Hone your 'elevator pitch.'

You need to be able to sell yourself to a recruiter or board member in 90 seconds or less. Bootcamp participants had to briefly explain why they would make good directors. Those who went on too long were cut off. Chin and Stautberg tried to help participants put forth one credential that would make them stand out. ''You will be boiled down to one or two words, so think about what you want to be remembered for,'' says Chin. A fashion executive, for instance, spelled out how her licensing experience could be used to forge new markets and build a brand.

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