International Affairs Virtual Networking Forum
The International Affairs Virtual Networking Forum
ran over two weeks in November 2008. Below is a
list of questions asked of alumni and their responses.
Topics posted with number of replies received
How Tufts Shaped Your Career
First of all, thank you alumni for taking the time
to share your opinions and experiences with us. Your
insightful comments help us picture a world beyond
Tufts!
I am a sophomore IR major (Political Science,
Spanish) and I hope to make the most of all
opportunities offered here (both academic and other,
like IGL/Tisch College & clubs).
Which academic experiences did you find most helpful
in preparing you for your careers? Which experiences
outside of the classroom at Tufts shaped your career
path most significantly? Finally, what would you say
is the most important skill that you learned from
your experience at Tufts?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Amy
Responses
Hi Amy,
Let me start with the most important skill which for
me has been learning how to write and communicate
well. Virtually all international affairs jobs
require a substantial amount of writing. Writing
well will give you a leg up over other candidates,
colleagues, etc. I also found that while Tufts did a
great job in teaching writing, the business world
honed my skill as I moved from a more academic style
to shorter more concise papers and memos for busy
execs.
As for activities, do what you like because that
will keep you the most engaged and interested. I did
junior year abroad (Italy and France) as well as
student government, TPAC and softball. If you enjoy
something a bit offbeat it often makes for a more
interesting job interview experience (e.g., I
volunteered for World Cup Soccer and the Olympics,
both of which were always raised in interviews to my
advantage). Good luck, Laurie
Hello!
My best Tufts-related academic item that helped me
with my career was my junior year abroad. It was
hands down my best educational year ever, and I
don't think you can beat living and studying abroad
as a solid base for a future career in IR. Tufts
makes studying abroad really easy too--since you are
still a sophomore, I would sign up and go!
Jessica
I concur that writing skills are key. These skills
are a fundamental part of many professions, and you
would be surprised how many people cannot write
well. Foreign language skills are also extremely
important, and will be a valuable asset in your
career. I highly recommend focusing on your Spanish
skills, and if possible, spend some time in a
Spanish-speaking country to increase your fluency.
Take classes that you are interested in, because you
will usually do better in those classes. Achieving
academic success will also help distinguish you from
others.
Finally, pursue your interests outside the classroom
as well because you need to enjoy life, and make
sure you enjoy them rather than think of them as
resume-building exercises.
Alex
Amy,
I agree with Laurie, Jessica and Alex about writing
skills and foreign language skills. Strong writing
skills set you apart from the pack.
Like Jessica, I also had an opportunity when I was
an undergraduate to go overseas for an extended
period. I lived with a family in Argentina for
several months and did some traveling in the region,
and that was a positive life-changing experience. I
was able to reach high fluency in Spanish and I
learned that I could do well living overseas.
I was at Tufts as a graduate student for a pretty
focused program at Fletcher, which helped me with
substantive knowledge about international affairs
that I use in my work. But the most valuable things
for my career that I took away from my undergraduate
education, which I completed at another school, were
an areas studies concentration and a very broad
education in everything else. That broad exposure to
everything else is what I would emphasize to you
because it is so important to have that perspective
that includes humanities, social sciences, and exact
sciences and whatever else you want to throw in the
mix. As a Foreign Service generalist, over time I
have found much of it was a good investment.
When I was at Tufts I belonged to the Portuguese
conversation club, and that language reinforcement
definitely helped me when I entered the Foreign
Service.
Good luck. Dale
Hi Amy--
I participated in EPIIC my sophomore year and stayed
involved with the IGL throughout my time at Tufts.
While EPIIC is not for everyone, I found it to be
incredibly helpful and a highlight of my time at
Tufts. Through the support of the program I gained a
lot of practical experience abroad and the contact
for the internship that eventually led to my first
job out of college in Cambodia. While these
experiences were all great, the general skills that
I gained from the experiences abroad as well as the
actual course (communication, effective writing,
continue to help me out every day. You might want to
check it out and see if it is something that you
think you would enjoy.
Best of luck! Shanti
[Top]
Opportunities Abroad in Human Rights/Development
Dear all,
First, thank you so much for your participation. As
an undergraduate senior, I really appreciate your
time and advice.
I'm studying International Relations and am
interested in working abroad, particularly in Latin
America, in human rights or sustainable development.
I was wondering if any of you have any advice as to
what would be the most enriching and beneficial kind
of experience for a career in these fields, and any
recommended organizations or programs to work with.
I've been researching organizations for a while now
but it's often difficult to learn entry-level about
opportunities abroad and the quality of work of the
organization on the ground.
Thank you very much for your time.
Breese
Responses
Hi Breese,
I think above all you want to get some field
experience. There will be opportunities to work on
human rights or sustainable development but from a
cubicle in Greater Washington DC, and I would resist
that and try to get out of the U.S. There are so
many organizations in the field I think you just
have to research them to find out what looks right.
I would not overlook the Peace Corps or an
internship in a U.S. embassy. The Peace Corps will
give you deep on-the-ground experience, and embassy
internships give you a taste of living and working
overseas, although they can also be hit or miss as
far as how much responsibility and learning you get
(it depends a lot on the head of the section you
work in). But they are also shorter than joining the
Peace Corps, which could be good or bad.
Dale
Dear Breese,
I second Dale's advice: the most exciting
development positions require prior field
experience. Many of the organizations operate on a
shoestring, and they need to know you won't be in
over your head before they can justify hiring you.
So, brush up your Spanish (or Portugese/French/Creole),
and get out there.
Coming to development a little later in life than
most, I was surprised by the weight Peace Corps
service pulls with employers. If this option is
appealing to you, I can't recommend it highly
enough.
Best, Heather
I definitely concur with the above responses. I
found that having my experience with WorldTeach in
Costa Rica on my cv gave me credibility and is
actually what got me my first job in development at
Partners of the Americas - one of the people
responsible for the hiring decision had also done a
WorldTeach program!
I just wanted to thank all of you for your time and
advice! I know you've been very helpful both to me
and to other undergrads.
Thanks again, and best of luck with your work!
Take care,
Breese
[Top]
Undergraduate Internships
Hi, my name is Alexandra. I'm currently a sophomore
and I'm hoping to have some sort of internship this
summer. I was just wondering what sorts of
internships you had during college and if they
related to your current career. Also, did you find
them through Tufts or elsewhere?
Thanks,
Alexandra
Responses
Hi Alexandra
When I was in school I was very interested in
working on the hill -- the one in Washington, not
Medford -- so I found (on my own) an internship with
a member of congress.
I recall that the paid internships went to students
from the member's own state or district, and since
there was not a good fit between my representative's
interests and mine, I volunteered to work without
pay half-time for a couple of months for a
Massachusetts congressman who was on the Western
Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee.
I found something else to pay the bills, so it
worked out. The internship changed my mind about
wanting to start my career in congress, and maybe
that was the most valuable thing I took away, and I
also learned something about congress. If you pursue
an internship in congress I would suggest you
establish clearly what it is you will be doing,
because there could be too much letter opening and
too little sitting in on hearings.
Naturally the starting point would be your own
representative and senators, and use whatever
personal, family, or business connections you have
with the member of congress.
The other things that helped pay the bills that long
ago summer in Washington included door to door
membership work/fundraising with USPIRG and opinion
polling by telephone with Peter Hart Research, which
were both interesting in their own way but do not
count as internships. Dale
I too did a few internships. While in college I
worked for a Massachusetts representative in the
State House in Boston. It was not specifically
international but did give me credibility later when
I was looking for an internship in Washington, D.C.
I also did some volunteer work for Amnesty
International and I worked on a Presidential
campaign (Mondale-Ferraro). While in graduate school
I intered on Capitol Hill for a Congressman on the
International Relations committee and subcommitees
on Europe and the Middle East as well as
International Trade. That internship I got from
knocking on doors on the Hill and asking to speak
with someone about internships.
Good luck,
Laurie
Hi Alexandra,
Career Services has a lot of information about
internships-- I believe they may also have contact
information for some students in the IR Dept. that
have done internships in the past that you may be
able to get.
I did several internships while at Tufts including a
summer at the State Department (applications for
this internship in the summer I believe are due by
Nov. 1 every year), an internship with the John
Kerry campaign during the 2004 election, a year
internship with 'Democracy Matters,' and while on
the Tufts in London program I interned with a Member
of Parliament.
If your political affiliation is democrat this is a
great website to look for internships:
http://www.allthingsdemocrat.com/pages/jobsvolunteer.php
The important thing to remember about internships is
that they should teach you something you don't know,
or give you a skill you don't have (such as learning
to write a press release or improving your research
skills). These are the skills employers will value
later on and will make you a more desirable job
candidate.
Think about what really interests you and look for
an internship in that field (sometimes Google is the
best way to go) and the earlier you look the better
chance you can get just the internship you want.
[Top]
Fulbright Insights
I would be interested to hear from former Fulbright
participants on their experiences:
Why did you decide to apply for a Fulbright?
What did you do on the Fulbright?
What did you learn from the experience? (both
personally and professional skills)
Any other advice?
Responses
Thanks for your post. I did a Fulbright in Botswana
immediately after graduating in 2003 and would
highly recommend applying. As Tufts has a great
track record, and good support services to help with
the application process, you're definitely at an
advantage. To answer your questions:
- I applied as I wanted to a) get to the field to
work internationally, b) gain developing country
experience, c) find funding for a specific project.
- My project was a comparative study on HIV/sexual
and reproductive health information sources, looking
at public vs. private school students in Gaborone,
Botswana.
- I learned a tremendous amount from the experience
and it opened alot of doors (afterwards I did the
Fulbright Fellows at UNESCO program, which had been
initiated during the year I was a Fulbright).
Personally, it was a challenge that taught me much
about myself, such as the insight that I could work
in that environment, etc. Professionally, it has
essentially facilitated my career. It helped me to
meet really interesting people, opened up the door
to other work opportunities, and gave me some of the
field experience that's critical for working in
international health.
I would definitely encourage you to think about
Fulbright. If you have a focused proposal, use the
Tufts resources to help guide you, and do a bit of
'playing the numbers' when thinking about selecting
a country, it could be a very positive experience.
Good luck!
Kate
I just returned from being on a Fulbright in
Kazakhstan and would highly encourage anyone with a
strong interest in pursuing a career in
international relations to consider applying.
I thought everyone would like to know that Fulbright
is now offering a new program that is an 'add-on' to
the traditional Fulbright research grant that is
designed specifically for language study. This
language enhancement program can provide up to six
months of intensive language study in a language the
applicant already has experience with. For students
looking to really enhance their language skills,
this is a WONDERFUL opportunity to do so. I received
the grant for Russian and spent four additional
months in Kazakhstan prior to beginning my research
just taking language classes.
Although my initial project was very different from
what I ended up doing, which was photographic essay
of Kazakhstan's changing 'modern culture,' the
research process overseas taught me personally how
to be extremely flexible and aware of cultural
idiosyncrasies that are vital to being successful in
international affairs.
Although every region/country is different for
Fulbrighters, in addition to my personal research I
had the opportunity to work closely with not only
the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan but also Uzbekistan
and Turkmenistan doing cultural/educational
outreach. This ranged from doing press briefings for
the press corps in Uzbekistan on the U.S.
presidential elections to working with orphans in
Kazakhstan wanting to apply to universities in
America.
I hope this helps give anyone looking at applying
to Fulbright an idea of the diverse opportunities
available while on a Fulbright grant. – Sarah
[Top]
Foreign Service
In addition to advice on jobs in Security Studies,
what I really want to do is work for the Department
of State in the Foreign Service. Can an alum in the
Foreign Service offer any advice on the exam?
Preparing for it? Any experience that helped prepare
you for the Exam?
Thanks! Shawna
Responses
Hi Shawna,
The exam has changed in some ways since I took it a
hundred years ago (1985 and 1986), but I think some
general principles still hold.
The written exam is similar in form to academic
exams like the GRE, but the content is different.
The questions in the general knowledge section
corresponded to one of the several work
specializations, and I was surprised to come up
against questions that were completely alien to me
since they had to do with management, psychology,
and maybe math or economics. On the other hand, it
was nice to find questions that seemed easy, such as
history, politics, or matching the five paintings to
the five American artists' names (Georgia O'Keefe,
Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, and so on). I cannot
remember whether I guessed when I didn't feel sure
about an answer.
The English part was considered to be critical, and
conventional wisdom was that if you didn't do well
on it you would not pass the exam.
I don't know if you can truly study for the content
of the exam; I suppose you can study test-taking
strategies. There are some books about the test on
the market, but you might do better using the
information at the State Department site.
If you pass the written exam you advance to the oral
assessment, which is as much a test of how you
conduct yourself as it is of substantive knowledge.
This may sound elementary, but otherwise excellent
candidates are eliminated all the time for simple
offenses such as rudeness, an overbearing manner, or
interrupting others during the group exercise. Keep
your cool, be polite, and be poised. If you can cite
relevant facts in your answers, so much the better.
(I recall mentioning, I think, the Camp David
Accords in response to a question about the Middle
East - not that I knew their content, but at least I
was able to show I was paying attention to world
affairs and current U.S. policy.)
When in doubt about what would be acceptable
procedures to solve a particular problem the
examiners may present, you may say you would of
course check the relevant State Department
regulations and guidelines, but not being familiar
with them you would suggest the following...
I have heard, but I do not know this for a fact,
that it is not good to introduce information such as
what schools you have attended, what countries you
have visited, and other things that could be viewed
as showing off and trying to impress the examiners.
If you do not pass the oral assessment, I gather you
will find out about it immediately, but the
examiners are not permitted to tell you why.
Good luck!
Dale
Hi Shawna,
I took the exam in 2002, so before it was retooled.
However, there are a few basic things I did to
prepare that you may also find helpful. As the other
responder accurately explained, the topics covered
vary widely so it's not possible to cover
everything. THat said, I did find reviewing the US
Constitution, Bill of Rights and going over basic US
history (like in an elementary school history
textbook) somewhat hepful. I think State provides
study materials online nowadays, which I would
definitely take advantage of. Good luck!
Jessica
Hi Shawna,
I just took the Foreign Service Exam a couple of
weeks ago. Like Jessica and Dale said, the topics
covered are so widely varied that it is virtually
impossible to study everything, and studying at all
may not have even helped me. I would recommend
reviewing general world geography, US history, US
culture, US Constitution, etc.
If you Google "Foreign Service Officer Test
preparation," there are plenty of websites that have
practice questions - although most likely none of
them will appear on the test.
The test has four parts:
- multiple-choice general knowledge section (general
info about EVERYTHING, including management
principles which I had no knowledge of)
- personality test (this is tricky, because you know
how they want you to answer the question, but you
must be honest because you must provide examples for
your answers)
- english expression test (basically correcting
grammatical errors - not too difficult for a Tufts
student)
- written essay (30 mins to make an argument from a
prompted question)
I can't say anything about the oral assessment,
because I have not taken it. But I can tell you that
if you speak a critical language (Hindi, Urdu,
Arabic, Chinese, Russian, etc) you will have a
telephone test shortly after the written exam.
Good luck! Schuyler
[Top]
Summer Internship Opportunities in Africa
Hi, I'm a junior concentrating in African regional
studies. I'm currently looking for internship
opportunities in a sub-Saharan African country, and
would like to hear from Tufts alums who have
interned in Africa about how you found you
internship, which qualities do you think
distinguished them on their applications, and what
your experience was like living in an African
country (in terms of finding housing, commuting,
adjusting to the culture, language barriers, etc.).
If Tufts alumni who have worked and who currently
work in Africa have any advice about internships in
Africa, or even Africa-related internships in the US
or Europe, please weigh in too! My interests are
mostly related to peacekeeping/human rights and
development, and I'm most interested in an
internship concerning the conflicts in
Sudan/Chad/CAR, or in the Great Lakes Region.
Thanks,
Phoenix
Responses
Hi Phoenix,
Think of internships the same way you do jobs, and
use all the resources at your disposal. That means
Career Services, your personal networks, and your
professors' networks. Who do you know who's active
in areas that interest you -- or in areas that are
related to areas that interest you? How did they get
started? How did their current entry-level employees
get started? What would they look for in a
prospective hire?
If you're quite focused on the areas you mentioned,
think about which organizations are currently active
in the intersection between your policy/academic
interests and your geographic interests, then figure
out who you know (well, since they need to be
comfortable reaching out on your behalf) that also
knows somebody there. Is USAID active there? UNICEF,
UNHCR, and the rest of the UN system? Which
organizations are winning their contracts?
Alternatively, is there a way you could pursue a
research project (your own -- think thesis -- or a
professor's) including fieldwork -- and can you
track down a grant for summer research to defray the
cost?
As far as my personal experience goes, it was
absolutely worthwhile. I'd do it again in a
heartbeat. I met some wonderful people; saw
first-hand what people, households, communities,
leaders, and policymakers are working to overcome;
and experienced a new part of the globe. That's not
to say it was easy -- but every job has its
challenges, and this one had more concrete rewards
than most I've had. On the specific points you
raised, housing was particularly vexing because I
was in the de facto capital in an "aid darling"
country, so the influx of expats bid up housing
prices beyond what my unpaid student intern's budget
could bear, and as an obvious foreigner, some
segments of the local market were simply
inaccessible to me. (It worked out in the end,
though; happy to share more offline.) I was
concerned about language as I explored internship
options, and selected a location and job description
that worked without local language skills. (Of
course, potential employers were selecting for
candidates whose language skills would allow them to
do the job at hand, so there's a fair amount of
self-selection that happens here.)
I think you'll experience more culture shock through
a summer in Juba than you would if you spent the
summer in London -- but not necessarily any more
than would come from a semester in Tokyo or Seoul.
Managing culture shock is mostly about being
prepared, flexible, open-minded, and humble.
Go for it!
Heather
[Top]
IR Jobs Related to Ideology
Culture
Hi,
First of all, thank you in advance for participating
and creating this great opportunity to get
information.
My name is Youri, and I am a sophomore
majoring in IR and French.
I chose my thematic concentration as "Ideology and
culture in International affairs" which I think
deals more with social and cultural aspects of IR.
Honestly, political or economical aspects are not
my greatest interest. What I've been much more into
is getting into the cultural lives of different
people of the world, and try to gain a global
perspective. In this field of IR, what are the
possible future careers? Also, I was wondering what
kind of extracurricular/ club organization
activities at Tufts helped you the most in your
career life.
Thank you.
Youri
Responses
Hi Youri, I can't speak for the US government
because I haven't worked there, but the Swiss
government and many other foreign governments have
large cultural sections operating within the
embassies and consulates around the world.
Switzerland treats culture very seriously. Our
culture section is a mix of "transferables" who move
to new cities every 4 years or so and "local hires"
who are permanently stationed in one city. However
all I have seen are Swiss nationals because of the
need to speak Swiss German, French and Italian (not
to mention English). With your language skills I
would recommend pursuing governments of French
speaking countries in addition to the US to see what
opportunities might exist. As for extracurricular
activities at Tufts, when I was there this was not
as important as it is today. I was an officer of the
Tufts Economics Society and I'm sure that didn't
hurt on the resume, but not sure how much it helped
either. I think today these things are more
important. I know they are in high school (my oldest
is a junior)!
[Top]
State Department Jobs While Awaiting Foreign
Services
The following is directed to any alumni who would
like to speak about State Department employment:
What insights and opinions can you share on Civil
Service employment after graduation? Would anyone
recommend seeking a Civil Service job, while
preparing for the Foreign Service Officer Test? (If
for example, one didn't pass the exam, and was
waiting to take it again the following year).
Can anyone lend insights into the Career Entry
Program, as a vehicle for pursuing a Civil Service
position?
Thank you!
Respectfully,
James
Responses
Hi James! Happy to hear that your summer didn't
scare you off, and you're still interested in the
Foreign Service.
I'll post a contrarian view, and perhaps some of our
Foreign Service Officers will step in to correct any
misperceptions or misinformation.
I think work outside the Department will, in the
end, serve you better once you become an FSO. The
Foreign Service is structured to teach you what
you'll need. What they don't teach are the things
you would pick up in the private sector, academia,
at a non-profit, or even in another branch/level of
government (e.g., on the Hill). You'll bring greater
diversity to the Foreign Service by pursuing another
facet of your interest in foreign affairs.
I know some CEPs who work as paralegals or in human
resources. It seems to be a program much like the
PMF, serving its function (feeding the civil service
pipeline) -- but if you really want to be an FSO,
most civil service jobs at State are not going to be
right for you.
Are there other views out there?
Best,
Heather
I encourage you to pursue the State Department
Foreign Service, but don't forget that other
agencies (such as the Commerce Department, where I
was a Foreign Service Officer) also employ Foreign
Service officers. Also, many other agencies post
civil service employees abroad. Many of these
positions require related experience (Commerce
doesn't usually hire FSOs right out of college), but
they are worth looking out for in the future.
Alex
[Top]
Civil Service vs. Foreign Service
Hello again,
While I feel like I have a pretty good handle on
what the Foreign Service at the State Department
entails, I was wondering if someone could talk a bit
about what it's like to work in the Civil Service at
the State Department. Are there still opportunities
to travel (frequently?) but still be based in
America? And good opportunity to put that IR major
and acquired language skills to use too?
Thanks again for taking the time to help with this
forum! Thomas
Responses
Thomas,
While I'm Foreign Service, I am currently posted to
Washington so have some familiarity with CS too.
While there are some positions that do afford
travel, most of it is not frequent and the majority
do not. It seems that there is a good amount of
opportunity to move around, from one bureau to
another as positions become available, which is
good. I think it's pretty much the case that most
senior management positions in almost all office are
FS positions. As a CS you would have the opportunity
to take a "hard to fill" FS position overseas if you
chose, but that would be a 1-2 year assignment,
which does not sound like what you're looking for.
Best of luck!
Jessica
Thomas,
I'm a State Department civil servant, albeit in a
somewhat atypical civil service job, and I'd say
Jessica is right on the mark: the civil service and
foreign service are quite distinct.
For the lucky few who travel, it's short (a few days
or at most a few weeks) and event-driven (annual
meetings of technical organizations in which we
participate, for example). Remember, we have "field
offices" all over the world, so there has to be a
compelling reason to spend taxpayer dollars sending
someone from Washington. The "hard to fill" slots
require quite a bit of seniority and usually
specialized skills that you've demonstrated in your
performance of your civil service job. It might be
best to think of them as a possible extra
opportunity that might materialize if all the stars
align.
Almost any professional State Department job would
require you to draw on your IR major. Depending on
the job, you might need to look elsewhere for ways
to keep up your language skills.
In sum: it's a rewarding career, but one that has
more in common with any other federal government
career than with a foreign service career.
Heather
Thomas-
While State is the lead agency for foreign affairs,
many other agencies have large roles in
international affairs. I traveled all around the
world working for the Commerce Department, in both
the Civil Service and the Foreign Service (I was a
COMMERCE Foreign Service Officer), and now I am
continuing to work on international trade issues,
and traveling internationally, with Customs and
Border Protection. In sum, if you are interested in
having an international career with the Federal
Government, don't limit yourself to the State
Department.
Alex
[Top]
International Finance
Hi, I'm a sophomore interested in international
finance. It's difficult to find internships or entry
positions in this field specifically. Where would
you recommend looking, and/or what kind of job
experience do you think is beneficial to have if
applying to international finance positions a few
years down the road?
Doris
Hi Doris,
Although it's not my field, many of my friends are
in finance, both private sector (Wall Street) and
public (Fed, IMF, IFC). The lesson from their
experience seems to be "hard skills, hard skills,
hard skills." Take your quant courses, learn at
least one stats program like Stata or Rats, and get
some experience modeling and working with large
datasets -- either by doing research for a professor
or PhD student, interning with a firm (looking
challenging these days), or doing an ambitious
thesis that involves serious modeling.
One place you might not have thought to look for
relevant experience is in economic consulting,
specifically litigation support (intellectual
property or mergers and acquisitions) or sectoral
analysis. Here I have some personal knowledge. Most
consultancies' work ebbs and flows, and an extra
research assistant during a crunch time can be a
life-saver. A number of very good boutique firms are
based in the Boston area. Many have relationships
with Tufts.
Finally, take the time to become proficient in a
world language -- able to read academic articles,
lead a meeting, and give a presentation in that
language. Absolutely everyone I know in this field
has 2 or more major languages, and they use them
regularly.
Good luck!
Heather
[Top]
IR Related Jobs
Hi, I'm a freshman, and I'm pretty sure I'll major in
IR-International Economics. My question is What kind
of jobs can you get when you major in International
Development, International Trade, International
Finance, respectively?
Also, I want to be a person who decides or helps
deciding foreign policies related to international
relations. What kind of jobs do I need to get in
order to do those?
I just wonder about the general path or general jobs
of those who studied IR in Tufts Undergrad.
Responses
There are so many possibilities for jobs with the
majors you mention. Of course government is a
logical choice and offers the greatest impact on
policy decisions. I personally like the
opportunities afforded in the Executive branch. The
Legislative branch can be interesting too, but I was
a bit frustrated by the compromising that is
necessary to move policies forward (some folks
thrive on that atmosphere -- it depends on your
personality).
Other types of jobs would include working for an
NGO, in-house government relations group of a
corporation or consulting firm. You should realize,
however, that non-government positions are generally
lobbying government on policy issues and not making
the final decisions.
If you do choose a government position you can often
get a fair amount of responsibility early in your
career, however, there is some expectation that you
will work your way up into a position of
decision-making; writing recommendations, memos,
etc.
Good luck,
Laurie
[Top]
Opportunities in Europe in NGO’s and Non-profits
Dear all,
Thank you for your willingness to participate in this
forum. As a senior at Tufts to graduate in May 2009, I
have been researching opportunities for a career after
college. I am primarily interested in working in a
European country or in an organization which is related
to international relations with Europe. Does any of you
have a piece of advice on what is the best way to start
a career in an international organization or even one of
the EU institutions.
Thank you for your time. Lidia
Responses
Hello Lidia,
I have two suggestions:
1)The EU offers internships (paid/unpaid) for recent
college grads. Go to google and type in EU
internships. You might also want to visit:
http://www.eurobrussels.com/internships.php
2)There are plenty of US International NGOs that
have offices and programs in Europe. One good site
to visit and also sign up for updates on development
jobs is at www.developmentex.com. At this site you
can research which NGOs have offices and/or programs
in Europe.
Good luck!
Hi Lidia -- I worked in Switzerland at the
International Olympic Committee for 4 years, and had
a great experience. Switzerland is a great place to
live and work as an international employee, as it is
so filled with so many outward-reaching
organizations. You should check out the United
Nations
http://www.un.org/ and World Economic Forum
http://www.weforum.org/en/index.htm (both in
Geneva).
If you are interested at all in sport,
Switzerland is also the place to be, as many of the
world's governing bodies in sport are based there! I
have no idea what your specific career goals are,
however, many of the sporting bodies are organized
like corporations and have marketing, finance,
operations departments, etc. UEFA, FIFA, the IOC,
and governing bodies for hundreds of sports are all
based in CH--Nyon, Zurich, Lausanne, etc, and there
are a lot of expats working there!
I am happy to provide a bit more guidance if any
of the aforementioned organizations interest you!
Jessica
[Top]
Positions in EU and NGO’s primarily in Brussels
Firstly I wanted to thank everyone for their
participation in this forum. As a senior studying
International Relations and Community Health, I have
been researching job opportunities in Europe both with
NGOs and the European Union. I would be interested in
working at an entry level position at the EU or at an
NGO (particularly in International Health or Confict
Resolution), and my geographical focus is either
Brussels or Geneva as of right now.
I was wondering where it might be best to start looking
for such opportunities? As well, if there is anybody who
is involved with the EU, what types of positions are
usually available for recent graduates (with EU
citizenship), and what may be the best method of going
about finding a position there?
Thank you so much in advance for your help and
participation in this event.
Eleonora
It might be worth looking at
http://www.ineesite.org/
for agencies working in education and conflict.
If you are in a financial position to do so, you should
also consider as an option internships at organizations
in your field/city of interest. On the U.S. Government
side, there is a large representation from many agencies
in both Brussels and Geneva - potentially including
agencies involved in international health - and they may
have internships (if not jobs) available. For example,
my former employer, the Foreign Commercial Service,
often had interns in their offices abroad. I would
recommend directly contacting any offices you are
interested in.
Alex
You should consider consulting firms. They often hire at
the entry level with the right educational background
(which I am guessing you have). To identify
consultancies in your area, check out conference agendas
to see who is on the speaking circuit.
Finally, Euractive has a jobs site that seems pretty
good. http://jobs.euractiv.com/.
Cheers,
Laurie
[Top]
More About NDN?
Hi Sam! Can you tell me a little more about what you do
at NDN? (and what does NDN stand for) How did you find
out about this organization? txs ~Moira
"Sam duPont, Tufts '08 (IR)
I'm currently working at NDN, a left-of-center think
tank/advocacy/political group."
Response
Surely, Moira!
Curiously enough, NDN doesn't stand for anything, though
it used to stand for New Democrat Network. I work as
assistant to the president of the organization, doing
everything from research and writing to scheduling and
sitting in on meetings.
I initially came across the organization's website (www.ndn.org)
while voyaging on the internet, and was clued into this
opening when a TU alum/NDN employee contacted the IGL at
Tufts, and they forwarded the request.
The job has been good exposure to the political world,
and allowed me to gain a better sense of how Washington
works. So far, so good!
[Top]
Entry-level Options in International trade
Could you please elaborate on entry-level options
available to students in international trade?
Thanks to all of our alumni for participating!
-Donna
Responses
Entry level positions are somewhat about being in the
"right place at the right time." A job as an
administrative assistant can actually end up being more
than advertised (with more substantive work). It is
important to identify organizations with a global focus
or areas within organizations dedicated to international
activities.
If you are serious about international work, ask lots of
questions about career paths and opportunities -- just
be aware that if the position does not offer those
opportunities, you may be perceived as "not being the
right fit" due to those questions.
Also consider government positions. Government jobs
often offer lots of responsibility at relatively early
career stages. In addition, with government jobs,
broaden your search beyond the usual State Department,
Commerce, USTR, etc. to other agencies not usually
considered as international. For example, the Department
of Labor of HHS often have offices dedicated to
international programs. Good Luck, Laurie
International trade is actually a very wide field, and
provides a lot of possibilities. Entry level
possibilities include national trade associations, which
often have departments working on international trade
issues; freight forwarders and custom brokers;
international sales/customs compliance/import
departments of companies; export promotion offices of
state and local governments; consulting firms; and
paralegal positions in law firms with international
trade law practices. Also banks that handle
international transactions, but I am not sure of the
level of the jobs.
Also, I agree with Laurie to broadly look at government
agencies, as more and more agencies have significant
international responsibilities, including international
trade responsibilities. Regularly check
usajobs.gov, and
do subject word searches to see the varieties of jobs
available, and start applying! Alex
In addition to my previous comments I want to add that I
agree with Alex on looking at associations too. Keep in
mind however that in a tight economy they are often
cutting back.
One government agency that I suspect will eventually be
growing is the Consumer Product Safety Commission. They
are in the process of implementing a new complex law
related to imports from overseas. While they do not
currently have funding to expand, I suspect that
eventually they will have to expand to meet their
mandate.
U.S. government jobs are easy to track online. You can
set up an auto e-mail feature to selct your interests (usajobs.gov).
Also, many companies have offices in Washington, DC
dedicated to government relations including trade.
Good luck,
Laurie
Another specific place that deals with international
trade is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (which is
different than the Dept. of Commerce). It is a great
place to work since it deals both with lobbying US and
international governments on trade issues for big and
small companies.
[Top]
Continuing your education after Tufts University
Hi,
Thank you all for contributing to this great project!
After Tufts, it seems like most of the alumni went on to
graduate school. My questions are:
- Why did you decide to do so?
- When did you decide was the best time? Or would you
have done something differently?
- What do you think the benefits of continuing to study
in America are compared to studying somewhere else?
Looking forward to learning more about some fellow
Jumbos,
Anna
Responses
Regarding graduate school. A couple of suggestions
(following the logic of your questions)
1) & 2) I decided to go on to grad school only after
having been out in the "working world" for 6 years.
Depending on what you want to do, I would strongly
recommend working for a couple of years before returning
to school. You'll have more experience and you'll be
able to gain much more out of your grad school studies.
I spent 5 of the six years overseas, four of those with
Peace Corps. That is not necessary but working will help
you to better direct your grad studies and you'll have a
lot more to offer fellow students. I would not do it
differently.
3) Great question. Depending on what you want to study
there may be excellent programs abroad. The US has a
wonderful reputation for graduate school education but
we're not the only market. First, determine why you want
to go to school and what you want to do - then figure
out where you can best do that.
Good luck!
EAM
I also spent several years working and determining
exactly what I wanted to go to grad school for and what
I wanted to gain from it.
I think that my classmates who also had a few years work
experience benefitted more from grad school as they
could more easily apply some of the general theories to
real life situations. They also had more to offer their
classmates in terms of their own experiences, which I
appreciated.
Jessica
I agree on the importance of gaining work experience
before going straight to grad school. It will not only
help you focus your studies, but will provide for better
discussion in the classroom. I chose to study overseas
(in Jerusalem) because I wanted to learn Hebrew and
Arabic. However, I was much less impressed /
disappointed with the non-language coursework that I
did. I would highly recommend that you speak to other
American students with comparable academic backgrounds
before enrolling in an overseas degree program.
I did spend a couple of years working before grad
school. It was not my dream job (operations management
for a department store) which reinforced my interest in
grad school. I studied in the Washington, DC which also
allowed for a broad exposure to the international
community. I think that a U.S. education is great and
has credibility globally; however, there are certain
foreign programs that also have great global reputations
(e.g., London School of Economics). If you choose to
study abroad you should consider 1) whether the program
is internationally respected and 2) if not, whether it
is respected in the region where you would like to work.
Good luck,
Laurie
[Top]
Getting started in your current careers
Hello,
Thank you all so much for posting on the forum! As a
second year undergraduate student, it is very reassuring
to see that after graduating from Tufts people do go on
to do amazing things and that I can apply all that I've
learned here.
I was wondering if it would be possible to provide a
short note about how some of you started in the amazing
careers that you currently have. For example, did you
work as an intern at your current place of employment
while you were an undergraduate? Did you find out about
job openings through career service announcements like
those I receive through Tufts Career Services? Please
feel free to note any obstacles you might have faced
when starting your career as well.
Thank you!
Nadia
Responses
Nadia,
Having just gone through this process, and seen my
friends do the same, I've got a little perspective. Two
pieces of advice:
First, when looking for a job, take advantage of your
social networks. Talk to people (everyone!) you know,
and when you find an organization you're interested in
working for, see if you know anyone on the inside
there-- it helps a lot! I got my current job mainly
because I vaguely knew a Tufts '07 grad who was working
there, and he was able to help me out.
Second, be persistent. E-mailing a cover letter and
resume is a first step, but if that's all you do, you'll
fail 95% of the time. Following up with a phone call
makes a big difference.
Hope this helps!
Let me know if you have other questions.
Sam
Good question!
I wholeheartedly agree with Sam that you need to really
work your network...and that includes Tufts Alumni! I
got my first job out of college because the hiring
manager happened to be the only other Utahn to have
attended Tufts near the time when I attended--I had no
idea, but she started singing the Tufts song when I
walked in to interview and we totally hit it off from
there! You have no idea how absolutely invaluable your
Tufts network will be in the future, so use the Alumni
networking that career services provides!
I would also highly suggest volunteering or interning
for organizations that interest you. I have primarily
worked in large, international events (Olympic Games),
and it is difficult to break into the field. However,
once you get some basic experience, even on a volunteer
level, that gets the proverbial foot in the door. Also,
it is an incredible way to meet and network with paid
staff who may have full time positions available.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Jessica
Dear Nadia,
I concur with the other advice. Talk to people and
definitely use the Tufts alumni network! On gaining
entry, I volunteered first and then got a position where
I volunteered. Also, be willing to try something that is
outside of an initial interest - you never know where it
might lead. Finally, if you try something and it doesn't
work out, don't worry. Move on to something else. You
have LOTS of time and if you find you have to work for a
year or two at a job that is not "ideal" don't let that
discourage you. Just use your time wisely to better
understand what you like and don't like about your
current position, what you're learning and how you're
applying your skills - then you can use that information
to seek your next position.
Good luck!
EAM
Dear Nadia,
First, the fact that you're thinking about this during
your second year means you'll be in a good place when
you hit the job market.
I found my first job after Tufts through Career Services
(thanks, Tufts!). I believe the organization selected me
because I had done a variety of different things during
my summers and my extracurricular activities showed I
had the basic organization and management skills they
needed in an entry-level hire. I took advantage of the
workshops and counseling opportunities offered through
Career Services, too, which I believe made me a stronger
candidate, both on paper and in person.
Those summer jobs helped me understand what I wanted in
a full-time position, under what kind of supervision I
worked well, and -- equally important -- what would make
me miserable. If you learn from each of your summers,
you'll be able to articulate why you're a good fit for
the position and the organization in ways that aren't
obvious from your resume or your major alone.
Finally (and at the risk of sounding like a broken
record), don't underestimate the power of social
networks like alumni associations. If an employer has
hired Tufts graduates in the past and had a good
experience, it usually works in the next Tufts
applicant's favor.
Good luck!
Heather
I agree with all of the above postings. NETWORK and
INTERN. Don't be afraid to reach out to Tufts Alumni,
they will generally be very helpful.
Also, try and take some classes at Fletcher. Many of the
students are fresh out of the workforce and are a great
resource for learning about opportunities and connecting
you with their former employers.
Nadia,
Frankly, I had a bit of trouble finding an international
position right after college. I decided to attend
graduate school and while there, learned more about a
broad array of potential careers. My first job at the
U.S. Department of Commerce I found through networking.
I believe it was a friend of a friend of a friend who
had an opening an wanted me for the position. Almost
every job I have had since then has been through
networking -- many with Tufts connections. You have the
added benefit of services like LinkedIn that did not
exist when I was looking for work!!
Good luck,
Laurie
[Top]
Pursuing foreign language beyond Tufts vs. finding a job
Hi,
As a senior working on Arabic, I wanted to get some
feedback about continuing work on language after
graduation. In terms of finding careers abroad in any
field (business, Foreign Service, consulting, etc.),
does it make more sense to try and attain fluency and
proficiency first or to find a job in order to get
"experience" while simultaneously or subsequently
continuing work on a language?
Responses
Hello!
If you can get a job where you can gain experience AND
work on your language at the same time, GO FOR IT!
I have had a couple positions in Europe, eahc of which
required me to speak French fluently. I had to prove my
fluency to gain the job offers, because proven fluency
was necessary not only for the job but to go through the
rigamarole of the company getting me a work visa.
I would continue to work on your language with work and
outside as well--I have had 3 jobs now, where the
difference between me and the other candidates was my
level of proficiency. Pick up a book on slang or learn a
couple colloquial phrases, work on your accent, and make
sure you can read and write as well as you speak--this
also really helps with getting a job and in the business
setting.
Hope this helps!
Jessica
Hi Thomas,
As far as the Foreign Service is concerned, language
ability is not terribly important in getting in, but is
tested on entry and a good score or two earns an
immediate modest pay increase and more importantly, make
you an attrctive candidate for assignments during your
career.
If you have high fluency in a language and have done
well studying languages while in the Service, your
choice of assignments will always be better than the
next officer who has only, say Spanish and French and
not much proven language aptitude. The Foreign Service
tests aptitude with the Modern Languages Aptitude Test (MLAT)
and if your score is good, you can get assigned to just
about any hard language as long as the rest of your
profile is attractive.
The Foreign Service tends to view language as a
professional tool that can be acquired like managements
skills or geographical area knowledge, and if you need
language for an assignment they train you. But truly
high fluency is particularly valuable and many officers
never reach that level, so it gives you a leg up. If you
can achieve it before entry, so much the better, and
there will be rewards down the line in assignments and
even promotions. If you can reach high fluency in more
than one language, even better.
You are studying Arabic, and that would be extremely
welcome in the Foreign Service, especially if you were
among the relatively few who speak it with high fluency.
Finally, one detail: the Foreign Service does not test
your ability to write the language, only to read it and
speak it.
Good luck!
Dale
PrinceD nails it for the US Foreign Service - you don't
need a language on day one, but you must have two to
enter the Senior Foreign Service.
Language (including English) is merely one of many tools
you will need to be successful. My wife was a
French/German scholar and working as a translator when I
met her. She notes that if she had it to do over, she
would study a useful skill and take languages as a
minor.
All of that said, Arabic (like Chinese, Japanese,
Russian, and Farsi/Dari) is particularly useful in
today's world.
After graduating from Tufts, I was looking for work at
international conflict resolution organizations
(particularly related to the Middle East) and the
biggest barrier I encountered was not having language
skills or regional experience. I then moved to Jerusalem
and spent 3.5 years working there while learning Hebrew
and Arabic. It made finding subsequent work much easier.
Hi Thomas,
I would say that the time following graduation is
absolutely the best opportunity you will have to try and
bolster your language skills- it is difficult to really
focus on language development while you are working full
time.
However, as Steven noted, it was his regional experience
that was truly valuable in the job market. So if you can
get abroad and strengthen your language skills while
gaining on the ground experience, you should absolutely
go for it.
I just came back from more than a year living in Central
Asia with Russian skills to boot, and this is currently
making all the difference in my competitiveness in the
job market.
While I have a couple of languages in addition to
English, I have found them only to be an added benefit
to my candidacy but not a critical factor. That being
said, my language abilities have helped me on the job,
particularly in gaining credibility with foreign
officials. I too would agree with the post that
suggested finding a position where you could hone your
skills.
Good luck,
Laurie
[Top]
Public Health Question
Hi,
I am a current junior hoping to go into the global
health field when I graduate. I am very interested in
epidemiology and also Latin America. In the future I
would love to work at places like the UN, Red Cross, or
the government. Do you have any advice on what to do in
terms of "real life" experience and graduate school? Is
an MPH (or MSPH) enough or is a PhD or DPH much
preferred. Thanks so much!
- Jessica
Dear Jessica, thanks for your post about working in
international health. From my experience, a critical
step in IH career development is getting to the field (ie.
working in an under developed country). Perhaps the best
way to do this, right out of college, is either to
volunteer/intern abroad or apply for a fellowship/grant
which will take you overseas. As you have time, it's
worth looking into Fulbright and similar fellowships.
Regarding graduate degrees, the majority of people I've
met have a masters at minimum. There are plenty of MDs
in the field, and fewer PhDs (unless they're more on the
academic IH side), from my experience. Take a look at
the Erasmus Mundus program, funded by the EC:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/projects/index_en.html.
I did the tropEd MSc in IH, but there are now a few
other health-related courses.
Good luck!
[Top]
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