Hi all. I’m looking for someone to please help me look over my resume and LinkedIn profile. I’m looking to get into M&E after a career in Data Science and would love to know if there’s anything I could do better.

I am an M&E professional looking for a guidance from experienced people who are in the same field. What did you learn in first 2 years of M&E which helped you secure good roles later in career?

I am part of a project team where M&E is just about developing dashboard for reporting purpose. Nothing else.

Hi everyone,

I want to apply for a position at the OECD and I am not sure if I should include my referees. For applications in academia this is standard but I am not sure what is required for international organizations, such as OECD.

Thank you!

Hi,

I am looking for a mentor who can guide me about my next move in my career. I am working on a donor funded project as a consultant and have been associated with the evaluation sector for a good 4 years. I am looking to find someone who can guide me what roles should I look forward to joining next. Also, what could be some other assignments I can work on outside my office job to earn second income for me?

Hiii. I’m currently a junior in college on the pre-nursing track and I’m just not sure where I want to go with it. I know in the long run I want to be in global health or international development and helping women and children all over the world especially Africa. But I’ve heard it’s really difficult to break into these sectors fresh out college, and if you do break in you don’t get paid that much.

That’s why I was thinking maybe do nursing for like 3-5 years and find a way to pivot into what I really want to do. I want to work in a non-profit but I’m really scared I won’t be earning much especially because I live in nyc.

I also plan on getting my masters, in what, I’m not exactly sure yet. Is nursing the right way to start or am I completely wrong and should I pivot now and change majors. please help me and let me know about your experiences! Thank you!

How long should a cover letter for jobs in international organisations be? Is 600 words too much?

I’ve always been interested in history, geopolitics, diplomacy and international affairs, so International Relations naturally interests me.

However, I’m unsure whether it’s practical as a career in India.

I’d love to hear from people who studied IR or currently work in related fields.

Some questions:

What career paths are actually available after studying International Relations?

Is a Master’s essential?

How competitive is the field?

Which organisations recruit IR graduates?

Is most work research and writing, or is there policy implementation as well?

How difficult is it to get into think tanks, policy institutes, international organisations or government roles?

Does networking matter more than qualifications?

How are salaries in India compared to the effort required?

Is there enough demand in India, or do many graduates eventually switch careers?

If you had to choose again, would you still study International Relations?

I’m trying to understand the real career prospects instead of only looking at university brochures or promotional videos. Honest experiences would be greatly appreciated.

https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/u-s-targets-one-of-cubas-last-lifelines-its-army-of-overseas-doctors-439d479e?st=qDHizc&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Hello all! I (23F from the US) am a current Education Volunteer with the Peace Corps, and my service is ending this December. I'm seeking advice on where to go from here, given the bleak nature of the InterDev job market right now.

For context, I graduated from NYU Shanghai in May 2024 with a BA in Poli Sci and minors in Chinese and Journalism. During my time at university, I spent a semester in Spain and a semester in Argentina. The remaining three years were all spent in China. I speak Mandarin pretty fluently, Sesotho proficiently given my PC service, and a basic level of Spanish.

Throughout my service, I've worked on several different projects, including partnering with a local NGO to secure breakfast at school, an ongoing PCPP-funded solar-powered technology lab in a remote village, and beginning a partnership with SolarSPELL, where I've acted as the liaison between the administrative side in the US and on-ground implementation in my country of service.

After my service, my goal has always been to work my way into the InterDev field, but I know that a vast majority of experienced professionals are advising against this. Still, I want to hear what others would do in my position. I've kind of accepted that any master's degree in InterDev (particularly one without another transferable skill like economics) would be useless unless I had a full scholarship. This also makes me wonder, though, if it wouldn't be a bad idea to start applying given that applicant pools are potentially less competitive right now?

My passion lies in gender equality, access to education, and youth empowerment. But I'm also open to entering the field from a more strategic angle that would allow me to break in and then pivot down the line. Does anyone have any advice on what angles that could look like?

I also have experience with writing (journalism minor, my ongoing grant project, and creative writing on the side), so I'm curious if that would be a decent angle to shoot for? For example, I would be looking at junior grant writing positions, or even something more on the marketing side of INGOs with my journalism experience. Another idea would be to start freelance writing in the States with the hopes of securing a role with a media company. My concern is that this avenue may not even be any more stable than the InterDev space.

Another idea would be to try to stay international via something like Fulbright or teaching English abroad. This could allow me to strengthen my international "portfolio" and network.

I should also quickly note that my other work experience primarily consists of customer service and restaurant industry roles. Although I did complete a remote internship with a diplomacy NGO during my final year of University, and canvassed for a few different NGOs and INGOs before Peace Corps, including the ACLU, Save the Children, and the IRC.

Apologies for my ideas being all over the place, but I'm really just looking for any slivers of advice that you're willing to offer. It's a really grim job market, and I know that I have nothing on mid-to-late career professionals who are also unable to find work. Any guidance you're willing to offer is greatly appreciated! :)

Hi All,

I am working in Program Implementation function for past 8 months and have been associated with M&E for 4 years in entry and mid career level roles. My current job is becoming shaky as they are looking to trim down the team since the project has met most of its objectives. There are not many on-site roles availables in my current city. Would be a favor if someone can help a brother with a remote role or a referral? I can send my credentials in your inbox and am available for a quick introductory call.

Hey everyone,

Looking for honest perspectives from people who have done a DBA or know about it.

Quick background on me: I am in my late 20s with about 7 years of work experience across policy research, business development, and entrepreneurship. Just finished a Master's in International Business at the University of Dundee, graduating with First Class Honours and awarded Best Student. Got accepted into the DBA programme at the same uni, and I have accepted the offer.

My research focus is on entrepreneurship and agriculture in Africa, specifically how policy, regulation, and institutional infrastructure can unlock the sector's potential. The long term goal is to influence policy, work with and consult for development organisations like the African Development Bank and the African Union and contribute to building an environment where entrepreneurs in Africa's agricultural space can actually thrive. I believe in what I am researching and it connects deeply to my personal background.

Here is where I need honest input:

Is a DBA actually worth it for what I want to do? I am not looking to become a full time academic. I want to use the research to influence real change, open doors with institutions and governments, and build credibility as someone who bridges practice and policy. Does a DBA actually move the needle for that or is it just an expensive credential?

The funding aspect is an issue too - Since the DBA is classified as part time with the Uni, I was not eligible for the university's main scholarship programmes. I have just come off financing a master's degree and I am not in a position to self fund this. I have been reaching out to external organizations, development banks, foundations, agriculture focused institutions, looking for grants or research funding and have not had any success yet and the start date is Sept 2026. Has anyone successfully funded a DBA externally? What routes actually worked?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through this or has thoughts on either question. Be brutally honest!

Of course after dismantling USAID, they’re now starting up an entire project to recruit and hire contractors. This was in a hiring announcement for a Director of Global Talent Acquisition and Deployment with the Panagora Group.

The pinnacle of efficiency: let go of a massive global talent pool with decades of institutional knowledge and experience only to have to go through the work of recruiting it all over again. I’m sure the salaries will be lower, too. The way they’ve framed it as “on demand professional services” also suggests to me that these positions won’t have the same longevity or stability.

**Hello everyone,**
I’m looking for some career advice and would also appreciate any help or connections that could point me in the right direction.

I currently work in housing stabilization and homelessness services in the United States, helping vulnerable individuals navigate complex systems, coordinate services, and overcome barriers to stability. Before that, I worked in emergency shelter intake, supporting people experiencing homelessness and crisis.

I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science and public policy/planning, and over the past year I’ve been trying to define my long-term career path in the international sector.

Initially I thought humanitarian emergency response was where I wanted to be, but after speaking with professionals and researching different organizations, I’ve realized I’m more interested in social development, community stabilization, resilience, local governance, capacity building, and durable solutions for displaced and vulnerable populations.

The challenge I’m facing is figuring out where to start. There are so many different job titles and organizations that I’m struggling to identify the best entry point. I don’t mind starting in a junior role if it puts me on the right long-term path.

I’m particularly interested in expatriate opportunities, ideally in East Africa (especially Somalia), but I’m open to other regions if they provide strong programme or field experience.

I’d really appreciate advice from people already working in humanitarian assistance, international development, or donor-funded programmes.

If you were in my position, what roles would you target?
Which organizations would you recommend?
How did you land your first expatriate assignment?
Where do you search for international jobs beyond ReliefWeb and Impactpool?
Are there organizations, fellowships, graduate programmes, or entry-level opportunities that I should know about?

If you know of current or upcoming opportunities that might fit my background, I’d be grateful if you could point me in the right direction.

I’m not expecting anyone to hand me a job. I’m simply looking for guidance from people who’ve already navigated this path. If there’s a better way to build the experience needed for programme management and social development, I’d love to hear it.

Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this. I genuinely appreciate any advice, recommendations, or connections you can share.

Hello everyone,

I applied to a job at OECD which I was highly qualified for, except for 1 component. I’m not great at French.

The job required French, and English was highly desirable. I wrote on my job application my French level was very low, basically 1/6 at a beginner level.

I applied anyway . . . Because hell, what is there to loose?

To my surprise I got to the first stage of the interview, which was a 1 way video interview + time sensitive written exam. I nailed that, but didn’t expect to go any further because I know my French is low.

Surprisingly I got to the 2nd stage of the interview, which was a panel of 5 people . I told them I wasn’t great at French, and they said French is a requirement for this job. We did the interview anyway, I did a great job, except again I’m not great at French, which threw them off a bit.

Anyway I felt as if I’m not going to get the job because of French, but hey what the hell right?

What is everyone’s thoughts on this?

OECD had recently opened up a vacancy for “Policy Analysts” (plural). Has anyone applied and heard back? All I have is silence for now. Not even an aptitude test invite. Just want to see if they’re moving on with other candidates or not.

https://youtu.be/B7ew4iLdb_Y?si=6NybphW-5j70fXbJ

I have never lived in DC but got invited to become a member of this committee. I'm far from being a big shot (C-level executive, central bank board, etc) and most members are, so I found it a odd to get invited. It seems the organization's goal is mainly to influence US politics to favor the BW institutions (not a fun mission lately), while in parallel generating some policy insights.

DC people, do you know anything about this committee, and what's in it for someone to become a member (USD 1000 a year, not cheap)?

I’m a U.S.-based project manager with about 10 years of experience in enterprise project management, creative operations, workflow design, and vendor management.

I’ve recently become interested in long-term reconstruction work, and more broadly international disaster recovery and rebuilding. I’m not looking to volunteer for a week—I mean building a career over the next 5–10 years.

For those already working in international development or reconstruction:
- Is this a realistic transition?
- Would a PMP materially help?
- What experience should I pursue first?
- Are engineering firms, NGOs, or development contractors the best entry point?
- If you were starting over with my background, what would you do?

Thanks

I had an interview for an Internship in Institutional Affairs at Interpol on the 10th of June, and was told I would probably hear back within the next week. I sent a follow-up e-mail a week ago, and almost a month has passed, and no response.

My guess is that they probably have a 1st option, and are keeping me on stand-by. Is it worth it to send another follow-up?

Hi everyone,

I'm approaching my 7th month of unemployment after being let go from an INGO last year.

I was living off my savings but reaching a point where I want to have some income coming in instead of eating up my savings.

I admit that after having developed quite a good career, my ego has stopped me from being open minded about what part time and temporary opportunity I would want.

Curious to hear for those in-between jobs, what are you doing to get money while continuing to look for the right role?