Frequently Asked Questions
Becoming a Candidate
Who is theBoardlist for?
TheBoardlist is for diverse board- and executive-ready talent seeking to get connected with global opportunities.
Whether you’re actively seeking a new opportunity or just starting to think about it, we welcome you to join our community.
What types of opportunities does theBoardlist connect candidates with?
TheBoardlist connects candidates with board opportunities. This includes for-profit roles at both public and private companies, as well as not-for-profit and advisory roles.
Today, we also invite candidates to join our launch cohort of executive (VP- and C-level) candidates. If you sign up as an executive candidate, we’ll let you know when our executive search service has launched and when you may start getting connected with executive opportunities.
What are the qualifications for becoming a candidate on theBoardlist?
Anyone can sign up as a candidate. To start getting connected with opportunities, however, you must meet at least one of the following qualifications:
Experience qualification. For board opportunities, this means having for-profit board experience. For executive opportunities, this means having VP- or C-level experience.
Recommendation qualification. If you don’t meet the experience qualification, not a problem! We wholeheartedly welcome rising talent to theBoardlist. You’ll just need to receive a qualified recommendation before appearing in search results. Please see Recommendations section below for more specific information.
Am I board-ready?
We generally consider individuals board-ready when they’ve met one of the following criteria:
Influencer, thought leader, or domain expert in their industry
CEO or Founder of a company with at least $5m+ in annual revenue
VP level and above at a company with at least $25m+ in annual revenue
Director level and above at a company with at least $500m+ in annual revenue
We recognize that exceptional talent can come from all types of backgrounds. If you think you’re board-ready and can meet at least one of the candidate qualifications noted above, we invite you to join us.
Is there a charge to become a candidate?
No, it’s completely free to become a candidate on theBoardlist.
How do I become a candidate?
You can become a candidate by creating a free account. You’ll need to set up a candidate profile, which we’ll walk you through. The process only takes a few minutes.
It’s important to ensure your profile is filled out completely and up to date, as this will maximize your chances of being matched to opportunities.
How can I optimize my profile?
The best way to get exposure to companies searching theBoardlist is to ensure that your profile is complete. This includes providing a bio and filling out all sections of your profile to demonstrate your competencies and unique skillset. We provide an option to connect your LinkedIn profile to your profile on theBoardlist to expedite the process.
How will I know if a company is interested in me for a specific opportunity?
If a company is interested in connecting with you, they’ll submit a request through theBoardlist. We’ll reach out to you to gauge your interest, and if you'd like to proceed with learning more about the opportunity, we’ll connect you directly with the company.
Providing & Requesting Recommendations
What role do recommendations play on theBoardlist?
Receiving recommendations from board directors and executives in your network will increase your chances of being matched to opportunities. Companies searching for candidates on theBoardlist value recommendations because they’re a way of developing a more comprehensive picture about a candidate, as well as quickly establishing a candidate’s credibility alongside their professional experience.
Recommendations will display in your profile and improve your appearance in search results. The more you receive from qualified senior leaders in your network, the higher your chances in being seen by companies searching for candidates.
Is having a recommendation a requirement?
Depending on your level of experience, a recommendation may be required for your profile to be shown to companies searching for candidates.
If you’re a candidate for Board opportunities:
You are required to receive a recommendation if you don’t yet have for-profit board experience. A recommendation shows companies that you’re qualified and ready for board roles.
If you’re a candidate for Executive opportunities:
You are required to receive a recommendation if you don’t yet have VP- or C-level experience. A recommendation shows companies that you’re qualified and ready to land your first executive role.
During the sign-up process and within your profile, we’ll indicate to you what your specific recommendation requirements are.
Even if you have the relevant experience to exempt you from the recommendation requirement, we strongly encourage you to request recommendations as these will increase your chances of being matched to opportunities.
Who should I request a recommendation from?
We encourage you to request recommendations from trusted members of your professional network who can vouch for your accomplishments and capabilities.
If you’re a candidate for Board opportunities:
Your recommender should have for-profit board experience.
If you’re a candidate for Executive opportunities:
Your recommender should have either for-profit, C-level, or VP-level experience.
If you receive a recommendation from an individual who doesn’t have the required level of experience, this will display in your profile, however at present it won’t factor into your appearance in search results.
Do my recommenders have to be existing users of theBoardlist?
They do not! We welcome recommendations from recommenders who are either existing users or new to theBoardlist.
When requesting a recommendation, we’ll give you the option to check whether your identified recommender is an existing user. If not, we’ll ask you to provide their name and email address so we can email them for the recommendation.
Your recommender won’t be required to sign up with theBoardlist to provide the recommendation – it’s totally optional.
How do I request a recommendation on theBoardlist?
You can request a recommendation at any point. We’ll first give you the option when you sign up with theBoardlist. When you return, you can request a recommendation from your profile or from the Recommendations section of the site (when you’re logged in).
Can someone recommend me without me asking them to?
Yes. In addition to encouraging candidates to request recommendations, we also encourage members of theBoardlist to provide recommendations to individuals they think are well qualified for Board or Executive opportunities. So it’s possible you may receive a recommendation in this way.
If you don’t want a specific recommendation to display on your profile for any reason, you can request for us to remove it.
What will theBoardlist ask my recommender?
Our aim is to keep the process quick and simple. We’ll simply ask them to provide a comment on why they think you’re a qualified candidate for board and/or executive opportunities (depending on what type of opportunity you’ve requested the recommendation for).
How will I know when I’ve received a recommendation?
We’ll notify you via email that you’ve received a recommendation. You can view the recommendation on your profile or within the Recommendations section of the site (when you’re logged in).
My recommender said they didn’t receive my request for a recommendation. How can they endorse me?
Occasionally, emails get caught by a spam filter. Recommenders can usually find the email by searching for an email from “theBoardlist”.
If you or your recommender continue to experience issues with this, please reach out to us.
How can I recommend candidates to theBoardlist?
Whether you’re an existing member or new to theBoardlist, we’d love to receive your candidate recommendations.
If you’re an existing member, just log in and visit the Recommendations section of the site. You have the option to recommend board- and/or executive-ready talent to join our community.
If you’re new to theBoardlist, you can provide recommendations without creating an account. Simply select the option to "Recommend a candidate" from the homepage, and we'll walk you through the process.
Searching for Candidates
How can I search theBoardlist for candidates to join my board?
We offer two primary search services: Self-serve and premium search.
The self-serve option enables board directors, CEOs, and talent partners to search theBoardlist talent database via our platform. To access our database, start by creating an account. Setup only takes a few minutes and you can begin searching for candidates right away.
We also offer premium search services to companies seeking for more assistance in the search process. We have a range of options that can be tailored to your company’s needs. Please visit us here here for more information.
How does the self-serve search process work?
Once you’ve signed up with a search account on theBoardlist, you can search for candidates by entering keyword and filter criteria that match to your role specifications.
You can view the profiles of any candidates you’re interested in. If a candidate meets your initial screening criteria, you can request to contact them. We’ll reach out to the candidate on your behalf and if they’re interested in exploring the opportunity, we’ll connect them directly with you to continue the conversation.
You can continue to hone your search criteria, save candidates, and request contact with additional candidates at any time.