Alumna Impact: Sara Dal Lago - Center for Social Impact Communication

Sara Dal Lago is a Digital Communications Executive at One Young World in London, UK. Sara is a Cause Consultant, served as CSIC student editorial board member and was awarded the 2016 Tropaia Award for Social Impact. She graduated from Georgetown University’s MPS in Public Relations & Corporate Communications in 2016.

Center for Social Impact Communication: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Sara! To start, tell us a little bit about your career path?

I have a background in translation and interpreting as I studied English, French, Russian and German in my undergraduate studies. I’ve always being fascinated by how people from different countries and cultures communicate, but my “aha” moment came during one of my first translation exams, when I realized I enjoyed more creating content rather than translating it. That’s why I decided to pursue my Master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications at Georgetown University, from which I graduated in May 2016.

While studying at Georgetown, I had the unique opportunity to land multiple graduate internships and opportunities within the field of social impact communications, which sparked my interest in CSR, sustainability and social change. I then moved across the pond to London working for Weber Shandwick’s consumer and healthcare digital practice, and I recently transitioned to an exciting digital and social media role for a UK-based nonprofit organization, One Young World.

The Center: What advice do you have for social impact professionals who are job hunting?

First of all, knowing that a career in social impact communications can take many different directions: it could mean working for a nonprofit as in-house communications professional, or working for an agency focused on social change, or even working on the corporate side of things as a CSR professional. I think it’s essential to have a clear idea of the area you want to break into and tweak the way your present your skills accordingly. For example, an agency role would demand more specialized skills and flexibility working across multiple industries, while working for a nonprofit role would likely require a much broader skill set and the ability to wear multiple hats at the same time.

Additionally, demonstrating passion through side activities, such as volunteering or pro-bono consulting, can really help landing your dream job within social impact.

The Center: What can someone be doing now to ensure they secure a position similar to yours?

I would say a mix of the above: do your homework and learn as much as possible about the organization you want to work for, have a clear idea of the industry’s requirements, and, last but not least, show your passion by providing real-life examples of similar work you might have done in the past outside of work and how your skill set aligns.

The Center: What is your best piece of career advice?

I actually have two, which go hand in hand: set long-term career goals and be always faithful to your own personal values. As for the first, this doesn’t mean deciding what role and/or organization you want to work for in five or ten year time, but rather what you want to achieve and become as a professional. As for the second, life can be so unpredictable and plans might not work out the way you wanted, so by sticking to your career goals and personal values you will ensure you won’t regret any decisions you made.

The Center: It could be in a career, school, or volunteer capacity – what accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I’ve recently attended the annual Summit of the organization I work for, One Young World, in Bogotá, Colombia. In my role as digital communications executive, I was in charge of planning and executing a social media campaign to amplify our brand messaging and share the amazing stories of young leaders from 190+ countries around the world. With four full days of content, 1,400+ participants and names like President Santos of Colombia and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan associated with it, it’s been the most overwhelming, yet rewarding experience of my life, as I felt I was lending my communications skills to something I deeply care about and believe in.

The Center: You completed our Cause Consulting course in Fall 2015, what was the most useful skill you learned in that class?

I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a skill per say, but rather as a lesson that helped me develop a broader skill set, which has been understanding the importance of getting to know a client’s personality and developing the relevant expertise. Being able to study from the books and mastering this knowledge in a real-life client experience has provided me with the confidence I needed to become a trusted advisor, which is something I’ll carry with me forever.

The Center: A huge thank you to you, Sara, for taking time out of your busy day to share your insights with our students! We can’t wait to see what else your future holds.