What does it take to master corporate board recruiting?
What are the top strategies to attract top talent?
Can board management software actually improve corporate board recruiting processes?
When a position on your board becomes available, it falls to the board administrator to begin the search for a replacement. You want to review a wide range of candidates and consider board diversity to determine the best fit with your corporate culture.
There are several emerging trends that board administrators (and others on the leadership team) should adopt to improve board recruiting.
What Is Corporate Board Recruiting?
Corporate board recruiting refers to the process of identifying, assessing, and selecting a new member to serve on a company’s board of directors. This detailed process helps current board members choose someone who aligns with their goals and the company’s mission.
From building a short list of candidates and performing a board assessment to crafting the right board member interview questions, the search can take weeks or even months.
Here’s a practical, handy guide that you can reference as you build your own corporate board recruiting plan:
Category | Details |
Purpose | Ensure strategic oversight; strengthen governance and risk management; bring expertise in innovation, regulation, etc. |
Recruitment Process | 1. Define board needs via skills matrix. 2. Develop candidate criteria. 3. Source candidates (via firms, networks, platforms). 4. Interview and vet candidates. 5. Nominate and elect board members. |
Key Players Involved | Nominating or governance committee; board chair and lead independent director; CEO; external search consultants. |
Desired Expertise Areas | Financial acumen; technology (AI, cybersecurity); ESG and sustainability; industry-specific insight; regulatory and legal experience. |
Evaluation Methods | Boardroom demeanor and independence; cultural and ethical alignment; time commitment; no conflicts of interest; governance knowledge. |
Onboarding Essentials | Direction orientation (strategy, financials, governance); peer mentoring; committee assignments; portal access and policy reviews. |
The comprehensive blueprint for selecting a results-driven board management vendor.
Corporate Board Recruiting Trends
Each year, new tools and trends become available to make the recruiting process a little easier. Here’s a look at 5 trends you can put into practice:
1. Technology-Enabled Matching & AI Tools
Why would you spend hours going through resumes when AI can sift through them and identify good candidates in minutes? AI and other technologies can streamline the process of hiring a new board member. It can also create an agenda for interviews and automatically takes notes.
2. Greater Focus on Board Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Consumers now expect companies to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and many evaluate a board’s makeup before deciding which brands to support. By actively recruiting DEI candidates and including them in your final selection pool, you demonstrate your commitment to these values.
3. Demand for Domain-Specific Skills
When considering a new board member, many companies look for candidates within their respective industries. They want someone with a background in the type of business they run, so the new board member understands the demands, challenges, and advantages the business faces daily.
4. Cultivating a Long-Term Succession Pipeline
Eventually, all board members will retire or move on to different opportunities. However, you can start board succession planning for their departure now by developing a plan for recruiting new board members and keeping an ongoing list of strong potential candidates. You can’t know who will be available when the time comes, but it gives you a starting point.
5. Younger & First-Time Director Inclusion
Hiring a younger or first-time director can feel like a risk, and many times, this talented pool of candidates gets overlooked. However, more boards are looking at them during the recruiting process. New talent can breathe fresh life into the board of directors.
Introducing OnBoard AI
OnBoard AI is designed to streamline board governance by offering a complete suite of AI-enabled tools that enhance every phase of the board meeting process. There are several benefits of using our software’s AI-backed features:
- Improved Efficiency and Productivity: AI tools handle routine tasks, analyze data, and summarize information, saving users time, and allowing them to focus on priorities.
- Data-Driven Insights: AI tools process and analyze vast amounts of data to provide insights and identify trends that may go unnoticed by human analysis.
- Consistency and Accuracy: AI tools ensure that the information presented is accurate and consistent, reducing the risk of human error.
- Quick Access to Information: AI tools can quickly retrieve relevant documents and data points, making information more accessible when needed.
With an included board meeting agenda builder, OnBoard AI makes board recruiting easier. It can also take minute meetings and produce a final draft of key discussions.
Master Corporate Board Recruiting With OnBoard
When a board seat opens, the recruiting process begins. You define the qualities you need in a new member, identify candidates, evaluate their skills, conduct interviews, and make the hire. This process often takes weeks or even months. New trends — like AI-powered tools and the inclusion of younger, first-time directors — help streamline the search.
OnBoard AI makes the process faster and more effective. It analyzes candidate data to create a qualified short list, builds agendas for candidate meetings, and records accurate minutes. With these tools, OnBoard elevates your board member search to a new level.
Ready to simplify your recruiting process? Request your free trial of OnBoard today.
Enhance strategic meetings with OnBoard's intuitive board management tools.
Ready to upgrade your board’s effectiveness with OnBoard the board intelligence platform? Schedule a demo or request a free trial.
About The Author
- Josh Palmer serves as OnBoard's Head of Content. An experienced content creator, his previous roles have spanned numerous industries including B2C and B2B home improvement, healthcare, and software-as-a-service (SaaS). An Indianapolis native and graduate of Indiana University, Palmer currently resides in Fishers, Ind.
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