Thinking about becoming a Metro EDGE member or renewing your membership? EDGE member, Gina McLaughlin, shares her story about how she got involved with EDGE in 2018 and all the professional and personal benefits she’s gained from her membership along the way.
I joined Metro EDGE in 2018 because I didn’t feel fulfilled at my former job, but I wasn’t sure where to start with finding something new. I didn’t even know what I wanted to do for my career! All I knew was that the job searching advice I kept reading online said I needed to be networking, so I joined Metro EDGE to help grow my professional network. It’s been three years since I became an EDGEr, and not only have I grown my network, I’ve gained so much more:
I figured out my career path
When I joined EDGE, I was working in government affairs, but I didn’t enjoy it and was 110% sure I didn’t want to pursue it as a long-term career. The peers and mentors I was meeting through EDGE helped me open my eyes to other industries I could pursue. EDGE also helped broaden my awareness of good companies and organizations to work for in the Sacramento region. All of this information I was gathering from my growing network was so helpful to get my job search started, and eventually I decided to pursue a career in communications.
I gained relevant job skills
After deciding on the career path I wanted to pursue, I realized I needed more communications skills to add to my resume in addition to the transferable skills I had gained from my current job. In 2019, I joined the Communications Committee as the Blog Channel Owner and the Emerge Summit Committee as the Communications Lead. When I wasn’t working my 9-5, I was spending my free time copy editing blog posts, deploying marketing emails from Mailchimp, updating WordPress websites, studying Google Analytics, and writing media pitches. Thanks to all the work I did on those committees, I gained more relevant skills to add to my resume during my job search.
I got a new job!
Because of the network I established and the relevant experience I gained through Metro EDGE, I was able to land an awesome new job working in communications at a great company here in Sacramento. I love my new job and where I work! I am grateful to Metro EDGE for leading me to this opportunity that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.
I met new people and made new friends
Without a doubt, I have grown my network significantly during my time with EDGE. From the events I’ve attended and the committees I’ve sat on, I’ve met so many smart, ambitious, and inspiring people. And I’ve been lucky enough to call a handful of those people friends.
Joining Metro EDGE is hands down one of the best things I’ve done for my career, and I can’t recommend the program enough for all young professionals in the Sacramento region. My only regret is not joining sooner. Whether you’re at a crossroads in your career or you’re new in town and want to meet some new people, I highly recommend you join Metro EDGE. Sign up and dive in by attending an event or joining a committee. You won’t regret it.
This is a guest blog post by Gina McLaughlin, chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee. Gina currently works at VSP Global as a content specialist on the Strategic Doctor Communications team. When she’s not working, she’s spending time with her husband and two kiddos.
