It’s a seemingly innocuous question: “So, what do you do?” It’s generally meant well, and asked by people who are genuinely interested in learning more about you – but if you’re unemployed this can be the question you dread most in casual conversation. As a culture, we put a lot of emphasis on what peopleRead… Read more »
Meeting someone once at a networking event won’t do much for you if you don’t follow up with them afterwords – yet you’d be surprised how few people actually do make the effort. These days we have no excuses, with great tools like LinkedIn making it simple to keep track of – and keep in touchRead… Read more »
It’s not me, it’s you. You’re the one who should’ve recommended me for a job that is not yet advertised. You’re the one who could coach me up on a challenge I’m facing at work. And you’re the one, who, with practice, could turn me into a better communicator, allowing me to put people atRead… Read more »
Back when I was a director of communications at a nonprofit, my LinkedIn profile headline read “I schmooze for good causes.” A large part of my job was to attend events, meet people, and bring them closer to the organization and the cause it championed. I have a knack for networking. I’m a successful networker because I recognize that the mostRead… Read more »
Networking gets a bad rap. Most of us imagine standing around in a sea of name tags, awkwardly explaining to the third person in a row what it is you do, or checking your watch while someone bores you to tears with the finer points of their seriously boring job. But networking can actually beRead… Read more »
Here at GovLoop we have a sweet spot for networking, so much that we dedicated an entire online training to it, titled, “Become a Networking Ninja: Tips to Better Networking”. As Catherine Andrews, GovLoop’s Director of Content puts it, “Networking is like the flour that raises the cake of your career; it makes the foundationRead… Read more »
Rapport makes small talk HUGE! Taking the time and getting to know people speeds learning names and fosters active engagement, increasing productivity. Rapport is the glue that binds personal and professional relationships. It reinforces the concept that people prefer to do business with those they consider friends. Successful networking can be accomplished simply by exercising… Read more »
Washington D.C. is home to our world’s most influential leaders, is a mecca for dedicated (yet low-paid) interns, and is the largest funnel for innovative policy. After 8 AM, most DC professionals are working hard to finish their daily tasks so they can escape by 5 PM to the nearest drinking hole. And no, thisRead… Read more »
Women especially are told to network — to find a support system that can bolster their professional goals and help them overcome barriers. But what’s really the point? And if it is so worthwhile, how do you do it? Those (and others) are the questions I recently asked Asha Aravindakshan. Aravindakshan has traversed sectors, startingRead… Read more »
Imagine a virtual place where people who work in the wider public sector could find and network with each other, collaborate and publish, share anything, create and join expert groups. A place where a public servant or health worker or councillor or local government officer or charity worker or trustee could find and connect withRead… Read more »