Job-hunting and CV advice: wse.org.uk © copyright 2011 World Service Enquiry

Job-hunting and CV advice: wse.org.uk ©copyright 2011

World Service Enquiry


World Service Enquiryinformation and advice

www.wse.org.uk/pc.htm

Kevin CusackInternational Development

Career coaching and mentoringwww.kcoach.net



Working in Development Volunteer for Development


Job and CV Advice

• No answers… just some ideas!

• Job sites• Applications and CVs


First, Questions…

1. Are you the ‘right’ kind of person?



First, Questions…

1. Are you the ‘right’ kind of person?

2. Do you have relevant skills?

3. Do you have 2+ years work exp?

4. Do you have evidence of commitment to the sector?


Why you?•Moses Johnson is a development worker employed by CAUSE Canada.

•Masters Degree International Relief and Development Studies from Uni of Sierra Leone


Criteria?

• Usually somebody with a professional training and/or skill base.

• Have at least 2 years post qualification experience. Further employment may well require 3 to 5 years experience in the field.

• Can show the ability to cope and is able to work with limited resources.

• Has lived outside of Europe, i.e. has travelled, worked or volunteered overseas.


Ways in?

•‘Typical’ would be someone who began as a volunteer in the UK who then spent some time with an NGO overseas (possibly as a volunteer) and used that experience to move on to an HQ programme-related job

OR•Developed a professional skill outside the sector, and through showing commitment as well as skill was able to transfer.


Where do you start?

• Research, research and research

“I was on the Internet 10 or 12 hours a day, searching for jobs and researching information about companies.”

• Network

• Don’t send long rambling emails to every agency you can find!


Real (Short) Email…

To Whom It May Concern, I am a media graduate who is very

interested in taking up paid international work preferably in Nigeria but I do not have experience of working with NGOs.

Please advise. Sincerely,


What’s out there?

• Technical– infrastructure, irrigation, watsan, public

health, food distribution, needs assessment, judicial reform

• Management/Administration– project direction, technical advice,

coordination with donor agency/local government, project reports


What’s out there?

• Research– typically at think-tanks, nonprofit

organisations, universities

• Look at the job market…•To see where you fit (or not)


The Sector

• NGO, Charity, Social Enterprise, Civil Society groups

• Commercial companies• Consultancies• Academic• Government/Europe• Bilateral and multilateral agencies


What types of jobs?

AccountancyAdministrationAdvocacyCampaigningCommunicationsCopywritingCountry Programme ManagementCreative DesignDevelopment EducationEditing

Outreach WorkerFundraisingHuman ResourcesHumanitarian SupportInformation TechnologyMarketingLogistics / WarehouseOffice SupportPA / SecretarialPolicyPublishingMedia / PR


Job Market

• thirdsector.co.uk• jobs.guardian.co.uk• crownagents.com• europa.eu• eurobrussels.com• faststream.civilservice.gov.uk• indeed.co.uk, indeed.co.za …


Job Market• Reliefweb.int• Eldis.org• Devex.com• Oneworld.net• bond.org.uk - concordeurope.org• Internationaljobs.org• Devnetjobs.org• AdamSmithInternational.com• wyg.com


Job Market NGO types

• skillshare.org• internationalservice.org.uk • islamic-relief.com• worldjewishaid.org• worldvision.org.uk• aidsalliance.org• alertnet.org• UN Jobs - https://jobs.un.org


Job Market• microfinancegateway.org• environmentjob.co.uk• pacificislandjobs.com• ngosindia.com• hotjobskenya.com -

jobvacancieschina.com• afghanaid.org.uk• charityjob.co.uk• wse.org.uk International Development jobs page


Great minds DONT

think alike


Things that will help…

• Start small

think outside of the box




Start Small

• CamFed • Railway Children • Cambodia Action• Send a Cow• AbleChildAfrica• Azafady• Bees for Development

Trust• Voice of Dalit International





Things that will help…

• Start small• Develop transferable skills• Commitment/Passion• Network (talk)• Volunteer• Internships

• Join/Support• LanguagesFrench, Spanish, Portuguese,

Arabic

• Temping


Passion

• International Development• Gender • Children• Education

• £1

• Find your mission!


Engage your passion

• Full time• Part time• Job share• Volunteer• Virtual Volunteer• Fundraise• Alternative holiday


Virtual volunteer

• thesite.org/workandstudy/volunteering• volunteermatch.org• UNV Online Volunteering service

– onlinevolunteering.org

• What can I do?– Administration and maintenance– Campaigning, consultations and research– Media and publicity– Website/Blog and online communities


Training

• Academic TrainingDevelopment Studies Association

www.devstud.org.ukReliefweb www.reliefweb.int

• Short course RedR www.redr.orgBond www.bond.org.ukMerlin www.merlin.org.uk


Applications

• Do as instructed – 2 pages, block capitals

• Application form.• CV and cover letter.• Both!

• You must match what they require.

• Note: overseas contracts are fixed term.


Application requirements

1. Qualification.2. Specific experience/knowledge.3. Generic skill sets.4. Commitment to cause and diversity.5. Fit into the organisation.• Give Evidence

– Hard skills– Soft skills: personal qualities


Employment facts• Sight Savers

Head of Research, Haywards Heath 36 6• Progressio

Programme Support Officer, London 55 5Central Services Administrator, London 35 5

• Doctors of the WorldEvents Assistant (3 days PT), London 36 6Consultant (2 weeks), Haiti 55 7

• REDRCommunications Officer, London 70 5

• MedAirHuman Resources Manager, S Sudan 147 2







• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

• 7

• 8

And

• 6 more


Oxfam Criteria

• Well developed interpersonal and team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations and ability to work under pressure and in response to changing needs.

• Sympathy with the aims and objectives of Oxfam.

• To be familiar with and abide by the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct and with the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum standards.


Save the Children Criteria

5. Personal Interests, Skills, and Circumstances:a. Commitment to Save the Children's mission

and values

d. The resilience and personal circumstances to be able to travel within the country…

e. Awareness of own strengths and weaknesses and evidence of commitment to self-managed personal development


Common Errors

• Not meeting the criteria• Not following instructions• Bad layout (CV)

–Font too small often used to save space

–Lack of white space• Spelling and punctuation [eye for

detail]


Common Errors

•Bold + underline+ italics – Never use italic

• Qualification and modules• Stupid or work email address• Undersell ability• No facts: £ and #


• How did you arrive at the current format?

• Did you analyse it’s purpose?

• How long is it?• Why would I want to

read it?

Your CV


Write a master CV

• A CV is a sales document; tell them what is relevant to the person spec.

• Don’t send a generic CV; each job requires you to highlight different experience.

• You don’t have to disclose everything; it’s not your life story!

• Know your skills to match the criteria.• Select relevant information with facts


Write a master CV

• Your master CV should list everything you have done.

• Used as a reference when you are either filling in an application form or writing a job specific CV.

• Common CV forms: Chronological and Functional/Skills based.

• And the problem with a chronological CV is…


Targeted CV

NameAddressTelephoneEmailProfile/StatementSkills with evidenceWhere and whenInterests

Tell them what you are

One or two pagesit’s an advert - not your life story

give hard factssubstantiate Razors Edge or Access

Max Eggert

No age, nationality, marital status, referees, picture or fancy fonts


Why use a targeted CV?

• Hook HR to read all the information

You do this by:

• Profile

• Relevant info with facts



Kevin Cusack34 King Crescent, Upton Cross, CR4 3HP, England

Mobile: 070 52 21 54 38 Email: [email protected]

An energetic and successful Project Manager with a range of experience working in overseas development projects for 4 years, specialising in Capacity Building. Proven leadership skills in managing, developing and motivating international and local teams to achieve programme objectives.

Key Skills

Project Management• Managed information gathering in order to determine priorities for

agriculture, education promotion and health initiatives with community members in rural Mexico

• Oversee financial management of projects and as team leader in Zambia responsible for £60k budgets

Coordination• Coordinate information flows, networks and knowledge with staff,

partners and international donors


And… • Interests

– Can back up your application giveevidence of values, personality and motivation

• And so what???– “Proficient with MS Office”– “I have travelled to Uganda, Tanzania,

Chad, Sudan, Egypt, India, Bolivia, Chile, China, South Korea, Spain”


Cover Letter• Generate interest

• 1 or 2 pages?

• Your pitch of how you can solve their problem


Cover Letter• NEVER use ‘I believe’ or ‘I think’ or ‘I am

interested’

I believe that I can greatly contribute to…I desire to contribute my work experience to working for a leading NGO…I think I am suitably qualified…I am interested in working for you…


Facts

• FACTS FACTS FACTSwith examples

• Never tell them what they do


Career Changers

Don’t assume that:• Need to volunteer.• Need to get an ID qualification.• Need to have overseas experience.• That you can take your wife, children

or the dog overseas.• Will make the same money!


Working in Development

It’s popular. It’s competitive. It’s hard

But not impossible!


Difficult… Not ImpossiblePA to Programme ManagerUte was working as a PA to two Directors of a major financial institution in London and was studying a Diploma in International Development at Birkbeck College.

In a frenzy of cold calling agencies trying to find overseas work she was referred to World Service Enquiry.

Now she has worked with a range of INGOs in Africa and Haiti.


5 Top Tips

1. Qualifications

2. Know your skills

3. Know the sector

4. Evidence of commitment and

5. Survivability


Other help

• People in AidID HR with free info

• monster.co.uk, peopleunlimited.co.uk

jobs, career advice, job hunting, CV tips

• cv4.biz – CV writing service• Come and talk to me - kcoach.net

Career consultation, job hunting strategy, help with CVs


Stay focused and determined!

Documents

Job-hunting and CV advice: wse.org.uk © copyright 2011 World Service Enquiry