Development graduates encounter an unsettled job market

GLASGOW, Scotland — Aspiring development professionals are having a tough time finding opportunities to gain experience, network, and land their first jobs in the sector amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic. Recent graduates said they have noticed a slowdown in job postings for entry-level positions, while current students — some still months away from graduating — are already concerned about their prospects. Data from Devex’s development jobs board shows the number of postings dropped by 12% in April and 5% in May compared with the same periods last year. Internships have also been disrupted — a problem for the many aspiring professionals who rely on these experiences to graduate or get their foot in the door at an organization. Reid Dobell, who is halfway through a master’s program in international development at Johns Hopkins University, told Devex that a number of students have seen internship opportunities fall through, which is causing anxiety. According to Dobell, internships found through open applications online were more likely to get canceled, while opportunities that came from networking are largely going ahead — though under a different format. Dobell himself was in the middle of an internship with a development contractor when the pandemic forced many organizations to start working remotely. Since the company already had the infrastructure in place for remote working, the transition went smoothly, he said. Another internship that he had lined up for the summer that was supposed to take him to Morocco has also been adapted to allow him to work from home. Others have not been so lucky. After graduating with a master’s degree in international development and economics in May, Minaj Singh hoped to return to West Africa, where she had spent some time as a student, and applied to the African Development Bank’s Young Professionals Program. “I was already talking with some officials, and it was looking pretty good,” she said, but recruitment was delayed, and the program was then postponed indefinitely. Singh has started looking for other opportunities, but most available opportunities seem to be for senior positions or for experienced consultants in the COVID-19 reponse, she said, adding that she has seen very few entry-level jobs posted. Shelby Pence, who also graduated from a master’s program and started her job search in May, initially felt there were still plenty of opportunities suited to her level of experience, although perhaps not in the areas that interested her. Just one month on, though, “it seems like job opportunities are starting to slow down,” Pence said. The limits of remote opportunities Given the global job market, many students who have been able to continue their internships remotely feel fortunate. Sunaina Bambra, a student of development studies in Geneva, was able to find a full-time internship with a United Nations agency, which she is completing from her hometown in India while finishing her thesis. She said she felt “lucky” to have found an internship for the next few months, even if it is unpaid. Bambra is also volunteering with a local group supporting migrant workers and is learning from this experience. Set to graduate in September, she does worry, however, that the current job market will make it harder for international students to find employment in overseas hubs such as Geneva. Even finding internships can be a struggle for international students, according to Atinuke Adigun, a student from Nigeria who is currently based in Washington. In the U.S., even those who have a valid student visa are disadvantaged by application questions about sponsorship needs, she said. Knowing that it is now harder than ever to find these opportunities, Adigun was relieved that her internship with a consulting firm was not canceled as a result of the pandemic. Starting the position remotely has been challenging though, she said. Others who spoke to Devex agreed that there have been difficulties in internships moving online, particularly in getting mentorship and feedback. “It seems like job opportunities are starting to slow down.” --— Shelby Pence, master’s program graduate Employers are doing their best, Dobell said, but developing relationships is harder without in-person interaction. There is also less opportunity to sit in on meetings or get involved in projects outside of your defined role, which would normally be great learning opportunities. Bambra agreed that the remote setup makes it difficult to build that all-important network. On the bright side, she said, the experience is allowing her to develop skills for remote working, which will be increasingly important. Meanwhile, Pence is building skills through LinkedIn Learning and other online courses. She is focusing on data analysis and visualization tools, which she believes will be useful for a range of positions. The hiring lull is also causing some students to rethink their course choices. With her graduation still a year away, Adigun is already considering how she can position herself in the job market, which she fears will not have picked up by then. The ongoing pandemic will have a long-term impact on hiring, especially for international students, she said.