I was delighted to welcome Fiona Hathorn, CEO of Women on Boards UK, to speak to ICAEW members in September 2019, where she set out seven ways in which these experiences can benefit your career:
1. Set yourself apart in a competitive market
A board, committee, trustee or governor position sets you apart, whether from other colleagues vying for a promotion or from the pool of candidates applying for a new role. When employers are making a final decision between candidates with similar skills and experience, a board role will give you a point of difference and help you stand out. Employers aren’t just recruiting your core skills; they are hiring the whole package - so build the package.
2. Build skills whilst in the same role
Your executive career may not be moving as fast as you would like, for a number of reasons. Yet you may have good reasons to stay and not pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Getting a board role outside of work will let you leapfrog in your career if you are being stalled for any reason. It will give you a new perspective whilst remaining in your current position, building networks, skills and knowledge that you may not currently have the chance to build in your day job.
3. Gain new industry knowledge
A board role in a different sector or industry broadens your current knowledge base and exposes you to the intellectual challenge of thinking through an entirely new set of issues. You will learn about new trends and are likely to take back ideas and knowledge that can help you in your current role. You will be surprised at how much benefit your outside expertise can bring to a new organisation - this board is looking for your sector knowledge and connections too.
4. Get noticed as a leader
These positions show that you are engaged in your community and networks at a leadership level. Even if that leadership role in your main career isn’t in hand yet – board experience will show that you’ve got the skills and emotional intelligence to make a success of it when the opportunity arises.
5. Build career resilience
Joining a board will automatically enrich your network with a group of people you may never have met otherwise. As your horizons and networks expand, these relationships could be enormously useful to you if you need to navigate through a career change – whether as a result from a redundancy, relocation or simply a desire to explore another industry or sector.
6. Develop CV continuity when on a career break
Family, health or other life demands can often lead to a career break – but that doesn’t mean that everything comes to a halt. A board role can play a vital part during a break – allowing you to keep your skills sharp, maintain a network and keep your hand in the world of the workplace. It can also help you to shore up your confidence and give you something to talk about in interviews when you return to work.
7. Explore if you actually like it
Board roles aren’t right for everyone. Some do not thrive on the information overload from board packs, politics, and the demands of finding time in your diary to participate fully. Testing out a position now will help you to identify if you enjoy this kind of work and could enable you to avoid wasting time later.
Conclusion
It’s never too early to start getting board, committee, trustee or governor experience – don’t leave it until later. There is a board role for everyone, regardless of their seniority, sector or skill-set. Take the next opportunity to explore where you could add value to a new organisation and enhance your career at the same time.
Author
Julia Root-Gutteridge
Manager – Board Effectiveness
This blog is inspired by an event organised by the ICAEW Women in Finance Community – for more information, visit the website.
About
Women on Boards exists to provide information, encouragement and connections to help women get to the top within their own company or to take on a board or committee role as a non-executive director (NED), trustee or governor. For more information, visit the website.
