How to Land a Corporate Board Seat

Q. I am in efforts to join a board of directors and have contacted companies describing my talents and experience, so far without success. Can you provide any specific tips on positioning oneself as an attractive board candidate and how to best inform boards of your availability?

A. Landing a board seat requires a unique process that is quite different from applying for a job. Perhaps the most important is to realize "that being appointed to a board is like joining a country club. They ask you; you don't ask them," says Theodore Dysart, managing director of the Americas for the global board of directors practice at Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., an executive-search firm. To that end, it is no surprise that you haven't heard from those companies you contacted about your talents and experience.

But before you even begin the process, you need to ask yourself why you want to be on a board and what skills and expertise can you bring, says Rita Foley, head of the board advisory practice at Crenshaw Associates, an executive-coaching firm, and a director on the boards of two publicly traded companies, PetSmart Inc. and Dresser-Rand Group Inc.

The job of a boardroom director has become more challenging in recent years due to increased government regulations. "Directors need to realize that there are huge liability issues with lots of work and responsibility involved," says Eileen Fusco, who heads the audit committee on the board of directors for MF Global Ltd., a large, global brokerage firm. In her first year on the job, Ms. Fusco estimates it took her up to 300 hours to get up to speed.

If you're still interested and think you have the necessary skills and expertise, there are several steps you can take to raise your profile and be considered a viable candidate for a board position. One way is to self-promote and be "the best in class and at the top of your game whatever you do," says Mr. Dysart. Many talented senior executives fail to get noticed by boards because "they put their heads down, do their work and don't build much of an external network," says Mr. Dysart.

You also may be able to increase your visibility by joining a nonprofit's board of directors, which is often easier to achieve than a corporate board seat. Many nonprofit boards are populated with senior executives from public companies and working alongside them "gives them an opportunity to see you in action," says Mr. Dysart.

Another strategy is to network with current and past boardroom directors, says Alison Winter, co-founder of Women Corporate Directors, an international community of women corporate directors, and a member of Nordstrom Inc.'s board of directors. "It's necessary to build your network of individuals who might recommend you to a board on which they sit," she says.

You may be able to meet these individuals at events hosted by professional groups such as the National Association of Corporate Directors, Women Corporate Directors and the Institute of Corporate Directors. But it's not enough to just show up. Offer to serve on a discussion panel or speak on a topic in your area of expertise, says Mr. Dysart. Also make a point to "ask good questions or make thought-provoking comments," says Ms. Fusco, adding that she's been approached by people in reaction to questions she's raised.

Finally, consider paying for classes on how to land a corporate board seat. OnBoard Bootcamp, for example, offers resume critiquing and interviewing tips specifically for director wannabes. And once you're ready, you can post your resume on sites like BoardRecruiting.com, where small-cap companies that can't afford an expensive search firm look for potential board candidates.

Posted in: