Search Tips

Networking Tools

The best place to end this series is on the most important method for job hunting. Networking will typically yield far more results than endlessly filling out online applications. Of course, you need to actually apply for a job to have a chance of getting it, but keep in mind that around 50% of job openings are never advertised. This can be especially true for internships where the hassle of sorting through hundreds of applications is often deemed unnecessary when a person can simply find a candidate through their alumni or other professional networks.

LinkedIn
This is way too obvious. But, join internationally themed groups to find the right people. Then, actually contact those people and try to get them on the phone or face‑to‑face. I found Endless Job Offers to be a pretty helpful site to learn about cold calling people.

The Maxwell School of Syracuse University group and its sub‑groups has consistent job postings coming from alumni.

Maxwell School of Syracuse University sub‑groups

  • Maxwell School DC Network
  • NYC Area Maxwell School Network
  • Policy Studies Alumni Network
  • MAXCNY Central New York Network
  • Greater Boston Area Maxwell Network
  • Northern California Maxwell Network
  • Maxwell School Africa Network
  • Maxwell School India Network
  • Albany Area Maxwell Network
  • Maxwell School China Network
  • Southern California Maxwell Network
  • Chicago Area Maxwell Network
  • Maxwell School Texas Network
  • Maxwell School Japanese Network
  • Peruvian Maxwell Network
  • Philadelphia Area Maxwell Network
  • Maxwell School Korean Alumni Network
  • Thailand Maxwell School Network
  • Phoenix Area Maxwell Network
  • Maxwell SU in Minnesota

Internations
The premier community for current and former expats. This is a generally professional and mature network focused on activities and increasingly services for people working abroad. My wife and I have used it to do some great networking. While there is not yet a chapter in Syracuse, it’s still helpful to have access to the contacts within this network.

LinkTank
Great way to connect with people through events in Washington, DC.

Cuse Community
Networking site for all graduates of SU. A great place to connect with alum from nearly any profession.

Meetup
Great for face‑to‑face networking. Look for international or industry focused groups or just start one yourself and watch people flock your way.

Facebook
No, really. Evidence shows that more people get jobs through Facebook than LinkedIn. This is probably because your FB friends and family actually know you and are the people most willing to help you. Your mother’s friend from high school might actually be doing something that interests you or this person can give you the name of another more relevant connection. One never knows where networking might begin, but your friends, family, and social acquaintances will be willing to lend you a hand. Despite this, given how FB tends to distract you from job searching and all kinds of other important things in life, it might not always be the best use of your time.

If you’re nervous about networking, this video might help.

Featured image by Marc Smith, www.connectedaction.net. SU Maxwell School does not endorse any views of the creator. Image available on Flickr.

Miscellaneous Resources for International Work

There are of course hundreds of sites focusing on international work, especially industry specific ones, which is why this post will simply cover some of the more useful ones.

Research & Policy

Global Think Tank Index
A list of every known policy institute in the world provided by the University of Pennsylvania.

Higher Ed Jobs
The go to source for positions in higher education.

Regions

EuroBrussels
Jobs in Europe and the EU especially. Focuses more on technical, economic, and political positions for EU citizens.

Latpro
Speakers of Spanish or Portuguese will find job postings and advice for finding work using these languages.

Monster.com
Users can search for jobs in a specific country.

Random

MCCD Sample Group of Employers
Maxwell’s Center for Career Development has a list or prominent organizations categorized into IGOs, U.S. Gov, Development Consulting, NGOs, and Foundations and Policy Institutes. They also refer you to a number of international resources that I didn’t necessary mention in this series of posts.

U.S. Dep. of State International Job Resources
This page lists a number of sites that I have not covered in this series of posts.

University of Michigan Directory
Continuing down the rabbit hole, here is a list of lists including NGOs, think tanks, and development orgs.

Higher Ed Jobs – International Programs & Services
A whole category dedicated to international affairs.

USAJobs
Yes, the infamous site. Allow up to six months to hear back on a position.

Cost of Living

Numbeo
Crowdsourced cost of living data comparing cities.

The 10 Least Expensive Expat Cities: Mercer Cost of Living Survey 2015
For complete information, check out the Mercer Cost of Living Survey 2015

Expatistan
Also check out these informative infographics.

Job Advice

Be the Change
Tactics and career counseling focusing specifically on global development.

The Muse
General tips aimed mostly at American young professionals, but with a great deal of universal applicability.

Transitions Abroad
A bit of a hippy vibe on this page, but it still has some quality advice on working overseas

Featured image by byronv2. Image cannot be used for commercial purposes and SU Maxwell School has no relationship nor endorses any views of the creator. Image available on Flickr.

Development, Humanitarian, & Non‑Profit Job Sites & Tools

A staggering number of sites exist which advertise job openings and advise on breaking into and becoming successful within the international development and humanitarian aid sector. Below are some of the most well run and widely used sites.

Best Sites & Tools

ReliefWeb
Run by UN OCHA with various partnerships. Definitely the go to source for humanitarian positions. The sites RSS feeds are especially handy.

DevEx
Privately run organization with more buy in from the private development sector than many sites. It’s a good source to find who is working on USAID projects for example.

Idealist
More focused on an American audience and almost exclusively on the non-profit sector, but with a huge number of international jobs. Be wary of scams, but still the go to source in the USA. Idealist also has a decent e-mail feed system.

International Organization Careers
Run by the U.S. Department of State, this is an excellent service with job postings and quality e-mail updates for jobs within international organizations.

Youth Opportunities
Internships, fellowships, conferences, and scholarships all suitable for internationally minded young professionals and students.

UN & USAID

UNjobs
The name says it all. Not part of the UN, but a superior job search tool in some ways.

Inspira
The UN’s official job site. For organization’s which work closely with the UN but are not UN agencies (ex. IOM), refer to the individual organization’s website.

Contract Types and Job Grades in the UN System
An article that breaks down the UN lingo for you.

PVO Registration
Register of USAID NGO partners. Basically, just a list of reliable orgs.

MCCD Career Field Guides

Other Humanitarian & Development sites/tools

PCDN’s World’s Top Meta List of Job Sites/Resources in Social Change, Social Impact, Development, Peacebuilding and Related Fields
Here you can find all the sites that I’ve missed in this series of posts, especially industry specific ones.

WANGO Worldwide NGO Directory
The name says it all.

Directory of Development Organizations
Hasn’t been updated since 2011, but still an excellent source to know who’s out there.

Eldis
Info source for development with a jobs page.

US Dep. of State IO List
List of international organizations by the US DOS.

Indev Jobs

Jobs 4 Development

DevNetJobs

Third Sector Jobs
UK based charity job board.

Featured image by Official U.S. Navy Page. SU Maxwell School does not endorse any views of the creator. Image available on Flickr.

Peace, Security, & Conflict Job Sites & Tools

While organizations focusing on peace and conflict resolution are generally quite transparent, it can seem unclear on how to go about working in security and intelligence. For students interested in the latter, definitely utilize SU’s Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT), and refer to the sites below for job postings and information on security clearances.

Intelligence.gov
Job listings for all major U.S. government agencies working in intelligence. Not a very comprehensive site, but a great place to start your search.

Clearance Jobs
Information and job listing for positions requiring security clearance.

International Organization Careers
Run by the U.S. Department of State, this is an excellent service with job postings and quality e-mail updates for jobs within international organizations including NATO.

International Stability Operations Association
Professional trade organization for public and private entities working in the security sector.

Peace & Collaborative Development Network
A site for the peaceniks and conflict resolvers out there. Includes a jobs page and many other resources for the community of practice.

USAJobs
The go to source for federal jobs. Not everyone’s favorite site and only relevant for American citizens. Allow up to six months to hear back on a position and longer for security clearances. Cater your resume to match key words in the job advertisement. Many government agencies that work with intelligence have their own systems and do not use USAJobs, but this is not true of all agencies.

MCCD Career Field Guides

Featured image by Israel Defense Forces. Image cannot be used for commercial purposes and SU Maxwell School has no relationship nor endorses any views of the creator. Image available on Flickr.

SU Tools for International Jobs

This post begins a series that will cover a number of online job tools for international positions. However, it is important to remember not to get locked into sorting through postings all the time. Be sure to identify and target organizations which you would really like to work for. Then, watch their own sites for open positions. Most importantly, utilize networking by talking with people within the industry in which you would like to be employed.

This series of posts will cover, 1) SU Tools for International Jobs, 2) Peace, Security, & Conflict Job Sites & Tools, 3) Development, Humanitarian, & Non‑Profit Job Sites & Tools, 4) Miscellaneous Resources for International Work, and 5) Networking Tools.

SU Tools

Maxwell Career Management System
List of open jobs targeted specifically at Maxwell School students and grads. Site also contains contact information for alumni working in hundreds of organizations.Career Management System Logo

 

Cuse Community
Networking site for all undergraduate and graduate alumni of SU. A great place to connect with alum from nearly any profession.

GPC Listserv: Global Opportunities
E-mail list maintained by the Maxwell Global Programs Coordinator, featuring relevant international opportunities delivered to your SU inbox.

Going Global
SU students get a membership to this site, which they can access through their myslice account. Site contains country guides and thousands of international job listings with a great deal of buy in from the private sector.

#‎HireMaxwell
A weekly compilation of jobs sent to the Maxwell School from our distinguished alumni.

MCCD Professional Development Guide
Maxwell Center for Career Development’s general guide to everything you need to know about the job hunt.

MCCD Career Field Guides
Here you’ll find a list of guides to careers in areas such as conflict resolution, counterterrorism intelligence, economic development, foreign service, humanitarian aid and relief, international business, international development, international law, national security, United Nations, and many more.

MCCD Career Event Videos
Great archive of past speakers who give you insights and tips to working at their respective international organization, foundation, corporation, etc.

MCCD picture

Language Learning II: The How

Earlier this year, we talked about what language one should study for a career in public policy, as well as why learning a second language is useful.

By this point, those of you who have started another language should be on your way to fluency.  However, it is important to keep the following tips in mind as you continue your bilingual journey.

1) Keep practicing

Second-language acquisition requires a lot of rote repetition.  If you remember back to your elementary school days, you engaged in a lot of sentence construction and vocabulary learning exercises.  Since the process is similar, you’ll have to spend time practicing, find what works for you and be consistent.

2) Try to hear different accents and dialects

Formal language instruction is often used with the standard dialect, which will work well in formal settings, but often fail in more unique ones.  Knowing modern High German is useful in the business climate of Frankfurt, but is not always the best training for understanding farmers in eastern Bavaria.

Test your listening as often as possible, this could be through listening to online podcasts (usually the national radio station of that country will have language podcast) or streaming other entertainment.

3) Practice Speaking

Without speaking practice it is difficult to achieve fluency in a language.  So, try your best to find places where you can speak with other people at different levels of language knowledge.  In Maxwell, you can find the Moynihan Institute’s Language Tables, or search out other students who are native speakers of a language.  Also see if there are local cultural authorities (such as the Turkish Cultural Center) that may hold events where the language is spoken.

4) Read children’s books

One of the best ways to develop reading fluency is to, well, read.  However, if you’re studying French, don’t immediately reach for Proust’s “À la recherche du temps perdu.” That approach may simply frustrate and discourage.  Instead, begin with “Babar Le Petit Elefant” and move through “Astérix le Gaulois” before reaching for the harder material.

Despite this:

5) Challenge your technical understanding

If you want to use your language professionally, you need to understand the way in which field-specific terms are expressed.

If you are working on analyzing the construction of refugee camps in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, it would be useful to know the terms for water-borne pathogen. So make sure that while you are developing basic fluency that you are also learning vocabulary that will be beneficial to your career.

6) Don’t be Afraid

One of the major challenges in learning a foreign language is being worried about making mistakes.  Don’t worry, you will, so become comfortable with being misunderstood or embarrassed, the more mistakes you make initially, the more proper improvement you will see.

 

Language Learning I: The Why

Language Learning I: The Why

In conversations with alumni and employers, they often comment on the need for foreign policy professionals to know a second or third language. While this seems self-evident for professionals looking at working overseas in a non-English speaking environment, there are significant reasons why US-based practitioners would need to know a second-language.

There is field-specific importance given to particular languages.  For example, if one were to work in official development assistance programming in Mozambique, a working knowledge of Portuguese would be essential, and in many cases a necessity for employment.

This carries over to headquarters positions.  Search for Common Ground is recruiting an International Grants Officer that requires English and French fluency.

2) It is worth an additional salary bonus

Several economists have posited that there is an average 2% salary increase associated with knowing a language.

Over the course of a 40 year career, the Economist calculated that a professional could earn between $51,000 and $128,000 in additional salary due to language knowledge.  Given that salaries in the public policy have been consistent with inflation over the past several years, this is a significant bonus.

3) It can make you a better analyst

Recent studies have shown that bi-lingual learners have a heightened ability to monitor an environment.  While this has specific effects in monitoring a surrounding, it is not a far leap to think that this increased situational awareness would easily transfer to monitoring program effectiveness or working as a threat analyst.

4) It can help you multitask

Very few of us work in environments where we can concentrate on one task at a time.  Recent studies show that learning a second language improves the brain’s ability to concentrate on simultaneous tasks.  In an environment where staffers need to continuously increase their productivity, this is invaluable.

5) It can make you a better writer

Many of us last thought about grammar and vocabulary in our native tongue during our elementary school years.  By having to learn these rules anew in a second-language makes us more cognizant of the the full capabilities of language.  This makes us more easily able to write clearly and concisely for all audiences.

Getting Your Foot in the Door at the UN

It's easier to get in on the streetside
The UN Secretariat in New York
Source: Wikipedia

One of the challenges of finding a position within the United Nations is how to begin one’s search.  The UN employs more than  44,000 staff around the world, with operations that affect the 193 member states and bridge specializations from information policy, to peacekeeping, to international health, to logistics.

As many of you have expressed interest in working with the United Nations Secretariat, its constituent funds and programs, or its specialized agencies, we thought it useful to give some background on how one can get one’s “foot in the door” with the United Nations.  Continue Reading

Acronym Salad: Part II – The IC

Seal of the US Intelligence Community.
Seal of the US Intelligence Community. Source: DNI.gov

The section of the U.S. government that is literally and metaphorically shrouded in secrecy is the intelligence community.

While all of the constituent agencies have public presences, they each have different functions and specializations.

Thus, if you area  student seeking to serve in an analytic or management roles within these agencies as professionals, it is useful to understand which agency is the best conceptual fit.  It is also useful to attempt an internship within one of these agencies, as it would secure valuable career preparation for work in the IC. For information about those opportunities, visit the individual websites of each of the IC members.

Continue Reading