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Truths and misconceptions: The leap from a domestic to an international career

By // 10 June 2014
How hard is it really to break in international career when you have only local experiences? Photo by: United Nations Office for Project Services

A statistician who ended up in human resources, Ray Juan made the leap from the private sector in his native Philippines to United Nations Volunteers in 2004, and then UNOPS in 2009.

Getting that first overseas job is challenging for anyone who wants to work in international development. And while the push to hire local staff is creating more opportunities for professionals in country, it’s also making it more difficult to find work in countries outside of their own. But Juan said his own foray into the field both confirmed a few facts — namely, that finding employment with a notable international development institution is as competitive as ever —  and helped him correct a few misconceptions along the way, too.

About the author

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    Kelli Rogers

    Kelli Rogers is an Associate Editor for Devex. Based on the U.S. West Coast, she works with Devex's team of correspondents and editors around the world, with a particular focus on gender. She previously worked as Devex’s Southeast Asia correspondent based in Bangkok, covering disaster and crisis response, resilience, women’s rights, and climate change throughout the region. Prior to that, she reported on social and environmental issues from Nairobi, Kenya. Kelli holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and has since reported from more than 20 countries.

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