Your first step for any board application is online research

Generally, even the most basic research in preparation for a board application role is rarely completed, and even more rarely is it executed at a level that will yield valuable results.?

It all begins with what many consider to be fairly basic online research. However, in my experience, less than 5% of candidates do the level of research that will separate them from their competitors; however, those who do invariably find themselves in the final mix for a board appointment.?

Where to start?

Preparing for a board application or interview should begin with fairly basic online board research. This can be conducted by simply browsing and digesting the organisation’s website, including downloading annual reports and/or investor reports. It is worth pausing here because, whilst basic, it is constantly surprising to me how many candidates don’t even do this level of research. Most rely upon what they know (or think they know) about the organisation or sector. As a result, they do little to separate themselves from their competitors.?

So, it is imperative that you do more because just relying on your existing knowledge will rarely provide you with the detail and insight required to ‘dare them not to appoint you’, which is, of course, the whole point of a board application!

You can do more?

After completing your basic online research, you can begin conducting more in-depth online research about the organisation.

General research:

• Consider reviewing the information you have already gained against the organisation’s competitors. Why are they better or worse?
• Deep dive into the trade/industry/sector resources you can gain from the peak industry body representing what they do. What have you learned?
• Don’t just focus on the information the organisation offers on their website.?
• Be proactive and review social media like LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, X, Instagram, etc. Read comments and reviews to see what others have been saying about the organisation, its products, or its services.?
• Use Google and Google News searches to find the most recent and long-forgotten articles about the organisation or industry.?
• Register to receive the organisation’s newsletters and social media feeds.?

Research the board:

• Who are the board members, the Chair, and past board members? Do you know anyone in common?
• Find out their background/experience. What skills and expertise are they heavy or light on?
• What other boards do the members sit on? Are there any commonalities?
• Has there been any recent turnover? If so, why? If not, why now?

Research the macro environment:

• Who are the organisation’s competitors? What are they doing differently? How can you help?
• What are the organisation’s pain points? Or the macroeconomic conditions that might affect the business? How can you help address them if appointed?
• Consider political and regulatory issues that may affect the business now or in the future. Scan the horizon for risks.
• Who are the key stakeholders? What are their drivers, and how do they affect your target organisation? Do you have any influence here?

At all stages of the board appointment process, your goal is to de-risk your potential appointment, separate yourself from your competitors and ‘dare them not to appoint you’. This can often be achieved by simply out-researching the others in the mix. Doing so demonstrates that you are more proactive, informed and genuinely more engaged than other candidates – a tremendous start.?

Conversely, failing to do it or executing it at a basic level will stifle your ability to show the decision-makers your willingness to contribute if appointed and make you unappointable.

Is online research enough?

Whilst following this advice can help you make a significant impact, at times, doing only online board research may not get you the result you are looking for. For this reason, I strongly recommend you follow up with an additional form of research: what I call ‘Personal Research’. This level of comprehensive research differentiates successful from unsuccessful candidates. It is surprisingly easy to do and makes a tonne of impact. I will discuss conducting Personal Research in my next article.

In summary

I stated earlier that very few prospective board directors commit to the level of online board research that they should during the board appointment process. So, by taking my advice and doing more work than your competitors, you can quickly differentiate yourself from them and systematically position yourself as a key candidate for any board appointment. I can assure you of this. Chairs and decision-makers will value your online research, making it a decisive way to impress them.

About the Author

David Schwarz?is CEO, The Board Appointments Group (UK USA APAC AU) – the leading board advertising?and non-executive career support firm. He has over a decade of experience of putting people on boards as an international headhunter and a non-executive recruiter and has interviewed over one thousand non-executives and placed hundreds into some of the most significant public, private and NFP roles in the world.