Most people only think about Non
Governmental Organisations (NGO) when thinking about working in
international development, however there are a range of recruiters (and
opportunities) working in different capacities overseas in the
developing world and the range includes:
NGO, Emergency and
Relief, Charity, Social Enterprise, Civil Society groups
Private sector,
Commercial companies (consultancies, CSR departments, development
banks)
Academic
Think-tanks/research
Public or
government sector (government departments, ID programs overseas,
International Organisations)
Recruiters are looking for these key
factors in your applications.
Qualifications:
Are needed for work permits for overseas contracts and to prove you
have the necessary academic background; many jobs require a Masters
degree.
Skills: Prove them
(volunteering, campaigning, any other stuff you have done).
Experience: Work
experience in your chosen specialism; Developing country experience
is often a prerequisite.
Passion and
commitment to the cause.
Experience, skills, passion and
commitment are the key to unlocking opportunity. A
career
consultation will help you identify
and clearly communicate these.
You could build your experience and CV through:
Internships - are
very rarely paid but can give you valuable work and organisational
experience.
Volunteering -
skilled volunteering that adds value to your CV.
Languages -
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic.
Get involved -
While at university through student groups such as U8 or People and
Planet.
International development jobs, volunteering overseas and
international development career advice for people in transition: new
graduates, career changers and international development workers.
Working with you in support
of the
Millennium Development Goals.
