By Eric Hartman 

Late Friday afternoon I had the chance to talk with several students. They were curious about ways to get involved with global careers that make a difference. Here’s a bit of career advice for any globally-concerned idealists:

You can absolutely have an important, economically-viable, social-serving career. But the path isn’t always clear. You must make it happen. Here are a few ways to get started.

• Spend time reviewing job and volunteer opportunities at idealist.org
• Volunteer and intern
• Review graduate school opportunities through the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs and the Association of Schools of Public Health
• Consider AmeriCorps, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps
• Apply for the Rotary Peace Fellowship Program 

Sift through the many jobs listed on Idealist, which is a massive clearninghouse of service and social sector opportunities (More than 8,000 jobs listed right now). Don’t get discouraged immediately – you won’t have the qualifications that many of the organizations are looking for, or they’ll be looking for volunteers rather than paid employees. Nonetheless, it’s a great place to consider the kinds of jobs you may want in the future, look at what they look for in employees, and figure out how to get there. There are also many entry-level posts through AmeriCorps, Public Allies, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and many more.

Volunteering and interning – locally, in your home community, at college, or for a year or two following college – are excellent approaches to getting started in the social sector. The vast majority of people get jobs through contacts and networks. Volunteering can be a strategic way to develop a network in the social sector. This means that as you move forward in your collegiate experience, you should do less sporadic volunteering in favor of more continuous service with an organization you think is especially compelling because of its mission, leadership, or effectiveness. Make clear that you would like to make a commitment through a formal volunteer position or internship. Communicate that you are willing and eager to take on increasing responsibilities. Almost every career has a graduate school, low-level grunt, or apprenticeship phase. In the social sector that may take the form of graduate school, or for less money and more immediate direct application, it may also take the form of an extended volunteer experience (informally, or formally through some of the organizations mentioned below).

If it’s international development or policy-level planning (including domestic applications) you’re after, check out the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). APSIA is comprised of member schools where it’s possible to get degrees like a Master’s in International Development, Master’s in Public Administration, or Master’s in Public Policy and Management, etc. APSIA’s website gives you the growing list of schools in the US that are serious about development studies (as well as several schools abroad).

Clark University is not an APSIA member, but it offers great programs relating to International Development, Community, and Environment. I mention Clark specifically because my field experience with community development around the world has continuously re-emphasized the profound importance of bringing a community-driven lens to all interactions, and Clark emphasizes that in particularly strong ways.

Moving away from broad development schools to more specific training, opportunities exist both within social work and public health. There are a few innovate programs that are finding ways to engage in international social work. Boston College is one of the few programs to offer a real emphasis on international opportunities, along with Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Public Health programs are also great entry points for working with international development concerns. The Association of Schools of Public Health allows you to search by degree and focus area, so it’s possible to create a list of master’s level programs with an international focus. There are fellowship opportunities detailed there as well. Some of the most interesting approaches to learning about community perspectives or engaging in community-driven research are coming out of Public Health. Though my Ph.D. focused on development (at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs), I regularly find myself reading and drawing from public health approaches.

Domestically, think seriously about AmeriCorps and Teach for America opportunities. Internationally, consider the Peace Corps.  Each of these organizations, especially TfA and the Peace Corps, has many advocates and critics. It is of course important to read both critical and positive reviews before signing on and it’s absolutely essential to remember that these are massive organizations. Any initiative of such scope will inevitably have flaws. The alumni of TFA and PC in particular form very tight networks that stretch across the US and around the world. That makes them a good career launching point.

Finally, the Rotary Peace Fellowship program allows opportunities to earn fully-funded Master’s Degrees in Peace Studies or Peace and Conflict Studies. I have a friend who completed the program; for him it was an incredible springboard into a breadth of good work. He’s now had stints with the UN, Save the Children, and is currently working with a mid-size British NGO involved with development work in Afghanistan.

This offers a bit of a start. The crucial lesson, whatever approach to development that you choose to take, is to remember that many people have attempted development with far too much arrogance. When working across cultures around the world, it’s important to stop, listen, be patient, find ways to work together, wait, be patient again, remind yourself to be humble, and hopefully through this slow but important process, move forward together. Best wishes.