How to get your first international job in humanitarian aid

How do you get a job in international humanitarian aid? In particular, how do you get a job working overseas? Whenever I post about humanitarian aid on LinkedIn, I get these questions from multiple people. Often, these people are just curious dreamers, but sometimes, one or two have done all the work needed but still can't find the doorway to walk through. Unfortunately, the aid world is very good at keeping that door hidden — and it seems to get more camouflaged every year. But for those who are serious about pursuing this career path, there are actions you can take and ideas you can use to improve your odds. If you’re an entry- or junior-level professional looking for an international position in humanitarian aid with an INGO, there are four specific elements to consider. Getting these things right will help improve your chances — but remember, you are never the only one dreaming about that job. Have the right skills People often ask me if I think they are right for a specific opening somewhere, despite the fact that the job they are asking about is something completely outside their experience. The leap may make sense in your mind, but the honest answer usually is “no” or “not yet.” If you are not right for the job, your background won't get past the screening system, or the reviewer won’t take the time to look at your resume unless you've been recommended by someone they trust. Don't apply for jobs that you think you can do. Apply for jobs that you know you can do, that you are skilled for, that you have some relevant experience with, and ideally that you can get recommended for. I know what you’re thinking: How do you get that much experience if no one will hire you? My advice is that if you've got about half the experience called for (in a reputable volunteer program or related professional experience) you can consider going for it. If you've got no directly related work experience I'd say about half of the international staffers I meet started domestically as national staff with the agency they work for as an expatriate, 10% got in because of their education and internships, and 40% have done a volunteer program such as peace corps or Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). Finding a domestic job with a nonprofit that has international programming is a way to start, but can be competitive. Be of use at home while expressing your interest in working overseas. By supporting overseas teams from your current position, you may increase your chances of being considered for relevant openings abroad. Find the right opening When deciding who you want to work for and searching for opportunities, the amount of information is overwhelming. This often draws people to the top 10 organizations with large advertising budgets. You can and should try to get jobs at these places, but don't limit yourself to just these organizations. You should also equally (or even more so) target less advertised agencies, those with fewer headlines. Organizations such as Polish Humanitarian Action and People in Need do amazing work, even if you don't hear about them every time there is a crisis. A truth of the industry is that the organizations with more funding usually pay more, so many talented and highly experienced people apply for jobs at those organizations, which makes it harder to find an entryway into these organizations. At the beginning of your career, finding smaller, passionate, flexible organizations will usually be a better bet for your first doorway, and you can work your way toward the larger organizations if you really want to. One way to find organizations you might be interested in is to understand how humanitarian field activities are organized. Organizations define their work and the value they add to the field by focusing on specific sectors and clusters, such as food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene, or WASH. There is a difference between NGOs that belong to clusters globally, and those who may be present on the ground engaged in the work and coordinating with the local cluster/sector. The global members of a cluster and those who are present at a country level. You can find the agencies working at the country level by reading the cluster or sector reports posted under the country on ReliefWeb. You can easily find the lead agencies for each cluster globally and locally online. Another way you can find international nongovernmental organizations to target is via their country forums. Most countries where there is a large response — and INGOs have been present for at least a year — have an INGO forum of some kind, and their members are your prospects. Once you have your targeted list of organizations, it is straightforward to search their websites and Devex for current opportunities. Be in the right place If you are applying from your home country only for jobs in places that your parents can visit or that will allow you to bring a cat, you are competing against hundreds of people every time. Applying in places that most people have never heard of and are usually considered dangerous will double or triple your odds instantly. Likewise, living somewhere like Rome or London for personal or family reasons is possible when you are a high-value candidate. But as an entry-level candidate, it is exceedingly rare. It is super expensive for an INGO to bring you to a job, let alone your family. If you want to do humanitarian work, you should not take issue with a first job in a place that has no electricity, malaria, and other challenges. If you do have an issue with that, you may be headed down the wrong career path. If you want to work solely in a specific country, it doesn't hurt to go to that country if it is safe enough to do so independently. Being somewhere when a job opens up immensely improves your chances. That said, as an international professional hopeful, it is unlikely you are in Kabul just hanging out. If you can't be there physically, aim for places that can host you easily. If you are from Senegal, you can work in ECOWAS without a visa. If you're from Kenya, you have great odds on roles in East Africa. If you are European, look toward Ukraine and the Middle East. If you're American, you're probably not going to Iran, but many places will let you walk in the door and you can get a work visa later. If a job clearly, or even just notionally, states that it is for national candidates only, don't spend time applying. The money, benefits, funding, approval process, and labor law for a foreign worker are completely different than for a local hire. Build the right network The best way to map out your career is to find someone doing the exact job you want, or who has done it in the past, and ask them how to get there. Better yet, ask two. Keep doing this every day for six months, and you'll connect with many humanitarians doing the work you aspire to, gain a clearer picture of your goals, and improve your chances of achieving them. One of the best ways to make this happen is to engage in an informational interview process. These are not about getting an open position. If you are asking for an informational interview specifically to talk about a job opening, you're too late. An informational interview may help you get inside information about a job, and hopefully, it will help you build connections with people who will refer you to jobs, consider you for jobs, or recommend you to hiring managers in the future. You really should only be reaching out to people who have careers you want to emulate or jobs that you want to be next in line for. Tell them you are very much inspired by the work they have done, that you hope to do something similar in your career, and that you would really appreciate 20 minutes at some point in the next month or two to learn how they got to where they are. Your odds of a response are significantly better if someone that person trusts asks on your behalf. This networking process is where your investment of time should be, not on writing five cover letters a day or adjusting the keywords on your resume for each application. It will give you a better return on your investment and will require the same significant time and effort you've been spending on blanketing the world with applications. Hopefully, you can find at least a couple of people who will support and champion your job search. Champions open doors more than anything else. Searching for a job is almost always brutal, but you will find a path if you keep at it. Good luck out there!