If you’re a federal employee or former public sector member and are considering becoming a GovLoop featured contributor, I strongly encourage you to do it!
I caught the writing bug three years ago when I became a GovLoop contributor. I wrote over 30 articles, rekindling the creativity that I had lost after completing my Master of Social Work degree (14 years ago!). The program allowed me to strengthen my writing abilities while also having the platform to disperse my ideas and experiences to government workers around the globe. If I could do it, so can you.
Here are 10 benefits that I’ve gained from being part of this experience.
- Blogging about topics I care about has allowed me to share my views with a national audience (over 300,000 public sector employees). I was humbled by the fact that unknown people could gain new perspectives from my words.
- It helped me investigate my interests as a writer, leader, and civil servant.
- I grew in confidence when I shared my ideas with the world, culminating in the ability to pitch ideas to other outlets.
- Blogging has connected me with professionals from various industries. I was surprised at my words’ impact on others and the power of putting them out there.
- Thanks to SEO, I was found online and asked to be a keynote speaker at the Library of Congress’ FEDLINKS Fall Expo in 2021. This came from an article I wrote as a featured contributor about putting empathy into practice during the pandemic.
- I have built an impressive professional writing portfolio, including samples from my GovLoop blog posts, which I often reference in my other endeavors as a conference speaker.
- Writing is a learning process that I am continuously improving upon, thanks mainly to the support and encouragement from peers and colleagues in this program. My network has grown exponentially.
- I now have expertly crafted pieces that I can use to generate ideas when I wish to expound upon past writings or delve into fresh topics from a different slant.
- I’m officially a blogger!
- Working on this blog with other writers gave me space to try new writing styles — from series blogs, long-form posts, short-form pieces, case studies, and book reviews.
It is amazing to be a part of the GovLoop Featured Contributor Program! You get to hone your writing skills, have a platform to spread your message and be seen by a wider audience.
Should you want further information, do not hesitate to reach out. I am always happy to share what I have learned through this program. If you would like more insights into my experience, just come find me on LinkedIn or shoot an email with your questions to [email protected] for additional details.
For more details on applying to be a featured contributor, visit here.
Shakima “Kima” Tozay is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose government career spans over 15 years, beginning in the U.S. Navy. Kima has dedicated her career to serving the military community in various roles across diverse settings and agencies. Her current position is as a Medical Social Worker serving Veterans. She is also a Social Work doctoral student at the University of Alabama. Kima is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP®). She also holds certifications in Executive Leadership from Graduate School, USA, and a certificate from Stanford University in Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence. Connect with Kima on LinkedIn.
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