Careers

Breaking into the world of humanitarian aid is certainly not an easy feat. IOHSS does not solicit employers or prospective employees directly. However, the links below can set you on the path of learning more about getting a job or internship in the humanitarian field. 

Reflect on the following:
- Would you like to work in your own country?
- Do you want to work in the field, or in an organization's headquarters?
- Are you seeking a career in humanitarianism, or are you interested in a shorter-term opportunity?
- What experience and qualifications can you bring to the job?
- Which sector within humanitarianism would you like to work in?

After you've thought about what type of job you would like to have, you can find out more about what opportunities exist.

Next, think about the entities present in the area you would like to work in. The list below should give you some clues:


Organizations in Your Country
If you are interested in working for an organization based in your own country (governmental or non-governmental) you might want to find out more about the following:
- Which international governmental organizations have offices in your country? 
    Examples of these include:
    - International Organization for Migration
    - United Nations (UNHCR, UNICEF, etc)
    - The Red Cross or Red Crescent
    - The Commonwealth
    - Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development
- Which international non-governmental organizations have offices in your country? 
    Examples of these include:
    - Save the Children
    - Oxfam
- Which regional govenmental organizations have offices in your country? 
    - Europe - European Union, Council of Europe, OSCE, etc
    - Asia - Association of Southeast Asian Nations, etc
    - Africa - African Union, Arab League, etc
- Are there any national organizations? 
    - Large national organizations such as
- Are there any specific parts of the government that deal with humanitarian assistance? 
    - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    - Ministry of Education
    - Ministry of Justice
    - Ministry of Social Services


Regional and International Organizations
The world is divided into regional capitals and international capitals. Think about where you would like to work:
    - European 'capitals', such as Brussels, Geneva, Vienna, London, Paris, Strasbourg
    - Asian 'capitals', such as Bangkok
    - American 'capitals', such as Washington DC, New York
    - African 'capitals' such as Addis Ababa
    - World 'capitals', such as New York, Geneva


Many international organizations have standardized application proceses and/or entry examinations. Here are some of the key organizations in the area:
United Nations
    United Nations System - Links to all Job Pages
European Commission