Board CV Writing:
The Complete Guide

My board CV clients are amazing! They’ve achieved great things. They have 30 years of experience or more. They’ve steered large organizations to success. Slayed dragons!

Now board-level roles are a natural next step. Using collected wisdom to oversee and govern.

But here’s the problem.

When they – you!? – sit down to apply for a board role, your old CV won’t do the job. It’s 5 or even 10 pages long (right?) And it’s all about your management and technical responsibilities. Your leadership achievements. Your wins. Okay, no problem. Except for this:

A board CV is different. A great executive CV does NOT equal a great board CV.

This guide will walk you through what you need to know. I’ll show you how a board CV is different. What to include and to avoid. How to assess whether yours is ‘ready to go’. Many of my clients contact me at this point. They don’t want to ruin the opportunity by sending a poor CV / resume (same thing)!

And I’ll provide it from a perspective of experience. I’ve written many board CVs. For high-profile executive leaders worldwide, the Middle East, Africa and South Africa. I’ll be using real world examples and anecdotes from my CV writing practice here.

QUICK NOTE: I’m one call or Whatsapp away. I can help you with your CV hands on, one-to-one, or at least provide some guidance. Why not let’s get on a 10 minute call? I’ll look at your CV. I’ll provide some feedback and usable ideas. You can then implement yourself. Or you can get my help. I’m on email at gerard@wowcv.net, or on Whatsapp on +27 83 7445454.

Here’s what we’ll cover on this page:

Table of Contents

Let’s start with the most important point.

What Is a Board CV?

A board CV isn’t a typical job-hunting document. It’s a positioning document, not a biography.

It needs to do more:

To show boards that you’re a calm head and a safe pair of hands.
You’re influential, but you can also yield.
You can bring a fresh pair of eyes and multi-sector insight.
And you understand oversight, governance, and sub-committee work.

In short: your board CV is about how you think, how you govern, and whether you belong in the boardroom. Board CVs are for a different audience. With different priorities and mindset.

Board CV vs Exec CV: What’s Different?

Your executive CV was built to land you a job. It led with your wins — revenue growth, M&As, teams built, new products launched. It showcased your management prowess and your technical expertise. That’s exactly what it needed to do. But a board CV needs to do something different.

The board CV needs to show that you can hold the line when times get tough. That you’re resilient. That you don’t panic — you provide a calm head and a pair of safe hands.

Boards want certainty. To know that when the CEO hands you a big problem (at 4 PM on a Friday!) You’ll know your fiduciary duties. You’ll guide the way forward with competence, calm, and confidence.

There’s another shift, too. In your exec CV, “I” was powerful. “I reorganised the supply chain.” “I grew revenue 3x.” On a board CV, “I” is a red flag. The board operates as a collective. You’re not a solo player.

Your CV must prove you can influence a room of powerful (stubborn?) peers. You can build consensus. And take collective accountability. (Perhaps for a decision you disagreed with.)

And then there’s the spotlight: your board experience has to feature first — even when it’s buried inside your exec roles. Your past CEO role may get you the high-profile introduction that lands you a board seat. But are you good at it? We have to show that you are.

A quick story – the first board CV I wrote.

The first board CV / board resume I wrote (that I can remember). It was 10+ years ago. For a client who was a CEO in the telecoms sector. She had vast experience. She’d won all kinds of media exposure and women’s leadership awards. She was involved in many business ventures.

It was a challenge to select the right information. To translate her experience into board-level value. To convey that, although she was a big achiever, her foundations in governance, ethics, and finance were sound. That she worked well with her colleagues (while not being any kind of a pushover!) She serves on many boards now. And she still refers clients to me.

Let’s now examine some of the key elements your board CV should contain.

Board CVs – the Key Elements

A board CV isn’t a creative writing exercise. It has a structure — and for good reason. Boards read many of these documents. They know what they’re looking for, and they know it – I think – within the first half of the first page! The order of sections matters.

The basic structure goes like this: your name and contact details. A brief executive summary. Then your board roles and positions as first priority. Sub-committee work — audit, remuneration, nominations, risk. Committee chairman roles. Your career history, translated into board-level value. Qualifications last. Next memberships, industry participation. A skills section with boards and directorships, business leadership, and industry exposure categories.

Trouble is, though, that if that’s all the board CV is, it can be pretty dry. It doesn’t have to be.

There’s a second layer of content that keeps the reader’s attention. Media mentions, TV and radio interviews. Podcast appearances. Leadership awards. Mentions in industry journals. Testimonials from respected colleagues.

These aren’t for decoration. They’re evidence. They position you as a thought leader and authority. And they pull back the curtain on the person behind the job titles. You’re articulate, competent, approachable, a listener, wise. All great attributes of a board member.

Now to some common board resume / board cv or NED CV mistakes.

Common Mistakes in a Board CV

I’ve written thousands of CVs over my career. Many at executive level. The same mistakes appear again and again.

Some are about content: including hobbies and personal details that add nothing. Listing every course or training. Failing to list board roles buried inside executive positions.
Some are about format: overly arty design, poor alignment, cramped layouts. Documents that lack the gravitas a board expects.
Some are about focus: overemphasising executive wins and management prowess. This, rather than governance, oversight, and suitability for committee work.
And some are about intent: trying to combine a job-hunter CV with a board-level CV. Trying to hit all targets. Ending up hitting none.

The deeper problem is translation. Most executives take their executive CV. They reorder a few sections. Reword a few things. Then assume that’s a board CV. It isn’t.

Translating 30 years of executive experience. Into what boards actually look for — skills, attributes, and the ability to lead and govern. This is the hardest part of the job.

Get it wrong, and the reader can tell within seconds. The first half of the first half of the first page. Seriously. Get it right, though, and your board CV makes you a top candidate.

Mistakes can hurt you. Undermining an otherwise strong board CV presentation.

Need to quickly assess your what you’ve got as your board cv?

Board CV Quick Assessment Tool

I know. Sometimes you’re caught at short notice. An influential contact asks for your CV. A board opportunity opens up unexpectedly. You need to know — quickly — whether what you have as a board CV is suitable. I know because this is what my clients tell me, this is when they contact me!

That’s why I’ve created a one-page checklist. It draws from everything we’ve covered in this guide. It lets you run a fast, honest assessment of whether your CV is ready to send out.

The checklist covers:

Is your board experience featured first?
Have you translated executive wins into board-level value?
Have you removed job-hunter language?
Are your committee roles and sub-committee work visible?
Is it two pages or less?
Is the tone appropriate for board-level consumption?
Have you included media mentions, awards, or testimonials?
Is the grammar and writing clean?
Have you avoided arty graphics that lack gravitas?
Does it position you as a governor, not an operator?

Send me an email and I’ll send the full board CV checklist to you: gerard@wowcv.net.

But that’s not all. The next point is helpful, but controversial! Be warned.

Board CV Template
–Here’s a Template (but Be Careful!)

Now, you may be searching for a quick fix, like a board CV template. You’ll definitely find one online (maybe hundreds!) You’ll get excited. You’ll download it. And you’ll start dropping your career history into the boxes. And then it starts to fall apart. Your content fits awkardly. The sections are in the wrong order. It ends up too long. You’re not sure how to edit the formatting. You have a whole empty page.

What you end up with looks like a template with your career stuffed into it. Not a board CV that positions you as a serious candidate. It’s a frustrating exercise, and I’ve watched it happen again and again with all kinds of CVs and at all levels.

Here’s the thing: creating a board CV requires many different skills. All working together. Good writing. Good grammar. Graphic design. Formatting. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word. Writing concisely. Making it look interesting. Fitting it all onto two pages, etc.

Putting it all together isn’t as easy as it looks. And translating your 30 year career into board level value is also not an ‘every day’ skill.

So yes, I’ll provide a board CV template — a basic structure you can work from. But let me be honest: a template alone won’t get you there. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration by contacting me directly and getting my help.

Here’s how to get your board CV template: email me personally on gerard@wowcv.net. I’ll send the template to you directly. If you need it urgently, Whatsapp me on +27 83 744 5454.

Or skip the frustration entirely: ask to work with me directly. I’ll do it all for you.

How to Write a Board CV

There’s a lot to help you here already (see above and below).

But if you’d like to tackle this challenge on your own, great. Here’s a step-by-step guide. I’ll give you a summary here. Follow the link below to the FULL SET of instructions to construct your board resume.

Writing a board CV is not the same as updating your executive CV. It requires a different way of thinking. That’s the most important part. But the overall structure and sections matter too.

Here’s the basic set of sections and how they should appear.*

This is not set in stone. Everyone is different. I often change things. Because I’ve been doing this a long time. Every client provides their own information. And I judge accordingly

But generally, this is the way I do things. It works.

NAME: Add your name, contact details (phone, email, city location)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: mention key current/recent or past board roles. Give a general overview of your corporate experience, qualifications, and what you’d bring to a board.
SKILL: Divide them into Board and Director skills. Then more typical Business Leadership skills. Then any Technical areas you are known for (e.g. finance), and your Industry Exposure.
BOARD ROLES – boards and directorships and committee participation first.
CAREER HISTORY: Each role needs to show instances of oversight, governance, and collaboration with a board, not just what you managed or delivered. Summarise early career years.
PROFESSIONAL DETAILS: next is professional memberships. Judged and prioritised by relevance.
EDUCATION, COURSES, CERTIFICATIONS: Keep only the most relevent ones – e.g. courses in governenace, ethics, etc from the Institute of Directors. Then your degrees. No need to list everything. Judge by recency and relevance.

(There are other things I often include. But they’re quite advanced. This is good for now.)

The writing itself has rules: inferred first person, no flowery language, no corporate speak, no embellishment. Keep it factual. Keep it concise. If it can be left out, leave it out.

See a full version of these instructions here >>: How to Write a Board CV

But, these summarised guidelines will get you off to a good start.

Board CV FAQs

Q How long should a board CV be?

Two pages. No more. Boards skim. They need to see your value quickly, and a CV that runs to 4 or 5 pages reveals that you don’t understand board-level. Keep it tight, relevant, and keep it under two pages.

Q What’s the difference between a board CV and a board resume?

Nothing important. They’re the same thing these days. “Resume” is the more common term in the United States. “CV” is more common in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The structure, tone, and content should be the same.

Q What’s the difference between a board CV and a board resume?

Q Should I include my executive roles if I’m applying for a board role?

Yes, but they need to be translated. Your exec roles are the foundation of your credibility. They’re what got you to the point where you can apply for board roles. But they shouldn’t dominate the page. Condense them. No “responsibilities”. Focus on your governance and oversight roles. Your board roles and board-level experience should feature first.

Q How do I translate my executive experience into board-level value?

This is the hardest part of writing a board CV. You need to stop thinking about what you did and start thinking about how you governed. Where did you oversee risk? Where did you challenge management? Where did you collaborate with a board to protect an organisation? Where did you influence without authority? Those are the moments that matter at board level.

Q Do I need to include media mentions and awards?

They help. A board CV can be dry. Media mentions. TV and radio interviews, podcast appearances. Leadership awards. Mentions in industry journals. These all add interest and provide evidence that your reputation precedes you. They’re not essential — but they position you well (if judiciously selected!)

Q What if I don’t have any board experience yet?

Often, executives serve on subsidiary company boards without realising it counts. If you have no board experience, consider advisory roles. Industry organisations, or non-profit boards? Your executive career is the foundation. And be sure to build and use your network of connections. Almost anything is possible if you have the right backing and introduction!

Q Can I use my executive CV as a starting point?

You can — but be prepared to do significant work. A board CV is not an exec CV with a different title. It has a different structure, a different tone, and a different purpose. You’ll need to reinvent and refocus. That’s the work.

Do you have any additional questions? Let’s get on a call. Whatsapp or email me.

Do You Need Expert Help
with Your Board CV?

Your exec career has given you the foundation. Now you need a board CV that does it justice. If you’d like help shaping your CV into one that gets you on board. I’m here to help.

Remember, I’m one call or a text away. Let’s discuss your situation, your goals, and whether your CV is ready for the boardroom. I’ll give you some pointers. Or you can enlist me to do it all for you.

I’m on gerard@wowcv.net, or on Whatsapp internationally on +27 83 744 5454.

Board CV Writing:The Complete Guide