Lyla Bashan's Blog
May 17, 2020
The Wide Array of Global Careers
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
If you want to work on global issues either domestically or abroad, then this blog is for you. The list really is endless of ways to do so. Keep that in mind as you’re embarking on your global career – it’s really not a question of whether you will have a global career, but rather how you will.
One option is to work for the U.S. government as a Foreign Service Officer or to be stationed abroad with another federal department or agency. Or you could work for the U.S. government domestically, but on global issues – even local government often have positions focused on international relations and trade. Another possibility is working for a non-governmental organization (NGOs) focused on humanitarian issues, there are also smaller NGOs based in the U.S. and focused abroad, and also civil society organizations that are based abroad. Volunteering is often a way to get your foot in the door if you want to work abroad. In addition, foundations offer the opportunity to have a global career where you manage grant-making or investing in projects and organizations overseas. There are globally focused foundations all over the U.S.
You could also work for a multilateral international organization, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration or the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. There are also regional development banks like the Asian Development Bank or the African Development Bank.
Alternately, you could take the route that my husband did and be an international educator and teach in international schools around the world. These are usually kindergarten through high school, but there are also universities around the world where courses are taught in English. Along those lines, you could work in academia and do research on international issues. If you’re interested in doing research, you could also work for a think tank, where you could do research with the aim of influencing policy decisions.
You could also work abroad in the private sector, like for an international bank, investment firm, corporation or consulting company. You could always work in the U.S. for a multi-national corporation or a foreign-owned company, which would expose you to a range of international economic or political issues. Or you could work in corporate social responsibility (CSR) – many private companies have a CSR branch where you can focus on many important do-gooder issues.
Whether you want to work abroad or work domestically on international issues, just remember there are tons of options. Figure out what you’re passionate about and what you’re good at and then, based on these criteria, find the right job for you. The key is finding the right fit for yourself – something that you find interesting, impactful and is aligned with your lifestyle.
Leave a comment if you have any questions or comments.
All opinions are my own and not necessarily those of the U.S. government.
The post The Wide Array of Global Careers appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
May 3, 2020
How to Write a Resume that Rocks
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Now is the time to be getting your resume in shape. Your resume is the first thing that a potential employer will learn about you. So how are you going to nail it? Let’s start with the obvious stuff.
Looks Matter
First, presentation matters. That’s because the person reading it will make a snap judgment about you in 30 seconds or less. Make sure that someone can skim your resume very quickly and pull out relevant information (i.e. all those details that make you perfect for the job). Great formatting helps, but only if it doesn’t get in the way of the content. A quick internet search for ‘resume template’ will give you plenty of inspiration. List your professional experience first, and, as much as you can, tailor how you write about each job to the specifics of the job opening. If being a waitress in a busy restaurant meant you fine-tuned the multi-tasking skills required for a potential new job, then say so. List your academic experience after your professional experience (even if you’re still in school). Mention your IT and language skills, where relevant, and volunteer experience. You can either include your volunteer experience in your professional experience section or have it as a separate section. I’ve integrated mine into my professional experience section, but either way is fine. If you’re short on space, then integrating is the better option.
Keep it Brief
Which leads me to my next point – make sure that your resume isn’t too long. Even with 20 years of experience, I keep mine to only two pages. Remember, your resume will be in a huge pile, and whoever picks it up isn’t going to read to the end if it’s too long. I advocate for not including a summary paragraph at the beginning of your resume. Some people like to include it because they feel like it gives a nice overview of their professional qualifications and connects the dots for employers. Whereas, I feel like the information should be accessible enough in your resume that this paragraph isn’t necessary and that your resume isn’t the place for this sort of summary narrative – it should be in your cover letter. Remember you don’t have to include every single thing you’ve worked on, keep it high-level and descriptive – your resume should be an overview not a list of tasks.
No Jargon Allowed
Avoid jargon, but do use the vocabulary of the field you’re applying for a job in. I suggest that you look on LinkedIn for people who have jobs that you want and see the language on their resumes. If you’re trying to break into the field of international relations, see the language that these people use—how they describe their experience and mimic the language for positions you’ve had that could be relevant.
Edit like your Job Depends on it
Finally, make sure that you don’t lose points for inconsistency, sloppy spelling or poor punctuation. I can’t think of any job where attention to detail isn’t important. This includes spelling out acronyms for the first time, avoiding jargon and making sure you’re clear in your explanation of your tasks. Have someone you trust (your parent, friend, professor, supervisor, swim coach) proofread your resume and cover letter.
Now that you’ve got your resume all set, get out there and start applying for jobs!
Leave a comment if you have any questions.
Views expressed are my own and not necessarily those of the U.S. Government
The post How to Write a Resume that Rocks appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
March 14, 2020
The Diplomatic Corps: 4 Different Types
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
If you’re interested in working abroad for the U.S. government (like in an Embassy), you can apply to the diplomatic corps, which is called the Foreign Service. The Civil Service are U.S. government officials who primarily work in the U.S. – mostly in Washington, DC – and Foreign Service Officers mostly work abroad.
What many people don’t realize is that there are four different types of Foreign Service: the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Commerce. There’s a fifth type too: professional Peace Corps staff (not the volunteers) fits in the Foreign Service Category, but it’s a limited appointment (typically five years).
The State Department Foreign Service is by far the biggest and best-known service. The State Department Foreign Service has different cones that you apply under (Political, Economic, Public Affairs, Consular and Management). You can figure out which cone is the best fit for you with this quiz. These are considered Foreign Service generalists and are what most people probably think of when they think of the Foreign Service. There are also Foreign Service specialists in the State Department Foreign Service. These are for Administration, Construction Engineering, Facility Management, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Law Enforcement and Security. The specialist track has a different application process than the generalist track and, if you’re interested, you can learn more about that process. Some of the specialist tracks require a bachelor’s degree.
To apply for the State Department Foreign Service as a generalist, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but most successful candidates have one. The first step in the process is to register and take a written test that they offer all over the world and that you can only take once a year. After you pass the written test, you submit a personal narrative. After that, if you are chosen, then you go to Washington, DC or San Francisco for an oral test. You also have to get security and medical clearances. If you pass all of that, then your name gets put on a list of the people who have passed – which is ranked by your oral exam score. Having specific language skills gets you bumped higher on the list. Jobs are allocated starting from the top of the list as they become free, and your name gets dropped from the list if a position hasn’t opened up within 18 months, which means you’re back to square one and have to go all the way back to the beginning of the process if you want to reapply.
USAID Foreign Service Officers are technical experts, so to apply you need to have a master’s degree. In the USAID Foreign Service, different technical areas are called “backstops” (as opposed to the State Department’s Foreign Service, where they’re called “cones”). The technical backstops are Crisis, Stabilization and Governance, Agriculture, Private Enterprise, Environment, Engineering, Health, Economist, and Education. Other USAID backstops are functional: such as Financial Management Officers, Executive Officers (who deal with human resource issues, and building and operations), Regional Legal Officers, Contracting Officers or Program Officers (who manage the strategy, budget and reporting process).
The application processes for the USAID and State Department Foreign Services are similar in some ways. For USAID, you complete an online application that includes questions about your technical expertise. When you pass, you go to Washington, D.C. for oral and written exams. Once you pass that step and get your medical and security clearances, your name is added to a ranked list and called in the order that positions in your backstop come open. Both State and USAID have six-week orientation classes to bring you up to speed on the Foreign Service – and both usually keep you in Washington doing language and other training for a year or so before heading out to your first assignment.
The State Department and USAID have the two largest Foreign Services, though State’s is definitely bigger. With the State Department Foreign Service, you can be posted to any country with a U.S. Embassy (i.e. most countries in the world). With the USAID Foreign Service, on the other hand, you’ll only live in developing countries (given that it works on development issues). If you’re a State Department Foreign Service Officer posted to a large enough country, you might work in a Consulate, which means that you live outside of the capital city. However, USAID Missions are only in capital cities.
If you’re interested in facilitating trade and international cooperation critical to the U.S. agricultural sector, you should check out USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. And, if you’re interested in advancing and protecting strategic U.S. commercial and economic interests around the world, check out the Commerce Department’s Foreign Commercial Service.
In addition, many U.S. government agencies and departments have representatives overseas in U.S. Embassies. The difference between being in one of the Foreign Services and being a U.S. government representative in an Embassy for a department (that doesn’t have a Foreign Service) is that your overseas time isn’t necessarily a continuous long-term thing, but rather could just be one three-year tour before you return to a domestic career.
If you’re looking for reasons to pursue an international career, check out my blog post: Five Reasons to Pursue a Career in International Relations.
Views expressed are my own and not necessarily those of the U.S. government.
The post The Diplomatic Corps: 4 Different Types appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Why Being a Global Do-gooder is Fiercely Feminist
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Women are half the world’s population, but many enjoy second-class citizenship. I’m here to tell you that this issue is the key to a more peaceful and prosperous world.
Women need opportunity, agency, and lives free from violence – the holy trinity of gender equality. When women can go to school, get jobs and be active in the public sphere; they can contribute economically, intellectually and politically to the betterment of society. A country that isn’t using half of its human resources is losing out.
For example, if women farmers had similar access to the sorts of resources that male farmers have, women’s crop yields would increase (by up to 30 percent), which would help slash the number of undernourished people in the world (by up to 150 million!).
Here’s another one: a girl with just one extra year of education can earn 10 to 20 percent more as an adult. When you add up all these potential individual earnings across an entire economy, the wider impacts are astounding. For example, India’s economy would increase by an estimated $5.5 billion dollars annually if they enrolled just one percent more girls in secondary school. Educated mothers are also more than twice as likely to send their own children to school.
Bottom line: gender equality can add $12 trillion to the global economy by 2025. If we can move the needle on just this one issue, we stand to make enormous gains in peace and prosperity.
Want to be fiercely feminist? Figure out which issues or developing countries you’re passionate about, then explore resources for getting involved. You’re more likely to invest your time and resources if you’re focusing on something you’re passionate about.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get out there and create a better world!
Check out my blog on how to become a global citizen for some tips.
Views expressed are my own and not necessarily those of the U.S. Government
The post Why Being a Global Do-gooder is Fiercely Feminist appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
December 14, 2019
5 Things to Consider When Applying for a Job
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
When you’re first starting out in your career, getting a job is goal number one. And, trust me I remember, it can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few points to keep in mind to help lower your anxiety and raise your expectations.
Will the position inspire and challenge you?
If the position isn’t going to inspire and challenge you, then it’s not worth your time. When you’re first starting out, it can be easy to settle because you’re just happy to have a job – any job. But don’t do it – it’s not worth it! I’m not saying that you won’t have to start at the bottom of the totem poll because you will and that’s ok – that’s how you learn. But you should start at the bottom in a job that you find interesting. If you can’t picture yourself learning and growing in the position, then don’t apply for it. At the beginning you will be expected to do tasks that don’t constantly challenge you, but there should still be tasks in the position description that do sound challenging and like a growth opportunity. So don’t play it safe and only apply for jobs you think you could do in your sleep. Apply for jobs that you’re not 100% qualified for – not ones that require 10 times as much experience as you have, but ones that might be a bit of a stretch. It is rare for someone to be 100% qualified for a job they apply for. Who knows? You might have more of the required qualifications than anyone else applying, or there might be something else about your unique experience that is really relevant. So apply for the jobs you really want, not just the jobs you think you can get. Of course, if you have to settle for a job that isn’t inspiring, don’t sweat it – look for learning opportunities in that job and be on the lookout for a job that is a better fit.
Is the organization a good fit for you?
So much of your experience in your career comes from the institution you work for. Is it big and bureaucratic? Is it small and innovative? Does it support a work/life balance or expect you to be chained to your desk 24/7? These things matter because they will impact not only your 9 to 5, but also the rest of your life too. So do a little research, as around, consult the internet and find out more about the institution’s ethos, work culture, if there’s room for growth, etc. Glassdoor is one resource for this sort of research. And, of course, it might be impossible to tell before you start your job and that’s ok. Just remember that, if the office culture feels bad or toxic, you don’t have to stay. There are places with more positive, supportive work environments and places with more challenging work environments. You can try to create positive change for the work environment from within, which can be hard to do especially if you’re junior and if it’s a big organization. Or you can move on and find a work culture that’s a better fit for you.
Are your documents in order?
Now that you’ve found a job that seems inspiring and challenging at an organization that seems like it has a positive work culture, now’s the time to apply for the job. Are your documents in order? By that I mean your cover letter and resume and sometimes a writing sample. Presumably, you’ll apply for a lot of jobs before you land one. People take different approaches to job hunting: some spend a lot of time on each application, researching the organization carefully, crafting the perfect cover letter, and adapting their résumé so that it’s tailored to each position. This can be good, but you’ll send out fewer job applications than if you send out identical cover letters and résumés for each position. I always took the middle road: initially, I spent a lot of time crafting my résumé and writing a cover letter, asking friends to edit both to make sure they were flawless. The important thing with your cover letter is that you align the skills/experience you have with those highlighted in the job description. When it came to applying for a job, I would send out my standard résumé, which at the time even included school-sponsored activities like being on an editorial board during grad school. My cover letter was mostly standardized, but I would do quick research on the position and the organization so I could adapt the first and last paragraphs of the cover letter. That way, potential employers would know that I’d taken the time to consider the details of the position. By taking this approach, I was able to send out lots of job applications!
How wide can you throw your net?
The answer is as wide as possible! Even though I applied for a lot of jobs doesn’t mean that I landed loads of job interviews. I once heard someone claim that for every 20 job applications you send out, you’d be lucky to get one or two interviews. Don’t be daunted, just get out there and apply for a lot of jobs! Throw your net wide – go ahead and do it! What do you have to lose? Planting the seed is what counts – if you get the job and it’s not the right fit, you don’t have to accept the job offer. Send out 20 resumes, send out 200! The more jobs you apply for, the greater your chance of getting one. Use your network – ask friends and professors for suggestions on where to apply. Stalk the job page of specific organizations you want to work for and use LinkedIn to set up job alerts for these organizations. Ask for informational interviews to find out what your dream organization is looking for in a strong candidate. And beyond everything apply apply apply! Worst-case scenario is you won’t get the job. Best-case scenario is that you get the job and it propels you on to an inspiring and rewarding career.
I’ve included a great, long list of internationally-related job sites in Annex 1 of my book, Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes and below are a few suggestions:
Are you ready?
Now this might seem silly. Here you’ve been working diligently to get a job and jumpstart your career – of course you’re ready! And you probably are totally ready! Just a few practical things to consider to doubly make sure. Clothes is one. Clothes you most definitely have, the rights clothes you’ll have to make sure you have. When I started my first internship at Mercy Corps, I was criticized by my supervisor because, in their opinion my clothes weren’t appropriate. I didn’t own any professional clothes and being a poor college student I went to a thrift store to get what I thought would be professional clothes. Turns out that my skirts were maybe a little too tight and short for what my supervisor thought was appropriate. And then when I first started at the State Department after grad school, I had learned to wear looser and longer skirts, but I didn’t own any suits. Luckily Filene’s Basement had plenty of affordable suits and I was able to stock up. Funny enough, I haven’t gone to the problem of replacing most of those old suits, so the majority of my suits are cheapo suites from 14 years ago! They still get the job done! Another thing to consider is that you’ll have to be mentally prepared to be somewhere all day almost every day. This might seem totally silly because, yeah, of course you have to show up for your job, but I remember this being a particular drain when I first started working for InterAction during my last semester of grad school. I had been so spoiled by the wonderful schedule of grad school where I had a few classes and an internship, but my schedule fluctuated each day and I had a lot of free time to get homework done. Having to be in the same place at the same time all day almost every day felt suffocating at first. So it’s good to be mentally prepared! Also, among other considerations, be ready if you have to figure out a commute, relocate domestically, or even move abroad. Hold on – it’s going to be an exciting, challenging and awesome ride!
Want to learn why a career in international relations in awesome? Check out my blog post about it. And check out my blog post about 6 ways to jumpstart your international career.
The post 5 Things to Consider When Applying for a Job appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
November 11, 2019
5 Ways to be a Conscientious Consumer this Holiday Season
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I love the holidays so much! I love everything about them – the spirit of Christmas, holiday music, eggnog, caroling, decorating the Christmas tree, giving and getting presents. Well almost everything. Honestly it’s that last one that has me always in a bit of a conundrum every year. Being a global citizen means being aware about how your personal consumption habits impact the world. The rampant consumerism of Christmas is something that’s never sat quite right with me – I don’t like the idea of buying stuff just because you’re supposed to give gifts. So that’s why I want to share with you my five ways to be a conscientious consumer this holiday season. You don’t have to give up on the spirit of giving!
Support artisans and fair trade
Supporting artisans and fair trade products means that you can make a positive impact in someone’s life by buying their product, which seems more meaningful than buying mass-produced products. And, often times, the product that you end up giving is more unique and higher quality than manufactured products. You can do this in your own community by finding stores that carry local artisan’s work or you can go online and find artisans from around the world. There are plenty of sites that carry these sorts of products and have a do-gooder angle to them. A few of them are:
Ten Thousand Villages has artisans gifts from all around the world. They create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to markets through long-term, fair trading relationships.
GlobeIn sells handmade and ethically sourced gifts from around the world. The cool thing about this one is you can get a subscription for someone so they receive presents throughout the year – the gift that keeps on giving!
Novica helps customers impact the world by purchasing handmade products directly from global artisans, which improves lives and uplifts communities.
Need more inspiration? Check out this list of more online ethical shopping options.
Give of your time
Does your loved one enjoy doing something that you usually don’t want to do? Like does your partner love watching soccer, but you find it boring? Give them a coupon book for watching five games together – or better yet – take them to a soccer game. Does your Mom love skiing, but you hate the cold, then as a present, go skiing with her. Or find a volunteer opportunity that fits with your family’s interests and do that together. You can Google “holiday volunteer opportunities near me” or check out these suggestions for ideas. Better yet, combine this idea with the one below and volunteer abroad!
Give an experience present instead of a product
This is one that my husband and I especially like to do because we both agree that we don’t need more “stuff” and it gives us the opportunity to share something with one another. This year is the big whammy year for my kids getting the experience present – don’t tell them, but for a Christmas present we’re going to take them to Paris Disneyland for spring break! Eeeeek! Obviously that’s the most major experience present you could give a kid and the experience presents totally don’t have to be that extreme. For example, one year when we were living in Washington, DC, I gave my husband the gift of a scavenger hunt that I planned for him that took him to his favorite sites around town and had him, at the end, meet me for drink. Another favorite of mine was when he volunteered to have us host a quiz night at a local bar and he came up with quiz questions that revolved around us. All of the answers were common knowledge, but he framed the questions in a way that referenced our adventures together – I loved it! Giving the gift of a night at the theater, movie passes, a ballet, a concert, dinner out – these are all good “experience” options as well.
Support a good cause
I like this option because the person you give this gift to gets to feel like they’re making a positive impact and helping to make the world a better place. I have frequently been on the receiving end of these kinds of gifts and they always make me so happy. I know it’s a reflection that my loved one knows that I care about helping to make the world a better place. And I’m relieved that they didn’t buy me something just to get me something, but rather took that money and put it toward helping someone’s life be just a little bit better. There are so many organizations doing good work that it can be hard to narrow it down. If you have an organization that you respect the work of – like the Red Cross, UNICEF, Save the Children – then definitely donate in your loved ones name as a present. Some other great ones are:
One of my favorites is Heifer, which is an organization that works to end poverty and hunger. There are many gift options with Heifer and one of my favorites is buying livestock, which can have an immense multiplier effect on families and communities.
Women for Women is another one of my favorites – they work with marginalized women in countries affected by conflict to help improve theirs and their family’s well-being. You can either donate or sponsor a woman.
Kiva is another cool one. It’s a site that provides micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries and you get to choose the projects to support. When your loan is repaid you get to use that original money to support another entrepreneur.
Give DIY presents
This option is especially handy if you’re naturally crafty, but even if you’re not, there are still tons of ways to produce a nice gift. Thanks to sites like Pinterest there’s lots of online inspiration and YouTube can give you tutorials on how to actually do it. My husband has several times made me photo books on Snapfish where he takes pictures from our family and writes a story, memories, etc. I cherish these presents the most because I value the time and energy he put into them and they’re so personalized and meaningful.
This one is a bonus suggestion! You can give my book, Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes as a present! You can help someone unleash the global citizen inside of them and maybe even propel them on their future international career!
The post 5 Ways to be a Conscientious Consumer this Holiday Season appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
5 Ways to be a Consciences Consumer this Holiday Season
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I love the holidays so much! I love everything about them – the spirit of Christmas, holiday music, eggnog, caroling, decorating the Christmas tree, giving and getting presents. Well almost everything. Honestly it’s that last one that has me always in a bit of a conundrum every year. Being a global citizen means being aware about how your personal consumption habits impact the world. The rampant consumerism of Christmas is something that’s never sat quite right with me – I don’t like the idea of buying stuff just because you’re supposed to give gifts. So that’s why I want to share with you my five ways to be a consciences consumer this holiday season. You don’t have to give up on the spirit of giving!
Support artisans and fair trade
Supporting artisans and fair trade products means that you can make a positive impact in someone’s life by buying their product, which seems more meaningful than buying mass-produced products. And, often times, the product that you end up giving is more unique and higher quality than manufactured products. You can do this in your own community by finding stores that carry local artisan’s work or you can go online and find artisans from around the world. There are plenty of sites that carry these sorts of products and have a do-gooder angle to them. A few of them are:
Ten Thousand Villages has artisans gifts from all around the world. They create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to markets through long-term, fair trading relationships.
GlobeIn sells handmade and ethically sourced gifts from around the world. The cool thing about this one is you can get a subscription for someone so they receive presents throughout the year – the gift that keeps on giving!
Novica helps customers impact the world by purchasing handmade products directly from global artisans, which improves lives and uplifts communities.
Need more inspiration? Check out this list of more online ethical shopping options.
Give of your time
Does your loved one enjoy doing something that you usually don’t want to do? Like does your partner love watching soccer, but you find it boring? Give them a coupon book for watching five games together – or better yet – take them to a soccer game. Does your Mom love skiing, but you hate the cold, then as a present, go skiing with her. Or find a volunteer opportunity that fits with your family’s interests and do that together. You can Google “holiday volunteer opportunities near me” or check out these suggestions for ideas. Better yet, combine this idea with the one below and volunteer abroad!
Give an experience present instead of a product
This is one that my husband and I especially like to do because we both agree that we don’t need more “stuff” and it gives us the opportunity to share something with one another. This year is the big whammy year for my kids getting the experience present – don’t tell them, but for a Christmas present we’re going to take them to Paris Disneyland for spring break! Eeeeek! Obviously that’s the most major experience present you could give a kid and the experience presents totally don’t have to be that extreme. For example, one year when we were living in Washington, DC, I gave my husband the gift of a scavenger hunt that I planned for him that took him to his favorite sites around town and had him, at the end, meet me for drink. Another favorite of mine was when he volunteered to have us host a quiz night at a local bar and he came up with quiz questions that revolved around us. All of the answers were common knowledge, but he framed the questions in a way that referenced our adventures together – I loved it! Giving the gift of a night at the theater, movie passes, a ballet, a concert, dinner out – these are all good “experience” options as well.
Support a good cause
I like this option because the person you give this gift to gets to feel like they’re making a positive impact and helping to make the world a better place. I have frequently been on the receiving end of these kinds of gifts and they always make me so happy. I know it’s a reflection that my loved one knows that I care about helping to make the world a better place. And I’m relieved that they didn’t buy me something just to get me something, but rather took that money and put it toward helping someone’s life be just a little bit better. There are so many organizations doing good work that it can be hard to narrow it down. If you have an organization that you respect the work of – like the Red Cross, UNICEF, Save the Children – then definitely donate in your loved ones name as a present. Some other great ones are:
One of my favorites is Heifer, which is an organization that works to end poverty and hunger. There are many gift options with Heifer and one of my favorites is buying livestock, which can have an immense multiplier effect on families and communities.
Women for Women is another one of my favorites – they work with marginalized women in countries affected by conflict to help improve theirs and their family’s well-being. You can either donate or sponsor a woman.
Kiva is another cool one. It’s a site that provides micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries and you get to choose the projects to support. When your loan is repaid you get to use that original money to support another entrepreneur.
Give DIY presents
This option is especially handy if you’re naturally crafty, but even if you’re not, there are still tons of ways to produce a nice gift. Thanks to sites like Pinterest there’s lots of online inspiration and YouTube can give you tutorials on how to actually do it. My husband has several times made me photo books on Snapfish where he takes pictures from our family and writes a story, memories, etc. I cherish these presents the most because I value the time and energy he put into them and they’re so personalized and meaningful.
This one is a bonus suggestion! You can give my book, Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes as a present! You can help someone unleash the global citizen inside of them and maybe even propel them on their future international career!
The post 5 Ways to be a Consciences Consumer this Holiday Season appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
August 31, 2019
This Time of Year
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Farewell Friends
The end of summer is always an interesting time in the Foreign Service, which is the what the US government calls its diplomatic corps. Summer is the peak transition time, so it’s when people move to their new countries. This transition can be sad when you have a great group of friends in the country where you’re living. Like here in Armenia, we arrived three years ago at the same time as some other really great families and we became close friends. Our children would have sleepovers, we would have weekly wine nights, we’d go on trips together – it was a nice community to have. But their tours were three years and ours is four years, so we’re still here in Armenia when they’ve moved on to new countries. (Different government agencies have different lengths of tour.) New people arrive, but it can be hard to jump in fully to a new friendship with just a year left. One perk of the Foreign Service is that you end up with friends all over the world!
Where in the World?
And though it’s sad to say goodbye to good friends, it’s exciting to see where people go! That’s one reason why I love this time of year – every day in my Facebook newsfeed I get to see my friends and acquaintances arriving to new countries – starting new jobs, moving into new homes, exploring new countries. Jordan, Luxembourg, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Micronesia, Nepal, Colombia, Egypt, South Africa, and on and on.
A Firm Grasp
Even though I’ve been in the field of international relations for 20 years, I still don’t have a deep understanding of every country in the world. And that’s one thing that I love about living a global life: living in different countries gives you such a more intimate understanding of that country and region. Honestly, before moving to Armenia, I never really had a super firm grasp of the Caucasus. Sometimes I would get the Caucasus and the Balkans switched in my mind. Before living in Guatemala, I would get the countries in Central America and South America switched up. And before living in Tajikistan, to be completely honest, I don’t know if I’d ever even heard of Tajikistan! And I definitely didn’t understand the vast complexities of Central Asia.
Global Bidding
This time of year is even more pronounced for me this year because I’m bidding, which means that next year around this time, me and my family will be arriving at our new home and exploring our new country! The USAID Foreign Service and State Department Foreign Service do their bidding differently, but both Foreign Services are bidding right now. (the departments of Agriculture and Commerce both have small Foreign Services too and I assume they’re bidding now as well.) But I only know how my Foreign Service – the USAID Foreign Service – does bidding.
We get a long list of every position that will be available come next year and we scan through it to see what jobs are relevant to our area of expertise – for example I came into the service as a Crisis, Stabilization, and Governance Officer, but I’ve been managing multi-sectoral teams my last few tours, so I could do either of these type of jobs. After you narrow down the list to your area of expertise, then you look at which countries you would want to live and work in and which positions are around your seniority level (like someone who is entering their second tour wouldn’t bid on a super senior position).
After you have your list of positions that check all of those boxes, then you have about two weeks to reach out to the USAID Missions in these countries with your resume and ask to set up an interview. Hopefully they decide to interview you and check your references. It’s interesting that, with the Foreign Service, you have a job for life, but in actuality because we move countries, you basically have to apply for a new job every few years!
Foreign Service Officers sign up to be worldwide available, which means we can be sent anywhere, but we also get to prioritize where we’d like to be sent. So, once you’ve talked with the Missions where you’re interested in serving, then you submit a bid list with your top picks – you always have to include a few hard to fill positions (like war zones or very unstable and dangerous countries), but if you don’t want to go to those countries, then you put them at the bottom of your list and hope that you don’t get assigned to them.
Right now it’s currently the priority bidding time, which means that only officers coming out of countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Pakistan get to bid. So these officers get to bid first because they were serving in dangerous countries. Once these officers get assigned to their countries, then a new list with all of the remaining countries comes out in October and all of the other eligible bidders (like me!) get to bid. Of course, usually the “sexy” countries like Thailand or Barbados get taken in the priority round. My agency, USAID, only works in developing countries, but the State Department works in all countries that have a diplomatic relationship with the US, which are most countries in the world. So when State Department Foreign Service Officers are bidding, they have a much bigger pool of countries to choose from.
Even though I don’t get to officially bid until October, I’ve still started reaching out to countries on the bid list, just to express my interest in case the position is still on the list after the priority round. The idea of leaving Armenia makes me sad – we’ve so enjoyed living here! But it’s also exciting to think that we could be anywhere in the world come this time next year! We’ll find out hopefully in December which country I’m assigned to.
Freedom to Explore the World
When I was younger I would sometimes worry about the idea of being an adult – the idea of feeling trapped by adulthood – having to go to a job every day, pay bills, etc. Adulthood seemed monotonous and confining. And that’s one thing that I love about the lifestyle my husband and I have chosen to raise our children in – it is anything but monotonous and confining! It has it’s own challenges – being so far away from loved ones, constant change, learning new cultures and languages, etc. – but, ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons and it sure is exciting!
Interested in a global career? Check out my blog post about how to get started in an international career. Or if you want to be a global citizen without dedicating your career to it, then head to my post about how to become a global citizen now.
Let me know if you have any questions about the Foreign Service or if you have your own global story to share!
The post This Time of Year appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
March 24, 2019
The Best Advice for a Successful Internship
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Internships are an essential part of progressing into your career – an internship could even unlock the potential of your future career. I am a huge believer in internships because, not only can they lead to a job, but they can also help you understand what you’re most interested in to pursue in future employment. It’s kind of like dating – you can have a few internships before committing to a full time job. Early in my career, I had two internships turn into jobs. The first was one I had with Mercy Corps while in college, when I was getting ready to graduate, I convinced them to create a position for me. The second was while I was in grad school – I had interned with InterAction my first year of grad school and then applied for a job with them my second year and had the advantage of already being a known quantity. Intern, learn, grow, and succeed!!
1. Define what success means to you. Does success mean landing a job at the end of the internship? Learning a new skill? Gaining references for future jobs? If you understand what you want to get out of your internship and have your intention set at the beginning, it’ll be a lot easier to achieve it. Any internship (and job for that matter) is just as much whether it’s a good fit for you as it is whether you are a good fit for the company or organization. Figure out what you want and strive for it.
2. Be open and receptive to learning new things. If your internship boss or mentor asks you to do something don’t say “no” – especially if the reason is because you have self-doubt or haven’t done the task before. Better yet, ask for more tasks and challenges. An internship is an opportunity to learn and also to show the company your capacity to learn. And, along those lines, ask for guidance and advice when you need it – that’s a good way to learn and ensure you’re doing a good job.
3. Follow up after the internship. The people that you worked with during the internship can point you to future job opportunities and/or be professional references for jobs you’re applying for. Stay in touch with them: send regular friendly emails, have coffee with them, don’t let them forget what a great asset you are – you never know, your lucky break might come from them! Having the internship on your resume and what you learned during the internship are obviously important, but the people you work with might just be the greatest resource you’ll walk away with.
4. Last, but not least, the most important thing is to have faith in yourself. Your internship is an important part of the foundation for an awesome career that you’re building. Know that it’s part of the process and that, one day, you’ll look back on your internship and see how far you’ve come. Little by little, you’re building a fulfilling career and you will succeed!
The post The Best Advice for a Successful Internship appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
March 3, 2019
6 Sure-fired ways to start your International Career
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Want a job in international relations, but don’t know where to start? Well, you’re in luck – because there are many different and varied ways to start down that path. The key is to just do it (thanks Nike!). Seriously, nothing is stopping you, but yourself. There’s a time to start responding to that little voice telling you to become an ordinary hero and that time is NOW. Where you start will depend on where you are in your career, your family and financial obligations, and other individual factors. Below are some suggestions that, no matter where you are in life, you should be able to pursue at least one of them. The key is to put yourself out there, keep on trying, and to be patient. Every opportunity builds upon itself and will one day result in you having a job that you find fulfilling and that lets you advance important social justice issues. If you’re not ready to embark on your career, but do want to help make the world a better place, check out how to become a global citizen today.
Intern or Volunteer
It’s never too early (or too late) to start volunteering or interning (providing your time for free to a cause or organization you care about). Internships are explicitly designed to give you hands-on professional experience, whereas people volunteer for all sorts of reasons (including meeting new people, or just doing something useful for the community on weekends). On the other hand, volunteering is a great way of demonstrating your civic engagement and strength of character, which any prospective employer would be glad to know about.
So who should you intern for? Ideally, you would volunteer or intern at an international relations institution that you would like to work for one day. But any volunteering activity (especially when you’re less experienced) is a great résumé-builder. And you don’t necessarily have to ‘work’ with a specific organization in a defined internal role. You can support organizations that you want to be involved with by creating your own opportunities (even if that organization is located far away from where you live). For example, you can devise fundraising activities on behalf of an organization, such as holding a bake sale, a used book sale, or getting a part-time job and donating a portion of your income every week.
If you do happen to live near an organization working in international relations that you would like to work with, call them to ask about volunteer and internship opportunities. Worried that your utter lack of experience will make them hang up the phone on you? Call anyway. The worst that they can say is ‘no’. If there are no international relations institutions near you, but you really want to get experience with an international organization, you could volunteer in another country during your vacation time off from school.
Volunteering or interning with a domestically-focused organization is also helpful for getting experience and building your résumé. You’ll learn how to operate in a professional environment and help people at the same time. Better still, these sorts of opportunities are plentiful, and include homeless shelters, boys/girls clubs, elderly care facilities, food banks, or a domestic violence shelter. Don’t be afraid to ask for an internship at an organization you admire. If that is not an option, volunteer doing the type of work you want to do. Even if it is not internationally-focused, you can bolster your skills and learn new approaches. Even if it doesn’t seem to be related to what you want to do, when a chance comes along, take it. You never know where the road may lead!
Bottom line – interning or volunteering are good for your resume as you’re embarking on your career in international relations. Also, it helps you figure out what you like working on. Are you passionate about diplomacy or human rights or climate change? Do you like doing research or managing projects or human resources? You can answer these questions by actually trying out different paths through internships. You also get connected with colleagues – these are excellent resources. They can serve as references on job applications in the future and can clue you in to job opportunities. So make sure to stay in touch with your colleagues even after your internship ends.
Look at my list of websites below under #5 for internship/volunteer opportunities or, if you’re in school, contact your career center for suggestions. Already have a job or don’t live near an enticing opportunity? Volunteer virtually! Thanks to the fact that we’re living in the 21st century, nothing has to stop you from pursuing your passion for helping to make the world a better place.
Here are a few virtual volunteer sites to check out: onlinevolunteering.org, createthegood.org, internships.com, and virtualinternships.com.
Go to College
Depending on where you are in life, one great way to embark on a career in international relations is to get a relevant degree. If you’re still just starting out, consider going to college for a degree relevant to international relations.
College is a great time to lay a solid foundation for your future career, and you’ve got plenty of options in terms of where to go and what to study. You might opt for a general foundation, such as international relations or political science, and then pursue a graduate degree in a more specialized technical subject.
On the other hand, if you want to specialize early, there’s nothing stopping you. Somewhere, there’s a program that fits your passions—whether this is in public health, education, gender studies or engineering. Or, you might choose a degree program that will equip you with the practical skills you’ll need to work abroad and manage complex programs—here I’m talking about language and business or management studies. One of my grad school friends even majored in religion in college, which just goes to show that all skills sets are welcome in the fight for global social justice.
College will also serve up plenty of invaluable opportunities outside of the classroom. For example, you could volunteer as a research assistant for one of your professors, which will both expose you to new ideas and hone your research and writing skills. You might even get named as a co-author on a publication! Also make sure to sign up for your college study-abroad program. My study-abroad program in Japan was the first time I’d lived overseas, and the experience e taught me a lot about myself and about how to navigate a foreign culture. Cultural sensitivity is a crucial skill to develop, and it’s not one you can learn from a book.
The State Department’s US Study Abroad Office offers resources to help you find the right exchange program—which is especially important if your college doesn’t offer one. The office has information about international exchanges, including ones that are funded by the State Department—such as the Fulbright Program, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program and the Critical Language Scholarship Program. The office also has information on exchanges, scholarships, internships, teaching and research opportunities for high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, scholars, teachers and institutions. Check it out!
Join the Peace Corps
Peace Corps is a US government agency that provides service opportunities “for motivated change-makers to immerse themselves in a community abroad, working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation.” For many people with careers in international relations, doing Peace Corps is the first time they gain fieldwork experience, and it is the stepping-stone for many people into international development.
There is no upper age limit to being a Peace Corps volunteer, but you do have to be at least 18 years old to join Peace Corps and have a bachelor’s degree. Here’s a link to frequently asked questions: www.peacecorps.gov/faqs.
During its pre-service training, Peace Corps provides language, cross-cultural and technical training—and introduces development theories and concepts. I would suggest doing Peace Corps between college and graduate school (as most do), because having a bit of real-world exposure will help you decide which technical area you might want to specialize in. Of course, you can do Peace Corps at any point, but by the time you’re done with grad school, you might not be satisfied with the Peace Corps stipend compared to a paying job.
That said, unlike most ‘job’ jobs in international relations, the Peace Corps gives you the opportunity to live in remote rural areas, and often with a family. USAID, the State Department, the UN and most international NGOs have their offices in the capital city of a foreign country—or at least in a major city. Peace Corps, on the other hand, gives you the chance to integrate into a community, and get out of the capital city (although some volunteers get placed in the capital or bigger cities). It’s also a good opportunity to get experience managing projects, hone your language skills and develop your cultural sensitivity.
Having international experience is also a bonus for grad school and job applications. Peace Corps is a great way in—and you could end up working for the US Government afterwards. Upon completion of service, you get ‘Non-Competitive Eligibility’ status for 12 months, which means you can be hired by the Executive Branch without going through the normal competitive hiring process. What’s more, your Peace Corps time can be added to your ‘time in service,’ which basically means you can retire two years earlier! While Peace Corps is a valuable professional experience, for many it is much more than that. It is about service and building friendships across countries.
That said, if flying off to rural Benin isn’t how you want to spend the next two years, don’t fret: a career in international relations is still a good fit and within reach. This career path can take many forms, which means that you can find the one that matches your interests and abilities. The point about Peace Corps, interning, fellowships or volunteering is just to get experience. Experience to build your résumé, make connections and figure out what you do (and do not) like working on.
Think Peace Corps is a good fit for you? Go ahead and check it out: www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer. It never hurts to plant several seeds and see what blooms. You can always turn down an opportunity, but you can never take an opportunity if you haven’t tried in the first place.
Get a Master’s Degree
If you’ve already started on a career in a different field, or even if you’ve started working in a job in international relations, getting a master’s degree in an area that you find interesting is an important part of becoming a global hero. If you’re fresh out of college, go for it too – if you know what you want to study, there’s nothing stopping you. Though it does seem like a lot of graduate schools in international relations prefer a student body that is a bit older. Students with a few years of real-life work experience under their belt bring a different depth to the classroom discussion and allow them to interpret what they’re studying based on firsthand experience. I had interned during college, but only had one year of real-life work experience before applying to graduate school. Luckily, one still accepted me – thanks School of International Service!!!
Graduate school allows you to take a deep dive into the issues you’re passionate about, and develop your technical skills. So it’s a time to figure out what you want to specialize in, right? Perhaps. Again, you don’t have to have the right major in grad school in order to have a career in international relations. I knew that I wanted to work on conflict issues and development, and that’s why I got my Master’s in International Peace and Conflict Resolution with a focus in International Development. I joined the Foreign Service as a Crisis, Stabilization and Governance Officer and I work for USAID, so in some ways what I studied in grad school did directly align with my career. But every career takes twists and turns. Today, I’m managing cross-sector teams on issues outside of my technical expertise. You’re never going to stop learning; you’re never going to stop growing; and you don’t need to know everything on the first day of your new job.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure to work with many amazing people, many of whom turned to international relations late in life. I met people whose previous careers were a singer, an accountant, a lawyer, a doctor, even a beer-brewing monk! That’s why I say that you’re never too young (or too old) to pursue your passion of global social justice.
As I mentioned, I did my grad work at the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. Other good international relations grad schools in DC are the School of Advanced International Studies (Johns Hopkins) and the grad programs at George Washington University, Georgetown and George Mason. In Boston, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University is excellent and, in New York City, the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University is great. Over 80 percent of students at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs receive full scholarships, which means that even a prestigious school can be financially within reach.
The options don’t end there, and each school has its own strengths, so do your homework in terms of which is the best fit for your interests. For example, some universities are great in public health, others in public affairs. How should you sift through all the options? If you’re still in college, ask your career counselor or a respected professor to help you identify which graduate program is best for you. Or maybe someone you’ve met through your volunteering or interning might have advice. If you can’t get advice from a real live person, then you should do an internet research to find the right program.
Learn from others
I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. We’ve all been where you might be at today. At the start of our global careers, we were anxious and eager to contribute and have our skills and abilities utilized and recognized. I guarantee you – no global hero started right off the bat with an amazing job. We all built it slowly and steadily and we all took our own paths. That’s the cool thing about the career of an ordinary hero – there’s no straight line. So build on what you’ve already accomplished and learn from others. You don’t have to go down this path in isolation and I strongly encourage you not to. Most people I know in international relations are more than happy to share their advice and connections to help others move into this career field. Not only is it good karma, but it helps us bring in more folks into the fold to work on #teamjustice. Social justice issues require our best and brightest, so of course, we’d be willing to help you get into this field!
Network – relationships are important and will help you along your way. Also you can learn from other’s experience. Reach out to people you know in international relations and pick their brains – these are called informational interviews. When I first started in my career, I cringed at the idea of doing informational interviews. I didn’t want people to think that I was using them to get a job or anything like that. But, now being on the other side of it, I understand that, if done with genuine interest in learning, it really doesn’t feel like being used. In fact, I regularly talk, email, and meet with individuals interested in joining a career in international relations. Honestly, it was part of my motivation for writing my book, Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes. I so often advise people interested in a career in international relations, I wanted to consolidate and expand my best career advice and my colleague’s best career advice. So if you want more than this blog offers, check out section three and annex 1 of the book.
Informational interviews are a great way to understand the path that other people took to where they are today and it helps to demystify that path. Also, people you have informational interviews with could give you great suggestions on how to pursue your interest in a career in international relations and they will most likely know of resources and options that can help you. In addition, informational interviews help to build your network. You never know who might actually have a job that you’re a good fit for. In your informational interview, ask for other professionals that the interviewee can put you in touch with – you never know where it might lead. And, of course, remember that once you’re more established in your global career, please be willing to pay it forward by giving informational interviews to people who reach out to you.
Still can’t get onboard with informational interviews or don’t know where to start? You’re in luck! Again, technology is your best friend. Head on over to LinkedIn to reverse engineer the problem: find people with the jobs you want in ten years’ time and then see how they got there! What and where did they study? What jobs did they have? How long were they in each job? Do a little research on other’s experience and help it build your roadmap to your career as a global hero. And, if you’re feeling bold, reach out to some of these people and request a phone informational interview. The worse you will get is a “no”.
Apply for Jobs
Now this might seem obvious or you might think I’m crazy for even suggesting it. Even if you don’t have a degree in international relations or previous work experience, you should still give it a try! Jobs come in every shape and size imaginable—my advice to the job-seeker is this: throw your net wide. You might have a ‘dream job’ in mind, but every job can be an important stepping stone, if you use it as a place to learn, grow your skills and network like a pro. And who knows? Your idea of what your ‘dream job’ actually is might just evolve once you get hands-on experience in the workplace.
Don’t ever be discouraged that you’re not ‘qualified’ enough to apply for a job. I once heard some great advice from a woman who was a recruiter at an NGO. Her insight was this: job position announcements describe the ideal candidate, but no recruiter actually expects to find someone that ticks all the boxes. Really, they’re just looking for someone who ticks as many boxes as possible—and if someone does come along who fits the bill perfectly, great!
Keep that insight in mind when you start applying for international jobs. It’s okay to fall short on having all the required qualifications. Who knows? You might have more of the required qualifications than anyone else applying, or there might be something else about your unique experience that is really relevant. So apply for the jobs you really want, not just the jobs you think you can get. Within reason of course! Don’t apply for a job that requires 20 years of senior management experience if you have zero management experience! But do put yourself out there and aim high.
I’m especially talking to women here: research shows that women are much more cautious than men when they apply for jobs. In fact, women typically only apply for jobs they feel 100 percent qualified for, whereas men apply for jobs they feel only 60 percent qualified for. Think of it this way: when you’re young, jobs are supposed to be learning opportunities, and a chance for professional growth. If you’re 100 percent qualified for a job, how much can you really expect to learn on the job? So don’t ever be tempted to sell yourself short in the job application process. If you’re missing an essential requirement, then use your cover letter to talk about how a different skill you have might be as equally valuable to the position, or how you’re certain you can learn that particular skill on the job (and back up your point by talking about a time when you had to learn on your feet, and did so with aplomb).
So, go ahead and do it! What do you have to lose? As I mentioned, planting the seeds are what counts – if you get it and it’s not the right fit, you can always not take it. Send out 20 resumes, send out 200! The more jobs you apply for, the greater your chance of getting one.
As I’ve already mentioned, a long and helpful list of global job sites is in Annex 1 of Global and below are a few suggestions. Or find a specific organization that you want to work for and use LinkedIn again to set up job alerts for these organizations.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/foreign-affairs-jobs
www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/careers
careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service
The post 6 Sure-fired ways to start your International Career appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
