When you’re recruiting for a work environment ringed with security perimeters and no-go zones like those in Afghanistan, it’s just as important to seek out the right qualities in candidates as it is to keep an eye out for those traits that might flare up under pressure.
Afghanistan swept all three categories when Devex asked development recruiters to name the first, second and third hardest countries to recruit for — for both local and international hires — according to the “Devex Career Trends in 2015” survey. One respondent named the drawdown of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan as the culprit for development brain-drain, while others blamed the country’s still-tumultuous environment as well as delays in procurement.
But one of the greatest challenges in recruiting and retaining staff in Afghanistan, industry professionals told Devex, has less to do with external factors and more to do with candidates’ own mental and emotional preparedness for what can be an unusual work environment.
Read more news on career and hiring trends:
● 2015: Where are the global development jobs?
● 2015: Who are global development employers hiring?
About the author
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a former U.K. correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women’s economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
