Almost 20 years of board recruitment experience has shown me that rejection is a natural part of the board appointment process, particularly when you are trying to secure your first Non-Executive Director (NED) appointment, a paid board role, or even when developing a board portfolio. Obtaining a NED appointment requires patience, time, and perseverance. Success is not solely based on your personal networks, skills, and experience. Maintaining a positive mindset and cultivating self-assurance is vital.
Tips for maintaining confidence during the NED appointment process
Tip 1 – Realistic evaluation of your board goals and targets
Put yourself in the shoes of those making the decision. Would you, from their perspective, deem yourself a suitable candidate for the roles you are pursuing? If you cannot confidently answer yes, you might find yourself at a disadvantage against other candidates. Ask yourself why you want this NED appointment. If your board aspirations are not realistic, now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and consider pursuing different NED roles.
Tip 2 – Evaluate your experience, skills, and level of expertise
Review your board-level, executive, and specialist skills and experience. You must know exactly what you have to offer and include in your board value proposition, whilst addressing the 5 things boards look for in a candidate.
Research and create a physical list of organisations that would benefit from your unique combination of skills and experience, now or in the future. Then address any gaps or deficiencies in your skills and experience. Identify possible ways you can bridge those gaps, i.e., governance training, financial literacy courses, additional industry experience, or IT and cybersecurity training. If necessary, consider shifting your focus to NED appointments that better align with your existing skills and expertise. A committee or advisory board role may be the right option for you at this time.
Tip 3 – Set realistic time expectations
Gone are the days when the board chairman simply picked up the phone and offered someone (he knew or knew of) a place on his board. Nowadays, there is a structured protocol that must be adhered to for appointing a new NED, and boards meet on average 4-6 times a year.
The processes for just one role can take months and multiple interviews. A realistic timeframe for securing a NED role should be around 12 months. If you are pursuing your first NED appointment, you have set in your mind that the process will take longer.
Tip 4 – Be prepared for and expect rejection
The reality is that there will always be more candidates than there are available board seats. Even experienced NEDs are rejected for board roles for which they are perfectly qualified. Rejection is never easy, especially when it comes to applying for roles within a tight-knit community where reputations mean everything. It can be hard to take and can leave you feeling mentally deflated.
Learning how to handle rejection for NED roles and turn it into a positive can be transformative. By reflecting on the experience, understanding what went wrong, and asking yourself how you could do better next time, you provide the opportunity to move forward positively. So, instead of feeling defeated and giving up, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself:
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- What can you learn from this experience?
- What could you do differently?
- How can you improve for next time?
Remind yourself that rejection and self-reflection help build your resilience.
TIP 5 – Ask for feedback
Regardless of where you are in the NED appointment process or at what stage you experienced rejection, always seek feedback.
If you are applying for NED roles but not making it to the interview stage, find out why. Ask the recruiter or relevant representative of the organisation for feedback about your application. You should confidently ask them what the difference was between your application and those that did make the shortlist. Also, find a mentor who can offer an independent perspective on your board pitch, board CV, and aspirations.
If you made it to a board interview but didn’t get the NED roles, you must ask for feedback. Since you made it to the interview, it is safe to assume that your board application was impressive. Focus on receiving honest feedback on your performance during the interview. Speak with the recruiter and members of the interview panel. Find out if there is anything that you can work on for future interviews. Try to find out if you were in the mix. If so, it is only a matter of time until you secure your first NED appointment.
Stay motivated with a positive mindset
When achieving any professional or personal goals, it is essential to stay motivated through a positive mindset. It can be challenging to stay positive and remain focused amidst the rejection and disappointment of not being chosen for NED roles that you clearly believe are right for you.
The characteristics of a positive mindset include:
Optimism: a willingness to make an effort and take a chance instead of assuming your efforts won’t pay off.
Acceptance: acknowledging that things don’t always turn out how you want them to, but learning from your mistakes.
Resilience: bouncing back from adversity, disappointment, and failure instead of giving up.
So, ways to stay positive and motivated in order to secure your first NED appointments include:
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- Remain optimistic, no matter how bleak the situation may seem.
- Maintain a positive outlook and remember that rejection is a normal part of the journey.
- Use rejection as motivation to better yourself and work towards future success.
- Visualise success and be persistent in pursuing your goals.
- Continue to work on your skills and experience.
- Avoid becoming disgruntled, as it can lead to a negative mindset that affects your language and attitude.
- Believe in yourself and that the right opportunity will eventually come along.
Conclusion
Securing your first NED appointment is, for most, a challenging process. Securing a subsequent board role, or even building a board portfolio, can be equally difficult. Over time, and faced with rejection after rejection, it is easy to lose confidence and motivation. However, by following these five tips, you can begin to reposition yourself to make the most of any opportunities that come your way. Remember to remain optimistic, seek feedback, stay motivated with a positive mindset, network and build relationships, and continually work to improve your skills and experience. With the right mindset, you will be well on your way to securing your first NED appointment and even a portfolio of board roles.
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About the Author
David Schwarz is CEO & Founder of Board Appointments – The UK’s 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.