Finding a job in the humanitarian sector may seem difficult in the beginning. There are multiple ways to gain your first bit of experience, boost your resume, and start networking:

1. An easy way to get started is to volunteer. This can differ from local fieldwork to office work. It shows a future employer that you are interested, dedicated, motivated and that you have the right skills and experience to become a humanitarian. Besides, it is relatively easy to start as a volunteer as the application process is less intense compared to a starters position.

    

Tip 1: Show your skills!
When you’re applying for a job or internship, you of course want to show all the things that you have done during your studies. However, keep in mind that just your degree isn’t going to get you that far. Most applicants have similar degrees. Try to show what you can do that others can’t! Humanitarian organizations always appreciate it when you speak a unique language, when you have done some volunteering or when you have a unique skill set that could be a great asset to them.

After graduating, I applied for a job at the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). Within a month I said my goodbyes to friends and family and moved to Budapest. I started my new job in a rather calm period, as it was outside of the hurricane and flood season. This allowed me to get up to speed and get to know the mechanisms and the millions of abbreviations!

We have all heard of the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And being a Ukrainian student abroad, you simply feel like you NEED to act. You know your friends and family are still in an active war zone, which feels very challenging! It was the third day of the invasion when we started the campaign to collect goods for the people in Ukraine, with a team of five Ukrainian students who study at the Tilburg University in The Netherlands.

The UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) is an international network of professionals. Within hours after a large disaster occurs, their teams are being deployed anywhere around the world to assess the damage and necessities and coordinate the activities of responding organizations. UNDAC quite often organizes large simulations to make sure their teams are up for the task when required. In this simulation, the teams deploy in a fictional country, named MAS. In reality, the teams are working from a training terrain in the UK. In this post, you can read more about the course of this field simulation.

Alicia Goeckel’s journey to the United Nations is a testament to determination and seizing opportunities. From her first job as a translator at 16 to her internship in New York, Alicia shares her unique experiences and the challenges of working in the heart of global diplomacy. Despite the hurdles, including unpaid internships and remote work, her passion for humanitarian work and professional growth shines through. Alicia’s story is not just about her time at the UN but about how each step has prepared her for a future in international law and human rights.