If you’re new to global development, you’ll soon come to learn that effective CVs for roles in the sector differ in many ways from those of other industries. In what can be a highly competitive and complicated recruitment process, getting the little things right is crucial.
“We all know that the industry of global development is very competitive, and CVs act as a golden ticket to get you to the yes pile for job opportunities,” says Heidi Arriola, a senior associate for talent solutions at Devex.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing some of the most important ways global development CVs are unique so you can ensure your application is set up to succeed. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of UNICEF, Management Systems International, and more.
+ Sign up for the Devex Jobs Alert on LinkedIn: For many more of the top job opportunities in the social impact space from global development's largest job board, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn.
Top jobs this week
1. Global Head of Finance and IT
Hivos International
Netherlands
2. Digital Media Consultant
Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa
Worldwide (Remote)
3. Third-Party Monitoring Manager, Ethiopia Learning Analytics Activity
Management Systems International
Ethiopia
4. Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant (National)
UNICEF
Japan (Remote)
Tipsheet: How globaldev CVs differ
Global development has different norms and expectations than other industries, so standard CV advice may not apply. Here are a few key things to know when preparing your next job application.
✅ Longer in length. Give yourself room to list your relevant short-term projects and consulting gigs, as well as training courses, certificates, and language skills. It’s acceptable for CVs to be as long as five or six pages, though those new to the sector should only include the most relevant work.
✅ Unique terminology. Look at the language used in the job posting you’re applying to and translate your experience to reflect this. Adapt your CV using industry keywords such as project or program manager, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, compliance officer, and finance or grant management.
✅ Simple mistakes are costly. It’s a very competitive sector, so simple CV mistakes involving formatting and language could see your application quickly dismissed. Many also use software to automatically filter out candidates, so those who do not properly tailor their CVs to the job description are likely to be passed over.
Watch: How to write a global development CV
Download: Your ultimate global development CV guide (Career)
Who’s hiring to help Ukraine
Our ongoing exploration of the top global development employment opportunities in key regions around the globe continues with Ukraine, a country still in the midst of war two years after the Russian invasion.
Refugee-focused organizations such as the Danish Refugee Council and the UN Refugee Agency, and emergency-focused organizations such as the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been among the most active in the country in terms of staffing.
We dug into our job board data to identify the top employers in Ukraine and some of the roles they’re currently seeking to fill.
Read: The top global development employers hiring in Ukraine (Career)
Members-only jobs this week
1. Officer, Sustainable Mobility
International nongovernmental organization
Germany
2. Chief Migration Health Officer (Health Assessment Programs)
United Nations agency
Rwanda
3. Associate Program Officer
Private philanthropic foundation
South Africa
4. Senior Communications Assistant
United Nations agency
United States
Ask an expert
You have questions, and Career Hub has answers, thanks to Devex’s network of expert job coaches and other experts.
How many consulting assignments should be included in the CV? I struggle with providing too much in this section.
I would focus more on what is relevant to the position rather than any specific number but also try to show duration over a certain amount of time. So, if you've been working as a consultant for the past 15 years, you want to show that you have 15 years of experience, so that means including something that's less relevant from 15 years ago, but you don't have to go into quite as much detail.
When it comes to page length, you should let relevant information be your guide rather than any specific page length, but you do want to establish yourself as a credible consultant. You also want to think about client diversity. If all of them are with one client, that may be a little less impressive than if you've worked with a variety of clients.
It’s also good to include specific dates for these, and it can be helpful to include the duration of an assignment, whether it was two months or two weeks. That doesn't necessarily mean that longer is better or shorter is better. It’s about showing the different kinds of ways that you've engaged and are able to engage with a client.
Explore more: Your development consulting toolkit
Have a career development question? You can email Devex’s careers editor directly.
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• Meet ONE’s first African-born leader. The Washington-based global advocacy organization announced that Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, a Nigerian American expert on food systems and entrepreneurship, will serve as its new president and CEO.
• Inside DFC’s staff reorganization. A major phase of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s reorganization is complete: staff are now on new teams focused on specific sectors. [Devex Pro]
• What to watch at UNEA-6. Over 3,000 delegates will attend the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, focusing on the interlinkages of three planetary environmental crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Here’s what to expect.
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About the author
Justin Sablich
Justin is a contributing writer and editor who previously led Devex’s careers content strategy. Before joining Devex, Justin served as the managing editor of Springwise, covering sustainable and climate-tech innovation across all business sectors. He also spent over 13 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times, specializing in digital content production and strategy while producing written and multimedia content on a range of topics, including travel, sports, and technology.
