LNW Blog
Thursday April 7, 2011
Thanks to all who gave me lots of info and leads. There's much to work on and digest yet, and I intend to push it deeper.
For now, however, you might be interested in about 1,000 words that the Harvard Management Insights blog will put out on this sometime next week (on the version I edit after I absorb your further views). I will probably need to shorten it further.
Of course it really begs for more depth, which I hope will come later. For now, here are some ideas on why social networking tools are important for recruitment and three simple ideas for those getting started.
Here you go.
Wednesday March 30, 2011
I was talking with a government today having problems recruiting for IT positions. They HAD the money, believe it or not. But they've been losing candidates to private sector offers that are 30-60% higher than what they can offer.
We talked some about the relative advantages of government jobs: bigger problems to work on, a better chance for influence/leverage at a younger age (in some settings), better benefits and pensions (now under fire, and much more uncertain), less travel and a better work-life balance.
Then we talked about how to use these advantages in the "4 Ps" of marketing: product, placement, promotion, and pricing. And in THAT context the idea of using social networking as a new channel for "placement" became attractive. LinkedIn and Facebook and GovLoop are CERTAINLY being used that way. Right?
Problem is: I don't know. Who is in the lead using social networking for recruitment, and particularly for IT jobs, and -- if you can get to this granularity -- for courts?
I'd love to know, and have the chance to report back on what's up.
Wednesday April 14, 2010
Some would argue that the biggest NEW idea re: how IT can make a difference in government is aggressive sharing of data with the public.
Some argue otherwise, of course.
To figure out for yourself, you have a chance tomorrow to talk with some of the key folks involved with the DC Data Feeds program, the Innovations Award winner that has been at the forefront of "democratizing data."
Increasing Civic Participation Through Democratization of Data
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010 Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Ash Center, 124 Mt. Auburn Street, Suite 200N, Cambridge, MA
Designed to increase civic participation, government accountability, and transparency in government practices, the city of Washington, D.C. created an initiative making virtually all current district government operational data available to the public in its raw form rather than in static, edited reports.
Spearheaded by the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), raw data from multiple D.C. government agencies is housed at the District's Citywide Data Warehouse (CityDW) and supplied via over 320 data feeds to online sites, citizens, and government agencies to increase civic awareness. In addition, OCTO launched an annual Apps for Democracy contest awarding the best applications that use CityDW data feeds. Its 2008 contest received 47 applications from software developers in 30 days-avoiding an estimated $2.6 million in internal development costs.
The program won the Innovations in American Government Award in 2009.
A light dinner will be served.
About the Speakers
Julia Bezgacheva is a project manager at the Data Transparency and Accountability Program (Citywide Data Warehouse) at D.C.'s Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Her responsibilities include coordination with the District agencies and other stakeholders, participating in developing recommendations, policies, and procedures related to the new practices implemented by the Citywide Data Warehouse, and managing application design and development.
David Strigel joined the District government in the summer of 2004 to lead technology projects for the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO). Strigel comes to the District with over 16 years of experience in building Web applications, software, and technologies for companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. At OCTO, Strigel leads the Citywide Data Warehouse (CityDW) program planning and managing, technology direction and strategy, service development and rollout, purchasing and contract negotiations, training and deployment strategies, IT strategies and solutions, and customer/partner relationship management.
Innovations in Government Seminar Series This event is part of the Innovations in Government Seminar Series, which explores various aspects and approaches to the study and replication of government innovation. This year-long series seeks to educate and inform the next generation of government innovators.
