4 tips for a successful start to your global development career

Traditional advice on pursuing a career in global development has often pointed aspiring professionals down two uncomfortable paths: One ends in an expensive graduate degree, and the other leads to taking an unpaid internship in order to gain “necessary work experience.” While some development organizations still operate with these expectations, a sector that “is notorious for expecting fancy master's degrees” is evolving, according to Nick Martin, an experienced educator and social entrepreneur and the CEO at TechChange. He shared his thoughts on how to launch a career in development during a recent Devex digital event. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people seem to “want to work for organizations of purpose — they want to have more meaning in their lives,” Martin said. “I think that is putting an enormous amount of pressure on international development and social impact firms to really think through their mission and their purpose, but also their culture,” he added. “Careers rarely move upward and in straight lines — that's fine. We just need to make peace with this and to be patient.” --— Nick Martin, CEO, TechChange In terms of unpaid internships, Martin said he is “seeing great trends in this space — fewer and fewer organizations taking advantage of this,” while more are calling “into question the value of spending tens of thousands, or, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars on these expensive degree programs.” As these norms shift, nontraditional career paths are becoming more acceptable, opening up opportunities to candidates who may have been previously passed over. But international development remains as competitive as ever, and it’s easy to get discouraged — whether you choose to pursue an advanced degree or not. For those carving out a path to a purpose-driven career in today’s global development landscape, Martin offered four pieces of advice to help you cope with the attendant frustration, and ultimately thrive. Seek out community For aspiring development professionals, Martin emphasized the importance of being proactive in seeking out like-minded people. These interactions may not only prove useful professionally, but can also provide support when you’re facing early-career challenges. “Fellowships and volunteering and other types of networks can be really essential for finding our next steps, for helping us get through hard times,” Martin said. Exploring online networking and social media platforms like LinkedIn is an easy way to find more groups to connect with. There is some trial and error involved, but stick with it. “It is a ground game, it does take effort, it does take work — but you might be surprised at how well situated you are if you put in the time and effort,” Martin said. Be a giver Virtual networking isn’t everyone’s favorite way to connect, but it “is more efficient and still just as meaningful,” Martin said. Just like in-person networking, it’s not a one-way street, and how you approach it makes all the difference. “The more you give, the more you will organically build your network in whatever direction you want to go,” Martin said. Think about how you can give value to other people, such as those you interact with online. You don’t need to be a seasoned professional to have something useful or interesting to share on sites like LinkedIn. Anyone can start posting on what they know to help build more organic and meaningful connections. Don’t overly compare yourself to others As you spend more time building your network on social media, you’ll likely see updates from connections — maybe someone you studied with in the same program — about exciting new job opportunities. It’s very tempting to compare yourself to others who may appear to be speeding ahead on their paths. “I think that is a trap,” Martin said. “We've really got to be better about setting benchmarks and tracking progress against our own selves.” This is easier said than done, Martin acknowledged, but remember that “there's so many stories not told about other people's success that we tend to get lost in. We just have to be a little more focused on our own journeys.” Be patient Especially for those who have recently graduated or are otherwise in the early days of their journeys, patience is a virtue worth cultivating. “We feel anxious, we feel stuck — that is okay. Careers rarely move upward and in straight lines — that's fine. We just need to make peace with this and to be patient,” Martin said. You could use this time to learn a new skill, which will likely ease some anxiety and make you feel more confident as you continue your search. There are not only more online learning resources available than ever before — as a reaction to the pandemic — but better ones as well, Martin said. Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.