Since the beginning the Obama Administration, there are two issues that have had a significant effect on the hiring of international development professionals by the US Agency for International Development.
Resources
Getting Your Foot in the Door at the UN
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
What is Public Diplomacy?
The Maxwell School operates the Public Diplomacy dual-degree program jointly with the world renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. As one of the few schools with a dedicated program of study related to this central concept in international relations. So what do we mean when we talk about Public Diplomacy?
Acronym Salad: Part II – The IC
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.
Acronym Salad: Part I – USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the U.S. Government’s primary agency for international development and humanitarian assistance. Given the breadth of its programming, the agency and its workers will often use short-hand notation to describe the offices in which they work and the programs that are carried out within.
In this edition of acronym salad, we will discuss two primary acronyms of use to potential development workers, IQC (Indefinite Quantity Contracts) and PVO (Private Voluntary Organizations)
What Language Should I Study?
“To prosper economically and to improve relations with other countries, Americans need to read, speak and understand other languages.” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, 8 December 2010.
While learning a second language is linked with a number of different benefits, including slowing brain aging, improving multitasking abilities, and the acquisition of another language, this somewhat elides the question of which language should one study for a career in public administration or international relations? Continue Reading
Boren, CLS, and Fulbright, Oh My!
On Thursday, August 21, the PAIA department was happy to host Professor Susan Wadley to speak about the Boren Fellowship, the Critical Language Scholarships, and the Fulbright Scholarship programs. These opportunities, funded by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, are of primary interest to students pursuing work that will take them overseas, there is an increasing need for professionals working on domestic issues to be able to understand best practices among international policy professionals. Since the Application Period for 2015 -2016 Boren Fellowships just opened, it seems appropriate to speak about this now. Continue Reading
How to Make Your DoS Internship Stand Out!
On Friday, we spoke about State Department Internships, what they are and how they can benefit graduate students. Now, since the Department’s internship application opens today, I thought it would be good to talk about how to make your application stand out and secure the internship placement that fits your strengths. Continue Reading
Interning with the Department of State
Each year, the MAIR program has a number of students pursue internships with the U.S. Department of State at home and abroad. The class that entered in 2013 could count among their number students who worked in the US Embassy in Cyprus, the US Embassy in the Philippines, US Embassy in Singapore as well as colleagues in the bureaus of African Affairs, Conflict and Stabilization Operations, International Security and Non-Proliferation, and Population, Refugees and Migration. Since the Department’s Internship Application will open on Monday, September 2, 2014 and close on October 17, 2014, those of you interested in the opportunity will need to work quickly to make sure that your application materials are submitted on time. More information about State Department Internships is below the fold. Continue Reading
Easy as 1,2,3 – Making Your Resume Count
Source: Daviscos.com
Given that all of you are striving to make your resumes stand out from thousands of other applications, it may be worth your time to read the article titled “Make Your Resume Count,” by the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group’s Deb Berman.
You can read fuller excerpts below the jump.