“We’re living in a 140-character world.”
– Liz Allen, Former White House Deputy Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama
This statement was made at the most recent CoSS Employability event, and with the anniversary of Trump’s election, this claim appears more relevant than ever.
This week is the anniversary of Trump’s election. It is also two weeks since our most recent CoSS Employability event, ‘In Conversation with David Muir’, where coincidentally, two former White House members of staff joined Professor David Muir to discuss their roles in the previous Obama administration and explore the impact of the 2016 US elections.
During this event, which was held in partnership with the John Smith Centre for Public Service, we were honoured to be joined by Liz Allen, Former White House Deputy Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama, and Wally Adenoma, Former White House Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economics.
Throughout the event, certain themes reoccurred. Unsurprisingly, many of these were related to the media, rhetoric, and leadership. As Wally, for instance, highlighted,
“It’s important to make that distinction between rhetoric and reality.”
The difference between what people hear and chose to believe, in contrast to what is considered reality, can differ quite substantially. As David Muir noted at the event, that while public servants can be inspiring, they are no different from you and I. In other words: you have the power to shape how the future unfolds. The question now is: how can you get involved, gain experience, and apply yourself, so you get where you want to be?
What is your next step?
Sign up for the Professional Skills Programme
Participate in the Graduate Skills Programme
Find a mentor on The Network
Or as one of your CoSS Students who attended the event said,
“Getting the chance to hear from people with such important and valuable careers has inspired me to think about what I can achieve in the future.”
So perhaps attending this event was the first step in your journey into getting inspired to pursue a career path you had not considered before? Or you were already considering a career in Politics, Communications or Security, and now have more ideas of what step to take next!
Want to get an idea of what a career path can look like for someone who has worked in the White House? Check out Liz’s and Wally’s biographies and career advice here: ‘Political Careers & Words of Wisdom.’
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