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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Friday, December 10, 2010
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Now that you've been using Facebook forever and it feels like old news, you may have become more web savvy and starting writing a blog and/or using Twitter. In this internet age, blogs and tweets are great ways to share ideas and disseminate information, but you must use them wisely. You are putting out information that is going to be there forever, so think about whether or not you'd still be happy to have your name attached to the things you write when they pop up in a Google search 6 months from now.
Many of you may have blogs or Twitter accounts that are opinion- or issue-based rather than personal. More power to you for writing about the topic you're passionate about, but don't be surprised if a new job offer comes with the condition that you stop doing so. Depending on where you're going to work, it may be a conflict of interest for you to be publishing ideas that are not part of the message of your organization. It's all about keeping things professional and protecting the integrity of your job.
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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As promised, here are some more holiday parties happening around the District in the next week:
Happy
Hour on the Hill with YCDC and Coro
When? Thursday, December 9th: 6:00-8:00pm
Where? Hawk N Dove: 329 Pennsylvania Ave
SE, 20003
What? Join YCDC's Government and
Politics (GAP) Program as we welcome our friends and colleagues back from the
campaign trail and prepare for the new legislative term. We're excited to
co-host our Happy Hour with the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. If
you're not sure about your next career move, this will be a great opportunity
to network and talk with Coro representatives and alums about the Fellows
Program.
National
Farm Bureau’s Annual "Taste of the States”
When? Tuesday, December 14th: 4:30-7:00pm
Where? Holiday Inn Capitol Hill: 550 C
St. SW, 20024
RSVP: rsvp@fb.org
iConstituent
Open Bar Holiday Party hosted by Cassandra Malone
When? Thursday, December 16th: 7:00-9:00pm
Where? L2 Lounge: 3315 Cadey’s Alley NW, 20007
National
Association of Broadcasters Holiday Reception
When? Thursday, December 16th: 6:00-8:00pm
Where? National Association of
Broadcasters: 1771 N St. NW, 20036
RSVP: http://www.nab.org/forms/invites/nabHolidayParty.asp
Third
Way Holiday Reception
When? Thursday, December 16th: 6:00-8:00pm
Where? Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar:
223 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 20003
RSVP: http://www.thirdway.org/events/33
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
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In
this town, everyone swears by networking. The connections you make come
in handy all the time. But in a place where everybody knows everybody,
how do you keep track of your network? LinkedIn is the answer. It’s a
networking tool that helps you discover inside connections to other
professionals and opportunities. You might discover that the person who
once held your dream job went to your alma mater, or that an old friend
used to work with someone with whom you’d like to get an informational
interview. The possibilities are endless. Building your LinkedIn network
is like playing Six Degrees of Separation, minus the part where you get
to be friends with Kevin Bacon.
One
important thing to note is that LinkedIn is NOT Facebook. It is a
professional tool and people use it for professional purposes. It’s not
just a game to see how many connections you can make; you want to have
quality connections so that you can actually take advantage of them in
the future. It won’t do you much good to be connected on LinkedIn to
someone whom you met so briefly that they won’t remember who you are in 6
months, much less be willing to help you out. Also, don’t be offended
if people say that they’d rather not connect on LinkedIn. People use it
to different degrees, and some may only want to connect with close
friends and work colleagues. That doesn’t mean you still can’t get the
person’s business card and ask for an informational interview in the
future!
Bottom
line - play it smart. Don’t be creepy. It never hurts to politely ask
if you can connect with someone on LinkedIn. Expand your network and
then make it work for you! It really is all about who you know...
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Monday, December 6, 2010
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Facebook.
We all love it, or used to love it, but now more than ever is the time
to realize that what you post online can come back to haunt you. First
and foremost you should be aware of your privacy settings, and keep them
as tight as possible. If you’re not sure how specific setttings affect
how you appear in searches, ask a friend to check it out for you and
then return the favor.
Every
time you update your status, or post pictures, or write something on
your friend’s wall, take a moment to think about how those things might
be perceived by a potential employer. Just assume that anyone you
network with could pontentially look you up. You should never say
anything offensive, or allude to details of your personal life that you
don’t want the whole world to know. And in case you haven’t already
heard this a thousand times, you should not have ANY pictures involving
alcohol where you appear drunk. Use your judgment. A photo of you
sipping champagne at a fancy New Year’s Eve party is probably ok, but
holding a solo cup while you play your fourth round of beer pong is not.
Also,
make sure you have all of your bases covered when it comes to
protecting your online image. You might be vigilant about keeping your
Facebook profile clean, but that doesn’t mean that your friends will be
equally mindful. Talk to your friends, explain that your career goals
make it especially important to keep certain things off of Facebook, and
ask them to respect those boundaries. It’s as simple as "please don’t
tag me in the pictures from your birthday bar crawl, or post comments
about what happened that night.” You’ll be amazed at how cool your
friends will be about it.
Facebook
can be fun and an easy networking tool, but proceed with caution. When
you land your dream job, you’ll be glad you did.
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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If you haven't registered for Career Day yet, today is your last chance before prices go up. Online registration will close TONIGHT at 11:59PM EST. You'll still be able to register at the door if you like, but please be aware that it will cost you $5 more. Click here to register for Career Day on Friday, December 3rd! Here's a snapshot of the employers who will be at our organizational job fair: Aristotle, Be the Change, Catalist, Chairman-Elect Kwame R. Brown
(Council of the District of Columbia),
EMILY's List, Environment America, Grassroots Campaigns Inc, The Mammen
Group, The Management Center, National Partnership for Women &
Families, NGP/VAN Software, Progressive Future, Salsa Labs, Virginia
Senate Democratic Caucus Keep checking back on the event page as we continue to update the list. If you're already registered for Career Day, that's great! We look forward to seeing you. Now is the time to double check that you have printed enough copies of your most up-to-date resume, and make sure that your fabulous business casual outfit isn't at the bottom of your laundry basket or still at the dry cleaners. Prepare everything now so you don't stress later!
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
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It's that time of year again...when networking opportunities abound in
the form of holiday parties. Sure, the weather makes you want to stay inside in
your sweatpants watching TV with a cup of hot cocoa, but do yourself a favor
and put in the effort to get out there! Here’s a list of events to get you
through the weekend; more to come!
DASHing
Through the Snow! A WGirls DC Happy Hour
When? Tuesday, November 30th:
6:00-9:00pm
Where? CoCo Sala: 929 F St. NW, 20004
Why? In Support of DASH (District
Alliance for Safe Housing) to ensure access to safe refuge for victims of
domestic violence.
$10 gives you access to
drink specials, celebrity elves and a fabulous silent auction. All proceeds
benefit DASH.
LADIES & GENTS: Don’t
be a Scrooge! Please come dressed to impress (business or festive attire) and
join the WGirls for a night of celebration, all in support of a wonderful
cause.
Happy holidays to all, and
to all a good night!
Get tickets and more info: http://wgirlsdcholiday.charityhappenings.org/
Kimpton’s Red Hot Night in
the Nation’s Capital
When? Wednesday, December 1st:
6:00-8:00pm
Where? Urbana: 2121 P St. NW, 20037
Why? Urbana will host Kimpton’s Red
Hot Night in the Nation’s Capital, a cocktail party benefiting the
Whitman-Walker Clinic. The event will feature popular TV personality and
beauty/lifestyle expert Paul Wharton as co-host and emcee, $5 "Cocktails for a
Cure,” light bites of Western Mediterranean cuisine from Urbana’s kitchen, and
a live/silent auction including a weekend getaway to any Kimpton hotel
nationwide and two roundtrip jetBlue tickets. A $10 admission fee includes one
drink ticket and all proceeds benefit Whitman-Walker Clinic. The event begins
immediately following the 5:30 pm candlelight vigil in Dupont Circle.
The
Monocle’s 50th Anniversary Party
When? Wednesday, December 1st:
5:30-7:30pm
Where? 107 D St. NE, 20002
RSVP: sdicks@uschs.org
Phillips After 5
When? Thursday, December 2nd:
5:00-8:30pm
Where? The Phillips Collection: 1600
21st Street NW, 20009
What? Phillips After 5 combines a
lively mix of people, jazz, gallery talks, superb modern art, and a cash bar
for a memorable evening. Admission is $12; free for members. Cash bar.
Note: Due to the
popularity of Phillips After 5 (the last 2 sold out prior to the date of the
event), advance reservations are encouraged to insure admission. Reserve online
until 12 hours before the event: http://www.phillipscollection.org/programs/after5/index.aspx
Young Consultants of DC
Annual Holiday Party!
When? Friday, December 3rd:
7:00-10:00pm
Where? Midtown: 1219 Connecticut Ave.
NW, 20036
What? The Young Consultants of DC
invite you and your guest(s) to join them for their annual Holiday Party at
Midtown Lounge. Come enjoy this extremely popular venue, meet up with friends,
or work on your networking skills and make some new ones!
Drink specials include $3
beer, $5 wines and rail drinks, and specialty holiday cocktails.
This event benefits One
Warm Coat, DC Village Shelter and Facilitating Leadership in Youth (FLY). RSVP here.
All Access: A Night at the
Newseum
When? Friday, December 3rd:
8:00-11:00pm
Where? The Newseum: 555 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW, 20001
What? Newseum and BrightestYoungThings.com bring you NEWSEUM: ALL ACCESS,
the holiday party to start all 2010 holiday parties!
This is the Newseum's
first ever official after-hours party…don’t miss it!
Tickets: $15 in advance and $20 at the
door will include:
- Exclusive
after-hours access to the Newseum--a dazzling, high-tech roller-coaster
ride through 500 years of headline history including Pulitzer
Prize-winning photojournalism, the Berlin Wall and exciting galleries,
theaters and interactives
- Autorock DJ.
- a separate
silent disco room.
- Cash bar
with specialty cocktails and holiday treats available for purchase— all
provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering, featuring Smirnoff cocktails &
hydration by vitaminwater.
- An unveiling
of a very special photo installation featuring some of our favorite D.C.
faces and characters of 2010.
- Exciting
films, merriment, mistletoe and more!
- And most
importantly, FULL ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING NEWSEUM EXHIBITS:
- Berlin Wall
Gallery
- Athlete:
The Sports Illustrated Photography of Walter Iooss
- G-Men &
Journalists: Top News Stories of the FBI’s First Century
- Pulitzer
Prize Photographs Gallery
- Interactive
Newsroom and Ethics Center
The Capital Club’s 19th
Annual Santa Soiree
When? Saturday, December 4th:
9:00pm-2:00am
Where? City Tavern Club: 3206 M Street
NW, 20007
What? Live Performance by Atlanta's
Premier Funk Band: The Answer.
Attire: Holiday Black Tie.
Tickets (Limit 350): Ladies- $80; Gents-
$120.
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Posted By GAIN STAFF,
Monday, November 29, 2010
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So
the election’s over, you’re not sure exactly what to do next. But you’ve
been wondering about law school, and if it’s the right choice for you? Come on out and join GAIN for a panel discussion on the pros and cons of law school tomorrow the 30th here in DC! Register to hear from our fabulous speakers: - Jonah Goldman, Vice President at The Glover Park Group.
- David Burd, VP of Business Development & In-House Counsel, Earth Aid, Inc.
- Joi Chaney, Special Assistant to the Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
- Bandele McQueen, Senior Advisor at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLC.
- Hayley Zachary, Finance Director for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords for Congress.
We hope you'll join us!
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN Intern,
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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Rather than telling the story of what you were doing up until recently (and hating that you have to tell people over and over), focus on what it is you’re looking to do in the immediate future. If you know exactly what you want to do next, talk about it. If you’re not quite sure, talk about the kinds of people you’d like to meet who can help steer you in a new direction.
Whatever the case, if you use specifics, the people you meet and network with over the holidays will be more likely to have a lightbulb go off in their head, despite being stuffed and sleepy. They may know someone in the particular field you’re looking to enter, or have a great contact who is a wealth of information that would help you settle the swirl of "maybe this” and "maybe thats” in your head.
The holidays are all about being proactive; get out there, make friends, mix & mingle with as many people as you can, and follow up with them for help.
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Monday, November 22, 2010
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Many
of you will be heading home for Thanksgiving, which means turkey,
football, and...smalltalk. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of
questions about your life from immediate and extended family by checking out who
will be in attendance at your holiday gatherings. Instead of feeling
like everyone is going to want to talk to you, turn the tables and
decide who YOU want to talk to! Ask to be seated next to your people of
interest, and turn the smalltalk into a relaxed but productive
networking opportunity. Who knows, maybe your uncle is golfing buddies
with a former Congressman, or your cousin brought his new girlfriend who
just came off a campaign as well. By the time you get to dessert, you
could have the names of several people to contact about informational
interviews next week!
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Posted By Lily McCall, GAIN intern,
Friday, November 19, 2010
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Remember
when your mother always told you to say please and thank you? Well that
was good practice for searching for a job. One of the most important
things to do is always say thank you... in as many was as possible.
After that informational interview or that actual interview be sure to send
an email thank you AND a handwritten thank you to pop into the snail
mailbox.
Sending
a thank you note ensures that some piece of paper with your name and
business card will a) remind them you exist a few days later b) make
them feel happy and more likely to help you and c) possibly sit on their
desk for a few weeks for them to constantly be reminded of your job
search. The best $0.44 cents you’ve ever spent!
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