To support a workforce that satisfies employer demand and to position the Baton Rouge Area favorably for economic growth, BRAC executes a variety of initiatives to cultivate the region’s talent. The talent development program focuses on two aspects – recruitment and retention of talented professionals in the nine-parish region. Baton Rouge is a friendly place. People help their neighbors, smile at each other, and it isn’t unusual to start up a conversation with a stranger in a grocery store aisle. But when it comes to networking and making deeper connections, we sometimes balk at the opportunity. Which is why we’re adopting a resolution in the new year for new connections. If you’d like to join us, here are some resources so you can start on the right foot.
Join the Club
It doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert or extrovert, meeting new people and making genuine connections can be a hard, sometimes intimidating, task. But it can be easier if you start small by finding one new club or organization to join and setting the intention of meeting one new person at each event or meeting.
If you need some help finding one to join, we’ve got you covered. From professional organizations to social clubs to philanthropy groups to affinity groups based on hobbies, there’s something for everyone in the Baton Rouge Area. Here are a few options for you:
- Want to connect with career-minded folks? Baton Rouge has plenty of groups to choose from with local chapters of the American Advertising Federation, Louisiana Bankers Society, and the Greater Baton Rouge Society for Human Resource Management.
- Do you have a unique hobby? So do these groups – Baton Rouge Bike Club, Baton Rouge Table Tennis Club, Baton Rouge Corvette Club, and many more!
- Want to make a difference in your community? Consider learning more about these philanthropic and service organizations – One Hundred Black Men, Junior League of Baton Rouge, or Forum 35.
- If you’d like to brush up on your conversation skills before you try out a new club or organization, we suggest one of the many Toastmaster Clubs across the Capital Region.
Baton Rouge Connect
Another way to make connections in the new year is through BRAC’s Baton Rouge Connect program, which uses a matching system to pair newcomers with trusted Baton Rouge locals. Long-time locals (or City Guides) are matched to newcomers (or Pathfinders) through Connect and are invited to meet up, swap stories and learn about the community. To get a feel for how it works, check out this feature on our blog.
- Long-time Locals – Are you someone who always knows the best place to grab coffee or what festival is coming up? Perhaps you’d make for the perfect City Guide. Sign up here.
- Newcomers – Are you new to Baton Rouge and looking to learn more about the community through the eyes, ears and experiences of a trusted local? We’d think you’d make for an ideal Pathfinder. Sign up here.
With all of these resources, we hope you’ll be able to make new connections in the new year. As the saying goes… “a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”For more information on BRAC’s talent development work, contact our director of talent development. For more reasons to love Baton Rouge, check out our Life in BR resources and blog.
Melissa Thompson
Melissa leads all aspects of BRAC’s talent development program, including talent attraction and orientation. She works in partnership with employers to provide services that complement existing human resources recruitment practices.