Do you have experience networking with government officials and others working in the public sector?

Tell the interviewer about any relationships you have developed with government officials in your career and highlight successful partnerships that contributed positively to the community. Discuss how you managed those relationships after initiating them.

If you do not have experience working with government officials directly, share your past experiences building relationships with business leaders, donors, volunteers, customers, etc., and how that would inform your strategies for engaging with the public sector.

"Yes, I do! In fact, toward the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working for a non-profit that provided food and temporary housing for families in need. When the city received federal funding for coronavirus relief, they approached our organization because we had the infrastructure in place to administer these funds through our social service programs. Since I was the strategic partnerships manager, I was assigned to act as the liaison between the organization and the local government representatives responsible for dispersing those funds to us. Because it was a detailed, complex process, I arranged an in-person meeting where they could tour our headquarters and learn how we planned to set up new spaces for rental and utility assistance. Then, I worked with our accounting team to develop a weekly report on relief fund activities. I established a system for maintaining regular contact with the appropriate government officials and provided them with these reports. As a result, I was able to expand my professional network, and I feel extremely confident working with any government representative."