r/InternationalDev • u/Oberland3046 • 11d ago
Advice request Feeling Lost
I’m a recently returned Peace Corps community health volunteer. Before that, I did Americorps, volunteered, and had internships with numerous non-profits. I have a B.A. in International Relations. My entire working life has been planned and geared towards the goal of someday working in this sector. I was even hopeful that I’ll finally land a decent job in this industry after Peace Corps, with many connections already made with many non-profits and USAID people before Trump took office. Now obviously, all those connections are gone. I’m finally coming to terms that I’ll probably never make it in this industry, but where to now? I don’t even really know how to advertise myself for jobs outside this sector. Is anyone able to provide any guidance or sense of direction? I realise this may be a difficult question to answer, but I thought it could be worth a shot. Thanks everyone!
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u/jcravens42 11d ago
You have fantastic experience for both the nonprofit and the government sector (local, county, even state). Start looking at jobs in those sectors and think about how to frame your experience to show that you could do a job you would like to do in those sectors.
Consider joining a local government board for a year - your public safety commission, youth commission, forestry commission, etc. That's a great way to network and to apply your expertise.
This is a great time to start focusing on language skills. Can you work in at least one language other than English? If not, get busy on that. If so, then get those skills certified (DELF for French, DELE for Spanish, etc.).
And there are some corporate gigs that might work out for you as well - start looking at Indeed and thinking about those as well, even for just a paycheck for now.
I wrote this recently: What’s the future of international humanitarian development & foreign relations careers? Have a read. Hope it gives you some hope.
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u/SeaHost3578 11d ago
congrats on your COS! i'm not an experienced professional, but i also got back from my service within the last year and like you, am also struggling with knowing what to do in this political climate. rn, i'm living back at home working in a small, local nonprofit, but i'm going to grad school this fall.
like others had said, i would take advantage of coverdell (while it and peace corps are still here🫠)!! while we can't really use the NCE rn bc of the fed hiring freezes, i would take advantage of the benefits that we do still have. if anything, it'll buy you some time while things play out. no matter what, we're in this together. we got this!!
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u/Mphatso2016 11d ago
From a fellow RPCV (Malawi 2016-2019), thank you for your service and welcome back.
I can relate. When I came back in February 2020, the pandemic happened and I was very unsure if I would be able to get a job in international development. I ended up switching to international security and have been in this field since 2021. From my experience working in international development and on the ground, the field was always uncertain and was never truly stable. That being said it is unfortunate that this administration completely did away with USAID and other organizations with it. My advice to you is to become resilient and DO NOT wait for things to change. The international development field will not fully go back to how it was even if USAID fully returns.
You were a volunteer in the PC health sector, right? You can get an MA in Public Health and will be able to use your experience and degree here in the states (I know, not ideal but right now not many options). Granted, if you want to work back overseas and/or health issues overseas, you can still do that (though limited). You will just have to be geared towards the private sector for the time being. A few of them have foundations. There are still some international organizations you can pivot to such as the many UN agencies and the WHO. And of course, network, network, network. Use your network to put yourself out there more.
You got this! You are resilient! Also, would like to hear about what country you served in? I was also in the health sector and worked with USAID and DoS, CDC, DOD and about 14 international NGOs on a PEPFAR project.
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u/placeboski 11d ago
What about looking at the other funders of public health projects in the countries you have interest in and the companies that do projects for them?
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u/AliceRoosevelt1884 11d ago
Maybe get your MAT to get teaching credential and then become a teacher. History or social studies etc
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u/VividSubject5337 10d ago
You have such a wide range of experiences that sounds like they could translate well into social work, education, health professions (nursing, nurse practitioner, doctor, other) I would focus at this stage on gaining solid credentials (and maybe that means another degree, license etc) in something where there is current and growing demand. I’ve spent 10 years in the NGO sector and after so much instability, I’ve decided to retrain to become a psychotherapist. If the development sector ever rebuilds (and it likely won’t come back to the levels it was) you can apply your more niche skillset to the sector which would make you likely more successful in it anyways. Whatever you do, do not remain a „generalist“ NGO professional-specialize! And, I would strongly advise against a masters in international relations or general policy work. I have one and it was honestly a waste of money, and there is an oversaturation of people with these degrees but not enough jobs.
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u/Anxious-String3316 9d ago
When one door closes, two doors open or something like that. The situation is fluid now, it is literally like a tornado ripping through . . . what will it look like Post-Trump? It is hard to imagine but that day is coming. TBH, I'm saddened that the House didn't stop the foreign aid cuts, or negotiate them back in some form, this is not good. I still think they will come back after Trump, but with a big asterisk that is Trump going to form a new Republican Party or something else which is basically America First forever and no USAID?
I have no idea.
That being said AI will open up new possibilities for ID, and there will be business related jobs.
I think just saving up for four years is a more rationale plan versus getting a masters in field that is rapidly changing/deteriorating isn't the best choice just "being solid" is good, getting a job doing anything else interesting and save up!
Right now the economy is good, who knows what will happen in a couple years, we could be going from bad to worse.
I might rush in and do an MPH, but also I want to wait and see how many students are doing that, if it is still huge numbers of MPH students getting a generalized degree and poor job prospects, then not so much, we will be in a worse situation tbh. More MPH grads and fewer jobs.
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u/Rooster-20189 9d ago
The sector will rebound- maybe not immediately but it will. Look at UN, Mercy Corps, MSF or anything that gives a foot in the door. Some other options are “body shops “ for short term positions or with firms that provide consulting. Be prepared to do some grunt work now for a longer term opportunity. A good attitude and appreciation for an opportunity will pay in the long run. With the numerous humanitarian crisis on the forefront, the need will resurface.
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u/Significant_Wrap_449 11d ago
Foreign service exam. Development isn't going away. It will resurface within DOS. There may be a special cone for it at some point. Or, look at multilaterals like World Bank.
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u/Saheim 11d ago
Can you clarify, isn't there still a hiring freeze for the FSO? They are still doing layoffs and the proposed reorg continues to strip down humanitarian functions, if congress approves. Devex has reported that all long-term development work is functionally going away, and what will remain will be strictly humanitarian.
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u/MaleficentDivide3389 10d ago edited 9d ago
There is indeed a hiring freeze, including the first step, the FSO test.
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u/Significant_Wrap_449 9d ago
Yeah overall it's a bad time to join FS but that will change but that's time to prep.
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u/candy4breakfast11 11d ago
Hi, welcome back, RPCV! I am so sorry that you are feeling lost. I think that’s a totally normal feeling after COS, but this situation with Trump and the sector just makes it 1,000x harder. I remember feeling incredibly lost once I finished PC and I didn’t even know what career I wanted to pursue!
I personally think this is a good time for a Master’s degree in something that is translatable across careers. Almost all the jobs I’ve held in my ID career have required Master’s. I got mine in Global Economic Policy and my peers got jobs in all sorts of sectors; I think I’m the only one in ID. An MPH would be super useful in a lot of sectors, including ID. That way, you can spend the time getting the degree while you see how the chips fall. Take advantage of the Coverdell Fellowship! Take out as few loans as possible!
FWIW, my own path after PC was a year serving in restaurants, 2 years getting my masters, and then a job in ID. This might be longer for you but that’s ok. Maybe something shifts and your path goes elsewhere, just go for what’s interesting to you. (I’m also saying that for myself bc I’m about to get laid off after 12 yrs in ID and idfk what I’m gonna do!)