Thank you to everyone who came out to the IA&A at Hillyer for our event with the Judy Greenwald Fund. It was so cool to meet so many women from our D.C. community in real life! It felt serendipitous that one of the pieces of art on the wall was called “Women in Labor,” which featured women working. For those who were unable to attend, we wanted to share a brief recap.
Our panelists, Diane Lim, principal economist at the Conference Board; Beth Parker, public relations director at PwC; Caroline Welles, special assistant at the Democratic National Committee; and Amy Weiss, CEO of Weiss Public Affairs, had smart and insightful responses to questions on networking beyond a business card from Alicia and Amanda, who moderated the panel, as well as our audience members. Some main takeaways:
Even when you’re just starting out, you have something to offer potential networking connections. Being young has advantages, including a strong knowledge of the internet and a closer connection to trends.
Be open to meeting connections anywhere, including on dating apps. This advice my seem unconventional, but it worked for Caroline Welles. She found a person who worked for the Democratic National Committee on Hinge, and instead of pursuing him romantically, she asked for a connection to his co-worker.
Stay in touch with your connections. You may not have something to offer them upfront, but eventually, it can pay off. Beth Parker, for instance, had connected with the woman who hired her for her current role several times before meeting to discuss job opportunities.
Use your networks to your advantage, whether that’s an alumni network or a group of working moms. Finding allies in the workplace is crucial, especially for women and minorities.
We also wanted to take the time to extend a thank you to Rachel Greenwald, who organized the majority of the event. We are thankful for her help to put on such a fantastic panel and networking experience. If you can, show support to the Judy Greenwald Fund through a donation.