RESOURCES - Article - Board Seats

Board Seats

By Bob Skladany

REGISTER BELOW FOR A BOARD POSITION
Virtually all organizations, public or private, for profit and not-for-profit rely on a small group of individuals for leadership, direction and support. The group can be called a Board of Directors, a Board of Advisors, a Board of Trustees or similar title. The group members, typically paid handsomely in publicly-owned, for profit enterprises, may be paid more modestly or not at all in private and smaller for-profit companies, and not-for-profit organizations such as higher education, public interest and human service groups.

The Board is accountable to the owners (in the case of a commercial enterprise), the community or the organization’s constituency. Its members direct the enterprise on behalf of the owners or sponsors. In collaboration with the hired executive staff, the Board sets strategic objectives and direction, oversees performance of the executives and insures the enterprise complies with applicable regulations and statutes.

Boards of Directors typically meet six to 12 times annually to perform their duties though there can also be numerous other sessions and phone conferences for individuals serving on Board committees such as Planning, Finance and Audit.

Board Membership Qualifications
There is a substantial ongoing demand for qualified individuals to serve on Boards. Position qualifications vary widely depending on the nature of the enterprise but often include several core qualifications:

1. Experience — Candidates must have a depth of experience in the organization’s industry or area of activity, or some essential Board function such as finance, marketing or human resources. Organizations are looking for people with a breadth and depth or experience and exposure –this generally means older, more experienced individuals.

2. Management Expertise — Prior management experience is valued by virtually all organizations seeking to fill Board sets. The Board’s principal role is to select, guide and oversee the organization’s executives. What better candidate than a proven, experienced manager?

3. Technical Expertise — Increasingly, organizations seek mature technical and professional experts. Boards have to deal to complex and sophisticated legal, technical, political and financial issues. Experts in the industry or specific functions are highly valued.

4. Networks — Increasingly, organizations seek mature technical and professional experts. Boards have to deal to complex and sophisticated legal, technical, political and financial issues. Experts in the industry or specific functions are highly valued.

How Do Organizations Select Board Members?
Larger, for profit, commercial, and not-for-profit enterprises, identify potential board members through personal networks or other Board members, current executives and specialized search firms known for the ability to recruit well-known individuals from commercial, government and higher education sectors. These jobs are not generally ones you can apply for. It’s good work if you can get it – stimulating, fulfilling and rewarding, often paying more than $50,000 annually for perhaps 15 to 30 days of work. Traditionally, Board seats come looking for you – you didn’t apply.

Would You Like to Be Considered for a Board Seat?
Other than large commercial and not-for-profit organizations, there are countless small to intermediate-size organizations with a need for Board members. Candidates for these positions are found through law firms, CPA firms, vendors, acquaintances and personal networking. With a wealth of available workers who are either active retirees or over age 50, the time is right for a more comprehensive and open approach.

Internet job posting boards have become one of the most widely used channels for matching employers with candidates for hired positions. Now, with help from RetirementJobs.com’s Open Board Seats service, individuals interested in a retirement job on a Board of Directors or Advisors are registering their interest for consideration by organizations seeking Board members.

RetirementJobs.com Introduces “Open Board Seats”
RetirementJobs is changing the way active retirees and workers over 50 search for employment as well as the way that age friendly employers search for candidates. In addition to traditional employment, RetirementJobs is providing access to “Open Board Seats” – a service for individuals seeking to serve on a Board as well as organizations in need of Board members Candidates are invited to complete a short survey and submit their resume for consideration for a Board position. Candidates will be contacted, screened and selected in much the same way regular employment positions are filled.

First complete our short preliminary interest form. Then, submit your confidential resume. Candidates of interest will be contacted to explore a possible match.

Robert Skladany is Vice President of Research & Certification at RetirementJobs.com. He has focused his career on the issues of mature and retired workers and the particular value they bring to the workplace and to employers in search of stable, productive and positive employees.