Build a Board Career

When should I start thinking about a board career? Which boards are right for me, and how do I go about applying for board roles? These are just some of the many questions we get asked frequently at Women on Boards. In this article we look at why directorship is a viable option, how to get your first board role and how WOB can help on your pathway to the boardroom.

From Women on Boards’ new Legal Essentials for the Boardroom workshop to our sell-out Board Starter sessions and Build Your Board CV offerings, we have a range of resources to help you navigate your path to the boardroom.

Following what Melbourne woman Kate Gaffney described as “a car crash of a board interview” the WOB member steered her next interview in the right direction - landing her a dream board role. Here Kate shares her board interview learnings and why you should never underestimate the importance of identifying, articulating and targeting your value proposition. 

An advisory board is a structured, collaborative method for organisations to engage advisors and/or stakeholders. In this article by The Advisory Board Centre, find out what advisory boards do and what the difference is between an Advisory Board and Board of Directors.

A Board CV is different from a career CV in a number of ways. It is important you identify your transferable skills, articulate your seniority and achievements and highlight past board (or proxy board) experience. All in a succinct way. 

There is still a widespread misconception that board roles are out of reach or unsuited to full-time working professionals. Yet board roles are increasingly being taken by working executives and younger people as companies seek candidates with current experience and a diversity of skills, age and background, writes Women on Boards Co-founder and Executive Director, Claire Braund.

Member-only content

So you’ve got a new board role. Now what? To make sure your first 90 days in your new board role are a success, here are some tips from WOB UK members on what to do first, from practicalities to starting to get a feel for the board dynamics.

(April 2022)

Craving books not chocolate this Easter? Then forget eggs and hot cross buns. Here are some great new reads to fuel your mind and get stuck into over the Easter break, from leadership tips to the history of CWA NSW and Wendy McCarthy's inspiring memoir.

Are you interested in becoming a NED? Women on Boards UK CEO, Fiona Hathorn, shares her top tips for anyone setting out on their Board journey.

Having worked at Women on Boards for more than three years, I have been fortunate to hear the triumphs and tribulations of many of our members.  What I have deduced time and time again, is that success doesn't happy by fluke.  It’s down to sheer hard work and resilience.  There are three consistent themes that resonate with every success story I hear.

Mentoring 101 with Women on Boards' Claire Braund and My Mentor manager Ruth Jones

For many of us, 2022 could not have come around fast enough. And while ringing in the New Year is often a time we scribble down long lists of goals that we hope (but rarely do) to tick off over the next 12 months, it pays to make your New Year resolutions realistic so don’t set yourself up for failure.

Decision-making effectiveness and high performance is being compromised by the psychological safety in Australian boardrooms, a new study has found.

Women on Boards is often asked whether you can you make a living out of directorship. As with most things about directorship, the answer is not simple. So what remuneration can you expect as a director?

In the last decade, the role of a non-executive director (NED) has fundamentally evolved. In this article Women on Boards UK CEO Fiona Hathorn explains the five characteristics good board members need (that you won't find on the job specs). 

At Women on Boards we are often asked how you might choose your first board. 

A selection of our latest articles to support your journey to and through the boardroom.

Like many Non Executive Director’s (NEDs), one of Mary Sue Rogers first boards was a Not for Profit (NFP). Read how passion for a cause drove her board career.

A selection of our latest articles to support your journey to the boardroom.

I’m too young, I’m inexperienced, I have nothing to offer: These are expressions we often hear from women when discussing their board potential.

Adding a board appointment or directorship to your CV is a sure way of drawing attention and validating your capabilities whilst catapulting your career up the ladder of success. There are many benefits to be gained from this career portfolio strategy. Here are Women on Boards’ seven reasons why being a director will benefit your career:

You might think its too early to consider getting a board role? Here are three great reasons you are never too young to start.

Women on Boards UK CEO, Fiona Hathorn on the changing role of governance, the importance of culture and diversity in a post-Covid world and why you’re never too young to sit on a Board.