Giving Compass' Take: 

• Communicating your experience to the international development world can be difficult sometimes, and here are some tips to help with that.

• What are the most pressing issues an international development professional should understand? 

• Research from Devex shows it is easier for men to get a promotion and earn more than women. Here are ways to increase the number of women leaders. 

Marketing is all about knowing your audience and communicating the right message to get them to buy. As a job seeker in our competitive market, it can be difficult to stand out; therefore, marketing yourself is essential to the recruitment process.

Here are some tips that can help you take your job search to the next level.

  • Summarize, front and center
    • Consider writing a summary at the top of your CV that addresses frequently used qualifiers such as years of experience, degrees, certifications, client experience, industry buzzwords, languages, and country or regional experience.
  • Make yourself searchable
    • Think about your CV as a searchable document. Whether you’re submitting your CV to an online job posting, emailing it directly to your network, or leveraging your social media profile, your CV or profile will inevitably end up in a searchable database.
  • Don’t just list your projects, describe them
    • Employers want to know if your experience aligns with their project. Therefore, it is helpful for us to learn about the type of project, scope, scale, and even the dollar amount.
  • Tell us what YOU did
    • Give examples of how you contributed to the oversight and completion of the project.
  • Leverage your unique selling points
    • Highlight your professional growth and the specific skills that you have acquired along the way to demonstrate how you would bring the most value to the position.
    • Be mindful of your online presence
      • Keep your online presence professional and know that it is discoverable.
    • Develop and engage in your networks
      • Nurturing and maintaining your network connections can get you on the fast track to finding a new job.
    • Don’t be shy; be proactive
      • If you’re interested in working for a company or organization, don’t be afraid to ask for an informational interview.

Read the full article about marketing yourself in international development by Siobhan Brooks at Devex.