Kate Warren, executive vice president at Devex, returns to tackle some of the most common career questions and challenges for global development job seekers.
Drawing on her extensive experience providing recruitment support to hundreds of organizations around the world, Warren shared insights on hiring trends in the sector and advice for transitioning roles and addressing career gaps.
Use language that resonates with development professionals
The global development sector involves a lot of specific acronyms and jargon. This can be frustrating for the person reading your CV, explained Warren. While it is acceptable to use acronyms, spell things out initially.
The key is to help the person reading your CV understand how your skills and experience matter to them and relate to their own work, she added. If you are looking to transition to global development from another sector, it’s particularly important to think about the language you use, since job descriptions can differ greatly between industries.
Avoid using sector-specific language that won’t resonate with a development recruiter or hiring manager, advised Warren. Instead, think carefully about how to describe your experience and try to make it fit within the development context.
It’s also worth remembering that the first person reading your CV might be a junior level recruiter, who may not see the connections and commonalities between that role and your previous experience, explained Warren, so make it as clear as possible for them.
Highlight donor experience
Many global development employers look for candidates with experience working with specific funders, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, Warren explained.
► Transitioning into and within the development sector
In addition to showing NGOs or organizations you have worked with, you should also highlight donor experience. This is important information for employers, Warren added. It can also make a difference when it comes to navigating challenging transitions from field roles to headquarters where the work context is quite different.
Development jobs based in the U.S, for example, tend to focus on donor relations and reporting, and financial oversight, she explained. Even if you have extensive programmatic experience overseas, when applying to these types of jobs, it’s important to really demonstrate knowledge of funders.
Acknowledge but don’t focus on career gaps
The project-based nature of global development means there is a higher tolerance toward gaps in a CV, Warren explained. Employers in the sector are also increasingly accepting of people taking a break for personal reasons, she said.
It can be more challenging if you have been out of the job market for a considerable time, she continued, so include any volunteer, pro bono, or consulting work you’ve done during that time.
When it comes to your CV, use a narrative or bullet points in the first section highlighting your previous experience rather than focus on your career gap, Warren advised. You can address this in your cover letter, but there is no need to provide a lot of detail, she added. Depending on the field, you may also want to demonstrate how you are going about updating your skill set and knowledge.
Listen to the full recording for more insider insights on finding opportunities as a seasoned professional, applying for jobs at U.N. headquarters, and transitioning from unpaid internships to entry-level roles.
About the author
Emma Smith@emmasmith_bcn
For four years, Emma Smith covered careers and recruitment, among other topics, for Devex. She now freelances for Devex and has a special interest in mental health, immigration, and sexual and reproductive health. She holds a degree in journalism from Glasgow Caledonian University and a master’s in media and international conflict.
