Q&A with theBoardlist: How to Frame Your Board Story
This post is the third in a series pulled from our recent Q&A with theBoardlist community. The first, covered the elusive “cultural fit” on corporate boards, and the second was about the importance of networking.
In today’s post, we’ll talk about how to frame your background and experience when looking for a board opportunity.
Question: “I come from a highly technical field. Although I have 10+ years of experience as a CEO and board member, how do I make sure I don’t get pigeonholed by the technical aspect of my resume?”
Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, founder of theBoardlist, founder & CEO of Joyus, alum of Google, Amazon and Polyvore, and a board member for TripAdvisor Inc. and Ericsson answers:
“One way is to position your board bio and resume far more broadly. You can list all your other skill first, like “General management, international, scaling, consumer products.”
You can also seek to join a board where they are not looking for technical first but overall leadership and tech is the “nice to have” vs. the main point.
Having said all that, once you’re in the boardroom, you will have ability to influence all decisions not just technical ones — make sure you use it. It’s also important to have references who speak to your non-technical prowess.”
Question: “Does a title that doesn’t start with a C make a newbie invisible? How important is title to breaking through the initial clutter? I am the global lead of my business, but our company doesn’t do C-titles as a rule. At how much of a disadvantage does that put me in an anonymous marketplace?”
Lesley Grossblatt, VP of Product & Business Operations for theBoardlist, and alum of Netflix, Nextdoor and CreativeLive answers:
“Sure, you can definitely stand out with a title that isn’t a C-level title based on what you’ve accomplished and the size of the businesses you’ve led/grown. Again, it keeps going back to what your specific experience/expertise are.”
Heather Rosato, Sponsor & Corporate Member Relations for theBoardlist and alum of Viacom, Interlace Media, E*Trade Bank, and Oysterhouse Group adds:
“That’s why your profile on theBoardlist is so important. It highlights what you’ve done, not what you’re called. An SVP or VP running a multi-hundred-million dollar business or division at a large company are just as likely to be perceived as superstars as C-level at startups.
We’ve found that CEOs are looking to add expertise, experience and perspective, not titles. Highlighting that in your profile so that you find the right fit is key, clearly not everyone is looking for a current/former CEO.”
Question: “How much does prior Board experience figure into the equation? For example, does it really matter for public company Boards if I’ve been on a small Board of an angel-backed startup or a nonprofit?”
Blair Christie, theBoardlist’s Strategic Advisor, former Cisco CMO, board member for MindBody, AirGrub and US2020 answers:
“The answer isn’t perfect — as it depends. It depends on the company. In many cases, CEOs are desperate for a specific expertise. Yet, we also have CEOs that simply don’t want — or don’t have the luxury — to “teach” a new board member. A board member of an angel-backed company has great insight and value to add and if you are interested in public company board service, recognize it can be a journey and you should start with building a strong network of sponsors that are currently in a position to recommend you into that type of board experience. Finally, a late stage company that is close to IPO could be a great avenue to get to that experience.”
Sukhinder Singh Cassidy adds:
“So, I went from a private, nonprofit board to a public board (J.Crew), with only the one nonprofit board. I think it is doable if you have a strong reference and can prove you’ve been working in a boardroom like any boardroom, with all the governance issues, etc. I think it’s pretty worthwhile to do a private non-profit board, experience wise.”
Searching for your perfect board fit? Visit theboardlist.com/join to learn more about joining us a candidate or a board searcher.
