GETTING TO KNOW YOU

By: Dr. Belinda J. Wilkerson

One of the highly ranked benefits of attending professional development events is networking. Having conversations with like-minded people and catching up on the latest industry trends are two aspects of networking that people find beneficial whether they're at a conference (in person or online), participating in a business meeting, or grabbing a cup of London Fog tea in between seminars. Just as important, networking provides opportunities to chat with a colleague about their lives outside of work.

Many events have dedicated networking time built in. More often than not, it never seems long enough. Before you know it, it’s time to move on to the next workshop, get settled for the keynote speaker, or prepare for the last three agenda items in that long business meeting. Those fleeting moments do not give us enough time to get to know our fellow attendees other than a quick exchange of words.

How do we get to know the members of the North Carolina Career Development Association (NCCDA) outside of our annual conference, Bytes & Banter, or our webinars? One way is our Member Spotlight feature. Periodically, a member of NCCDA is chosen to answer this series of questions:

1. What drew you to the world of career coaching (counseling, advising, or teaching)?

2. What is your favorite part of the job?

3. How has NCCDA played a role in your career?

4. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?

5. When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?

6. What five terms would you use to describe yourself?

7. If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?

Another reason why NCCDA started this feature has to do with technology. We noticed that Wild Apricot, the membership software that powers our website, had a quirky AI feature. It randomly populated our website with a highlighted member. It showed their name and workplace, but nothing else. Taking the matter into our own hands, we created the Member Spotlight.

What’s the process to choose someone for the Member Spotlight? We set a goal to rotate among the specialties in our membership: K-12, higher education, workforce development, private practice, and business and industry, while celebrating the diversity of our membership. Currently, an introduction to a new spotlighter happens every 2 to 3 months. In the coming year, we will shine the spotlight on a member in November, January, March, May, and July.

Stay tuned! It might be you, so prepare your answers now and get your headshot ready for publication.