positions. There are four ways people get board appointments. With some of these approaches being far more effective than others. Recruiters, Not for Profits, Networks and the Direct Approach Executive Search Firms: Many believe that the best […]
Four Ways to Get Appointed and the One Thing that Really Counts
Like much in life we find theory on the one hand and on the other, the actual practice. I have worked as a headhunter and seen the board appointment process up close for almost 10 years. In my experience, in addition to working your personal connections, there are three ways in which individuals are appointed to […]
How to Get on a Board – The Fundamentals
Many think that the only thing that matters in a board selection process is that a candidate has the relevant skills to contribute to the board. But that’s rarely the only aspect boards look at when searching for the right candidate. As competition is fierce for board positions organisations can afford to pick through the applications of very good candidates to […]
How Much Do ‘Old School Networks’ Count?
The importance of our networks can never be underestimated when it comes to the board appointment process. So when asked how much old school networks count in a board appointment, the simple answer to this question is: ‘It depends on whether a board considers itself a rockpool or a Northern Quoll.’ Rockpool vs Northern Quoll […]
Your Board Vacancy
Thank you for submitting your board vacancy You can view it on the Board Vacancies page. How else can we help? Typically advertised vacancies for non-executive directors are over-subscribed. To help we can complement our free advertising service with any of the services below: A full search and selection service. An application handling, selection and response service. […]
The benefits of an early start
Family and social pressures on top of a busy executive job leave very little time for many to consider anything more than managing the status quo. However, not carving out some time to develop your personal brand can have serious consequences for your future board career. An Early Start to Your Board Career can be […]
Which Board is for You?
Deciding which board is for you is a major key to your future success on a board. Taking on a board role that is not suited to you can lead to problems later down the line. So before you even start to prepare your application, you need to really consider the question which board roles […]
What Board should I apply for?
‘What sort of board role can I be appointed to?’ is a question that I get asked frequently. The question of what board to apply to is natural in the beginning of one’s board career but, I think, it equally does not bode well for the potential success of a board candidate in finding the ‘right board’ for them. I say this because […]
Your Board Profile
Before you begin your board search it is important to develop your unique board profile This will become your ‘board business card’. After stripping away the contextual issues, in my experience, there are essentially five criteria that need to be addressed when writing a board profile. They are: Past board or committee experience It is important to be […]
Getting the basis of your Board CV right
In our last ‘Board Thoughts’ article I wrote about getting your board profile right remembering that, above all, it should answer the question ‘Why should you be appointed to this board?’ Today I want to focus on the basis for writing a ‘board-ready’ CV. Whilst not all board appointments require a dedicated board CV, it is […]
Beware the bait & switch
One of our members raised my attention to a disturbing trend of which I thought you should be aware. ‘Value Add Directors’ Organisations of all different shapes and sizes require the services of a board and board members. For example there are: committees, advisory boards, sub-committees, independent directors, non executive directors and ‘value add’ directors. However, […]
Why Being Good Enough Counts More Than You Think
Being good enough counts – especially when it comes to board appointments. When applying for a board role, being good enough counts much more than you think. Unlike many senior executive appointment processes where tens of thousands of dollars are often spent on a recruitment process or a recruitment consultant and that is tied to a rigid process, the board appointment process […]
The most challenging part of your board career
Gaining a NED appointment can sometimes be the most challenging part of your board career. I often speak with executives that are looking to embark on a career in governance but either: have no idea where to start or; they think that, because they have already enjoyed a successful executive career, placement on a board will […]
Skype Interviews
With the development of modern technology Skype/Online interviews have become common place. Which poses the question, with the job interview already being seen as an ordeal that most people have to face at one stage or another in their career, is it easier or more difficult now that video starts to take the place of […]