The Board Interview: How to Prepare, What to Expect, Why It’s Different

By Jocelyn Mangan, CEO of Him For Her and Kate Purmal, COO of Illumyn

As a seasoned executive, you have undoubtedly participated in dozens of interviews throughout your career. Many don’t realize that the board interview process looks quite different from executive interviews. As a result, you’ll need to prepare differently and be ready to ask different questions than you would when interviewing for an executive role. Here are some essential insights to ensure your effectiveness and to present yourself as the valuable board member you will become.

When you have made it to the board interview, chances are the people you are interviewing with have already researched you and your background and know what you have accomplished. Unlike an executive interview, where the bulk of the conversation centers around what you have done, a board interview is a process that determines what you will bring to a future strategic role as a guide to the company rather than an operator. One of the best ways to demonstrate this value is to show up as you would if you were already a highly valuable board member. 

1. Show up with Informed Curiosity

What makes board members most effective?  We’ve asked hundreds of boardroom CEOs, CFOs, and board members, and the #1 answer is: the ability to ask compelling and insightful questions. 

The thought-provoking questions you ask will not only underscore that you’ve done your homework, but also ensure that you present yourself during the board interview in a manner that aligns with how you'll engage when you secure a board seat. Well-informed inquiries demonstrate the worth you intend to bring to the CEO, the board, and the company.

It's important to clarify that the board interview  is an opportunity for exploration, not for offering unsolicited suggestions.

2. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare 

The key to posing thoughtful questions is in the research you do to prepare for your interview.  

Learn everything you can about the company’s makeup, the industry, and its competitors. Through this research, identify potential risks the company might be facing, and new and emerging opportunities. 

Try to learn as much as you can about the company’s stakeholders, including customers, partners, and employees. Scour their website and read news articles and industry research reports. If it’s a public company, review the SEC filings and annual reports. Examine their presence on social media, read the comments on Glassdoor, and look for the articles their executives are posting, the topics they’re speaking on, and the events they’re attending. 

Your goal is to come up with a dozen or more questions to ask during the interview process.

3. Learn About the Board Composition

You’ll also want to learn as much as you can about who’s on the board. Familiarize yourself with both the independent and executive directors to discern the specific skill sets and experiences that each individual brings to the table. This understanding of the board's makeup and the executive team's structure will enable you to understand the current ecosystem of competencies and backgrounds which will serve as signals for potential gaps they may be aiming to fill. Our board matrix tool, accessible through this link, serves as an excellent resource to aid you in mapping current competencies as you delve into research about the board and executive team.

Typically, initial board interviews involve the CEO and one or more board members. Over time, you might also find yourself meeting other board members, the company's founders, and key executives. It's imperative to proactively gather information about each person, along with a clear understanding of their role within the board and organization.

As you learn about the people you’ll interview with, look for what you might have in common and for shared interests. Board chemistry is critical, and because boards tackle challenging and sensitive issues, they need to have confidence they can work with you with a high degree of trust and collaboration. Demonstrate that you’re open-minded and curious, that you don’t jump quickly to conclusions, and that you are respectful of their experience and opinions.  

4. Assess if This is the Right Opportunity for You 

Boards play a crucial role in supporting and enhancing a company's performance and the performance of its key executives. Exceptional board members demonstrate a deep commitment to the company's success and to supporting the CEO and executive team. Be ready to use your informed curiosity to assess your  interest in serving on the company's board and to understand if you could develop passion and dedication to the company's mission.

Consider what aspects of the company, industry and products most interest you. How do your passions align with the company’s mission, customers, and products or services? What motivates you to become a board member for this particular company? 

Board service entails a multi-year commitment. Beyond mere financial gains, experiences, and professional accomplishments, you need to gain clarity on how the board opportunity will create a meaningful return on your effort and time. A great way to connect with others on the board and discover how the board might align with your interests is to ask other board members what they like most about the company, and what aspects of their board service they enjoy most. 

5. Think About Your Time

The CEO and other board members will want to know that you’ll be available to spend time on the company. This goes beyond reviewing board materials in advance of board meetings. They’ll want to know that you’ll stay informed about what’s happening in the industry and key trends that might affect the business, including emerging technologies, risks, and issues facing the industry and their competitors. Think about how you’ll allocate time to stay current and informed. 

It’s important to ask about the time commitment in the interview. The answers will reflect planned / structured time, such as regularly scheduled meetings. But know that all boards require directors to invest unplanned time to attend to critical events  such as a merger or acquisition, the lead-up to an IPO, or a corporate crisis. Be ready to talk about how you’ll make yourself available as needed to bring your time and energy to the business. 

6. Take on the Mindset of a Director, not an Operator

The board needs to see that you’re capable of operating like a director, not an operator. By this we mean noses in, fingers out. Rather than thinking like an executive, employee, or manager, your role on the board will require you to be objective and bring an outside perspective to influence rather than do. You’ll need to serve as a consultant and trusted advisor rather than a contributing member of the team. Be prepared with examples of ways you’ve done this in the past, and illustrate your ability to think as an outsider and observer.

If you’ve had limited exposure to the boardroom in the past, or are not clear on the kind of contributions board members make, meet with a few others who have served on boards and ask them what it means to bring oversight and governance rather than operational skills. Find out about the most effective ways they’ve found to engage and connect with the CEO, executives, and other board members within and outside of the boardroom. 

Valuable Questions to Ask During Interviews:

As you research the company, you’ll certainly come up with dozens of questions to ask about its strategy, business model, markets, products, and competitors. Beyond that, there are several other categories of questions you’ll want to ask. 

Board Structure & Culture 

Each board has a unique culture, and you’ll want to learn about how the board operates. Here are some sample questions that help assess these areas:

• Can you describe the board’s culture? (If given the chance, ask this independently to different board members, noticing where their answers are similar and in which ways they differ.) 

• How often are meetings, and are they held in-person or remotely?

• How does the board stay in touch with what’s really going on at the company? Do they meet with other key executives and employees? 

• How does the board interact with others on the executive team and wider employee base? 

• How much time do they spend with the CEO? Does the board meet separately with the key executives? 

• How do board members collaborate outside of board meetings? Which formal committees are in place? 

Competency Gaps

As you evaluate and showcase your fit for the board, you’ll want to understand what they are looking for in their next board member. 

Sample questions: 

• In your opinion, what is the board missing, and what are you hoping this board member brings? 

• What board competencies do you anticipate needing 3-5 years from now? 

• What kinds of introductions does the board make that the CEO finds helpful at this stage? 

• How do you assess the performance of the current board? How often do you discuss/revisit the comments and results? 

Timeline and Process

Unlike executive interviews, where a company has an immediate and often urgent need to fill a vacant or new role, board interviews are rarely driven by urgency. You will want to understand their timeframe and process. This often takes up to six months and, in some cases, a year or more. By understanding the process and timeline by which they’ll make the decision, you can set your own expectations about response timelines and how best to follow up. 

• What is your timeline to find this new board member? Is it an urgent or critical need or a nice-to-have?

• What is your interview process? Can you share more about who I will interview with? Are these 1:1 or group interviews? 

• What is the best cadence to follow up on how the process is going? 

The search for a new director can take the back-burner to more urgent business demands. Don't assume lack of follow up equals lack of interest. Feel free to touch base, especially with thoughts or information relevant to the business. 

We’ve heard from women in our network that, especially in earlier stage companies, the interview process seems “casual” when in fact, they are truly assessing candidates in these unstructured conversations. This invites you to take all board conversations seriously. Also, what may be set up as a 1:1 can often turn into a group interview or vice versa, so be prepared to be flexible.  

Most importantly, board interviews are a chance to learn more. In all cases, it’s worth an initial conversation to assess the opportunity. Companies you may not find interesting on the surface might prove to be. The opposite is true as well –– companies you might love from the outside may not feel like a fit as you learn more in the interview process. Your time is your most precious asset, so it’s important to utilize the interview process effectively to determine if this board is the right one for you. Our next article goes deep into how to assess if a board opportunity is a fit.