The benefits of serving on a board are learning about leadership, prestige, and networking opportunities. Cammy and Ali also noted that it’s a way to get C-level skills in areas like governance, financials, marketing and public relations/communications while helping to shape the strategy and make decisions that impact a business.
A great way to identify an opportunity is to look at non-profit organizations in your local area. Our panelists suggest identifying those you admire and reaching them to inquire if there is a board position available or a volunteer job. They recommend also attending a match-type event that serves as a fair for career opportunities for boards.
Being a board member means that you’ll need to be there for meetings and provide strategic advice if required. You will also be responsible for fundraising. Our panelists suggested you look for a board where you feel confident contributing at a level that you feel comfortable with.
One of the major issues that our panelists discussed is the necessity of keeping up with paperwork and other responsibilities, specifically as boards become more multi-faceted and geographically diverse. They recommend looking for tools to streamline these processes and making a point of staying in contact with fellow board members through the use of email and verbal communication.
The panelists also discussed how being a part of a board can be incredibly rewarding. They suggest finding something you’re interested in and becoming an advocate for it, to provide you with meaning in your work.