If you want to keep Nick Martin happy, don’t bring up unpaid internships or expensive graduate degrees.
During last week’s Devex digital event on how to break into development, the TechChange CEO spoke of how the development landscape is changing, opening up opportunities for purpose-driven jobseekers with nontraditional backgrounds. But the sector remains as competitive as ever, and it’s easy to get discouraged — whether you choose to pursue an advanced degree or not.
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In this edition of Career Hub, I’ve curated some of Martin’s top tips for those just beginning to carve out their development career paths. I’m also sharing key takeaways from my conversation with UNICEF’s Mercy Kolok, who reveals the ins and outs of her internal communications role. Plus, exciting new job leads at the USAID, FHI 360, and many more top organizations.
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Individual Consultant: Innovation Team Lead
USAID
United States
Director: Finance and Administration
FHI 360
South Africa
Recruiter, UKD
Chemonics
United Kingdom
Monitoring and Evaluation Senior Officer
UNOPS
Myanmar
For those carving out a path to a purpose-driven career in today’s global development landscape, Nick Martin, an experienced educator, social entrepreneur, and the CEO at TechChange offers advice to help you cope with the attendant frustration — and ultimately thrive.
🤝 Seek out community. Martin emphasizes the importance of being proactive in seeking out like-minded people. “Fellowships and volunteering and other types of networks can be really essential for finding our next steps, for helping us get through hard times,” Martin says.
💗 Be a giver. Think about how you can give value to other people such as those you interact with on LinkedIn. Anyone can start posting on what they know to help build more organic and meaningful connections, Martin says.
⚖️ Avoid comparisons. It’s tempting to compare yourself to others on social media who may appear to be speeding ahead on their paths. Martin warns of this trap. “We've really got to be better about setting benchmarks and tracking progress against our own selves,” he says.
Read more: Tips for a successful start to your global development career
Watch: Your guide to launching a global development career
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Our in-house recruitment specialists are currently compiling talent pools based on specific global development skill sets. These lists are exclusive to our top recruiting organizations. We’re currently looking for:
✍️ Grant and proposal writers (mid-to-senior level). Responsibilities can include: developing, writing, coordinating, and assisting in the development of donor proposals and technical reports.
💰 Finance officers and specialists (mid-to-senior level). Responsibilities can include: budget planning and management, financial monitoring, financial analysis, and financial quality control and assurance.
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Project Officer (Child Protection)
Intergovernmental organization on migration
Qatar
Institutional Development Specialist
United Nations agency
Azerbaijan
Senior Economist
International financial institution
United States
Agriculture Analyst, Accountability Unit (Strategic Communications)
Environmental group
Western and Eastern Europe
After 10-plus years of working mainly in external communication roles with UNICEF, Mercy Kolok became excited about a new role that would shift her focus internally to share stories and perspectives of her colleagues’ work. Here’s what I learned from chatting with Kolok.
🔥 Internal comms is an emerging field. “UNICEF has explicitly identified internal communication and staff engagement as enablers for achieving the organization’s strategic goals. Staff who are engaged feel appreciated and can see that their work is valued,” Kolok says.
📲 Be tech savvy and persuasive. Internal comms requires a broad, tech-heavy skill set, but also an empathetic personality. “It’s not easy to get people to talk on camera,” Kolok says. She also stressed the importance of being a good storyteller, whether it be through writing or multimedia.
🗣️ Staff want their stories told. “They tell me how much they love reading, watching, or listening to the stories and content that I share. It’s even more exciting when they reach out to tell me they want to share their stories,” Kolok says.
Read more: Career advice from a UNICEF communication officer
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