Do this ONE thing to nail your board interview.

29 Apr

Author: Paul Smith, Founder, Future Directors Institute

Fundamentally, the role of a Board Director is to ask great questions. If you walk into an interview without great questions to ask what sort of impression are you giving them.

In brief: Interviews can be intimidating, but by preparing thoroughly beforehand, you’ll be in a much better position to leave a lasting impression and blow the board’s mind!

Approx. reading time: 3mins

Imagine this scenario. You’ve applied for, or been connected to, a board role and thanks to your awesome network and/or board CV and application they want to see you!

You turn up (or log on) to the interview with the hiring committee or chair of that ideal board you wish to join and the first thing you are asked is this:

“So, what questions do you have for us/me?”

And you sit there with little or nothing to say.

I can tell you. You are demonstrating a clear reason why you don’t belong.

So, PLEASE don’t waste all the hard work you’ve done to get in the room in the first place.

That aside. What else can you do to nail that interview?

Interviews are easy, as long as you prepare, and prepare well enough to leave you feeling confident. If you are nervous, that means you care. It’s a good sign.

Here are the five steps to creating confidence and succeeding in your boardroom interview.

Step 1 – Preparation

I always harp on about the P-word, but again, this is the first and most important step. You wouldn’t pitch to a huge client or present to an important audience without practising it first, right? Well, think of your interview as the same thing. You want to be as comfortable with your speech/pitch/value proposition as possible. Memorise it enough that you don’t need notes and are still able to speak with confidence and authority.

Preparing in advance will not only give you knowledge, but confidence as well, and these are key to a successful interview.

Research:

The company
Its directors
Its strategy
Risks and opportunities
Stakeholders

Make sure you know who will be interviewing you. Learn all you can about them. Read reports, browse the website, even check them out on social media. Is there anyone you can talk to and get the inside track? Familiarise yourself completely, don’t just wing it.

Step 2 – Bond with your interviewer

Most boards have an inherent sense of purpose. Despite recent press to the contrary, they tend to be committed to making a difference, and want people who are equally committed. A critical part of showing that dedication is understanding your Why. Why are you interested in joining that particular board? What’s your motivation for becoming a board director? Knowing this will enable you to be authentic, genuine and passionate to the board, and will help you leave an amazing impression.

It also pays to create an emotional bond with your interviewer. Having a shared connection or experience creates a different type of listening, and shows that you’re just like them. Being on the same level bolsters your confidence further, and also gives them an example of how successfully you can interact with and relate to your peers – a prime quality in a board director.

A great way to bring this up in your interview is to ask the interviewer themselves, “why did you join this board?” You might find you have very similar motivations and you can bond over these at a much deeper level.

Step 3 – Think like a board director

If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk. So if it’s your first board role, move away from the thought patterns of an employee or even a manager, and start thinking like a board director. This means starting to see the wood for the trees, thinking strategically and governing instead of operating. Think of any anecdotes you have, and draw from previous experience that demonstrates your ability to think and act like a director.

One of the toughest transitions you’ll make as a new director is switching from operational mode to governance mode (often on the same day). So, put your ‘director hat’ on before you even enter the room. Being able to switch from your day job to your board role is an important ability to have, as boards are often wary about how easily a brand new director will be able to make that transition. Showing them that you can already think like a director will put you one step ahead of the rest.

Mentors, non-executive coaches and a great network of directors are essential in helping you.

Step 4 – Ask smart questions, take smart notes

We started this article with this and as I said, at some point in your interview, it’s highly likely you’ll be asked “So, have you got any questions for us/me?”.

When this comes up, don’t ask anything generic like “How often does the board meet?”. You should already know that, because you will have conducted your due diligence. It’s also an immediate flag that suggests to the board that you might not be too committed to frequent meetings. Take this opportunity to ask smart questions that will demonstrates your commitment and desire to get involved. A good example is “will there be opportunities to join subcommittees?”

Further, don’t be afraid to go into your interview armed with notes and research. Too often, people think this isn’t okay to do, but it is. You don’t have to memorise everything. No board director goes into a meeting with papers with notes in the margins and questions at the ready. But it does show your willingness to prepare in advance, which is essential to future board meetings.

Be succinct with your answers because there will be time pressure (just like a board meeting), so get to the point! Be articulate too, which is another reason why preparation is so important. No interviewee is expected to memorise absolutely everything, but walking in with nothing can hint that you’re unprepared and therefore uncommitted.

Step 5 – Practice with your mentors

If you’ve done your due diligence, by now you’ve probably got mentors. So, if they’re willing, ask them to interview you as practice. They’re likely to be on a board already and thus have interviewee/interviewer experience, and they may be able to show you some of the questions you might be asked. Every board and interviewer has a different interviewing style, but by getting them to ask really searching questions you’ll feel much better prepared.

As I like to say -having borrowed the phrase- “it takes a village to raise a board director”. Both you and your mentor are part of that village, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

The 9 best attributes of effective board directors

10 essential questions to ask a prospective board member

What Directors get wrong