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.
After finishing his undergraduate degree, Juan, currently a human resources manager for UNOPS in Kabul in charge of the operational hub covering Afghanistan and Pakistan, worked in the Philippine private sector in statistics, data analysis and research.