Posts By Lauren Girardin

How to Rock Your First Week at a New Job

Starting a new job can get your nerves twanging. Your business casual wardrobe feels either too casual or too business. You’ve lost your old lunch crew and you’re dreading eating alone at your desk. You have a chance to start fresh at a new job, but you worry that your bad habits will prove impossible to break. EvenRead… Read more »

Video Tutorial Sites to Learn All You Need to Know

Virtual trainings are an easy way to up your game in just about any skill. They are often recorded so you can listen to them at your convenience, whenever and wherever you can give them your full attention, whether that’s at home or in the office, on your smartphone or computer. Many trainings are available for freeRead… Read more »

You’ve Gone to a Networking Event—Now What?

Back when I was a director of communications at a nonprofit, my LinkedIn profile headline read “I schmooze for good causes.” A large part of my job was to attend events, meet people, and bring them closer to the organization and the cause it championed. I have a knack for networking. I’m a successful networker because I recognize that the mostRead… Read more »

7 Ways You Might Not Know You’re Putting Your Agency at Risk

>> Want even more information about the OPM breach? Read our recent post, 12 Things You Should Know About the OPM Breach The recent Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach has everyone on edge. The personal information of approximately 4 million current and former federal employees may have been compromised by hackers. The OPM will be contactingRead… Read more »

Hacking for Good, One Community at a Time

On June 6, 2015 thousands of people from 106 communities took part in the National Day of Civic Hacking. Organized by Code for America, the annual event helps people come together and collaborate to make their communities stronger. The locally organized events welcome more than just those who crunch code. Around the country, organizers engaged people of all backgrounds, including tech experts, government employees, students, entrepreneurs,Read… Read more »

Summer Reading List for Success in the Public Sector

This summer, rather than dragging out the insipid beach-friendly reads with sand in their spines, why not bone up on practical skills and knowledge that can help you in your work? Many of these books are so brand-spankin’ new that I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. If this list isn’t enough, check last year’sRead… Read more »

The 7 Types of People Who Work in Government

There are a lot of stereotypes about people who work in government. Meet real government employees though and you quickly realize that most of the negative stereotypes are unfair. No matter where in government you work, and whether it’s at the local, regional, or national level, chances are that you’ve got coworkers that fit one ofRead… Read more »

3 Non-Defensive Tricks For Dealing With Tricky Coworkers

When I got my first career-path job after college, there was a lot I didn’t know about working in an office full of people who came from different backgrounds. I’d just moved to California and my New York communication style could come off as brash and blunt. I was often defensive and I unintentionally put people on the defensive.Read… Read more »

5 Proven Techniques in the Fine Art of Managing Up

This post is a follow-up to an unanswered question from GovLoop’s recent training, Critical Conversations. Want more topics and information like this? Make sure to register for the upcoming training summit in July, the Next Generation of Government Training Summit. There’s a skill I possess that you won’t find on my LinkedIn profile (go ahead andRead… Read more »

Stopping the Mega Problem of Micromanaging

This post is a follow-up to an unanswered question from GovLoop’s recent training, Critical Conversations. Want more topics and information like this? Make sure to register for our upcoming training summit in July, the Next Generation of Government Training Summit. Read the following statements and decide if you agree or disagree with each: Most of my time isRead… Read more »