A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO LANDING A CORPORATE BOARD SEAT
Landing a board seat—whether at a publicly traded or privately held company—is a strategic and competitive process that requires intentional positioning, credibility, and networks. Many boards are seeking diverse perspectives, digital transformation expertise, or global market knowledge. Here’s a clear step-by-step approach to give yourself the best chance:
Clarify Your Board Value Proposition
What expertise do I bring? (e.g., finance, legal, tech, marketing, ESG, governance, DEI)
Do I have experience managing P&L, navigating crises, or scaling a business?
Am I prepared to offer strategic oversight, not day-to-day operations?
Build Relevant Experience
C-suite or senior executive role (CEO, CFO, GC, CMO, etc.)
Operate in regulated industries (banks, pharma, energy) or rapidly evolving sectors (AI, fintech, etc.)
Serve on nonprofit, advisory, or private boards to build governance skills and visibility.
Gain experience in audit, risk, nom/gov, or compensation committees.
CREATE A BOARD-READY PROFILE
Develop a board bio (not just a resume) that emphasizes:
Strategic insights
Committee strengths
Crisis leadership
Industry credibility
Be sure to include any previous board, audit, or advisory experience.
Educate Yourself
Stay fluent in fiduciary duties, financial statements, risk management, ESG trends, and cybersecurity.
Consider a board governance certification or program:
NACD Directorship Certification - As the leading director credential in the United States, the Certification program provides rigorous governance content, comprehensive preparation, and a credentialing exam to ensure you possess the core competencies required of an effective board professional.
Harvard Business School Women on Boards Program - Women on Boards unpacks the board selection process and provides you with the knowledge you need to instantly drive impact as a new member. You'll also develop the skills and network you need to attain your ideal board appointment.
Wharton’s Women on Boards Development Program - Women on Boards: Building Exceptional Leaders prepares female executives and their allies to seize emerging opportunities. You will learn how to identify boards that best fit your skills and experience, better understand the fundamental obligations of directors, and discover best practices for corporate governance duties.
Yale Women on Boards Program - Breaking into the boardroom can be challenging for anyone. Yale’s Women on Boards program gives its participants guided preparation for the board search process. The program helps women deepen their understanding of critical skills needed and key trends facing boards today and gain practical insider insights into the board director search process. Over the course of the program, participants build a toolkit of resources to launch a successful board seat search with support of peer accountability groups and executive coaching.
Insead Executive Education - The five-day Aspiring Directors Programme from INSEAD Executive Education helps high-potential professionals, managers or executives preparing for their first board mandate to acquire the knowledge base that directors are expected to master, and which form the basis of effective board membership. The programme aims to answer the fundamental questions, such as: What are the main institutions, roles and processes in corporate governance?, How best can directors exercise their responsibilities in the boardroom?
TARGET COMPANIES THOUGHTFULLY
Focus on sectors where your experience is most relevant.
Look for companies undergoing leadership transitions, IPOs, or governance changes.
Smaller private companies and startups often welcome first-time board members.
Network Strategically
Board placement often happens through personal referrals—not job postings. Let your network know you are actively seeking board service and what kind of company or sector you're targeting. Join key organizations that cna help you build your network, expertise, and find additional board opportunities.
Develop relationships with:
Current and former board members
Executive search firms (e.g., Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry)
Governance organizations (e.g., National Association of Corporate Directors – NACD)
When getting started, here are some key organizations that can help you land your first board seat:
Women in the Boardroom - For over 20 years, Women in the Boardroom has been committed to delivering actionable strategies that motivate and inspire women to secure their seat at the table. Our focus is not a conversation about diversity—it is about actionable strategies and getting results.
Illumyn Impact - (formerly Him for Her) Illumyn Impact is a 501c(3) on a mission to diversify the board ecosystem. Our vision is to unlock the social and economic power of those diverse board rooms. We connect CEOs, board directors, and our 100+ PE and VC partner firms with the independent board talent they want from our network.
The Fourth Effect is on a mission to close the gender power, wealth, and funding gap by leveraging technology and community to democratize access to startup boards to change the board and innovation landscape.
How Women Lead is re-defining Women's Leadership in the 21st Century. Our 20,000 strong network of senior executives are claiming their seats in c-suites and corporate boardrooms and as general partners in venture capital firms. We believe that together, we can transform the way the world sees women leaders.
50/50 Women on Boards - a global 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2010 with a mission to accelerate gender balance and diversity on corporate boards.
TheBoardlist - connecting diverse leaders with global board opportunities
Once you’ve joined a Board, there are Board Director communities that help you develop your expertise and find additional Board appointments.
Women Corporate Directors (WCD) - the world’s largest membership organization and community of women corporate board directors. A 501(c)(3) foundation, WCD is a trusted community of directors serving on more than 8,500 public and private boards around the world.
Extraordinary Women On Boards (EWOB) delivers the cutting-edge knowledge, valuable resources, and powerful connections needed to advance boardroom excellence and modernize governance. We amplify the influence of women inside the boardroom and beyond.
Black Women on Boards - 200 member community of top executives who have successfully navigated the contours of private and public board service as well as those who are fully vetted and ready to do so. Typical member profile is of someone reporting directly to the CEO of their public or private company or are CEOs/Founders themselves.
