Finding Jobs in Development 2 November 2011 Gina Yannitell Reinhardt

Getting a Job in Development Jobs to Target Where they are What they are What they seek How to Get Them Skills and Experience Presenting the best candidate possible Resume, cover letter, interview, etc.

How is Development Funded? Government Funds For-Profit Funds Non-Profit Funds

Government Development Funding Government International Non-profit Contractor Sub-contractor (local non-profit) Sub-contractor (local for-profit) International For-profit Contractor Sub-contractor (regional non-profit) Sub-contractor (regional for-profit)

How do you get in? Government level – Citizenship of the Government – Civil service – Foreign service Intergovernmental agencies – Fellowships/Internships/Young Scholars Programs OECD OAS UN UNDP EU World Bank

How do you get in to US Federal Development Work? USAID Presidential Management Fellow, Foreign Service Global Health Fellows Program World Learning Democracy Fellows Program Foreign Service Limited Appointments (FSLs) Other Development Agencies (usajobs.gov) State Department, Agriculture, Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, Labor, Drug Enforcement Agency Intelligence/Security Agencies CIA, FBI, NSA, Defense, Border Security, Homeland Security Administration

How do you get into the 2 nd level: Contractors of Development? – Citizenship of the Country where the contractor is implementing funds – Fellowships/Internships/Young Scholars Programs Catholic Relief Services, Global Services Corps, Ford Foundation – Pay for the privilege Foundation for Sustainable Development “Volunteer” or “exposure” programs

Work in the US first, then get transferred Catholic Relief Services ChildFund International Chemonics Research Triangle International University Research Company – Center for Human Services Save the Children Adventist Development and Relief Agency Management Services for Health John Snow, Inc. FHI360 How do you get into the 2 nd level: Contractors of Development?

How do you get into the 3 rd level: Local Providers of Development? – Citizenship of the Country where the sub- contractor is implementing funds – Be willing to go to a country where brain drain is common, or the workforce is under-trained and under-educated Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia Not Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia – Make job-forging connections through internships or fellowships during the summer

Those are the jobs you can get. How can you get them?

These agencies are seeking: Budgets Contracts Finance Grant-writing Familiarity with USAID or other Donor Grant system Delegation Team Management Overseas Experience Foreign language skills Tangible Skills Excellent Memo Writing Consolidating a mass of complex information, synthesizing it into clear policy/ management decisions that fit on 1-2 pages How do development (economic, political) theories apply to the real world? Excellent Report Writing Tangible Skills

These agencies are seeking: Ability to think on your feet Ability to articulate a range of solutions quickly Excellent communication skills Sharp analytical and problem-solving skills Interpersonal skills Flexibility Intangible Skills Creativity Common Sense Effective consumption of the quantitative information that is essential to development work Ability to speak the same language as other practitioners Intangible Skills

That’s what they want. How do you get it?

How to Use Your Education to Your Advantage Choose Courses Wisely Choose Projects & Assignments Wisely Capitalize on your Summer

Courses Budgeting Contracts Grants Finance Development Program Evaluation Projects USAID Grant Nonprofit program evaluation Capstone Budget for a Relief Agency Contract for a Development Project Summer Go Abroad Skills Project or Program Management Build Contacts Learn a Language Using Your Education to Your Advantage

That’s what they want. How do you show them that’s what you have?

Candidacy Resume Cover Letter Personal Interactions

Resume Personal information – Name, DOB, citizenship, security clearance, phone number, professional , website Skills or Profile – Change this according to the job – Use keywords from the job posting or agency mission Education or Experience – Depends on which is more pertinent to the job Experience or Education

Cover Letter The purpose is to translate your resume into the job they seek to fill. Explain what your resume doesn’t – use keywords from the job posting. Do not repeat your resume. Point out how your experiences (capstone, internships, jobs, research) have positioned you to fit into their position, their organization.

Personal Interactions Attend seminars, conferences, lectures. Contact people working in agencies in which you might want to work. – How did they get there? – Where do they see themselves in 5 years? 10? – Who do they know that you might want to meet? Build up a network of contacts. Dress well, stand up straight, be considerate. Follow up on chance meetings with s and thank-you notes. Follow up on planned meetings with s and thank-you notes.

Interviews Ask relevant, intelligent questions – What are the opportunities for advancement? – How will you be mentored, and will you be able to mentor others eventually? Remember, you will not always begin with the job you want – 3-month contracts lead into permanent positions – You may start working with people less-qualified than you in some ways (education), but more so in others (experience) The point is to get a job that will enable you to do the work you care about, then eventually gain the experience you desire.