Plato is credited with writing that "necessity is the mother of invention." During the pandemic, thousands and thousands of workers have been laid off and are now faced with having to redefine and reinvent who they are. For many, this can be a daunting challenge. Where to start? What to do?
Fortunately for those of you studying at GW's Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), you are learning new skills that will help you with your reinvention. The only certainty now is uncertainty --- so you are working to be able to take on the challenges you will face in the immediate and indefinite future.
Some Elements of Reinvention:
- Skills development and enhancement
- Volunteering/Interning
- Taking on new projects
- Devising your personal brand
- Writing articles and blogs
- Freelancing
- Storytelling
- Making new friends and contacts
- Developing new networks
- Enhancing your social media presence
- Focusing on self-improvement (clothes, attitude, exercise, meditation, etc.)
All of the elements of reinvention listed heretofore deserve a further description, so in the coming months, I will be writing more about many of the topics outlined. Meanwhile, I encourage everyone to take steps to learn at least one small step to develop a new skill this month. If you have any questions, you know where to find me (hint: LinkedIn).
Margaret “Mag” Gottlieb is the Career Director at the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University. Connect with Mag on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-gottlieb-1457753/ or contact via email: mag@gwu.edu
