The impact of giving back
As you grow in your career, how are you sharing your insights with the next generation? Being a mentor and being generous with your time is an investment in both yourself AND the sector.
Hi everyone,
It’s been an incredible month of connecting with friends + community members! More to come - March is not over yet!
First of all, I’m feeling an immense sense of gratitude to Calgarians. I was coming to town, and the Calgary policy & public affairs community welcomed me so warmly. Big shout-out to movers & shakers + all-around great humans - Christina Caouette, CEO of Young Diplomats of Canada and Marie Sereneo, Curator of Global Shapers YYC.
When there are always a million reasons to say no, thank you for saying yes!
In the spur of the moment and with about a week’s notice, we organized #CalgaryConnect - a casual gathering for policy & public affairs professionals. I’m proud to say: Calgary came through!
Close to 50 folks joined us at The Rooftop YYC in downtown Calgary throughout the evening for a fun night with folks working at diverse organizations in academia, civil society, government, the labour movement, and the private sector. I can’t wait for next time, Calgary! 😊
Last month, I talked about the power of community in our profession, though the tips can be helpful for folks beyond the policy and public affairs function. In this post, I wanted to highlight briefly the impact of giving back.
I invest my time in causes and organizations that deliver economic, social, environmental and cultural impact and that keeps me engaged with a rewarding, albeit demanding, schedule. One of my non-negotiables, though, is making time during the week to meet with students and early career professionals. For the last few years, without fail, I’ve met with at least four folks per month - which is doable for me at this juncture of my life. Fridays are usually my go-to days.
Some months, I might just meet folks all in one week or other parts of the year it might be meeting one person per week. It all depends on my schedule that month. Still, I’m proud to say this is something I’ve been quite consistent with (especially during the pandemic, given the opportunity to connect virtually as well, which allows the opportunity to connect with folks across the country and even around the world).
Now, this might not always be the case for me but at this particular season of my life, I am able to invest the time. I see it as not only about sharing my insights with folks earlier on in their journey but also to connect with folks who offer so many interesting perspectives. I’m richer for it and so is the sector. And I see it also as compounding ‘social capital’ interest. It’s not the folks in your direct day to day network that sometimes make the biggest impact on your career. It’s what sociologists call your ‘weak ties’ and I feel fortunate I’m been able to invest the time to connect with so many folks the last 15 years. I can’t wait who else I will connect with in the next 15.
Now for students and early career professionals, it’s not the easiest to reach out to someone and ask for that informational interview or ‘coffee chat’ request. Here are five tips to make it more likely for that person to say yes.
Get a warm introduction - Folks are more likely to say yes to providing an informational interview / virtual ‘coffee chat’ as a courtesy to their friend or professional connection. It’s easier to say yes to someone they have a pre-existing relationship with than someone they get a request from out of the blue.
Ask for a reasonable amount of time - 45 minutes to an hour is much too long these days! 25-30 minutes is the sweet spot. There are so many different ways to spend your day. If someone dedicates time to connect, it’s an investment in them and you so make it count and make it as long as it needs to be, no longer. I once had someone ask me for a quick 15-20 minutes phone call. Now that was an absolute yes. Short. Sweet. Novel. (Does anyone do phone calls anymore? Definitely an underrated way to connect - people should do that more often).
Be prepared - Come with 4-5 questions you want to ask the person. Demonstrate you have researched their career journey. Check out their LinkedIn. Be on time. Ask thoughtful questions. Make it conversational. Respond in a way that shows you are actively listening. You’ll make a lasting impression. If you are looking to connect with more folks, ask for suggestions for 1-2 people you should meet with.
Be reciprocal - It shouldn’t be all about what one person has to say or give to a conversation. Every single person, by virtue of having lived their distinct life with their own unique lived experiences, has something to share. Think about 1-2 insights you can provide. It can be sharing a referral to an article, a book, a podcast, a contact, the name of an organization, an event, a resource (this newsletter, for example), or anything else!
Follow-up - This is the hardest thing to do, and most folks forget this: send a thank you email. Ideally, that very day or the next day. If you can include a quick note on 2-3 key takeaways from the chat, or include a resource/article/referral of some sort (see above re: being reciprocal), even better!
Beyond informational interviews, there are so many ways you can give back from reconnecting with your alma mater and doing a career talk on campus to being a mentor as part of formal mentorship programs or taking someone under your wing at work.
There is much more to say on this topic and the broader considerations that go into navigating a career in policy and public affairs. But, I’ll leave that for future posts later this year. Now mentorship is just one part of the puzzle - sponsorship is also important. Next month, I will highlight the value of Paying it Forward.
Till we speak again - take good care!
Sincerely,
Anjum
PS: I’m considering hosting a gathering in Toronto for subscribers + the broader policy and public affairs community in May or June! If I did, would you come? Message me and let me know!
PPS: If you haven’t yet, hit the subscribe button below.
Summer Associate Roles at Plan International Canada
I want to take this opportunity to highlight Plan International Canada’s upcoming batch of 13 paid summer internships. I have a few openings on the team I have the privilege of leading, Team PLAY (Policy, Leadership, Advocacy, and Youth). The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 16th (Today)!
Link: https://bit.ly/2023-Summer-Associate-Roles-Plan-International-Canada
Apply here: https://bit.ly/2023-Summer-Associate-Roles-Plan-International-Canada
Opportunities to stretch + grow
Women in Media Fellowship | Women Who Lead X Enterprise Canada
FutureBUILDS BIPOC Real Estate Development Incubator | Deadline March 17, 2023
Action Canada Public Policy Fellowship | Deadline March 19, 2023
Public Policy Leadership Program | Public Policy Forum | Deadline March 19, 2023
Policy Youth Fellowship | Urban Alliance on Race Relations | Deadline March 31, 2023
Chinese Youth Fellowship | Urban Alliance on Race Relations | Deadline March 31, 2023
HerStart Fellowships | Youth Challenge International | Deadline April 1, 2023
Events
Humans of the House Podcast Launch Party
The Samara Centre for Democracy | March 22nd, 2023 from 5 pm to 7 pm ET
Launch of First Canadian Economic Abuse Screening Tool
Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment | March 23rd from 1 pm to 3:30 pm ET
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TMU Ted Rogers School of Management | March 23-25, 2023
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5 Good Ideas to Create a Sense of Community & Belonging At Your Workplace
Maytree Foundation | March 31, 2023 from 1 pm to 2 pm ET
35+ jobs in policy, communications & public affairs:
Senior Director, Government and External Affairs | McCain Foods
Assistant Director, Government Relations | Universities Canada
Public Affairs Coordinator - Corporate Giving | Gilead Sciences
Summer Associates | Plan International Canada | Deadline March 16, 2023
Policy Development Officer | City of Toronto | Deadline March 17, 2023
Provincial Coordinator, Advocacy and Government Relations | Alzheimer Society of B.C. | Deadline March 18, 2023
Provincial Coordinator, Public Policy | Alzheimer Society of B.C. | Deadline March 18, 2023
Senior Manager, Innovative Finance | Plan International Canada | Deadline March 19, 2023
Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | OLG | Deadline March 19, 2023
Policy Development Officer | Toronto Public Health | Deadline March 19, 2023
Policy Director | Nature Canada | Deadline March 20, 2023
Policy Advisor | Clean Energy Canada | Deadline March 20, 2023
Research Assistant | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives | Deadline March 20, 2023
Policy & Research Analyst | City of Toronto | Deadline March 20, 2023
Communications Coordinator | Civix | Deadline March 21, 2023
Manager, Public Affairs | Bell Canada | Deadline March 22, 2023
Programs & Partnerships Officer | Aga Khan Foundation of Canada | Deadline March 22, 2023
Communications & Development Officer | National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) | Deadline March 24, 2023
Senior Project Manager | Plan International Canada | Deadline March 26, 2023
Strategy Lead | Plan International Canada | Deadline March 26, 2023
Manager of Advocacy | YWCA Toronto | Deadline March 27, 2023
Public Affairs Officer | Fulbright Canada | Deadline March 27, 2023
Program Manager - Burma | Interpares | Deadline March 27, 2023
Director, Corporate Civic Engagement | Volunteer Canada | Deadline March 29, 2023
Director, Strategic Engagement | Public Policy Forum | Deadline March 30, 2023
Senior Development Officer | Calgary Public Library Foundation | March 31, 2023
Government Relations & Advocacy Associate | Ovarian Cancer Canada | March 31, 2023
Policy Analyst | Cooperation Canada | Deadline April 4, 2023
Manager of Partnerships and Community Engagement | The Hogan’s Alley Society | April 7, 2023
Campaigns Manager, Canada | ONE Canada | Deadline April 9, 2023
Advocacy & Policy Advisor | Canadian Association of Midwives | Deadline April 11, 2023
Manager, Public Affairs | U-15 Group of Canadian Research Universities | Deadline April 14, 2023
Senior Policy Advisor / Director of Policy | U-15 Group of Canadian Research Universities | Deadline April 14, 2012
Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships | Achev | Deadline April 15, 2023
Director of Finance & Operations | Regent Park Community Health Centre | Deadline April 16, 2023
Manager of Public Affairs & Advocacy | CUSO International | Deadline May 2, 2023
I’d love to connect with the policy community here in Toronto! Would definitely attend a get-together in May or June🌞