Have you ever felt like networking just isn’t your cup of tea? In a recent Devex Career event, international coach and development career expert Simone Anzböck tells Devex how to make it feel like less of a chore.
“Pick your particular event based on the likelihood that you’re going to enjoy this event and the likelihood that you’re going to interact with someone. Pick the ones where both are high — you’re going to enjoy yourself and you’re probably going to talk to someone,” Anzböck said.
In celebration of Earth Day last Monday, I’m also exploring what it’s really like to work on the frontlines of climate change on a small developing island. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, UNEP, and more.
+ Join us on May 2: Our next event for Devex Career Account members features insights from career coach Jennifer Bangoura about cultivating resilience for career growth. Not yet a member? You can try it out with a free 15-day trial to access all career advice events and articles, our complete job board, and much more.
Not yet a member? You can try it out with a free 15-day trial to access all career advice events and articles, our complete job board, and much more.
Top jobs this week
Director of Development
International Union for Conservation of Nature
United States
Senior Programme Management Officer, UN PAGE
UNEP
Switzerland
Senior Employee Relations Officer
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
China
Senior Product Manager
Digital Green
Ethiopia
Tips for people who hate networking
Networking isn’t just for extroverts. In a recent Devex Career event, international coach and development career expert Simone Anzböck shed light on some of the common misconceptions surrounding networking.
Assume that people like you. There’s such a thing as a “liking gap” when meeting new people. In other words, they tend to like us more than we think they do. Resist succumbing to self-doubt and instead try to keep building conversations and connections with people.
Engage in activities that align with your networking goals. Instead of thinking about making contacts, think about relevant events, joining professional groups, and contributing to meaningful initiatives that you’re going to enjoy. In other words, “expand your networking while you do something you enjoy,” said Anzböck.
Nurture weaker connections. There’s a prevailing belief that our strongest ties are the most valuable — i.e., close friends and people that you know very well. But contrary to common belief, Anzböck said, weak ties — i.e., people we don’t know that well yet, are the ones that get more people jobs.
Read: Five tips for people who hate networking (Career)
Explore more: How to reset your networking strategy in 3 steps (Career)
What it’s really like to work on the frontlines of climate change
Residents of small islands are among the first to experience the realities of climate change. With limited resources, governance challenges, and remote locations, working in these areas presents unique challenges. Devex spoke with climate professionals from Small Island Developing States, or SIDS, to gain insight into their experiences:
The work is a matter of survival. The constant threat of disaster means their job is intertwined with their own survival and that of their country and culture.
Professionals are highly susceptible to burnout. Even though the work aims to build resilience, there’s little support for building personal resilience, says Kerry-Ann Thompson, a resilience adviser, who experienced burnout and now works part time. She emphasizes there is a uniqueness in islands, where multiple simultaneous threats demand constant response.
Job opportunities are limited. Despite SIDS being the most vulnerable to climate change, job opportunities to work on the ground are limited. Of the roles that do exist, the contracts are short-term and projectized, despite climate change being a long-term issue, explains Sasha Jattansingh, a loss and damage expert at Climate Analytics in Trinidad and Tobago.
The focus is on adaptation. Given SIDS’ low contribution to carbon emissions, climate action in these contexts is less about converting to clean energy but finding ways to withstand and adapt to the onslaught of disasters.
Read: What it’s really like to work on the frontlines of climate change (Career)
Explore more: How to succeed as a climate officer (Career)
+ For additional insights to help with your job search journey, download our exclusive job hunt checklist, featuring seven questions every job seeker should ask themselves.
Members-only jobs this week
1. Project Sustainability Specialist
United Nations agency
Guyana
2.New Institutional Strategy and Climate Change Consultant
Multilateral development bank
United States
3. Spark Fund Fellowship Program for Vietnamese Youth
International nonprofit organization
Vietnam
4. Senior Communications Strategist
United Nations agency
United Kingdom
Curated Candidate Lists: Recruiter pick
Take your career to the next level by updating your Devex profile with your latest professional experience today. Get featured in Career Hub and be considered for exclusive Curated Candidate Lists that can unlock exciting job opportunities!
Career level: Mid-level with 12 years of experience.
Elevator pitch: “As an information technology (IT) specialist, I support rural communities in Zambia by employing technological tools to fight malaria. Our team assists in making informed decisions for effective vector control efforts, which are carried out in the rural areas of the nation to lessen the impact of malaria. We gather and analyze data using applications such as DHIS2 and Comcare.”
View Mbale’s full Devex profile | Create or update your profile
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• Human capacity gap threatens Africa's genomics goals. Genomics and bioinformatics training opportunities abound on the continent, but young researchers are taking their knowledge elsewhere.
• Unpacking World Bank reforms. From stretching its existing funding to attracting more private capital, the bank has laid a laundry list of proposals on the table.
• WHO reshuffles its leadership team. Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the health emergencies program, takes on the additional role of deputy director-general.
To keep up to date with all the must-read global development coverage, be sure to sign up to the daily Devex Newswire.
About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
