How to get on a company board

To get on a company board, you should research different companies, network, and familiarize yourself with the board. The first step to getting on a company board is ensuring that you have a background that helps you bring important skills to the table.

How To Become A Board Member: What It Is and Career Path

What is a board member and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A board member is part of the governing body that oversees the work of an institution, such as a public company or a nonprofit. Board members act as representatives for all of the shareholders, or investors, in an organization. Board members do not get involved in the day-to-day aspects of running the institution they oversee. Instead, they hire chief executives, such as CEOs and presidents, that they trust will do the work that is needed. Board members help set the overall direction of their company by reviewing financial documentation, setting policies that govern the company's ethics and procedures, and fundraising. If there is a crisis, such as a scandal surrounding one of the executives, board members are the ones that resolve it.

Board members are usually elected by shareholders. In order to qualify, they usually need at least a bachelor's degree and many years of professional experience, often as chief executives.

Board members earn an average salary of $108,641 a year, but this varies drastically from company to company. Board members of a vast corporation can earn eight figure salaries, while board members of a nonprofit often earn nothing at all.

ScoreBoard MemberUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,751

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 7.57%

Black or African American 3.71%

Hispanic or Latino 7.67%

Unknown 3.89%

White 76.52%

Gender

female 53.65%

male 46.35%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.0

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a board member

Explore board member education requirements

Most common board member degrees

Bachelor's

66.6 %

Master's

16.0 %

Associate

7.9 %

Start to develop specific board member skills

Skills	Percentages
Non-Profit Organization	18.19%
Financial Statements	16.77%
Community Outreach	10.02%
Governance	7.52%
Alumni	5.00%

Research board member duties and responsibilities

Work with a team of 13 other members to manage, fill, and distribute THON merchandise orders.
Assist in selection of scholarship recipients through thoroughly reviewing candidates.
Organize events for community members to attend; operate community Facebook page.
Identify need of international scholarship for students requiring financial assistance for exchange experiences.

Prepare your board member resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your board member resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a board member resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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