Women need to make their corporate board interests known in the first place. It takes research and preparation to get a board seat. Here are a few tips:

• Promote your career through non-profit board involvement, political connections and company activities, so you meet people who are themselves on boards.

• One of the key credentials for board members is experience being accountable for the profits and losses of a company.  Since women have held fewer P&L roles than men, you have to work that much harder and your network needs to be that much stronger

• Be strategic.  Acquire marketable expertise. Knowledge of digital technology, the regulatory environment and executive compensation are in high demand.

• Parlay those skills into a board membership through stronger and strategic networking.  

• Create a digital footprint. Online connections can lead to pleasant surprises.

• Go global. International experience is in demand. Depending on the company that could mean: an international posting, extensive overseas business travel, or responsibility for foreign markets; or deep understanding of the culture and consumers, or the executive have “on-the-ground” experience.