Those of you working in international development know: Networking is as crucial to finding a job as it is to striking up business opportunities and advancing your social cause.
It’s also never been easier, with the proliferation of online communication tools and events that allow aid workers to meet face to face.
Last week, Devex hosted one of the largest such events in the U.S. capital. Our 12th Annual DC Summer Happy Hour was sponsored by Joint Aid Management, the South African nonprofit which has been expanding its expertise in relief and sustainable development in Africa since 1984.
Devex has been hosting networking events around the globe for years. It’s a chance for the best and the brightest to mix, exchange ideas and make a difference.
At last week’s event in Washington, communications experts mingled with policy professionals, senior executives swapped ideas with government officials, and NGO leaders traded news with think tank experts. It was impossible to turn around without encountering an insightful discussion. All in all, we counted more than 800 attendees.
We’re always looking for ways to connect people in new ways, so this year, we introduced a new component to our event: a social networking event app.
Through a customized event application called Bizzabo (available on iPhones and Androids), we allowed guests to check into our event, connect with others and search for new contacts by organization, job title or name. Guests were then able to message each other and connect via LinkedIn. Others live-tweeted the happy hour, and our Eventstagram displays looped Instagram pictures taken at the happy hour on screens throughout the venue.
If you weren’t able to make it to this DC Happy Hour, make sure to stay tuned because we may just be coming to a city near you. Also, make sure to check out our website for webinars and other resources on networking, available exclusively to Devex members.
Learn more about JAM, and make sure to follow them on Facebook and twitter at @JAMINTL.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
