Recruiters and seasoned aid workers agree: Volunteering is one of the best ways to break into the field of global development. With overseas placements, volunteers gain valuable experience working with local communities and oftentimes enjoy networking opportunities which may pave the way for future full-time positions.
Scour the Internet and you’ll find quite a number of overseas volunteering programs. Beware though of those that ask for payment to participate. Most aid organizations don’t view for-fee volunteering as actual development experience, and so it is unlikely to give you a big boost when applying for salaried jobs.
Devex has compiled information on development-focused volunteer programs that require no fee and, better yet, offer financial and other support to participants. Many of them are sponsored by bilateral donors and so they target nationals of these countries.