6 tips for aspiring development professionals

Development is a competitive field, and landing your first job can be a challenging and frustrating process. It can even be hard to know where to begin. Devex spoke with Anne Clinton, head of careers education at London School of Economics and Political Science, to get her expert advice and insights on how to break into the sector. Here are the six things you should know if you aspire to work in development. 1. Your degree isn’t the most important thing While having a university degree is highly important, Clinton believes the particular subject “is not the most important thing.” Instead, “very often, it’s the other elements of someone’s profile that can have even a bigger contribution” to their application. Naturally, there are some positions where the right degrees or master’s degrees are crucial, but “even a master’s degree with no relevant work experience, with no convincing stories to tell, with no evidence of passion and commitment to the work, won’t get you anywhere,” Clinton said. She added that even having a specific degree within a development field, “whether it’s a degree in international relations, or international development, or development management, or anthropology and development, is not necessarily going to be particularly significant to an employer.” It’s possible to find a job in development if you are coming from a different academic background, such as languages or social sciences, according to Clinton, who said “there will be a broad range of degrees that have equal weight.” She added that language skills are “becoming increasingly important.” “Quite often, the advantage the degree — and particularly a master’s degree — will give you has got more to do with extra maturity and extra opportunity” to get involved with other aspects of universities and gain extra skills or work experience. And, she continued, the value of a research-based degree depends on the specific role you are applying for. “If it’s a research role or a policy role you’re going for, then the research element might be useful,” she explained. But “the main thing is, the degree would not be enough,” she summarized. “You need the ‘other stuff’ to distinguish yourself as a convincing candidate. Without the ability to express your passion for the sector and show it through what you have done and what you have chosen to do, the degree has little value.” On the other hand, some people have a master’s degree in development, but “on top of that, have gone out and got a technical qualification in a technical area,” such as in finance, she explains. For some roles, “you need the combination of the two things.” 2. Demonstrate your passion “Because the sector is highly competitive, what you’re looking for is this ‘extra’ all the time,” Clinton explained, adding that what specific area you’re passionate about is less important than the fact that demonstrating passion could help you stand out from other candidates. But this experience should demonstrate “a good understanding of the reality of life and the needs of people” in developing countries. Previously, advice for aspiring development workers was “you would need a master’s degree and two years’ fieldwork.” However, she said, it has become somewhat more difficult for people from developed countries to find that experience as the field is evolving. In recent years there has been increasing criticism of, as Clinton puts it, “the idea that people can come from the north and know better than the people living in particular countries.” These conversations have raised “concerns about the kind of work students or young people go and do in developing countries and whether it’s really as valuable to the people living there,” Clinton said. She advised that if you are going to volunteer internationally, “be very careful about the quality of the experience.” As a result of this conversation, international organizations are increasingly hiring professionals to work on development in their own country and empowered local affiliate NGOs to run projects, Clinton explained. One professor at LSE, Duncan Green, explains in a blog post which roles in international development are likely to remain available to people from developed countries. They include work in campaigns and influencing, fragile and conflict states, and the private sector. But volunteering doesn’t have to mean going overseas. Alternatively, Clinton pointed out that aspiring development professionals can gain the necessary experience by volunteering in the third sector, and “being able to show a history of commitment to actively helping” at home. By volunteering at home, you still demonstrate your commitment, and you can still work with refugees or migrants to give you a cross-cultural understanding and the experience of working with people from developing countries. LSE advises gaining development experience before undertaking your master’s degree. 3. Acquire soft skills Different jobs in development require different expertise, and it’s important to develop soft skills, such as writing or communication, in addition to “the technical knowledge and understanding that is coming from the degree,” Clinton said. “People skills are very important,” she explained, adding that these skills can be developed through volunteering, extracurricular experiences, and previous work experience — even if it’s not specifically relevant. An applicant needs to demonstrate a combination of “study, experience, and ability to articulate skills in terms of the job that you are applying to.” You need to show “you understand what is being looked for and how your particular set of experiences have given you those skills” that are relevant to the open position. Clinton describes it as a scale: “On one side, you’ve got academic training and development studies — a particular degree — [and] on the other side, you’ve got passion, focus, knowledge, and expertise, and it is the latter that is very much more important.” Later, once you become more experienced, “it’s technical expertise and quite specialized skills that become important.” 4. Build a network “It’s absolutely critical for people wanting to get into the sector to show that they understand the differences in roles and the skills needed,” Clinton said. One of the ways to do so is “by speaking to people.” And it’s no secret that networking in international development — and really, any industry — is very important. Conferences are, of course, an excellent way to meet people in the sector and share your work. However, the expense of attending conferences is a barrier for many. So Clinton advises finding other ways of personally “interacting, reaching out, [and] speaking to people who are in the sector.” LSE has their own alumni community to connect students with graduates now working in the sector, but they also encourage people to use LinkedIn. Clinton advises job seekers to research their desired professions by “identifying people doing the job you think you might be interested in on LinkedIn and asking if they might give you some of their time to have a chat.” LinkedIn should also be used to understand the professional journeys of those in jobs you’re interested in. “There are lots of different ways in,” Clinton said, so do comprehensive research rather than focusing on one specific job or organization. 5. Build an online presence It’s very important to stay updated on the latest international development trends and news and connect online with other professionals, Clinton said. This includes who you follow and engage with on Twitter and other social media platforms. Additionally, “if writing is your thing,” creating a blog can be a great way to demonstrate your passion and commitment to the sector and make your work visible. 6. Your first job doesn’t have to be in development The global development sector is a tough one to crack. If you’re struggling to find your first job within the sector, then consider an alternative route. You can gain experience and the skills you need with a different — even corporate — organization, and then apply for jobs within the development sector again later. This is something that is “increasingly being done,” Clinton said. For example, you could start by taking a functional role in any organization and then “transferring to do that functional role in international development, and then making, perhaps, an internal move once [you’re] inside.” If you keep up other activities — such as volunteering — outside of work to demonstrate your commitment to development issues, then experience in another industry is even more easily explicable. There is also increasing movement between organizations within the sector. More and more organizations are working together on different projects, including NGOs, international organizations, government agencies, think tanks, and private-sector consultancies. Understanding how they all work together is very useful both to your career and to understanding other routes into development. LSE also has a careers page with many useful resources on how to get into the global development sector. If you’re looking for your first job in development, make sure you check out Devex’s job board for all the latest job postings.