Back to PWI Magazine - Q1 2012

Dear PWI friend,

I was updating my skills on my LinkedIn page yesterday and I suddenly realised how many things I had learned since I started volunteering with PWI.  

I usually work behind the scenes on the Administration, and PWI has given me experience of using a database, and the whole Microsoft office especially Word and Excel.  I have also started to learn interviewing for our PWI magazine, and plan to do some more.  

I have learned about the Social Media and started using Facebook and LinkedIn, making new friends and re-connecting with friends and colleagues I had lost touch with.  Unfortunately I missed Helen Dunnett’s presentation on ‘Surviving the Social Media’ and the lunch with Monika Kuschewsky about ‘Data Protection’, but  I did learn a lot from Corina Ciechanow about ‘Crowdsourcing’ and how useful that is for small businesses.

I was thinking what other opportunities does PWI offer?   Well we have a couple of events  each month opened to men and women and one network event dedicated to ladies only to practice networking.  We are currently looking for female members to help with Event Planning and Management.  I noticed these skills are both rated highly on LinkedIn as being skills employers are looking for.  Of course our events also need Marketing, which is another desirable skill.

We are always looking for people (women and men) to speak at PWI events , which is a great opportunity to practice your Public Speaking Skills.  Do you have a passion that you would like to share with PWI members and friends?  Recently we had a very inspiring talk about ‘NLP’ when Alessandra Zocca , Secretary-General of PWI, shared her passion with us.  If (like me) you are nervous of public speaking you can still share your interest and experience with us by contacting Alessandra at editor@pwi.be and arranging for an interview with the PWI magazine.

At the moment we are running our first Mentoring programme, which is proving very successful for both the Mentees and the Mentors.  Do you feel you have experience you would like to pass along?  Again this is a great way to acquire skills, especially if you work in a small workplace which doesn’t offer mentoring.  We are planning to put some comments from Mentors and Mentees in the Spring edition of the PWI magazine, and the next programme starts soon.   Again Mentors can be female or male, but Mentees should be female and PWI members.

So has all this inspired you?  Are you thinking you would like to help with PWI Events or take part in the next Mentoring programme?   

Have you read the article Alessandra Zocca shared  on our LinkedIn  Group page http://www.linkedin.com/e/-q12z3f-gy91cslz-53/vaq/93142308/2434042/67258475/view_disc/?hs=false&tok=2rwW_Qj49gQR41  ‘Why Volunteering is Good for Your Career’ – 4 benefits for YOU when you help PWI.

Want to find out more?  Please contact  me or Armelle 

For mentoring contact Melanie  or Alessandra if you want to publish an article.

Hope to see you soon

Beverley Sinton