If you’ve been thinking about how to better balance your career with the rest of your life, chances are you’re in good company, especially as we collectively sort through the remnants of those pesky New Year’s resolutions.
For global development professionals in particular, taking charge of your day-to-day by shifting into a consulting role is a tantalizing prospect. But as I was reminded during a recent conversation with one expert, an unsettled working life is not for everyone.
In this edition of Career Hub, find out what to consider before taking on consulting roles. I’m also sharing insider tips from recruiters at the International Committee of the Red Cross on how to make a strong impression during the application process. Plus, explore job opportunities at Chemonics, Relief International, and more.
Top jobs this week
Global Health Research Associate
Metrics for Management
Remote
Senior Specialist, Energy
Sustainable Energy for All
Nigeria | United States
Program Manager
Chemonics International Inc.
Remote
Regional Recruiter, Africa/Asia
Relief International
Remote
One big question: Should I consider consulting?
From choosing your own projects to creating flexible schedules, striking out on your own as a consultant can be an exciting career move — but it's also not the best fit for everyone.
To help you decide if consulting might be for you, we recently hosted a webinar with Susanne Barsoum, the CEO at Keylime International and an expert in helping global development consultants succeed. Here’s some of what she had to say:
“People who tend to get … a lot of satisfaction out of [consulting] … are just looking for different ways to do their work. ... Flexibility with work is going to be a theme for this decade.”
“What it looks like to be working truly independently is having both the skills — you are actually able to prepare that deliverable independently [and] you're not relying on anyone else for input — and you have the confidence … to put together a high-quality product and confidently submit it.”
“You have to have the ability to say no. That's a skill — that you have to be the kind of person who can confidently say no and … not make it a dramatic or anxiety-filled experience.”
Watch: Is global development consulting right for you?
Learn more: 5 tips for independent consultants on contract negotiation
Explore: Current job openings for consultants
Tipsheet: Recruiter insights from ICRC
“Motivation is one of the first things we assess and is really crucial and important.”
— Yana Makaveeva, talent acquisition manager, ICRCAnyone applying to work at the International Committee of the Red Cross should have a strong understanding of the contexts where it operates and the challenges that come with this.
That’s according to our conversation with Audrey Forest Fonteneau, head of ICRC’s recruitment operations, and her colleague Yana Makaveeva. Here are some other tips from our chat:
• Don’t skip the cover letter. On the fence about whether to include a cover letter? It’s a great way to not only elaborate on your qualifications but address potential shortcomings. “Your cover letter is that opportunity to really present yourself. ... I think it's key [to getting] your foot in the door at the ICRC,” Makaveeva said.
• Adapt and apply your experience. If you’re a newcomer to global development, you can still make past experience in other sectors pay dividends. “We are very, very open to getting that expertise from outside [the humanitarian sector], Makaveeva said. “[Candidates should apply] where their skills match and if there is something that they're lacking then really address it and say how they're going to close that gap.”
• Know your audience. “It comes back again to adapting your CV to the audience, to the job, to the skill sets we are looking for. Maybe the person could do a CV by skill or by competencies [rather than chronological order] and then put in the list of missions they have done. It's a matter of presentation but [what] we're really looking for is skills,” Fonteneau said.
Read: How to land a job with ICRC
More recruiter insights from: UNICEF | Tetra Tech | UNDP
Members-only jobs this week
Senior Program Officer
Private foundation
United Kingdom
Junior Ecologist
Sustainability consultancy
Canada
Senior Program Officer, Climate Action
Intergovernmental organization
Laos
Senior Communications Assistant
United Nations agency
Spain
What you’ve told us
As the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, balancing our personal well-being and career is more important than ever. So we were curious to know: Which of the following causes you the greatest amount of work-related stress? Here’s what you said:
Ask an expert
You have questions, Career Hub has answers, thanks to Devex’s network of expert job coaches and other experts.
As a job seeker, is there a way to find out if a potential employer takes mental health and wellness seriously?
The first thing I would say on this question: What is important to you regarding mental health and wellness?
Not every organization will have the same (or all) policies and practices in place. And knowing what is essential to you is the first starting point. Areas to consider include: working hours and employment conditions (overtime compensation, flexible/fixed working hours, balance of home/office presence); health and safety (workplace safety, emergency procedures); employee assistance programs/mental health first-aid contacts; learning and development; et al.
With each organization that I’ve joined before, I've tried to speak to someone who had worked there previously or still worked there. Aside from maybe your potential new boss, find someone at the organization who you can talk to. The best view you can get is from other people working there. Ask them questions such as “What are the working hours like?” and discuss how easy it is to take time off, for example.
Also, don’t be shy about asking HR reps what their well-being policies are. Try to get a sense of whether you’re getting stock answers or if they actually have some substantial initiatives in place and can provide examples. But generally speaking, it’s best to talk to the people who work there.
Have a career development question? You can email Devex’s careers editor directly.
What we’re reading
A group of women who have served at the highest level of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s foreign service has been waging a five-year legal battle with the agency over what they argue is gender-based pay discrimination. [Devex]
A part-remote, part-office schedule has been hailed as the future of work. But this hybrid setup has some employees feeling more tired than ever. [BBC]
Whatever your thoughts on the “Great Resignation,” you should feel comfortable with leaving a role that makes you unhappy. Here’s a guide on how to quit your job. [The New York Times]
Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.
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.
