Global development organizations increasingly look to hire local professionals to lead their projects over flying in international candidates. Last year, 62 percent of recruiters surveyed predicted that the preference for hiring local candidates will only increase in the coming years. This is likely to continue to impact development career opportunities around the world.
In many countries, educated, experienced local national development professionals are taking the lead on tackling development challenges in their own communities. While these aid workers should continue to see increased opportunities in their home countries, what if they want to apply their experience in other countries around the world?
Getting that first overseas job is challenging for anyone who wants to work in international development. And while the push to hire local staff is creating more opportunities for professionals in-country, it’s also making it more difficult for them to find work in countries outside of their own.
About the author
Kate Warren@KateDWarren
Kate Warren is the Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of Devex, where she leads a global team of journalists, event producers, and communications and marketing professionals to drive conversations around the most pressing and urgent issues of our time, including climate, global health, food security, philanthropy, humanitarian crises, and foreign aid funding. Through live journalism — via in-person and virtual events — along with insider news, analysis, podcasts, content series, and special reports, Kate and her team ensure the most important ideas, voices, and debates reach an influencer audience to drive impact and make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
