By Kent Wyatt, ELGL Co-Founder, City of Tigard, OR, LinkedIn and Twitter
Whether you attended the Women’s March or voted for Donald Trump, we can agree that government is entering a critical phase. All levels of government face a retiring workforce, aging technology, and a resistance to change.
The challenges facing government coincide with the loudest call for action that I’ve heard in my lifetime. Republicans and Democrats, urban and rural, young and old, women and men, and countless other groups have issued a call for action among their members.
I believe that the most meaningful action can occur on the local level via the mayor, city council, staff, boards and committees, volunteers, and other interested citizens.
I am motivated about how to take action locally by a series of tweets from Ariel Kennan, Director of Design and Product in the New York City Mayor’s Office.
There's no better time to put your skills into service for city gov. Join us @NYCMayorsOffice in data, tech & design https://t.co/fARKEHLPt1
— Ariel Kennan (@arielmai) January 20, 2017
A few years ago, I witnessed first-hand the success of local involvement through the Tea Party’s strategy to run for city council positions and volunteer for any and every local board and committee. I had applied to serve on a planning board for the local school district. I figured I would be appointed since I was pretty confident that no one else was attracting to spend a few hours each month reviewing school bonds.
While I was eventually appointed, it was only after a school board member called the city manager who I worked for at the time, to ask whether I was affiliated with the Tea Party. The school board member had witnessed an uptick of Tea Party members on local boards and wanted to make sure that I was not another. Instead of complaining on social media, the Tea Party members heeded a call for action through local involvement.
Here are six opportunities that you can make a local impact.
Apply for a Job in Local Government.
Here’s a secret…local government jobs are not as competitive as you think. Kids are not dreaming of becoming the next Jane Jacobs or L.P Cookingham. Further, local government has largely failed at communicating with students about the wide range of opportunities.
I’ve participated on a number of interview panels recently where candidates had little-to-no government experience. Many of the candidates had advanced to the interview round because the lack of a deep applicant pool.
Even if you have not worked in any capacity of government, do not take yourself out of the running for jobs by not applying for a position. Younger professionals, especially, have unique skills that are lacking in government. The ability to create website content, manage multiple social media accounts, and build apps to report potholes are skills missing in local government.
Express Yourself by Writing.
ELGL is constantly adding new columnists who want to share their perspective on topics such as the lack of diversity in local government or the process for building a new website. We welcome all contributions that are relevant to local government.
In fact, we’ve had members ask to write how they fear the impact of Trump on local government, contrarily, we’d welcome articles on why Trump will be a positive influence. We need both sides represented to avoid the echo chamber found in many other forums. Email me to get started.
Be Active on Social Media.
This might be contrary to what you’ve heard, and I’m not suggesting replacing social media with other meaningful action. I’m here to inform (and this is supported by a number of executive recruiters) that you need a presence on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Donald Trump skillfully used Twitter to become the next President of the United States. Having a egg profile on Twitter and lurking on Twitter does not count. Engage, in a thoughtful way, on issues that you care about.
I can vouch for the Twitter’s impact on ELGL. More than a third of our members first learned about ELGL on Twitter. I’ve watched numerous connections develop from Twitter. These connections enabled people to land a new job, find shared interests outside local government, and write for other websites.
Submit Your Entry for the Resume Book.
ELGL created the Resume Book to connect local government organizations with the best talent in the industry. Previous installments of the Resume Book have included a wide range of profiles from MPA students to senior management analyst to city managers.
Every year ELGL collects resumes and then compiles them into a book that gets shared with our members, executive search firms, HR professionals, and other key local government stakeholders. There’s still time to add yours to the 2017 version.
Learn About Local Government.
You need to know about the profession, if for other reason than avoiding an awkward elevator ride with a co-worker. Listen to the GovLove podcast, read the Morning Buzz, subscribe to daily updates from Governing and CityLab, and read your local newspaper.
Volunteer for a Local Board or Committee.
Visit any government website, and you will find a lengthy list of board openings where you can find your opportunity to give back while gaining valuable career experience. In 2o14, I worked with a few other local government professionals for this article on Mac’s List – 3 Reasons Industry Leaders Advise Serving on a Board. Experience on a board will build your network, resume, and sphere of influence.
In my opinion, you must avoid inaction. Ignoring the world around you is not an option. When your time is up on this earth, make sure your voice and actions live on.
Supplemental Reading