Board CV’s (Curriculum Vitae) are difficult to write. However, if you’re looking to land yourself a board position, you’re going to need a strong board CV.
Competition for the best board positions can be very tough, so you’ll need a CV that holds employers’ attention and shows them why you are the best candidate for the job.
This post contains real-life board CV examples that have been used to land interviews and secure job offers for non-executive positions.
There is also a step-by-step guide on how to write your own board CV, with top tips to ensure your CV lands in the Yes pile.
Length
- – Keep it Short. The longer the CV the less likely it is to be read. Hiring managers and recruiters are busy people if you write “War and Peace” the likelihood is you won’t get a response. Your CV should be two Pages at the very most.
- – Stick with the Facts and never embellish the truth. If you’re struggling to write up to two pages, it doesn’t matter. One page can be more than enough if written correctly.
Format
- – Keep it Simple. A CV should be written in black text on a white background, avoid using fancy fonts, lots of colours and graphics. They distract the reader rather than make your CV stand out
- – Start the CV with your name and contact details, your executive summary and then your current role, other career history, education, your core skills, and interesting projects you have worked on and finally your hobbies and interests.
Research
- – Before writing your CV, research both the company and the role you are applying for and tailor your CV to reflect the skills and knowledge needed to fulfil the role and the company’s standards.
- – If you want to really start the process of influencing the hiring manager, use key words and phrases that they have used in the job specification. Common language makes it easier for the hiring manger to identify you as a standout candidate. If this is something that you are particularly interested in, then I suggest you read “Influence the Psychology of Persuasion” by Dr. Robert Cialdini.
Writing The Content
- – Use your executive summary almost like a sales pitch. Give the person who’s reading the CV a quick overview of who you are, your subject knowledge and workplace skills.
- – Explain your current role and previous career history. Focus on your most recent roles first and work your way back.
- – Next, provide your educational background. Give a detailed description of your education, focusing on your degree(s) and professional qualifications. Make sure to include grades, dates and the institutions you studied at.
- – Present your achievements – when describing your skills, remember to focus on specific achievements and their benefits. For example, if the job specification says “must have experience in managing large multi-million pound IT projects within a pensions environment” then your CV should say something along the lines of “I recently led a multi-million pound project implementing a new pensions IT system which will save the company £20million over five years”. In this one sentence the CV has responded to the job specification and shown how you can add value to the business.
- – Finish off with a little about yourself. Keep it short and sweet but try to write something interesting about yourself that will stick with the reader.
Conclusion
Writing a board CV can be tough, especially if this is your first time. You may be unsure of what to include but if you follow the guidelines above, keep it short and to the point, you should have no trouble landing your CV in the Yes pile.
Remember to present your achievements in a way that shows how you can add value to the business. The person hiring you wants to know your capabilities and the value that you will bring that company, not so much your day-to-day activities within your previous roles.
Landing a board position will be a challenge, but having a good CV is the vital first step to success.
About Hoffmann Reed
Hoffmann Reed is one of the world’s leading advisers on board and executive search with offices and consultants across Asia Pacific, Europe Middle East & Africa and North America. We are experts in finding individuals who will bringing diversity and technical expertise to your organisation. Please feel free to reach out to us on 0203 500 0352 or use the contact form on this website if you would like to discuss further how we can help you.
About the Author
Paul Battye is CEO of Hoffmann Reed a global leadership advisory business providing talent intelligence, talent acquisition, talent assessment and talent development services.
Paul has 20 years’ experience in executive search having led C-suite, Board and Senior Management searches for both private and public sector organisations across the globe. He advises clients on how to attract, retain and develop the best senior leadership talent with diversity and inclusion at the core of all our service offerings.