The Board CV: Writing Tactics That Signal Leadership and Influence

Your CV does more than showcase experience - it communicates your professional presence. At senior level, hiring decisions are often based less on what you’ve done, and more on how you think, lead and influence.

A Board CV is not about listing every achievement; it’s about conveying authority, clarity and strategic impact with precision.

Below, I’ll outline the writing tactics that make decision-makers sit up and take notice.

1. Lead With Leadership, not Labour

At executive level, recruiters and boards assume you can do the job. What they want to see is how you’ve led others to deliver results.

Avoid tactical descriptions such as:

“Responsible for managing a team of 12 across multiple projects.”

Replace them with outcome-driven statements that highlight influence and direction:

“Built and led a cross-functional team of 12, delivering three concurrent projects ahead of schedule and under budget.”

Leadership is shown through action verbs and through outcomes that show commercial and strategic results.

2. Think ‘Boardroom Voice’ in your Board CV

Every sentence in your CV should sound composed, assured and decisive. Use concise phrasing that suggests confidence rather than enthusiasm.

For example:

“Passionate about driving results” → sounds entry-level. “Consistently deliver measurable commercial growth” → sounds executive.

Senior-level language favours substance over style. Remove adjectives that add energy but not evidence and replace them with quantified impact wherever possible.

3. Make Strategy Visible

Executives and boards look for strategic thinkers — people who shape direction, not just execute it. Ensure your achievements reflect foresight, planning, and business outcomes.

Strong examples include:

• “Redefined go-to-market strategy, increasing annual revenues by 18%.”

• “Led digital transformation roadmap delivering 15% operational efficiency gains.”

• “Negotiated strategic partnerships securing £10M in new business.”

Notice how each one speaks to decision-making, scale, and measurable impact - the hallmarks of board-level performance.

4. Position Your Brand

Your Executive Summary should act as a leadership brand statement. It is not a biography; it is your positioning piece.

For example:

“Senior Operations Leader with a track record of scaling complex, high-performance teams across international markets. Recognised for strategic clarity, calm execution, and commercial acumen.”

This creates instant authority and tells the reader that you belong in the boardroom.

5. Close With Credibility

In your final section, list board memberships, committee roles, professional affiliations, and keynote engagements. These reinforce your professional standing and demonstrate peer recognition. Avoid soft hobbies or filler content. A Board CV ends with gravitas, not trivia.

Final Thought

A Board CV is not about volume - it is about voice. It should read as though written by someone who already operates at the next level.

If you’d like to discuss how to craft a CV that speaks the language of leadership, influence and impact, contact me on tim@mercurycoaching.co.uk or Mercury Coaching reception on +44 (0) 20 3633 1549 for a confidential consultation.