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 »
This summer, rather than dragging out the insipid beach-friendly reads with sand in their spines, why not bone up on practical skills and knowledge that can help you in your work? Many of these books are so brand-spankin’ new that I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. If this list isn’t enough, check last year’sRead… Read more »
A mentor gave me an interesting challenge a few years ago, one that has stuck with me ever since. She challenged me to take 15 minutes a day to learn something new and to share with her what I learned. I thought what could I possibly learn in 15 minutes? Little did I know, IRead… Read more »
Want to attend a truly awesome virtual event? Sign up for GovLoop’s free 4th Annual Government Innovators Virtual Summit on April 22nd. We live in a golden age of professional development. Gone, or at least really dimished are time-wasting travel misadventures, rubbery hotel chicken dinners, and awkward run-ins with people you’d rather avoid. Virtual conferences and trainings solve a lot of problems. They provideRead… Read more »
Is your agency’s training budget lean this year? Want to brush up on a few skills without having to shell out major bucks on your own? Check out these free resources below – a mix of my personal faves and some I haven’t used personally, but look promising. Then let me know in the commentsRead… Read more »
Do you have a memory like a sieve? I know I do – it’s one of the reasons I save everything into Evernote to search for later, and have a desk covered with Post-it notes to myself. People who can remember names, lists, and facts without all these aids always impress me. It got me wondering:Read… Read more »
Job boards, interview jitters, resumes, and recruiters. You’ve left that all behind now that you’ve landed your dream job, right? Sure, you may be perfectly happy with your current position, but it doesn’t hurt to keep your ear to the ground for other opportunities – and in fact, it could even help you excel in theRead… Read more »
When your workload grows and your budget shrinks, professional development often gets pushed to the back burner. Here are some ideas about finding training and development opportunities despite the obstacles. Updating Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) – There are a variety of ways government employees make use of development plans, and not all processes are ofRead… Read more »
There are so many worthwhile education, learning, and networking events for government employees in 2015. How do you choose? This list of the best government conferences will help you pick the ones that provide the richest professional development opportunities. Since GovLoop’s last roundup of government conferences in 2013, there’s been quite a bit of turnover in events and conferences in theRead… Read more »
It was October 2010, and I had a crazy morning at work. I was out for a jog on the Trinity Trail during my lunch break when I saw two abandoned, skittish Basset Hounds that would forever change my life. My original plan was to foster these two sweethearts, who we named Hank and Lucy.Read… Read more »