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As your profession grows, your network should grow with it. Knowledgeable network ultimately expands your opportunities, helps you achieve your goals, and introduces you to people from different industries and experiences. Board positions are a key part of any skilled network.
As a teenager, I served on my first board of directors when I served as a member of one of the first youth credit unions in my hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. It was a Black-owned enterprise owned and operated by young people; it showed me the power of individuals who unite to realize goals and share ideas.
Fast forward to the present and among my other board positions, I currently serve on National Women’s Business Council, a nonpartisan federal advisory committee that serves as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President of the United States, Congress, and the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. From this position, I can influence the government on issues vital to business owners and entrepreneurs.
Having built a decades-long profession as an entrepreneur and thought leader, I’ve seen how board positions can impact and impact skilled lives, especially early on. These opportunities do greater than just add to your CV. They can take your profession in recent directions. They can increase your confidence and skills. And if you are an entrepreneur, they will obtain funding and advisors for your individual ventures.
Conversely, firms with more diverse boards are likely to perform higher than their less diverse counterparts. Recent McKinsey’s insights The Corporate Diversity Report shows that firms with diverse boards, regardless of gender and ethnicity, financially outperform less diverse firms. I see these results in my each day work as Executive Director of… The Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Babson College. Searching for recent people for these positions is as vital as ever for management boards.
Board positions may include advisory boards of nonprofits and community organizations, boards of directors or trustees of startups and other organizations, and government and commission boards. Even if your internship is short or doesn’t seem fruitful at the moment, you can profit from these experiences. When looking for positions, keep these aspects in mind.
Think outside your personal box
From industrial enterprises to higher education institutions to community organizations, there are dozens of boardroom opportunities value exploring. Some of the boards I serve on now are ones I would never have considered at the beginning of my profession. These experiences have only expanded my skills and networking opportunities. Don’t let your current role or interests determine your selection of board position.
When looking for board positions, pay more attention to the job description somewhat than the industry. You can adapt your skills in various areas; it’s more vital to make sure you get what you want out of this position.
Review company web sites and traditional job boards like LinkedIn to seek out out what’s available and how the organization describes the position. Also see how different organizations define board members, directors and committee members to find out the level of involvement. From this research, you can see how your perspective and skill set can bring value to the organization.
Take advantage of opportunities
The most desirable board positions are paid, but are often not immediately available. However, starting small doesn’t suggest you will at all times be small. By sitting on boards, you learn the way they work – and how you function inside them. Each position on the management board is an opportunity to enhance qualifications and prepare for the next one.
Your first board position should give you perspective on five key areas:
- How these opportunities can fit into your schedule
- How much effort can you realistically extend
- What training you need (this includes board specific training)
- What areas of expertise do you feel comfortable managing people in?
- How a board position can shape your short- and long-term goals
With this information, you can sketch the positions you want. It’s a great exercise in skilled self-discovery, in addition to promoting yourself, your skills and your influence. The sooner you start, the sooner you will find optimal nutrition options.
Treat everyone as your network
Don’t wait for people to come back to you. Your community is a excellent place to look for opportunities, especially for young leaders and entrepreneurs. Let them know you’re looking for recent opportunities with everyone in your skilled and even personal network if you feel comfortable. This includes community organizers and leaders, mentors and former managers, colleagues, people you meet at conferences, and clients. Keep in touch with people and ask about the organizations and firms they are a part of.
It’s vital to confidently convey how you can leverage your experience and skills when looking for a management job. Make sure you know sell yourself to those people. Keep your skilled branding and social media up to this point, concise and consistent across platforms.
Also look for positions that allow you to offer mentoring. Although you may not feel prepared to be a mentor at the beginning of your profession, you will likely need to take on this role one day. A positive board position will provide each transparency and insight into your skilled life and potential ways to present back to your community and networks.
It’s never too early to begin building your portfolio and seeing what management opportunities are available to you. Ideally, your next board position will bring you something recent, whether it’s a funding opportunity, a business partner, an untapped skill, or a sense of success and community.