Written by Karlee Cemo
A membership is only as effective as you make it - signing up for a gym membership doesn’t mean you automatically lose ten pounds. You need to put in effort to #OwnIt!
The same goes for having a membership with an organization, especially one like Metro EDGE. Show up, get involved, attend events, and meet some awesome people - I promise, one way or another, you will see the value of your work.
I joined Metro EDGE in August 2012. Less than a month in, I became part of the Membership Committee. Three years later, I’m still actively engaged on the committee as its immediate past chair.
One of my favorite aspects of the Membership Committee is having the opportunity to talk with current and prospective members. I love getting to place names to faces at a coffee meeting or event with people I’ve had email or phone conversations with.
By serving on Membership, as well as being a member on Leadership Council for over a year, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know a pretty remarkable group of young professionals. Across the board, these individuals are Sacramento-loving, career-driven people that I trust and respect greatly, on top of being fun to be around.
I have seen the value of my involvement both personally and professionally. I've developed relationships and friendships and had career-related opportunities present themselves. The relationships I have built within Metro EDGE include people I spend time with on the weekends or grab lunch to catch-up with. They are individuals that I go to for career advice and were some of the first people to know that I had accepted an offer with Sacramento365.com.
I look back at the last three years, how my career has transformed, and all of the incredible opportunities that have come my way – I know that my involvement with Metro EDGE has been a big contributor to my success.
Metro EDGE members - Whether you prefer smaller groups of people or are looking for another opportunity to get involved, I highly encourage you to join one of our program’s seven committees (Membership, Communications, Philanthropy, Professional Development, Regional Action, Sponsorships or Events and Networking). My advice is to pick a few that you are genuinely interested in, reach out to the chair or co-chair, show up to a meeting (once a month – date and times vary from committee to committee), and see which group is the best fit for you.
Never served on a committee before? Well, you’re not alone. Metro EDGE is a perfect platform to learn how to serve on a committee for a board. You will find that many others in Metro EDGE are serving on a committee for their first time as well. Getting involved on a committee can be used as an opportunity to serve in an area that you are already skilled in or even one where you would like to gain experience and enhance your skills. For example: If you are looking to enhance your social media skills and would like the opportunity to communicate to a large audience, I recommend reaching out to the Communications Committee!
Please feel free to reach out! I'm at karlee@sacramento365.com.
To register for In the Mix: Meet the Committees on Tuesday, August 18, click here.
