Do Good Abroad: A Panel Discussion on Jobs in Humanitarian Aid and Relief

by Katarina O’Regan, FCLC '12

On October 15th, 2012, Katarina attended a panel hosted by the Foreign Policy Association entitled: "Do Good Abroad: A Panel Discussion on Jobs in Humanitarian Aid and Relief".  Below, she summarizes the event.

The FPAs’s recent event at the New School attracted a full house of students and professionals interested in the humanitarian sector.  The night began with a talk by Paul Von Zielbauer, the founder of Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy, and a former New York Times journalist.  Traveling from Vietnam, to Germany, to Iraq, his experiences helped him hone his craft, and to find employment back in the states.  He spoke extensively about a necessary sense of adventure.  In his words, “Great achievement requires a tolerance for being wildly uncomfortable.”  He also emphasized “having a vision for yourself and holding yourself accountable to it.”  His advice can be summarized in six key points:

1. Assume positive intent – (on part of employers and colleagues) In other words, don’t let yourself be discouraged by cynicism or suspicion!

2. Grow your networks – Use LinkedIn and other social networks to reach out to those you admire in your field.  You’d be surprised at how many people will email you back and accept an invitation to coffee.  Just make sure you come off as sincere.

3. Know your reasons – This goes back to having a vision for yourself, and demonstrating sincere interest.  This will help with interviews down the road.

4. When in doubt, develop the situation – Don’t be turned off by complexities!  Research opportunities and situations so you have a true sense of what’s ahead.

5. Expect to be wrong often – work in the humanitarian field is hard, and no plan is foolproof.  The key isto learn from your mistakes.

6. Embrace the teachable moments – despite its difficulty, work in this sector is rewarding and enlightening.  Appreciating that makes it all worth it.

The rest of the event focused on practical job search advice.  Panelists stressed the importance of developing a story that ties in your skills, background and motivation.  When researching organizations, check credentials by exploring ratings agencies (e.g. Charity Navigator) and partnerships with larger, well-known groups.  Transparency about finances is a good way to check legitimacy.

Applicants were encouraged to apply for entry-level jobs they had a realistic chance of being offered. Tory Watts, from The Hunger Project, suggested highlighting skills, without exaggeration.  Terms like “partial fluency” are meaningless when invited to interview in French, for example.  Resumes are read before cover letters, so list the most relevant experience at the top, as employers will give only a cursory glance before deciding whether or not to read further.  Watts also acknowledged that being a “pest” (repeatedly following up) can sometimes help, but that it is important to gauge how human resources is reacting to your persistence.  If the position is already filled or they seem annoyed, you should pull back.  Barrett Prinz, from the One Acre Fund, underlined the importance of researching the organization to further tailor your resume and cover letter.  This is especially useful with lesser-known groups, who will appreciate awareness of their projects.  Adam Keehn, from Save the Children, mentioned that with the exception of language skills and time spent abroad, do not be deterred from pursuing jobs if you lack one of several qualifications, as long as you can compensate in one way or another.

All of the panelists agreed upon the value of internships and volunteer work, as well as previous time spent working abroad.  These opportunities show that you are experienced and accustomed to work in the humanitarian field, and can persuade employers that you are worth the investment.

Despite the competitiveness of the field, and the difficulty of the work, everyone at the event agreed that jobs in the humanitarian sector are incredibly worthwhile and rewarding. Some, like Matthew Rullo from Human Rights Watch, realize this at a young age and are able to get job offers through internships soon after college. Others, like Prinz, make the transition later in life, taking a pay cut, but ultimately contributing to society in a way that makes their work much more valuable.

Katarina is a FCLC International Studies major, graduating in December of 2012. She plans to teach abroad after graduation.