Sample Interview Questions

Questions Director Candidates Can Ask About the Board, the Family, and the Company

Before going into an interview for service on the board of a family-owned company, a candidate may wish to study the following questions to get a good idea of topics to cover in the interview. The questions cover the interrelated areas of the board, the family, and the company. Some topics will arise spontaneously, but in some cases the candidate may want to pose a question. Adapted from A Guide For Directors of Privately Held Companies by Ronald Zall (Washington, DC: NACD, 2011), the list below is specifically tailored to family businesses.

Questions About the Board

1. What are the basic duties and responsibilities of a director in this company? Are they expressed in any written document? If so, may I have a copy of the document?
2. Is there a written job description for the company’s directors? If so, may I have a copy?
3. Does the company currently have any written rules or guidelines relating to the operation of the board of directors? If so, may I have a copy?
4. What active committees, if any, does the board have?
5. Do the committees have written charters describing the scope of their activities? If so, what do these charters provide?
6. How often does or will the board of directors meet?
7. How often do the committees meet?
8. How long do board meetings usually last? Committee meetings?
9. Where are the meetings usually held?
10. If you decide to ask me to join the board, are you relying upon any special expertise or experience that I may have acquired? If so, what?